Capping game frame rates can reduce tearing, noise and power use
Capping a game’s frame rate can make play more consistent while reducing screen tearing, GPU load, fan noise and power use. It can be especially useful with a variable refresh rate monitor, where a cap helps keep the game within the display’s refresh range and just below its maximum.
The article suggests setting a cap three or four frames below the monitor’s refresh rate when using V-Sync: 57 fps for 60Hz, 117 for 120Hz and 237 for 240Hz. Players can set limits in a game’s graphics options or through NVIDIA or AMD software; third-party tools are another option. The benefits depend on the GPU being able to maintain the chosen rate, and the small reduction from the display’s maximum is unlikely to be noticeable.
- Frame caps can smooth gameplay and reduce screen tearing.
- They can also lower GPU strain, fan noise and power use.
- With V-Sync, aim three or four fps below refresh rate.
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Games are made up of still images, or frames, shown in quick succession. The graphics card (GPU) produces these frames, while the monitor displays them at a rate measured in hertz (Hz); when the two rates do not line up, the picture can appear to split or stutter.
V-Sync is a setting that coordinates the game’s frames with the monitor’s refresh rate, and variable refresh rate displays can adjust to changing frame rates within a set range. A frame rate cap sets an upper limit on how many frames the GPU produces, which can affect how smoothly a game runs and how hard the computer works.
The key players are the game, the GPU and the display, whose settings and capabilities shape the result. Lowering the GPU’s workload can reduce power use and fan noise, while a suitable cap may help avoid visual interruptions; the effect depends on the computer and monitor.
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Originally published by Engadget as “Should you limit your FPS in games? Here’s when it makes sense”.