The Pixel 4’s refresh rate is inexplicably tied to its display brightness [Update]

Enlarge / The Pixel 4.

Update 3:33pm ET: Google gave the following statement to The Verge:

We designed Smooth Display so that users could enjoy the benefits of 90Hz for improved UI interactions and content consumption, while also preserving battery when higher refresh rates are not critical by lowering back down to 60Hz.

In some conditions or situations, however, we set the refresh rate to 60Hz. Some of these situations include: when the user turns on battery saver, certain content such as video (as it's largely shot at 24 or 30fps), and even various brightness or ambient conditions. We constantly assess whether these parameters lead to the best overall user experience. We have previously planned updates that we'll roll out in the coming weeks that include enabling 90hz in more brightness conditions.

So Google's statement seems to indicate that 1) this was on purpose, and 2) Google is going to change it in the future thanks to some "previously planned updates." The "Future Pixel Updates" list now contains this 90Hz display fix, which is due out "in the coming weeks" and the Face Unlock awareness fix, which is due out "in the coming months."

Original post: After trying out the Pixel 4 at Google's hardware show and at home for a bit (review coming eventually) my working description for the new, 90Hz display has been that it's... "inconsistent." Sometimes it seems smooth, and sometimes it doesn't. Now Reddit user Brian Sefcik has discovered why: the display refresh rate is tied to the display brightness.

Read 6 remaining paragraphs | Comments