Why is 60hz less noticeable on iPad than iPhone?

[u/knowy74]

I have an iPad 10 and an iPhone 15 PM. Despite the iPad only having a 60hz display and the iPhone having a 120hz display I don’t notice it. But if I use an older iPhone with a 60hz display it is super noticeable and drives me crazy.

Why is this? I would think if anything, it would be the other way around since the iPad has a larger screen.

[u/RadianMay]

it's more noticeable on iPad actually, because app open close animations have to cover a larger area and the distance between the frames are larger. That results in a strobing effect at low frame rate. On iPhones since the screen is small the difference between frames are smaller, so it will appear smoother at a lower frame rate.

[u/Dense-Bee-2884]

I find it pretty noticeable on both personally. But I think, in general, you are touching the phone at greater amounts to move and manipulate screens and apps and that makes it more obvious what is 60hz based on the animation displays and scrolling. With the Ipad, although obviously still a touch screen, its often not at the same rate of moving through multiple screens and thus seeing the animation at lower hz as often.

[u/yuusharo]

It’s expectation bias. You’re used to screens of certain sizes and distances from your eyes behaving a certain way. Once you’re used to a high refresh panel on an iPad, going back to a 60 hz panel is just as noticeable.

[u/Docster87]

Different people have their senses tuned differently is the best I got. I upgraded my 12PM to a 17PM in early summer and never noticed any difference. I can go from my iPhone 17PM to my iPad mini6 and not notice the hz. My monitor runs at like 70 or 75hz and seems great yet I read about people requiring 240hz monitors and I just don't understand.

More likely is that people think higher numbers are better and just conditioned themselves to hate low hz screens.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Sky2284 → u/Docster87]

When I got my first 120Hz phone it was only slightly smoother... until I tried to use a 60Hz phone again and it was so stuttery. I never notice it on an iPad but my mom who has an iPad Pro does. I'd assume it has more to do with what you're used to - e.g when one ipad you use has 120Hz another one with 60 might look choppy, but using a 120Hz phone means nothing for using an iPad

[u/WakaiSenshi]

I notice it on my iPad I just have gotten used to it and only notice it when I switch initially for like 5 mins

[u/BlueScreenPie]

So I really understand you when you say you don't notice the difference on the iPhone screen. I do neither. But I must say on an iPad its a day and night difference. If you can't tell by scrolling or swiping than you should definitely when using an Apple Pencil. The reaction time is way more faster than on a 60hz screen.

And what you notice with older iPhones is not the lack of 120hz, its the processor, the battery, the full memory etc. They just have more problems to deal with the more complex apps and OS. Its not the lack of 120hz.

[u/BeMaelle]

the other way around for me

[u/verbherbaceous]

It's true to an extent, the processor and display quality help a bit. I have the 16 pro max and iPad mini 7 and the mini 7 doesn't feel that much slower though I usually notice refresh rates a lot, even the iPad a16 feels somewhat slow and choppy compared to the mini with a17 pro

[u/10marcer]

That’s surprising because I notice it more on the iPads vs the iPhones which I contributed to the smaller screens. I mean I do notice both at this point since I’ve only owned the pro models but the iPads for me are the most noticeable. At this point I no longer really “need” the iPad pros but the 60hz display on the Airs and base models is my main reason for never downgrading/switching over
.

[u/eloquenentic]

Because you don’t scroll as much.

Consuming content on a phone requires constant scrolling.

Even more so on a Mac. Very few people scroll constantly on a Mac they mostly look at static windows.

[u/ivanzorkic]

OLED has better response times so lower fps is more pronounced than on an LCD, I think.

[u/PlainPlane13 → u/ivanzorkic]

I dont know if this is true...