Frame rate and refresh rate (FPS and Hz) explained

People talk about games feeling "smooth" or "choppy". That comes down to two numbers: frame rate (FPS) and refresh rate (Hz). One is about the PC. The other is about the screen. Here is what they mean, and why they need to work together.

What is frame rate (FPS)?

A game is really a fast run of still pictures, like a flip book. Each picture is called a frame. FPS means frames per second: how many pictures the PC draws every second.

More frames means smoother movement. Fewer frames means the game looks jerky. For most people, 60 frames a second feels smooth. Some players of fast games like more than that.

What is refresh rate (Hz)?

Refresh rate is about the screen, not the PC. It is how many times each second the screen can show a new picture. It is measured in Hz (hertz). A 60Hz screen can show 60 pictures a second. A higher refresh screen can show more.

Why they should match

The PC makes the frames. The screen shows them. So the slower of the two sets the limit.

• The PC makes more frames than the screen can show. The extra frames are wasted. You will not see them.
• The screen can show more frames than the PC makes. The screen waits, and you do not get the smoothness you paid for.

The best result is a PC and screen that are a good match. There is little point buying a very fast screen for a modest PC, or a very strong PC for a basic screen.

60Hz or a high refresh screen?

A normal 60Hz screen is fine for lots of games, such as story games, Minecraft and strategy games. It is also the cheapest.

A high refresh screen updates more often. It makes fast games, like shooters, feel quicker and smoother. Moving the mouse feels more direct. But it only helps if the graphics card can make enough frames to fill it.

If you mainly play fast online games and have a stronger PC, a high refresh screen is worth it. If not, 60Hz is a sensible choice.

What affects frame rate?

1. The graphics card. This matters most by far. A stronger card makes more frames.
2. Game settings. High settings look better but cost frames. Lowering shadows, effects and ray tracing gives more frames.
3. Screen resolution. A sharper screen (1440p or 4K) has more dots to draw, so the PC makes fewer frames. See 1080p, 1440p or 4K.
4. Upscaling. DLSS and FSR let the game draw a smaller picture and sharpen it, which gives more frames.
5. The processor. It matters in some games, especially fast online ones, but less than the graphics card.

G-Sync and FreeSync (adaptive sync)

In a real game, the frame rate goes up and down. When it does not line up with the screen, you can see tearing (the picture looks split across the middle) or stutter (little jerks).

Adaptive sync fixes this. The screen waits for each new frame, instead of the PC rushing to keep up with the screen. NVIDIA calls it G-Sync. AMD calls it FreeSync. Many gaming monitors work with both. It makes games look smoother even when the frame rate dips.

Set your screen up properly

A high refresh screen often starts at 60Hz until you change it in Windows. Our guide to setting up your new gaming PC shows how. If any words here are new, try the jargon buster.

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