VRR stands for variable refresh rate. Rather than a television redrawing the screen at one fixed refresh rate at all times, VRR allows the display to adjust its refresh rate on the fly to match the frame rate a connected device, typically a games console or PC, is actually producing at that moment.
This matters most in games, where the number of frames rendered per second can vary depending on what is happening on screen. Without VRR, a mismatch between the game's frame rate and the television's fixed refresh rate can cause visible stutter or a tearing effect where part of the image appears misaligned. VRR smooths this out by letting the two stay in step.
VRR is part of the HDMI 2.1 specification and needs support on both the television and the connected source, along with a suitable HDMI cable and port, to work. Our guide to TVs for gaming and HDMI 2.1 explained cover how to check for and use it.
