Honor is working on a new device that pushes the usual boundaries in mobile display technologies. This smartphone, which the company is stated to be testing in China, is equipped with a screen with 185Hz refresh rate and 1.5K resolution. Nowadays, most smartphones – whether high-end or mid-range – limit the screen refresh rate to 120Hz. Although some gaming-oriented models increase this rate to 144Hz or 165Hz, these values still appeal to a niche user base. For example, OnePlus 15 is currently one of the latest models that stands out in this field with its 165Hz supported screen.
The higher the refresh rate, the smoother and more eye-friendly the image presented by the screen becomes. In theory, this provides users with benefits such as smoother transitions and reduced eye fatigue. However, whether this potential can be felt in practice depends not only on the display hardware but also on optimization on the software side. Nowadays, many applications and games impose a certain FPS limit for stability reasons. For example, although OnePlus 15 offers an interface that can run at 165Hz, this speed immediately drops when an application limited to 120Hz is opened.
Honor may suffer the same fate as OnePlus
Considering this situation, the 185Hz display that Honor tested may share a similar fate. Unless app and game developers offer updates to these speeds, users’ experience will remain almost the same as 120Hz or 144Hz. Currently, only a few mobile games – such as Call of Duty, Clash of Clans, Real Racing 3, Brawl Stars – can offer 165Hz support. The number of 185Hz supported contents is almost non-existent.
Higher refresh rates also have technical disadvantages. First of all, the energy consumption of these panels can be much higher. This may cause the battery life to shorten and the device to heat up more. For this reason, many manufacturers tend to make a balanced choice between high performance and energy efficiency. Additionally, when a certain speed is exceeded, it becomes difficult to create a perceptible difference for the user.
When all these factors are evaluated together, it can be said that the 185Hz screen phone developed by Honor is technically remarkable. However, unless the advantages offered by this panel are supported by software and content support, it seems that their benefit to the user will be limited.