Xiaomi Mi 9: the refresh rate of the screen is 60 Hz or 90 Hz?

The Xiaomi Mi 9, launched in 2019, is still a hot choice for users who value the balance of performance and price. One of the key questions when buying or configuring this device is the screen refresh rate, a parameter that directly affects the smoothness of animations, responsiveness of the interface and even autonomy. The network is still debated: does the Mi 9 90 Hz, or does its screen support the standard 60 Hz?

In this article, we will not only give you an accurate answer to the question “how many hertz does the Xiaomi Mi 9 screen have”, but also understand how the refresh rate affects the user experience. We will compare the Mi 9 with other flagships of the time, explain why manufacturers sometimes “forget” to mention this option in the specifications, and show you how to check the screen frequency on any Android device.

Xiaomi Mi 9 screen specs: what the manufacturer says

According to the official website of Xiaomi, the smartphone Mi 9 equipped with AMOLED- display with a diagonal 6.39 inch and resolution 2340 × 1080 (Full HD+). However, the specifications do not specify the frequency of the screen update - a parameter that is now considered one of the key for gamers and active users.

This omission is not accidental: in 2019, 90 Hz and even more 120 Hz were rare even among flagships. For example, the OnePlus 7 Pro was one of the first smartphones with a 90-hertz display, and the Xiaomi Mi 9 remained faithful to the classic 60 Hz. Why is that so?

• 📅 Release year: The Mi 9 was released in February 2019, when high refresh rates were just beginning to be introduced into mass devices.
• 💰 Pricing: Xiaomi has traditionally focused on price/quality, and 90Hz screens were significantly more expensive.
• ⚡ Autonomy: Higher refresh rates increase the load on the processor and battery, which could have adversely affected the running time.

However, the lack of 90Hz does not make the Mi 9 a bad choice.Even today, many users do not notice the difference between 60 and 90Hz in everyday tasks, and high refresh rates are not critical for watching videos or reading text.

How to check the screen refresh rate on Xiaomi Mi 9 yourself

If you already own a Xiaomi Mi 9 and want to make sure the screen is refreshed, there are a few reliable ways to do this. It’s important to understand that some apps may show incorrect data, so it’s best to use a combination of methods.

Method 1: Engineering menu (for experienced users)

This method requires caution, since incorrect actions in the engineering menu can disrupt the operation of the device.

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##.
2. In the menu that opens, select Phone Information.
3. Scroll down to the Display block – the current refresh rate (if supported by the system) can be displayed here.

Method 2: Specialized applications

A safer and simpler option is to use Google Play utilities:

• 📱 Display Tester – shows the current and maximum refresh rates, and also allows you to test the screen for broken pixels.
• 🔍 Screen Refresh Rate is a minimalist app that displays real-time frequency.
• 🎮 Game Bench is useful for gamers, as it shows FPS The frequency of updates during games.

Important: Some applications can show 60Hz even on 90Hz devices if the system is power-saving or adaptive. To get accurate data, turn off all optimizations in the battery settings.

⚠️ Warning: On Xiaomi Mi 9 with custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the refresh rate can be artificially inflated in the settings. This does not mean that the screen physically supports 90Hz - just the system displays incorrect data.

Xiaomi Mi 9 Comparison with 2019 Competitors: Who Offered 90Hz?

In 2019, the smartphone market began to gradually move to screens with increased refresh rates. Let’s take a look at how the Xiaomi Mi 9 looked against the background of the main competitors:

As can be seen from the table, Xiaomi Mi 9 was not the only flagship with 60 Hz - even Samsung Galaxy S10+, which cost almost 2 times more expensive, initially did not support 90 Hz. However, a few months after the release of the Mi 9 manufacturers began to actively introduce high frequencies: OnePlus 7 Pro and Asus ROG Phone II became leaders in this direction.

Interesting fact: in 2020, Xiaomi released the Mi 10 with a 90-hertz screen, but even then the company did not update the Mi 9 through firmware.

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In 2019, 90Hz was a premium feature, and Xiaomi bet on other benefits: the top-end Snapdragon 855 processor, triple camera and wireless charging.

Impact of refresh rate on autonomy and performance

Many users mistakenly believe that the refresh rate of the screen directly affects the performance of the smartphone. In fact, this is not quite true. The refresh rate determines how many times per second the screen updates the picture, but does not speed up the processor or GPU.

• 🔋 Battery consumption: A 90Hz screen consumes 10 to 15 percent more power than a 60Hz, all other things being equal. For a Mi 9 with a 3300mAh battery, this could have been critical.
• 🎮 Gaming experience: In dynamic games (e.g., PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty), high frequency gives an advantage, but only if GPU is able to produce an appropriate amount FPS.
• 👁️ Perception: The human eye doesn't always notice the difference between 60 and 90 Hz, especially in static images. The effect is more noticeable when scrolling pages or in animations.

On the Xiaomi Mi 9 with its Snapdragon 855 and 6GB of RAM, the screen frequency is not a “bottleneck.” The smartphone easily pulls modern games at high settings, and 60Hz provides a smooth picture without jerking. Moreover, the lack of high refresh rates even prolongs battery life – a real plus for a device with a fixed battery.

⚠️ Warning: If you see 90Hz powering in the Mi 9 settings, it's either a firmware error or a used device fraud. Physically, the screen of this smartphone doesn't support a frequency above 60Hz.

Can you overclock the screen Xiaomi Mi 9 to 90 Hz software?

On the Internet, you can find manuals on how to overclock the screen to 90 Hz on devices that do not initially support this feature, most often it is about editing system files or installing custom cores. However, in the case of the Xiaomi Mi 9, such manipulations do not make sense for several reasons:

1. Hardware constraints: The display is physically unable to update more than 60 times per second, and any changes to the software will only make the system "think" that the frequency is higher, but it will not add real smoothness.
2. Damage risk: Incorrect edits to system files can result in bootloop ( looped boot) or display breakdown.
3. Loss of warranty: Any firmware modifications will void the Xiaomi warranty (if it is still valid).

The only safe way to “improve” the smoothness of the interface is to enable the option to Speed up animation in the developer settings:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone and 7 times click on the MIUI version to activate the Developer Mode.
2. Return to the main settings menu and select Additional → For developers.
3. Find the points of the Windows Animation Scale, Transition Animation Scale and Animator Duration Scale – set the value 0.5x or turn it off altogether.

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If you really want a high refresh rate, consider buying a newer Xiaomi smartphone, like the POCO F3 (120 Hz) or Redmi Note 11 Pro+ (120 Hz).They cost a little more than the used Mi 9, but offer a modern display.

Frequent myths about the frequency of screen refresh on Xiaomi Mi 9

There are many rumors and misconceptions surrounding the Xiaomi Mi 9 screen refresh rate.

• 🔄 "After the MIUI update, the screen became 90Hz": That's impossible. The firmware can't physically change the display characteristics. It's probably about smooth interfaces thanks to optimizations in the new shell version.
• 📺 "In games, the screen is running at 90 Hz": No. The maximum refresh rate is fixed at 60 Hz, regardless of the application running.
• 🔧 "You can change the screen to a 90-hertz": It's theoretically possible, but in practice it's extremely expensive and impractical, and the cost of repairing it will exceed the market price of the smartphone itself.
• 🔋 "60 Hz is worse for the eyes than 90 Hz": Not scientifically proven. Perceptional comfort depends on individual vision characteristics, not on refresh rate.

Another popular myth is that the Xiaomi Mi 9 “hidden” the actual screen frequency in the settings. In fact, the manufacturer simply did not add a switch, because there is no alternative. For comparison, the POCO F1 (released in 2018) also did not have the option to change the frequency, although the screen supported only 60 Hz.

Should you buy Xiaomi Mi 9 in 2026 with 60 Hz?

If you’re considering the Xiaomi Mi 9 as a budget option for everyday tasks, 60Hz won’t be a critical drawback. Here are the key pros and cons of buying in 2026:

The price of the Xiaomi Mi 9 in 2026 varies between 100-150 USD depending on the condition. For this money, you get a smartphone that can cope with:

• 📸 Capturing photos and videos in good quality (but not at the level of modern flagships).
• 🎮 Medium-heavy games (Genshin Impact on medium settings, Call of Duty Mobile on high).
• 💼 Office work (documents, mail, instant messengers).

If you are critically important high refresh rate, it is better to look at the newer models:

• 📱 POCO X3 Pro (120 Hz, Snapdragon 860) is ~180 USD.
• 📱 Redmi Note 12 Pro+ (120 Hz, Dimensity 1080) is ~250 USD.
• 📱 Xiaomi 11 Lite NE 5G (90 Hz, Snapdragon 778G) — ~220 USD.

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The Xiaomi Mi 9 in 2026 is a good choice for the secondary market, unless you need 90+Hz and state-of-the-art features.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi Mi 9 Screen Frequency