FPS Explanation & Your Guide to Better FPS!

Whether you are the parent of a gamer or have explored gaming and/or video editing yourself, it is likely that you have come across the acronym "FPS".

What is FPS? FPS stands for “Frames per second” and is frequently used in regards to computer games, movies and TV. An FPS of 30 and above provides an optimal image, where the movements are fluid and precise. In gaming, an FPS of at least 60 is recommended for the optimal experience.

There are several factors that can improve your FPS, such as using the appropriate cable for your monitor. For example, using a DisplayPort cable can reach 144 Hz and above, which can have a positive impact on your FPS and gaming experience.

If you want to know more about FPS and how it affects your screen experience, read this post.

What does FPS mean?

FPS, which stands for “Frames per Second”, but is also known as “Framerate”, and indicates the frame rate on screens in both gaming, television, cinema, etc.

The higher the FPS, the more fluid and lifelike the image on the screen will be.

This is why FPS is extremely important, especially in gaming, where a high FPS can provide a significant advantage, especially if your opponents do not have a similarly high FPS.

FPS has long been an area of ​​focus, especially in the film and gaming industry, where high FPS levels are essential to give users the best experience.

Typically in film and video, a minimum FPS of 30 is considered optimal, but the higher the FPS, the better.

In gaming, most computer games run at 60 FPS or higher, where until recently console games were limited to 30 FPS. However, the consoles are constantly being developed, so at the time of writing, the newest models can handle 60 FPS.

FPS is an area that is constantly evolving, especially in gaming. This is because video games are constantly being released with higher graphics levels, requiring more powerful hardware to run them.

FPS is closely related to the hardware found in computers. If a game demands more from the hardware than what is already on the market can deliver, then it is not unusual for the manufacturers of hardware, such as graphics cards and processors (CPU), to develop new hardware to meet the demand.

However, these manufacturers often enter the market first, as they are well aware that the gaming industry constantly demands better hardware.

In this industry, the games are constantly improving, which requires continuous improvements to the hardware to ensure that the machines can keep up and deliver the optimal FPS and the best image to the users.

Fun fact: FPS is also short for the popular game genre “First Person Shooter”, which includes games like Counter Strike, Halo, Call of Duty, and many others.

What is the optimal FPS?

When talking about optimal FPS, it depends on the specific application.

In film, 30 FPS is considered acceptable, but the higher the FPS, the more fluid the image will be.

It is said that around 60 FPS is the maximum the human eye can perceive. especially when it comes to movies shown on the television screen.

When it comes to gaming, the term Hertz, abbreviated to Hz,  also plays a role. Where FPS refers to your GPU's frame rate, Hz refers to your screen's refresh rate.

Today there are several types of gaming monitors. The vast majority of these monitors are now available with a refresh rate of 144Hz, as opposed to the standard 60Hz.

In computer games, 60 FPS is typically the most accepted. But with screens of 144Hz and above, the picture quality will be significantly improved and become even sharper and more fluid.

The difference is clear, as a screen with 144Hz allows you to see many more movements on the screen. This means that you do not miss so-called "frames" or images, which can happen when using 60 Hz screens.

Take this image as an example:

The screen on the left is a standard 60Hz screen and the screen on the right is the newer and better 144Hz screen.

On a 144 Hz screen, you see far more of the movements that occur on the screen, in more detail.

This results in everything you do on your computer feeling more fluid, which can give the impression that your screen has a higher FPS.

How can I get better FPS on my computer?

Unfortunately, computers are not like game consoles or televisions, which are designed to maintain an optimal FPS regardless of what content is displayed. This is because the content MUST be displayed on these devices, as you cannot modify them in the same way as on a computer.

The opposite is true for computers. On a computer, you can easily replace various components to significantly increase performance and thus FPS.

Gaming on a computer also requires significantly more than gaming on a, and due to the constant development, many computer gamers have to upgrade their components far more frequently than console gamers have to buy a new gaming console.

But what if you can't afford the best equipment on the market and need to optimize your current PC as much as possible without spending money?

Here are some quick tricks you can use to give your computer a little extra FPS, even if it has older components than what game publishers recommend.

#1 - Reduce your resolution

If you suddenly find that your computer cannot run a new game, it may be because its components are simply not powerful enough to handle the game at the maximum resolution.

You can try lowering the resolution, as this can improve your FPS (frames per second) and thus the gaming experience.

If the game still doesn't run optimally even at 1600x900 resolution, you might want to consider whether your computer is sufficient for your needs.

#2 - Update your graphics card drivers

A common cause of sudden problems running games properly can be outdated graphics card drivers.

Sometimes update programs automatically ask you to update your graphics card drivers, but sometimes they don't. If so, you need to manually check if your graphics card drivers are up to date.

This can be done either in the program associated with your graphics card, or by downloading the new drivers manually from the manufacturer's website.

Once you have found the name of your graphics card, you can visit the manufacturer's website (e.g. Nvidia or AMD) to download the latest drivers. Be sure to download the correct drivers for your specific graphics card model and operating system.

#3 - Overclock your graphics card and/or processor

If you are not very familiar with computers, you should get an expert to help you with overclocking. It is important to do this correctly as incorrect overclocking can damage or destroy your components.

Overclocking involves increasing the performance of your hardware, e.g. your graphics card, almost to its maximum.

Overclocking requires some knowledge, as your computer must be able to handle the increased performance. If done correctly, an overclocked graphics card can significantly improve your FPS (frames per second).

However, to avoid damage or problems, you should seek help from an experienced person if you are not familiar with the process.

#4 - Use software designed to optimize your computer

This solution is simple, but in certain cases it can significantly improve your FPS.

There are several programs, such as Razer Cortex, that have a so-called “game booster” function. This feature optimizes your computer's processor when you start a game.

Many don't realize that background programs can have a negative impact on FPS in computer games. Therefore, it may be a good idea to use a program that closes or temporarily pauses these background programs so that you can have the optimal gaming experience.

#5 - Change settings in your games

When playing computer games, there are many settings you can adjust to improve your FPS. For example, you can change the shadow quality, which often gives a significant FPS boost when you lower this setting.

Most games provide a good explanation of what each setting does to your computer's performance. Try hovering over a setting and you'll usually see a description of how it affects your FPS depending on its setting.

If your computer can only run games on the lowest settings, this may indicate the need for an upgrade, as it is not optimal.

If you are unsure of what specifications are required to achieve optimal FPS in different games, you may want to check the game publisher's website.

What do different computer games require to get optimal FPS?

Almost all games, especially those for the computer, have specified minimum requirements and recommended system requirements, which indicate what computer specifications are required to run the game.

Below is a list of some of the most popular games at the moment along with their minimum and recommended requirements.

Remember that the minimum requirements are the absolute lowest requirements to be able to run the game, but for the best experience you should follow the recommended requirements or have an even more powerful computer.

If you don't play on the computer, don't worry as game consoles are designed to run games that are suitable for them.

However, older game consoles may become less efficient over time and you may need to upgrade to a newer model.

PUBG: Battlegrounds

PUBG: Battlegrounds, previously called PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, belongs to the popular game genre known as battle royale.

The game has the following minimum requirements:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 / AMD FX-6300
• RAM: 8 GB
• OS: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10< /li>
• Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 2GB / AMD Radeon R7 370 2GB
• Pixel Shader: 5.1
• Vertex Shader: 5.1
• Free disk space : 30 GB
• Dedicated Video RAM: 2 GB

To achieve the best possible gaming experience, you should consider investing in a computer that meets the recommended specifications, which include:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600
• RAM: 16 GB
• OS: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10< /li>
• Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB / AMD Radeon RX 580 4GB
• Pixel Shader: 5.1
• Vertex Shader: 5.1
• Free disk space : 30 GB
• Dedicated Video RAM: 3 GB (4 GB AMD)

Fortnite

If you have kids who play computer games, you've probably heard them talk about Fortnite.

Fortnite is a popular game in the battle royale genre, and is especially popular among children all over the world.

Fortnite has these minimum requirements:

• CPU: Core i3 2.4 Ghz
• RAM: 4 GB
• OS: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit
• Graphics card: Intel HD 4000
• Pixel Shader: 3.0
• Vertex Shader: 3.0

Fortnite is a well-optimized game, so it does not require a top-of-the-line computer to run optimally. Anyway, here are the recommended specifications from the game manufacturer themselves:

• CPU: Core i5 2.8 Ghz
• RAM: 8 GB
• OS: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit
• Graphics card: NVIDIA GTX 660 or AMD Radeon HD 7870 equivalent DX11 GPU
• Pixel Shader: 5.0
• Vertex Shader: 5.0
• Dedicated Video RAM: 2048 MB

Apex Legends

As if that wasn't enough, the third game on this list is also a battle royale game.

This time it's about Apex Legends, which is a slightly more Call of Duty or Halo-like battle royale experience.

The game has weapons that look more futuristic compared to PUBG for example.

The game has the following minimum requirements to be able to run properly:

• CPU: Intel Core i3-6300 3.8GHz / AMD FX-4350 4.2 GHz Quad-Core Processor
• RAM: 6 GB
• OS: 64-bit Windows 7
• Graphics card: 1 GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 / AMD Radeon HD 7730
• Pixel Shader: 5.0
• Vertex Shader: 5.0
• Free disk space: 22 GB
• Dedicated Video RAM: 1 GB

Despite the game's incredibly good graphics, Apex Legends is well optimized, so you don't need to invest in the most expensive computer on the market to run it optimally.

If you want to run the game perfectly optimally, as the publisher intended, you should consider getting at least the recommended specifications, which look like this:

• CPU: Intel i5 3570K / Ryzen 5 CPU or equivalent
• RAM: 8 GB
• OS: 64-bit Windows 7
• Graphics card : 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 / AMD Radeon R9 290
• Pixel Shader: 5.1
• Vertex Shader: 5.1
• Free disk space: 22 GB
• Dedicated Video RAM: 8 GB

Grand Theft Auto V

GTA V, also known as GTA 5, is the fifth game in the popular Grand Theft Auto franchise.

The game offers a large open world where you can either play alone or online with players from around the world and where you can perform actions that you are not allowed to do in the real world.

Here are the minimum requirements that GTA V requires, however you should not expect to be able to run the game at very high FPS with these specifications:

• CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz (4 CPUs) / AMD Phenom 9850 Quad-Core Processor (4 CPUs) @ 2.5GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• OS: Windows 10 64 Bit, Windows 8.1 64 Bit, Windows 8 64 Bit, Windows 7 64 Bit Service Pack 1, Windows Vista 64 Bit Service Pack 2*
• Graphics card: NVIDIA 9800 GT 1GB / AMD HD 4870 1GB (DX 10, 10.1, 11)
• Pixel Shader: 4.0
• Vertex Shader: 4.0
• Sound card: 100% DirectX 10 compatible< /li>
• Free disk space: 72 GB
• Dedicated Video RAM: 1 GB

If you want to run this popular game more or less optimally, you should instead consider upgrading your computer to at least the following specifications:

• CPU: Intel Core i5 3470 @ 3.2GHz (4 CPUs) / AMD X8 FX-8350 @ 4GHz (8 CPUs)
• RAM: 8 GB
• OS : Windows 10 64 Bit, Windows 8.1 64 Bit, Windows 8 64 Bit, Windows 7 64 Bit Service Pack 1
• Graphics card: NVIDIA GTX 660 2GB / AMD HD 7870 2GB
• Pixel Shader : 5.0
• Vertex Shader: 5.0
• Sound card: 100% DirectX 10 compatible
• Free disk space: 72 GB
• Dedicated Video RAM: 2 GB

Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an action-adventure game set in the Wild West.

The game is known for its large open world, where players experience a wide range of unique situations in the Wild West.

Although the game doesn't require too much in terms of minimum requirements, it does require more than most games due to its complex graphics and gameplay.

Minimum requirements for Red Dead Redemption 2:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD FX-6300
• RAM: 8 GB
• OS: Windows 7 SP1
• Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 2GB / AMD Radeon R9 280
• Pixel Shader: 5.0
• Vertex Shader: 5.0
• Free disk space: 150 GB
• Dedicated Video RAM: 2048 MB

To run Red Dead Redemption 2 optimally, it requires a significantly better computer that meets the following recommended specifications:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
• RAM: 12 GB
• OS: Windows 10
• Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 480 4GB
• Pixel Shader: 5.1
• Vertex Shader: 5.1
• Free disk space: 150 GB
• Dedicated Video RAM: 3072 MB