Monitors with 480 Hz refresh rates are almost here

The guys over at Blur Busters got their hands on a prototype LCD monitor capable of hitting refresh rates as high as 480 Hz. A complete test is under way and should be available any day now. From what they could test thus far, it turns out that the display defaults to 120 Hz in 4K mode, while in 1080p it can go all the way up to 480 Hz. The panel does not seem to be compatible with Nvidia’s G-Sync or AMD’s FreeSync technologies.

The prototype appears to have an off the shelf 28” 4K LCD 1ms TN panel that features a custom motherboard and TCON in order to enable the 480 Hz refresh rate. It also features something similar to a strobeless LightBoost techonolgy that can achieve image clarity close to CRT displays.

Chief Blur Buster, the author of the review, notes in one of his comments that “monitor makers will eventually be able to achieve 1000Hz gaming monitors within 10 years to achieve ‘strobeless ULMB’ / ‘strobeless LightBoost’ equivalence. As a result of this 480Hz display [even without overdrive yet], and photodiode oscilloscope measurements tested on some of my better 120/144/240Hz displays, I’m now convinced there’s still a lot of room to milk left in TN technology — and even beyond 480Hz (eventually).”

Even though 480 Hz rates are possible, we will probably not see 480 frames per second in complex 4K games any times soon. This is probably why the prototype display is restricted to 480 Hz @ 1080p only. That said, a 480 Hz display would improve the smoothness of mouse movements in highly competitive games.

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