Glossary
Hardware & spaces
Refresh rate
Also known as display refresh rate · hz · screen refresh rate
How many times per second a display draws a new image, measured in hertz (Hz), which affects smoothness and comfort in a headset.
VR headsets commonly run at 72 Hz or higher, because the image must keep up with every small head movement. If the device cannot render frames fast enough, motion looks juddery and some users feel unwell.
Refresh rate is separate from the frame rate of the content: a 30 frames per second 360° video still plays on a 90 Hz display, and the view still turns smoothly as the head moves. Heavy 3D scenes can push standalone headsets below their target rate, so test on the devices learners will use.