100Hz vs. 144Hz in Monitors: Which is Better in 2024?

By: Editorial Team

When shopping for monitors, you’ll often hear people mention 100Hz vs. 144Hz monitors as the gold standard for competitive gaming and work. And they’re right.

When looking for a good budget-friendly monitor, these two should be at the top of your list.

Keep reading to figure out which refresh rate is ideal for you.

Do You Need 144Hz or 100Hz for Office Work?

You don’t need 144Hz or 100Hz for basic computing tasks, watching videos online, etc. Most of these tasks don’t require a lot of power.

However, performing these tasks on your monitor will feel smoother and more responsive.

To better understand if 100Hz or 144Hz is right for you, try one in person. You’ll notice a significant improvement if you’re accustomed to 60Hz monitors.

Even phone manufacturers are switching to higher refresh rates on their phones. So, why shouldn’t you enjoy a 144Hz display on both your phone and monitor?

How Do Graphic Cards Affect Refresh Rates?

Your graphic card can’t increase the monitor’s refresh rates. The graphics card varies the frames rates depending on game requirements.

Less demanding games will utilize fewer hertz on your monitor. This is why experts recommend that you check game requirements before investing in a monitor.

60Hz vs 100Hz vs 144Hz Refresh Rate

If your graphics card produces fewer frame rates than your monitor’s refresh rate, you should enjoy smooth gameplay. If it produces more, you’ll experience screen tearing, which will impact your game.

A higher refresh rate monitor should solve this problem.

Gaming at 144Hz

Competitive and experienced games highly rate 144Hz monitors as they deliver tear-free gaming. The improved performance is favorable in games such as Call of Duty and Overwatch.

Gaming at 100Hz

100Hz monitors are decent for experienced gamers, but they’ll have to deal with performance loss when playing titles such as Assasins Creed: Valhalla, Far Cry 6, and Witcher 3.

If you intend to play intensive games on your PC, invest in 144Hz or higher refresh rates to enjoy the full performance of your GPU.

Are Higher Refresh Rates Expensive?

Yes, monitors with higher refresh rates are more expensive; thus, a 144Hz monitor is pricier than a 100Hz monitor.

With the introduction of 240Hz and 360Hz monitors, the cost of 100Hz and 144Hz monitors has lowered.

You can purchase a decent 144Hz monitor for less than $200. 100Hz monitors are even cheaper due to reduced production number and popularity.

Is 100Hz Good?

Yes, a 100Hz refresh rate is a decent starting point for gamers and regular users. You’ll notice a significant bump in responsiveness and gameplay.

There is also reduced ghosting, stuttering, and screen tearing.

Gaming Monitor Set-up

Is 120Hz Better than 100Hz?

No, 120Hz isn’t better than 100Hz monitors. It’s the same refresh rate, but European manufacturers indicate 100Hz instead of 120Hz.

Once the target market changes to the US, the manufacturers will indicate 120Hz support instead of 100Hz.

Final Thoughts: Which is Better?

There is only a 44Hz difference between the 144Hz and 100Hz monitors. The improved performance isn’t worth the trade-off for a casual user or gamer.

You’ll need to upgrade your PC build to utilize the 144Hz display to the fullest. If not, you’ll have a monitor that can reach 144 refresh rates paired with a system that isn’t nearly as powerful.