Fake Refresh Rate Conversion

Samsung Clear Motion Rate vs Sony MotionFlow vs LG Motion Clarity Index

Fake refresh rates are typically higher than the real refresh rate of the TV, so using them allows manufacturers to market their TVs as being ‘better’ than they are. Since these fake refresh numbers are invented by each company, they are also all different from each other, which makes direct comparison across brands impossible for those who don’t know the conversion to real refresh rates (which generally are not listed).

Samsung Motion Rate (2018-2019)

Samsung's Motion Rate (previously Clear Motion Rate) is pretty straightforward nowadays. For the rare 1080p Samsung TVs still left, the quoted motion rate will be equivalent to the real refresh rate. For 4k TVs, it is simply double the real refresh rate.

Vizio Effective Refresh Rate and Clear Action (2018)

While Vizio still uses confusing terminology to describe the refresh rate of their TVs, the numbers are easier to translate now than they used to be. Like Samsung, their "Effective Refresh Rate" (which used to be called SPS) is simply double the amount of their real refresh rate. Vizio, however, also uses a confusing number called "Clear Action". It doesn't have much to do with the refresh rate of the TVs and refers to their backlight scanning feature (see image flicker and BFI). The number is almost entirely arbitrary and doesn't mean much.

Sony Motionflow XR and X-Motion Clarity (2018-2019)

Sony is arguably one of the worst offenders for inflating their refresh rate numbers nowadays, but they've at least started to share the real refresh rate next to their "Motionflow XR" marketing numbers. The numbers don't really mean anything either, it's either 240 or 960. Unlike most other manufacturers, there isn't an easy division you can do, but generally, 240 means 60hz, and anything above that means 120hz. Starting with the 2018 X900F, Sony has also started advertising some high-end LCD models with "X-Motion Clarity" instead of "Motionflow XR". All "X-Motion Clarity" TVs released so far have a 120Hz refresh rate.

LG TruMotion (2018)

LG, like every other manufacturer, uses a marketing term for their refresh rate. It used to go by "Motion Clarity Index", but now it's called TruMotion, which is the same name as their motion interpolation feature (soap opera effect). It's pretty simple to translate since it's just the real refresh rate doubled. In some markets, it is found with a "TM" before the value. For example, a refresh rate of 120Hz would be "TM240". Much like Sony, LG's recently started to share the actual refresh rate of their TVs in parentheses next to the TruMotion value, which is nice. LG OLEDs are a bit different and do not use the TruMotion marketing term, and instead simply state the actual refresh rate.