Refresh Rate vs Frame Rate (FPS) Explained
Quick answer: Refresh rate (Hz) is how many times per second your screen redraws; frame rate (FPS) is how many frames your computer produces. What you see is limited by whichever is lower, so both need to be high for smooth motion.
Check your numbers: open the FPS test.
The difference
Refresh rate is a property of the display, fixed at 60Hz, 144Hz and so on. Frame rate is produced by your graphics card and varies with the game and settings.
Why both matter
A 144Hz screen fed 60 FPS still only shows 60 new frames a second, and 144 FPS on a 60Hz screen is capped at 60. You only get the smoothest result when the display and the GPU are both high.
Screen tearing and sync
When FPS and Hz drift out of step you can get screen tearing. V-Sync, G-Sync and FreeSync synchronise them to remove it. For what Hz alone means, see refresh rate explained.
Confirm
Use the FPS test, and our guide to testing FPS for measuring in-game frame rates.
Two Different Numbers
Refresh rate and frame rate are easy to mix up because both are about how many images appear per second — but they describe different things. Refresh rate (Hz) is a property of your monitor: how many times per second it can redraw the screen. Frame rate (FPS, frames per second) is a property of your graphics card and game: how many new frames it actually generates each second. The monitor sets the ceiling; the GPU decides how close you get to it. You need both to be high to see smooth, fast motion.
How They Work Together
Think of refresh rate as how often the screen is willing to show a new picture, and FPS as how often the GPU has a new picture ready. A 144 Hz monitor can display 144 frames a second, but if your game only runs at 60 FPS, you'll see 60 distinct frames — the extra refreshes just repeat. The reverse is also true: a graphics card pumping out 200 FPS into a 60 Hz monitor can only show 60 of them. The smooth experience people want from a high-refresh display only happens when the frame rate is high enough to feed it. Check your display's rate with the refresh rate test and your frame rate with the FPS test.
Screen Tearing and Sync Technologies
When frame rate and refresh rate are out of step, you can get screen tearing — the display shows parts of two frames at once, leaving a visible horizontal split during motion. The classic fix is VSync, which caps the frame rate to the refresh rate so they line up, though it can add input lag. Better are adaptive sync technologies — NVIDIA's G-Sync and AMD's FreeSync — which make the monitor refresh in step with whatever frame rate the GPU produces, eliminating tearing without the lag. If your monitor and graphics card both support it, turning it on gives the smoothest result across varying frame rates.
What to Aim For
The practical goal is to balance the two. There's little point pairing a 240 Hz monitor with a graphics card that manages 50 FPS in your games, or buying a powerful GPU to feed a 60 Hz panel you never upgrade. For smooth gaming, match a high-refresh monitor with a GPU that can push frame rates near that refresh rate in the games you play, and enable G-Sync or FreeSync to smooth out the dips. Capping your FPS at or just below your refresh rate also keeps things tidy and reduces tearing on displays without adaptive sync.
Real-World Examples
A few scenarios make the relationship concrete. 60 Hz monitor, 120 FPS game: the GPU is doing great work, but the screen only shows 60 frames a second, so you see 60 — and without sync you may get tearing as the extra frames arrive mid-refresh. 144 Hz monitor, 60 FPS game: the panel can do far more, but the GPU only feeds 60 unique frames, so it looks like 60 Hz despite the fancy monitor. 144 Hz monitor, 200 FPS game: the screen shows 144 of those frames, which is the smooth result the monitor was bought for, and capping FPS near 144 keeps it tidy. 144 Hz monitor, 144 FPS with G-Sync: the ideal — refresh and frame rate matched and synced, smooth with no tearing. The pattern is simple: the lower of the two numbers sets how smooth motion actually looks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between refresh rate and FPS?
Refresh rate (Hz) is how many times per second your monitor can redraw the screen. FPS is how many frames your graphics card actually produces each second. The monitor sets the ceiling; the GPU determines how close you get. You need both high for smooth motion.
Does a 144Hz monitor need 144 FPS?
To see all 144 distinct frames, yes — your game needs to run near 144 FPS. At 60 FPS on a 144 Hz monitor you'll see 60 unique frames and the extra refreshes just repeat. The monitor's potential is only realised if the GPU keeps up.
What causes screen tearing?
Tearing happens when the frame rate and refresh rate are out of step, so the screen shows parts of two frames at once. VSync fixes it by capping FPS to the refresh rate, and G-Sync or FreeSync fix it by syncing the refresh to the frame rate.
Should I cap my FPS to my refresh rate?
On a monitor without G-Sync or FreeSync, capping FPS at or just below your refresh rate reduces tearing and keeps things consistent. With adaptive sync enabled, the monitor matches the GPU automatically, so a cap is less necessary.
Which matters more, FPS or refresh rate?
Both, because the lower of the two limits how smooth motion looks. A high-refresh monitor needs high FPS to shine, and high FPS needs a high-refresh monitor to be seen. Balance them rather than maxing one alone.
Why does my game feel laggy even at high FPS?
High FPS doesn't rule out screen tearing (without G-Sync or FreeSync) or input lag from other sources like VSync or display processing. Enable adaptive sync, and check that the smoothness problem isn't actually tearing rather than low frame rate.
Can I have high FPS on a 60Hz monitor?
Your graphics card can render more than 60 frames a second, but the monitor only displays 60, so you see 60. The surplus frames can cause screen tearing unless you cap the FPS or use adaptive sync.
What is VSync?
VSync synchronises your frame rate to the monitor's refresh rate to eliminate screen tearing. It works, but can add input lag and cap your FPS. G-Sync and FreeSync achieve smoother results by syncing the refresh to the GPU instead.
Do I really need G-Sync or FreeSync?
They aren't required, but they remove screen tearing smoothly across changing frame rates, which is very helpful if your FPS fluctuates below your refresh rate. If your monitor and GPU both support it, it's worth enabling.