When choosing an LED video wall, resolution, brightness, and refresh rate are the main concerns. But we often overlook the crucial parameter of “frame rate.” So, what is the frame rate of an LED wall? What is the optimal frame rate for an LED wall? What is the difference between frame rate and refresh rate?
I. Frame Rate of LED Wall
- Frame rate, the unit is Frames Per Second( FPS). Frame rate refers to the number of times an LED display wall completes a full image update per second. Essentially, it measures the smoothness of dynamic images on the LED screen. Therefore, frame rate determines whether the “continuous motion” perceived by the human eye appears natural and without lag.
- Simply put, frame rate is like flipping through a comic book; Each page is a frame, and the faster you flip, the smoother the image. For example, LED display panel with a frame rate of 60 FPS means that the LED wall updates 60 images per second. Therefore, the higher the frame rate, the smoother and more natural the image will be.
- LED walls typically start with a frame rate of 60 FPS, with 120 FPS offering smoother playback. Higher frame rates result in more stable dynamic images. High frame rates are especially important for scenarios. Involving fast-moving objects, esports footage, and live stream close-ups, ensuring a smooth, clear, and lag-free LED display. Therefore, high frame rate LED walls are ideal for applications such as stage rentals, command centers, esports games, and live streaming.
II. LED wall frame rate ≠ refresh rate
- The frame rate of an LED wall is determined by the input signal source itself. For example, the number of complete images displayed from video files sent by computers, mobile phones, or media players. The frame rate determines the smoothness of dynamic content; the higher the frame rate, the smoother the video (such as games and sports events).
- The refresh rate of an LED display screen is determined by the performance of the hardware, such as the driver IC and receiver card. The refresh rate determines whether the LED wall image is stable, flicker-free, and free of black bars or horizontal lines in camera shots.
The specific differences are shown in the table below.
| Item | frame rate | refresh rate |
| Feature | Hardware (pixel switching speed) | Content (number of image updates) |
| Unit | FPS | Hz |
| Core function | Eliminate flicker and make the image more stable | Ensure smoothness and enhance dynamic experience |
III. The Relationship Between the Two
- LED display frame rate < refresh rate. This is the ideal and most common situation, allowing the LED display to show content smoothly and without flicker. For example, if the video source is 60FPS and the refresh rate is 3840Hz, you can enjoy both the smoothness of 60FPS and the flicker-free refresh rate of 3840Hz. This means that for each frame of the video, the display will refresh it 3840 / 60 = 64 times before switching to the next frame.
- LED display frame rate = refresh rate. This is the ideal scenario, but it’s impossible. If the LED wall refresh rate is 3840Hz, this is only possible if the input signal actually provides 3840fps content.
- The LED display’s frame rate exceeds its refresh rate. This is impossible. In this situation, the LED screen’s refresh rate generally cannot keep up with the content update speed. This would result in “frame drops,” where parts of the generated image cannot be displayed, causing the picture to stutter or become choppy.
When choosing an LED display, a high refresh rate provides the hardware foundation to support high frame rate content, but the final displayed frame rate always depends on your content source. And in most practical applications, 60 FPS is the mainstream frame rate for LED displays. It is sufficient to meet the smooth requirements of the vast majority of video playback, live event broadcasts, and advertising displays.