Google Forces Pixel 10 Base Model to Run at 60Hz to Save Battery

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Google’s entire Pixel 10 series comes with a high refresh rate display capable of reaching up to 120Hz for a buttery smooth experience. However, the company has taken one step back with its base model by disabling this feature outright. Consequently, when you first unbox your device, you’ll notice that scrolling and user interface behavior are not as crisp as they are on other high-end smartphones. The reason is that the refresh rate is limited to 60Hz, but fear not—enabling the 120Hz mode requires only a few steps, provided you’re willing to accept increased battery drain.

Locking the refresh rate to 60Hz on the base Pixel 10 might be because it lacks an LTPO OLED screen like the Pro models

Recently, Android Authority’s Joe Maring set up the base Pixel 10 and found that Google had disabled the 120Hz refresh rate. The obvious reason, from a business perspective, is that most users likely wouldn’t notice the difference between 60Hz and 120Hz, so Google chose to disable the option in favor of better battery life.

While this intention is positive, some people can easily tell the difference and want the high refresh rate enabled immediately. Fortunately, enabling the ‘Smooth display’ feature isn’t difficult; although Google notes that it will consume more battery power. You can check out the images below to see how to enable the high refresh rate feature.

Google might have disabled this feature because its predecessors did not offer the 120Hz refresh rate when unboxed. The company has always used LTPS OLED screens on non-Pro models, and with the base Pixel 10, Google has maintained this approach. This means that while the Pro models’ LTPO panels can switch between 10Hz and 120Hz, the base model’s refresh rate remains fixed at 60Hz or 120Hz.

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October 8, 2025

If you plan to buy a Pixel 10 from Amazon, remember that you can get a $100 gift card with each purchase. However, note that the 128GB versions come with slower UFS 3.1 storage, so for the speedier UFS 4.0 variant, you’ll need to opt for the 256GB model.