diff --git a/libs/core/_locales/core-jsdoc-strings.json b/libs/core/_locales/core-jsdoc-strings.json
index ed8d2185..5aea2b8b 100644
--- a/libs/core/_locales/core-jsdoc-strings.json
+++ b/libs/core/_locales/core-jsdoc-strings.json
@@ -270,14 +270,14 @@
   "basic.showCompass|param|interval": "the amount of time (milliseconds) to show the needle. Default is 600.",
   "basic.showIcon": "Draws the selected icon on the LED screen",
   "basic.showIcon|param|icon": "the predefined icon id",
-  "basic.showIcon|param|interval": "the amount of time (milliseconds) to show the icon. Default is 600.",
+  "basic.showIcon|param|interval": "the amount of time (milliseconds) to block the LED Matrix for showing the icon. Default is 200.",
   "basic.showLeds": "Draws an image on the LED screen.",
   "basic.showLeds|param|interval": "time in milliseconds to pause after drawing",
   "basic.showLeds|param|leds": "the pattern of LED to turn on/off",
   "basic.showNumber": "Scroll a number on the screen. If the number fits on the screen (i.e. is a single digit), do not scroll.",
-  "basic.showNumber|param|interval": "speed of scroll; eg: 150, 100, 200, -100",
+  "basic.showNumber|param|interval": "speed of scroll; eg: 50, 100, 150, 200",
   "basic.showString": "Display text on the display, one character at a time. If the string fits on the screen (i.e. is one letter), does not scroll.",
-  "basic.showString|param|interval": "how fast to shift characters; eg: 150, 100, 200, -100",
+  "basic.showString|param|interval": "how fast to shift characters; eg: 50, 100, 150, 200",
   "basic.showString|param|text": "the text to scroll on the screen, eg: \"hi!\"",
   "basic.turnRgbLedOff": "Sets the color on the build-in LED. Set to 0 to turn off.",
   "console": "Reading and writing data to the console output.",
diff --git a/libs/core/basic.cpp b/libs/core/basic.cpp
index b415c315..de787576 100644
--- a/libs/core/basic.cpp
+++ b/libs/core/basic.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ namespace basic {
     /**
      * Display text on the display, one character at a time. If the string fits on the screen (i.e. is one letter), does not scroll.
      * @param text the text to scroll on the screen, eg: "hi!"
-     * @param interval how fast to shift characters; eg: 150, 100, 200, -100
+     * @param interval how fast to shift characters; eg: 50, 100, 150, 200
      */
     //% help=basic/show-string
     //% weight=100 blockGap=16
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ namespace basic {
     //% parts="ledmatrix"
     //% text.shadowOptions.toString=true
     //% expandableArgumentMode="toggle"
-    //% interval.defl=150
+    //% interval.defl=80
     //% group="LED matrix"
-    void showString(String text, int interval = 150) {
+    void showString(String text, int interval = 80) {
       if (interval <= 0)
         interval = 1;
       int l = text ? text->getUTF8Size() : 0;
diff --git a/libs/core/basic.ts b/libs/core/basic.ts
index e812f6bc..b7dc96ad 100644
--- a/libs/core/basic.ts
+++ b/libs/core/basic.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ namespace basic {
     
     /**
      * Scroll a number on the screen. If the number fits on the screen (i.e. is a single digit), do not scroll.
-     * @param interval speed of scroll; eg: 150, 100, 200, -100
+     * @param interval speed of scroll; eg: 50, 100, 150, 200
      */
     //% help=basic/show-number
     //% weight=95
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ namespace basic {
     //% async
     //% parts="ledmatrix"
     //% expandableArgumentMode="toggle"
-    //% interval.defl=150
+    //% interval.defl=80
     //% group="LED matrix"
     export function showNumber(value: number, interval?: number) {
         showString(Math.roundWithPrecision(value, 2).toString(), interval);
diff --git a/libs/core/icons.ts b/libs/core/icons.ts
index 658343ab..c7bf1190 100644
--- a/libs/core/icons.ts
+++ b/libs/core/icons.ts
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ namespace basic {
     /**
      * Draws the selected icon on the LED screen
      * @param icon the predefined icon id
-     * @param interval the amount of time (milliseconds) to show the icon. Default is 600.
+     * @param interval the amount of time (milliseconds) to block the LED Matrix for showing the icon. Default is 200.
      */
     //% weight=90 blockGap=8
     //% blockId=basic_show_icon
@@ -109,9 +109,9 @@ namespace basic {
     //% icon.fieldOptions.width="380"
     //% icon.fieldOptions.maxRows=4
     //% expandableArgumentMode="toggle"
-    //% interval.defl=600
+    //% interval.defl=200
     //% group="LED matrix"
-    export function showIcon(icon: IconNames, interval = 600) {
+    export function showIcon(icon: IconNames, interval = 200) {
         let res = images.iconImage(icon)
         res.showImage(0, interval)
     }
diff --git a/libs/core/shims.d.ts b/libs/core/shims.d.ts
index 0947a22e..431e94c9 100644
--- a/libs/core/shims.d.ts
+++ b/libs/core/shims.d.ts
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ declare namespace basic {
     /**
      * Display text on the display, one character at a time. If the string fits on the screen (i.e. is one letter), does not scroll.
      * @param text the text to scroll on the screen, eg: "hi!"
-     * @param interval how fast to shift characters; eg: 150, 100, 200, -100
+     * @param interval how fast to shift characters; eg: 50, 100, 150, 200
      */
     //% help=basic/show-string
     //% weight=100 blockGap=16
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ declare namespace basic {
     //% text.shadowOptions.toString=true
     //% expandableArgumentMode="toggle"
     //%
-    //% group="LED matrix" interval.defl=150 shim=basic::showString
+    //% group="LED matrix" interval.defl=80 shim=basic::showString
     function showString(text: string, interval?: int32): void;
 
     /**