#smartphonegames

You may have seen some smartphone manufacturers mentioning the term “touch sampling rate” in their phone’s spec-sheet, like the ROG Phone 2, which comes with 240Hz touch input sampling. So, what is the touch sampling rate, and how does it matter for your phone? Let’s have a brief look at the same.

What is Touch Sampling Rate?

While many people tend to mistake it for refresh rate, the touch sampling rate is quite different term. Though, just like the former, it is tied to your display’s hardware and is measured in Hz. Also called as the touch refresh rate, the sampling rate can be defined as the number of times a touchscreen can sense input from your finger in a second. In layman terms, it means the speed at which a screen can register your touch and respond by rendering the next frame. You can also interpret it as the pace at which the screen tracks the movement of your finger.

How does it matter for your phone?

Now that you know what exactly is the touch sampling rate, you might be wondering how does it affect your experience. For starters, it is directly proportional to the responsiveness of your touchscreen. The higher the number, the better the speed and lesser the touch lag. When the screen refresh rate and touch sample rate are the same, say 60Hz as it’s for most phones, both the tracking and refresh intervals happen at the same time at 16.6ms. And this delays the rendering of the animation by one interval. However, if the sampling frequency for the same panel is increased to 120Hz, it’ll track your touch faster (8.3ms) than the time display takes to refresh. This will allow starting rendering the next frame in time for the very next screen update. Whereas if they were both at the same rate, you’d have to wait for the next refresh cycle. As a result, you’ll experience quicker touch response, and the animations will start faster and smoother. Though, it won’t offer the fluidity of high refresh rate panels. The same is the case with phones having displays with a 120Hz refresh rate. If you double the touch sampling frequency to 240Hz, it starts to follow your actions way quicker than the time screen takes to update the content from the processor. Higher sampling frequency allows the phone to begin preparing graphics and animations a little sooner, which speeds up the overall experience. It also helps significantly in fast-paced games where you need to be quick at controls like aiming, shooting, etc. Due to these advantages, certain smartphone manufacturers have now started providing their flagship/ gaming-centric phones with higher-touch input sampling. For instance, all the iPhone models past iPhone X came with a 120Hz sampling clubbed with a 60Hz screen refresh rate. Similarly, gaming phones like ROG Phone 2 & Xiaomi Black Shark 2 feature 120Hz display with a 240Hz touch-report rate.

Wrapping Up

While smartphone games are often overlooked by more ‘hardcore’ gamers, they offer something for everyone and provide a fun way to pass the time when you’re on your own or with friends. They are also much less intimidating than their PC or Console counterparts; with simpler controls and a wide variety, smart phone games are ideal for the individual interested in gaming, but lack a console or confused by how to start. 

From social games to puzzle games and everything in between, smartphone games are a simple way to enter into the somewhat confusing and daunting realm of gaming. These games can be fun, engaging, and best of all - portable. 

Here are some games to consider:

Cut The Rope: In this game, you need to help the adorable ‘Om Nom’ get to his candies by cutting ropes. The game starts with easier puzzles that get progressively more difficult. With a cute character, snappy colors and engaging puzzles, Cut The Rope has gained a strong legion of fans around the world. 

Tiny Village: In Tiny Village, you will need to assist prehistoric characters build up a village into a thriving metropolis. This game involves collecting resources, building homes, stores, and interacting with other players through Tiny Social. My favorite part about this game? Dinosaurs! You get to hatch dinosaurs, raise them up, and then fuse them to create more dinosaurs. 

Polymer: A beautiful puzzle game, Polymer is designed around sliding shapes together on a grid to make ‘polymers.’ A lovely color palette and simplistic controls, this game can get surprisingly challenging and complex. Polymer has burst onto the scene in late 2012 and has since gained a strong following. 

Horn: This is a solid action adventure game that is perfect for someone looking to get into some more ‘traditional’ gaming. A third person action adventure game, Horn features a blacksmith’s apprentice as a protagonist, battling a world where a curse has transformed everyone into mechanical beings. The 3D visuals, beautiful fantasy world and fun battles will entertain and delight.