Smartphones with high refresh rate displays are becoming more of a norm. The OnePlus 7T series features 90Hz displays and the Pixel 4 does as well, though the latter’s implementation is not without controversy. Meanwhile, Razer has created two smartphones with 120Hz displays and it looks like a future Samsung Galaxy phone will do the same.
Samsung is no stranger to high-end display technology, of course. However, they’ve never released a smartphone under their own brand with a 90Hz display, let alone 120Hz. We’ve heard rumors for awhile that Samsung will soon join the high refresh rate bandwagon, and the latest One UI 2.0 (Android 10) beta for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hints at a future phone that will have a 120Hz display. There’s a hidden option in the display settings to toggle between 60Hz and 120Hz. All users have to do was search for it in settings to make it show up. Obviously, the Galaxy Note 9’s display is not capable of switching to this higher refresh rate, but this definitely suggests a future phone will.
The initial screenshots from Ice Universe are in Korean and Chinese, but someone else replied with an English version. The two options are called “Best Display” and “Save Battery.” The Best Display is 120Hz and it says “Always use 120Hz for the smoothest possible display. This uses more battery than usual.” The description for Save Battery reads “Save battery by automatically switching between 60Hz and 120Hz based on the apps you choose and the content currently shown on the screen.” It’s also possible to turn off the high refresh rate completely and only use 60Hz.
Ice Universe speculates that the Samsung Galaxy S11 will ship with the 120Hz “Best Display” option. That certainly seems like the most likely candidate for the 120Hz display. Samsung makes many of the high refresh rate displays used by other OEMs, so it would be no problem at all for Samsung outfit their own phones with one.
