What is Frame Rate? FPS, Refresh Rate & How to Test It
Frame rate — also known as FPS (Frames Per Second) — is the number of individual images your screen displays each second to create the illusion of motion. The higher the frame rate, the smoother videos, games, and animations look on your display. If you've ever asked "What is frame rate?" or wondered how it differs from refresh rate, this guide walks you through everything you need to know, and shows you how to run a quick frame rate test on your own monitor.
What Does Frame Rate (FPS) Mean?
Frame rate measures how many still images — or "frames" — are shown on a screen in one second, expressed in frames per second (FPS). A higher FPS means more frames are drawn each second, which the human eye perceives as smoother, more fluid motion. A 60 FPS video, for example, displays 60 distinct images every second, while a 30 FPS video shows only half that.
Frame rate matters most in three contexts: video playback (films and streaming), video games (where higher FPS gives a competitive edge), and animation (where consistent frame pacing keeps motion natural).
How Screens Display Images
Every display refreshes its content several times per second. This is governed by two related but distinct numbers: the refresh rate (how many times per second the screen can redraw, measured in Hz) and the frame rate (how many frames your hardware actually delivers to the screen, measured in FPS). When both are high and aligned, motion looks crisp; when they're mismatched, you get stutter, tearing, or judder.
The illustration above shows how successive frames combine to create motion. A 24 FPS screen displays a moving bar at 24 evenly spaced positions across one second; a 12 FPS screen shows just 12 positions, producing visibly choppier motion. The more frames packed into each second, the more lifelike the result.
Frame Rate vs. Refresh Rate: What's the Difference?
Frame rate and refresh rate are often confused, but they describe two different things:
- Refresh rate (Hz) is a hardware property of your monitor — the maximum number of times per second it can redraw the screen.
- Frame rate (FPS) is a software/hardware output — the number of frames your GPU actually produces and sends to the display.
Your effective frame rate is capped by your monitor's refresh rate. A 60Hz monitor can't show more than 60 FPS, even if your GPU is rendering 200. To benefit from higher FPS, you need a monitor with a matching refresh rate (120Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz, etc.).
What Affects Your Frame Rate?
Hardware Performance
Your GPU (graphics card), CPU (processor), and RAM all collaborate to render each frame. A more powerful system sustains higher FPS, especially in demanding games and high-resolution video.
Display Specifications
Monitors are sold with different refresh rates — 60Hz, 75Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz, and beyond. The refresh rate sets a hard ceiling on the FPS you can actually see, regardless of what your hardware renders internally.
Software and Drivers
Outdated GPU drivers, background apps, or poorly optimized games can bottleneck performance and drop your FPS well below what your hardware is capable of.
Graphics Settings
High-resolution textures, ray tracing, anti-aliasing, and advanced shading all consume GPU resources. Lowering these settings is one of the fastest ways to boost frame rate.
Common Frame Rates and What They're Used For
- 24 FPS — the cinematic standard for film and most streaming movies.
- 30 FPS — common for TV broadcasts, console games, and many online videos.
- 60 FPS — the sweet spot for smooth desktop use, casual gaming, and HD video playback.
- 120–144 FPS — standard for competitive PC gaming on high-refresh monitors.
- 240+ FPS — used by esports players for the lowest possible input latency.
For most people, 60 FPS is the practical baseline for a smooth experience. Dropping below it makes motion feel choppy; going above it requires both a higher-refresh monitor and more capable hardware.
What's the Maximum FPS the Human Eye Can See?
There's no single agreed-upon limit on how many frames per second the human eye can perceive. Most viewers find that improvements in smoothness become subtle once you cross 60 FPS, and even subtler past 120 FPS. That said, competitive gamers and pilots/drivers using high-speed visual feedback often report noticeable benefits at 144 FPS and above, especially in terms of reduced input lag and motion clarity. Beyond around 240 FPS, the gains are real but small for most users.
How to Perform a Frame Rate Test
To find out exactly how many FPS your monitor and browser can sustain right now, run a frame rate test. Our free online tool at FrameRateTest.org measures your real-time FPS, displays your screen resolution, and lets you experiment with motion settings to spot stutter or frame skipping.
Run a quick frame rate / FPS test here:
Frame Rate Test
The results will tell you whether your setup is running at its full potential — or whether tweaks to your hardware, drivers, or settings could deliver smoother performance.
How to Increase Your Frame Rate
Optimize Your Graphics Settings
Lower in-game settings such as shadows, anti-aliasing, motion blur, and texture quality. These are usually the heaviest hits on FPS and the easiest wins.
Update Your Drivers
Keep your GPU drivers, chipset drivers, and operating system current. New driver releases routinely improve performance in popular games.
Upgrade Your Hardware
If newer applications consistently struggle, a better GPU is usually the highest-impact upgrade, followed by additional RAM and a faster CPU.
Close Background Tasks
Browsers, chat apps, and update tools all compete for CPU and memory. Closing them frees up resources for whatever you're running in the foreground.
Match Your Refresh Rate
Confirm in your OS display settings that your monitor is running at its highest supported refresh rate, and enable that rate in games as well — otherwise you're leaving frames on the table.
Frequently Asked Questions About Frame Rate
Is 60 FPS good?
Yes — 60 FPS is widely considered the baseline for smooth, responsive motion in gaming, video playback, and general computing. It pairs naturally with the 60Hz refresh rate found on most standard monitors.
Is higher FPS always better?
Higher FPS produces smoother motion and lower input lag, but only up to the limit of your monitor's refresh rate. Rendering 200 FPS on a 60Hz screen wastes resources without visible benefit. Match your target FPS to your hardware.
What's the difference between FPS and Hz?
FPS measures how many frames your computer is sending to the screen each second. Hz measures how many times per second the screen itself can refresh. Your effective frame rate is whichever number is lower.
Can the human eye see more than 60 FPS?
Yes. Most people can clearly distinguish 60 FPS from 120 FPS, especially in fast motion. Beyond around 240 FPS, differences become much harder to perceive, though competitive gamers still report measurable advantages.
How do I test my frame rate?
The fastest way is an online tool like our Frame Rate Test, which measures your current FPS in your browser without installing any software.
Frame rate is one of the most important factors in how smooth and enjoyable your viewing or gaming experience feels. By understanding what frame rate is, how it interacts with your monitor's refresh rate, and how to run a quick FPS test, you can fine-tune your setup for the best possible performance.
For an accurate, instant frame rate test, head to FrameRateTest.org:
With the right knowledge and a few targeted optimizations, you'll be on your way to consistently higher frames per second — and smoother, sharper visuals across everything you do on your screen.