What performance benefit does using requestAnimationFrame provide over setTimeout for visual updates?
requestAnimationFrame provides better performance for visual updates by synchronizing with the display's refresh rate (typically 60fps) because: 1) Updates align with the browser's rendering cycle, preventing frame drops, 2) Automatically pauses when the tab is inactive, saving resources, 3) Provides smoother animations by ensuring consistent frame timing, 4) Allows the browser to optimize multiple frame updates together. Unlike setTimeout, which may fire at inappropriate times relative to the screen refresh, requestAnimationFrame ensures updates occur at the optimal time for smooth rendering.