Most phones, flagship or not, currently cap their refresh rate at 120Hz. A few devices (mostly gaming) from brands like RedMagic or Nubia push things further, but even then, 165Hz has basically been the ceiling.
The latest to hit that mark is the OnePlus 15.
Honor, though, might surpass that mark with a phone that’s reportedly under testing in China. According to reliable tipster Digital Chat Station, the company is testing a phone with a 185Hz refresh rate and a 1.5K resolution display.
For comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s panel refreshes at 120Hz.
What does refresh rate mean?
A higher refresh rate generally means smoother motion and less eye strain since the display updates more frequently. But to actually benefit from it, apps and games also need to be optimized for those speeds, and spoiler, most aren’t. Many titles cap their frame rates simply to keep things stable.
Take the OnePlus 15 as an example. The phone can run at 165Hz in the UI, but jump into an app that’s only optimized for 120Hz, and it immediately drops back down.
Only a tiny group of games support its full 165Hz, including Call of Duty, Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars, Real Racing 3, Standoff 2, and Blood Strike-FPS.
So if Honor does introduce a 185Hz screen, the real-world experience probably won’t feel dramatically different unless developers actually support it. Otherwise, it’ll mostly behave like a regular 120Hz panel, just with a much bigger number on the spec sheet.
Higher refresh rates also come with a cost. The higher the number, the more power the display consumes, which can drain your battery faster. In some cases, it can even make the device run warmer than usual. That’s why there’s a practical limit, and beyond a certain point, cranking up the refresh rate doesn’t really add much to the user experience.
Don’t miss a thing! Join our Telegram community for instant updates and grab our free daily newsletter for the best tech stories!
For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.
Comments