Scientific proof has emerged that OLED gaming monitors really do make a difference when it comes to winning. A study has shown that OLED monitors that can reach higher refresh rates than their LCD counterparts can enhance gamer’s reaction speeds and accuracy, enabling them to identify moving targets on screen faster and improve their gaming performance.
The study, officially titled “Analysis of the Impact of Refresh Rate on First-Person Shooting (FPS) Game Performance,” demonstrated a clear correlation between higher refresh rates and enhanced gameplay.
LG Display, which conducted the study, said it measured the performance of 31 adult gamers in a blind test scenario. They were asked to play a first-person shooter game on four random displays, with each one having a different refresh rate – 60Hz, 240Hz, 360Hz and 480Hz. During the tests, their performance metrics were carefully measured.
The results showed that the average participant’s hit score, which measures their targeting accuracy, improved by 38% when using the fastest 480Hz monitor, compared to the 60Hz display. Indeed, gamers also showed a 10% improvement in their win rates on the 480Hz display compared to the 240Hz monitor, which is already extremely fast. According to LG Display, the study offers conclusive evidence that higher refresh rates can improve gamer’s ability.
LG Display also carried out qualitative evaluations into the satisfaction of gamers with each display, and found that the vast majority liked the display with the highest refresh rate, as it made screen transitions smoother and enabled them to track enemies more easily.
The researchers said LG Display’s OLED panels likely influenced this too. When OLED refresh rates are sped up, the input lag – the time it takes for a player’s movement to be shown on the screen – is significantly reduced. The study recorded a difference of 10 milliseconds between the 480Hz display and the 60Hz screen. Players also experienced less ghosting and other artefacts on 480Hz displays.
“Based on our experience in commercializing overwhelming performance, we will secure core technologies for next-generation displays and further strengthen our technological competitiveness targeting the gaming display industry,” said LG Display’s chief technology officer Choi Young-seok.
