The box says 120Hz. Your browser might read 60. If you’re gaming through HDMI, the port, cable, and Game Mode setting each cut that number independently. Any one of them alone can cap you at 60Hz without the others.
The spec on the box isn’t the number you’re getting
TV makers have three different things they call a refresh rate, and they don’t advertise which one they’re giving you.
Native Hz is the panel’s actual hardware rate. Most 120Hz TVs sold since 2021 have a genuine 120Hz panel underneath.
Marketed Hz is a larger number created by software. Samsung’s “Motion Rate 240,” LG’s “TruMotion 120,” and Sony’s “MotionFlow XR 120” all layer motion interpolation or backlight strobing on top of a lower native rate to produce a smoother-looking image. The number on the box reflects the output of that processing, not the panel hardware.
HDMI input Hz is what the TV actually accepts from the cable. A genuine 120Hz panel can still cap a PS5 at 60Hz if the port isn’t HDMI 2.1 or the cable isn’t rated for it.
A mid-range 120Hz Samsung, for example, might say “Motion Rate 240” on the box, output 120 native frames, and cap a console at 60Hz through its 2.0 HDMI ports.
Run the browser test
Open your TV’s built-in browser and load the refresh rate test. It uses requestAnimationFrame to count how many frames the browser can paint per second, and the display caps that number.
Hit Start and run it for at least 15 seconds. A marginal panel can read 119 on a cold start and drift lower, so a short run misses it. A 120Hz panel should settle between 115 and 122. A 60Hz panel reads around 58 to 62.
This measures the TV’s own browser refresh rate, not the rate arriving over HDMI from a console or PC. The two can differ. Use this test for the panel. To check what a console or PC is actually sending, use the menu steps below.
Find the real spec in the TV menu
The TV’s picture menu shows signal info for whatever’s plugged in. On most remotes, pressing Info while content plays brings up a small overlay with resolution and frame rate. That number is what the cable is delivering.
Samsung: The Info banner gives the basics. For a detailed readout, go to Settings > Support > Device Care > Self Diagnosis > Signal Information.
LG (webOS): Press Info. The overlay shows input resolution and Hz directly.
Sony (Google TV / Android TV): Press Info while content plays to see input resolution and frame rate.
If the menu paths don’t match what you see, search your TV model number plus “signal info” on the manufacturer’s support site.
HDMI cable and port
The cable is the part people overlook. A “Premium High Speed HDMI” cable tops out at 4K/60Hz. You need the “Ultra High Speed” label for 4K/120Hz. Even if the port is HDMI 2.1, a 2.0 cable holds you at 60Hz at 4K.
Most TVs have one or two 2.1 ports (usually labeled on the chassis) and fill the rest with 2.0 ports. Plug your console into the labeled 2.1 port, not just any HDMI input.
Enable Game Mode
Most 120Hz TVs gate the full HDMI bandwidth behind Game Mode. Motion processing delays each frame to analyze it. On many panels, that delay is enough to block 120Hz frames from arriving.
Switching to Game Mode lets 120Hz frames through without the processing delay. It also drops input lag from 50-plus ms with processing on to under 5ms on most current panels. That difference shows up in a fast aim duel, not casual browsing.
Find it under Settings > Picture > Picture Mode and select Game. Samsung and LG let you set it manually or enable Auto Game Mode so the TV switches when a compatible device connects. Sony Google TVs detect ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and switch automatically on PS5 and Xbox Series X. No menu needed.
When the number is still wrong
If Game Mode is on, you’re using an Ultra High Speed cable, and the console or PC is plugged into the right port:
- Check the console output settings. A PS5 defaults to automatic resolution and frame rate. Go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and confirm 4K and 120Hz are both enabled.
- Check the PC display settings. Right-click the desktop, open Display Settings > Advanced Display, and confirm the active refresh rate matches your target.
- Power-cycle the TV fully. Standby keeps firmware state loaded. Pull the power cable for 30 seconds. Some TVs lock an input to 60Hz after a crash or firmware update and need a full restart to clear it.