What are the pros and cons of high fps vs low fps in gaming? (2024)

If you are a PC gamer, you probably care about how smooth and responsive your games look and feel on your monitor. One of the factors that affects your gaming experience is the frame rate, or how many times per second your screen updates with a new image. Frame rate is measured in frames per second, or fps. In this article, we will explain what are the pros and cons of high fps vs low fps in gaming, and how they relate to your monitor's refresh rate and your hardware.

Top experts in this article

Experts who add quality contributions will have a chance to be featured. Learn more

Earn a Community Top Voice badge

Add to collaborative articles to get recognized for your expertise on your profile. Learn more

Fps and refresh rate are two different but related concepts. Fps is the number of frames that your graphics card (GPU) can produce and send to your monitor in a second. Refresh rate is the number of times that your monitor can display those frames in a second. Refresh rate is measured in hertz, or Hz. For example, a 60 Hz monitor can display up to 60 frames per second, while a 144 Hz monitor can display up to 144 frames per second.

High fps is desirable because it can make your games look smoother, more realistic, and more immersive. High fps can also reduce input lag, which is the delay between your mouse or keyboard actions and the corresponding response on the screen. Input lag can affect your performance and accuracy in fast-paced or competitive games. High fps can also prevent screen tearing, which is a visual artifact that occurs when your GPU produces more frames than your monitor can display, resulting in a mismatched or split image.

High fps is not always better, and it can have some drawbacks. First of all, high fps requires more powerful and expensive hardware, such as a high-end GPU, CPU, and RAM. You may also need to lower your graphics settings or resolution to achieve high fps in some games. Second, high fps can cause more heat and noise from your PC components, which can affect their lifespan and performance. Third, high fps may not be noticeable or beneficial if your monitor's refresh rate is lower than your fps. For example, if you have a 60 Hz monitor and you get 120 fps in a game, you will only see 60 frames per second on your screen, while the rest will be wasted.

Low fps is undesirable because it can make your games look choppy, blurry, and laggy. Low fps can also increase input lag, which can make your games feel sluggish and unresponsive. Low fps can also cause stuttering, which is a sudden drop or spike in fps that can disrupt your gameplay and immersion. Stuttering can be caused by various factors, such as background processes, driver issues, or insufficient hardware.

Low fps is not always worse, and it can have some benefits. First of all, low fps requires less powerful and cheaper hardware, which can save you money and energy. You may also be able to enjoy higher graphics settings or resolution with low fps in some games. Second, low fps can reduce heat and noise from your PC components, which can improve their longevity and stability. Third, low fps may not be noticeable or detrimental if your monitor's refresh rate is higher than your fps. For example, if you have a 144 Hz monitor and you get 60 fps in a game, you will still see 60 frames per second on your screen, while the rest will be filled in by your monitor.

Choosing the best fps for your gaming is a personal preference, as it depends on your game genre and hardware. Generally, aim for at least 30 fps for most games, as anything lower can be unplayable and unpleasant. For fast-paced or competitive games, such as shooters, racers, or fighters, aim for 60 fps or higher to benefit from smoother and more responsive gameplay. To avoid screen tearing or stuttering, match your fps to your monitor's refresh rate or use a feature like V-Sync, G-Sync, or FreeSync. Experiment with different graphics settings and resolutions to find the optimal balance between fps and visual quality for your games. Additionally, it is recommended to monitor your fps with tools like Steam overlay, MSI Afterburner, or FRAPS to see how your games perform and adjust accordingly.

PC building