Lawsuit: LG Lied About Refresh Rates
Last Updated on January 12, 2023
Investigation Complete
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org have finished their investigation into this matter.
Check back for any potential updates and take a look at our open investigations here. The information on this page is for reference only.
Case Update
- January 12, 2023 - Investigation Closed, Lawsuit Filed but Dismissed
- The attorneys have closed their investigation into the LG TV refresh rate issue. One lawsuit was filed but has since been dismissed. You can read the dismissal order here.
If you still have questions about your legal rights or your own situation, we encourage you to speak with an attorney. You can read up on how to find an attorney on this page, and you can find a list of open investigations here.
At A Glance
- This Alert Affects:
- Anyone who owns an LG television with advertised refresh rates of 120Hz or 240Hz.
- What’s Going On?
- A class action lawsuit has been filed alleging that these televisions only have half their advertised refresh rates – meaning consumers may have paid more than they should have.
- How Could a Class Action Lawsuit Help Me?
- You may be able to get back some of the money you spent on your television.
- Can I Tell If My TV Has a Low Refresh Rate?
- You may notice “juddering” or “motion blur” while watching sports or playing video games; a news scroll that can’t keep up; and uneven or choppy movement when watching movies.
A class action lawsuit has been filed claiming that LG lied about the “refresh rates” on its televisions – and that consumers paid more than they should have. Read on for more.
What Does the Lawsuit Say the Real Refresh Rates Are?
LG LED televisions with advertised refresh rates of 120Hz and 240Hz have, in reality, refresh rates of only 60Hz and 120Hz, respectively, according to the lawsuit. This means that consumers paid a premium price for televisions that had only half of their advertised refresh rates.
The suit likens the sale of these TVs to a company selling 48-inch televisions but advertising that their screens are 55 inches. Unfortunately, the lawsuit continues, consumers have no way to validate a manufacturer’s refresh rate claims and are left no choice but to rely on its representations.
What’s the Problem, Exactly?
A television’s refresh rate is measured in hertz (Hz) and indicates the number of times the TV is able to display a unique image per second. The higher the refresh rate, the better the picture – and, in most cases, the higher the price tag.
If a manufacturer advertises that its TVs have a higher refresh rate than they actually do, consumers end up paying a premium price for a product that doesn’t deliver on its promised picture quality. In fact, according to the class action against LG, TVs with higher refresh rate capabilities command a 15% to 20% higher price than models with lower refresh rates.
Instead of spending the time and money to find new ways to increase the actual refresh rates of its televisions, LG developed alternate ways to “artificially enhance the perceived performance of their products without actually increasing the refresh rate,” the lawsuit says. LG isn’t the only one to have been sued over its refresh rates; a similar class action was filed against Vizio in April 2018.
How Can a Lawsuit Against LG Help?
If successful, a lawsuit against LG could give consumers the chance to get back any money they may have overspent on their TVs. It could also require LG to change the way it advertises the refresh rates on its televisions.
How Can I Tell If My TV Has Lower Refresh Rate?
If your television has a low refresh rate, you may notice:
- A “juddering,” “jerking” or “jittery” motion – or a “motion blur” – when watching sports or playing video games
- Uneven or choppy movement when watching movies
- A news scroll at the bottom of the screen that can’t keep up with the scrolling words
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