I'm thinking about replacing my old TV with a newer one, and I saw some with 120Hz refresh rate. But I don't play video games, I just watch regular TV, soap operas, Flamengo matches... does it actually make a difference or is it just marketing?
What size TV are you thinking of buying? Because the answer changes quite a bit depending on your space.
For soaps and football specifically, 120Hz doesn't make nearly as much difference as it does for gaming. What you'll notice more is image quality in terms of contrast, colors and sharpness - those things are way more worth it than the refresh rate for what you want. Football does look smoother with 120Hz, no doubt about it, but in practice with normal broadcast (which isn't anywhere near 120fps) the gain is smaller than marketing makes it seem. And soaps? That really doesn't change anything at all.
If you happen to be considering a newer TV for reasons of overall quality, then it makes sense. But don't pick a TV just because it has 120Hz thinking it'll revolutionize your soap and football viewing experience. Look for a panel with good blacks, good colors, and if possible with decent image processing (some models do upscaling and interpolation that helps). As for size, bigger is better for football - the difference you feel with a larger screen is very real, unlike 120Hz in this context.
I'd have to disagree with the "it doesn't make that much difference" take - it really does for football, especially if you've got a 120Hz broadcast (which some platforms already offer). The difference is more noticeable in fast-moving sports than in soap operas, that's true, but when you see a ball passing or a player running, it looks way smoother and less jittery. I personally noticed a huge difference when I switched, mainly in championship games - the image quality during fast action is quite a bit better. For soap operas it's more of a cosmetic thing, but for football specifically it's worth it if your budget allows.
People are right that it depends on the broadcast, but honestly, with football the difference with 120Hz is pretty noticeable even on normal broadcast - those quick ball movements, cameras following the play, everything looks smoother and less jittery than at 60Hz. The problem is not every broadcast takes advantage of it, but when it does (and it's happening more and more), you really notice it, especially if your TV is big enough that you're sitting close to it watching. For soap operas though, honestly, it's kind of whatever, because the content doesn't have those sudden movements, but since you're already replacing the TV anyway, there's no harm in getting one with 120Hz if the price difference isn't crazy - it ends up being future-proof for when more content comes in at higher refresh rates, you know?
I think it's worth it, yeah, but with a caveat. With football you really feel the difference because those quick movements come out smoother, less jittery - that shot of the ball flying by at high speed looks way sharper. Now, for soaps it's kind of irrelevant because the scenes are slower and the broadcast doesn't even come in 120Hz anyway. If you watch a lot of games (and considering we're in 2026 and some broadcasts are already at higher refresh rates), I think it's worth it more because of that than it being just marketing hype, but it's not like some life-changing thing - it's more a detail that improves the overall picture quality.
It depends a lot on where you're watching the content, because not all broadcasts come in 120Hz - most soaps are still 60Hz, and even football doesn't always transmit at that higher refresh rate. What I'd do in your place is test the TV at a friend's or at the store before buying, playing a Flamengo match to see if you really notice the difference in the fast movements, because some people feel it and some people can't really tell. If you still want to take advantage of the 120Hz, it's worth checking if the platform you use to watch the games (if it's an app, streaming) supports that refresh rate, because otherwise it's money down the drain.
I have a 120Hz TV at home and I watch a lot of football, so I can say it's worth it, but there's one detail nobody's mentioning: not every broadcast takes advantage of it. Most of the soap operas and games we watch come in 60Hz, so the TV's basically "sleeping" in those cases. Now, when you get a broadcast that actually uses the 120Hz (some streaming platforms already have them), or when the TV does decent upscaling of that normal content, then the smoothness really becomes noticeable in the ball's quick movements.
What I haven't seen anyone talk about: the price tag for this difference is pretty steep. If it's way more expensive than a good 60Hz model, maybe it's not worth it depending on how much time you spend watching football in high quality. But if you're thinking of upgrading your TV anyway and the budget allows, a 120Hz panel with good image processing quality (well-calibrated motion smoothing) really does make a difference for sports. Soap operas barely matter, but hey, that's a bonus 😊
Screen size matters quite a bit like people mentioned before - on a 32 or 40 inch you might notice the difference less than on a 55 and up. And heads up, watch out for inflated refresh rates: there are TVs that claim 120Hz but it's just firmware motion interpolation, not the actual refresh rate of the image coming in.
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