Before purchasing a new monitor or system, it’s essential to have a look at some must-have specs. Whether you’re watching movies or playing games, a wrong sync of refresh rate (Hz) and frames per second (fps) is going to affect your experience drastically.
You might be wondering what sets Hz and fps apart, so here’s a short answer:
By refresh rate, we mean how many times your monitor projects an image per second. For a better gaming experience, it’s always best to consider a monitor with a higher refresh rate (Hz). In the gaming-dominant world, 144 Hz with 60 frames per second is common. The refresh rate is a spec that is related directly your monitor.
While watching movies, playing games, or moving the cursor, the frames change multiple times per second. FPS has nothing to do with your monitor, it directly links with the software on your CPU and the graphics card.
If you want to learn what combination of refresh rate and frame rate works well, then keep on reading.
Let’s dive into it…
Response Time
Before we differentiate the specs, Hz, and fps, let’s have a look at response time. The response time is the time in which the screen transitions from white to black or from black to white. It’s important to note that this time is measured in milliseconds. Some monitors have options for normal, faster, and fastest response time. In that case, you should try all of them to see which one works for you. The lower the response time, the better the results you’ll experience though.
Hertz Vs. FPS
| Hertz (Refresh Rate) | Fps (Frames Rate) |
| It’s a monitor spec that refreshes the display. | Frame rate relies on the software and graphics card on the system and has nothing to do with the monitor. |
| Hertz is the rate at which your display screen refreshes. For instance, a 60 hertz display will refresh the display 60 times per second. | The rate at which your graphics card produces frames is known as fps. Also, the speed of the CPU, RAM, and GPU (graphics processing unit) play a huge part. |
Can you get more Hz out of a (60 Hz) monitor with software?
It’s even possible to get more hertz out of a 60-hertz monitor with the help of software, though the increase would not be more than 1 to 2 hertz. For instance, using software will increase hertz to 61 or 62 that are not normal and will not be supported by the games so doing so is not going to benefit you much. Nevertheless, you can use different software to increase the hertz. AMD and Intel are a few of that software.
Is It Possible To Get 100 FPS On A 60 Hz Monitor?
For a 60-hertz monitor, it’s nearly impossible to render a display at 100 fps. A screen will refresh the display at the number of times the hertz it has.
GPU processing 100 fps per second at a screen only capable of rendering 60 hertz will surely result in tearing. Meaning the GPU will process a new frame while one frame is still rendering.
Even though it’s possible to get 100 fps on a 60-hertz monitor, the frame rate above the refresh rate isn’t worth it.
60 Hertz Monitor For Gaming
There’s nothing wrong with using a 60 Hz monitor for gaming. However, if you want to pick the best option for gaming, then it would be a 144 Hz monitor or above. There are so many reasons why a 144-hertz monitor is the best choice for gaming.
First of all, the screen with a 144-hertz monitor will refresh its display 144 times per second. When comparing a 60-hertz monitor with a 144-hertz monitor, it’s slow and laggy. Upgrading from a 60-hertz monitor to a 144-hertz monitor will show you a noticeable smoothness in the display.
If we look at the price, then a 60-hertz monitor is more mainstream and affordable.
What do high refresh monitors do – this video explains everything.
What refresh rate should your monitor have?
You’re probably wondering what refresh rate your monitor should have. It depends on what kind of user you are.
This table will help you pick the monitor suitable for your needs:
| Refresh Rate | Best Fit For |
| 4 K 60 Hz | Best for slower games |
| 144 Hz | Efficient choice for a competent gaming |
| 60 Hz | It does a great job for office-related tasks. It also works great for movies and YouTube. |
Conclusion
- Hz, or refresh rate, is how often a monitor updates its display. Whereas, fps, or frames per second, is how quickly frames are generated by the system.
- Hz relates directly to the monitor’s performance. Whereas, fps depends on the hardware and software of the system.
- Increasing Hz on a 60 Hz monitor through software may be possible but offers minimal benefits, usually just a slight increase.
- It’s hard to achieve fps higher than the monitor’s refresh rate without experiencing tearing, where new frames are processed too quickly.
- 60 Hz monitors are good for general use. On the other hand, 144 Hz monitors provide smoother gaming experiences due to their higher refresh rates.
- Choose the monitor refresh rate based on your needs. 60 Hz is for office tasks, 144 Hz is for gaming, and 4K 60 Hz is for slower-paced games.
- Picking the right combination of refresh rate and frame rate is crucial for better system performance and user experience.
- Before buying a monitor, consider your usage habits and preferences to ensure it suits your needs and avoids inconvenience.