Leafing through the weekly Fry’s circular today, I was struck by the price difference between 120Hz LCD televisions and their 60Hz ancestors.
For example, Samsung is selling a 46-inch 1080p LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate for $2300 after rebate, while right next to that ad is a pitch for a Sony 46-inch 1080p LCD at the older 60Hz rate for a mere $1900.
So what’s the deal? What does the extra $400 buy you?
Well, long story short, the higher refresh rate theoretically gets you a smoother picture with less blur during fast-moving scenes.
The full answer isn’t quite that clear cut, but the tech gurus at Cnet have a helpful rundown of all the differences between the two refresh rates. Their final take:
So, is it worth paying extra for a 120Hz model now? If you can afford it, I’d say go for it, so long as you get a model that does anti-judder well–and offers good picture quality based on the fundamentals: decent black levels, color saturation, color accuracy, and resolution. Ultimately, reducing judder, not motion blur, is the real game-changer here. Get a demo yourself. Maybe you’ll see what I mean.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but read the whole thing for yourself.
