Does a 60 Hz Monitor Make FPS Over 60 Obsolete?

When discussing the role of frame rates (FPS) with a 60 Hz monitor, it's important to evaluate the benefits and limitations. While a 60 Hz monitor can only display up to 60 frames per second (FPS), higher FPS can still provide significant advantages. Let's explore these benefits and address common misconceptions.

Reducing Input Lag

One of the primary benefits of higher FPS is reduced input lag. In fast-paced games, this can make gameplay feel more responsive and dynamic. FPS above 60 can help in situations where quick reactions are crucial, such as first-person shooters, racing games, or any game requiring precise timing and coordination.

Frame Timing Consistency

Higher FPS leads to more consistent frame delivery, which can reduce stuttering and provide a smoother overall gaming experience. Although your monitor may cap at 60 Hz, having a higher frame rate allows for a more fluid and stable rendering of the game, even if the actual display rate is limited to 60 FPS. This smoothness is particularly noticeable when scenes transition or when motion is involved.

Future-Proofing Your Setup

Choosing hardware with higher capabilities now can prepare your setup for future upgrades. If, in the future, you decide to upgrade to a higher refresh rate monitor, you'll have a system capable of handling higher frame rates. This ensures that you won't have to upgrade your entire system just to take advantage of a new monitor.

V-Sync and Frame Rate Management

Using technologies like V-Sync can help mitigate screen tearing, which occurs when the refresh rate of the screen doesn't match the frames provided by the graphics card. Enabling V-Sync can synchronize the number of frames generated with the refresh rate of the monitor, thereby preventing screen tearing and ensuring a smoother visual experience.

However, it's important to note that V-Sync can also introduce input lag. For competitive gamers, reducing this lag as much as possible is crucial. In these cases, disabling V-Sync to take advantage of higher FPS can be beneficial, even on a 60 Hz monitor.

Addressing Common Misconceptions

Contrary to what some might believe, FPS over 60 on a 60 Hz monitor does matter, but not to the same extent as the benefits mentioned above. Higher FPS can still reduce latency, although the difference is more noticeable at lower refresh rates. For example, 120 FPS would reduce latency by around 83 milliseconds, compared to 60 FPS, which reduces it by 167 milliseconds.

At the same time, it's also important to understand that rendering more than 60 FPS doesn't necessarily add much value if the monitor can only display up to 60 frames. Any additional rendering beyond this point can lead to potential screen tearing, especially in fast-moving scenes.

If you choose to render more than 60 FPS, you can disable V-Sync (or use modes like "Freesync" or "G-Sync") to prevent screen tearing. Setting a frame limit to the maximum refresh rate of your screen can also help avoid issues caused by oversampling.

Conclusion

While a 60 Hz monitor can only display a maximum of 60 FPS, having a capable GPU that can output higher FPS can still provide significant benefits. These include reduced input lag, more consistent frame delivery, and future-proofing your setup. Understanding these nuances can help you make informed decisions about your gaming hardware and settings, ultimately enhancing your overall gaming experience.