Honest Hz: Refresh Rate Test

Honest Hz is a straightforward refresh rate test for Android. Measure your real screen Hz, see what your display actually delivers, and stop guessing whether your 120Hz or 144Hz phone is doing its job.

Why "honest"?

Most refresh rate apps lie by omission. They show one noisy number, hide the limitations, and bury you in ads. Honest Hz does the opposite:

✓ Multi-sample averaging (200+ frames before a verdict)
✓ Variance and jitter so you know the reading is stable
✓ One screen, one number, no popups on every tap
✓ Permanent "How it works" page explaining the method
✓ Honest about what we cannot measure (no fake claims)

What you get:

• Live refresh rate measurement in Hz (mean ± standard deviation)
• Frame jitter percentage to detect display instability
• Display capability report: declared rate, all supported modes, VRR detection
• Min / max / sample count for power users
• Benchmark tab cycles every refresh mode your phone reports (60, 90, 120, 144 Hz and beyond) with a Pass / Marginal / Fail verdict
• Frame distribution histogram per session
• Session history with chart playback
• Floating Hz overlay that follows you into any app
• Persistent notification with live Hz
• Works on any Android device with API 26+ (Android 8.0+)
• Dark mode, dynamic color (Android 12+)
• No account, no signup, no data collection

Who is this for?

• Gamers verifying their 120Hz, 144Hz, or 165Hz phone delivers what's promised
• Reviewers fact-checking manufacturer refresh rate claims
• Buyers of used phones confirming the display works at full rate
• Anyone tired of refresh rate apps full of ads and fake numbers

How it works

We register a frame callback with Android's Choreographer system. Every time your display draws a frame, we record a high-precision timestamp. After 200+ samples we compute the actual frame delivery rate.

That is it. No estimation, no proprietary algorithms. The reading comes straight from Android's own scheduler.

What this app cannot do

Honesty cuts both ways. We do not pretend to measure:

✕ Pixel response time or motion blur (needs a high-speed camera)
✕ Per-app or in-game refresh rate (system level only)
✕ Display color accuracy or HDR
✕ Real frame pacing inside a game's render pipeline

Why your reading may differ from the spec

Modern phones use Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). They lower the rate to 60 or 90 Hz when nothing is animating, to save battery. A reading of 60 Hz on a 120 Hz phone is usually correct, not broken. To see the higher rate, leave a smooth animation playing (a scrolling list in another app) and start the measurement.

FAQ

Q: Why is my 120Hz phone reading 60Hz?
A: Variable Refresh Rate is saving battery. Open a scrolling app first, then come back.

Q: Is the reading accurate?
A: As accurate as Android's frame-callback timestamps. We add no estimation. The standard deviation tells you how noisy your specific phone's frame timing is.

Q: Does this app drain battery?
A: No. We only measure when you tap Start and stop when you tap Stop.

Q: Will you add in-game measurement?
A: The floating overlay already displays live Hz in any app. Per-app benchmarking is on the roadmap.

Q: Can I remove ads?
A: Yes, with a one-time in-app purchase.

Keywords: refresh rate, hz, hertz, 120hz test, 144hz test, 90hz test, 165hz test, screen tester, display test, FPS, frame rate, frame jitter, gaming, GPU, ProMotion, VRR, adaptive refresh rate, smooth scrolling, Hz meter