Frame Rate (FPS) Vs Refresh Rate (Hz) - Complete Comparison 2025

This issue is critical in the current digital world as people need to know the differences between frame rate and refresh rate. As a result, in this guide, we will discover what FPS and Hz are, how they are different and how they correlate so that a decision may be made.

What Is Frame Rate (FPS)?

Frame rate is used to define the amount of single image or frame a device produces in one second. Usually measured in frames per second, or FPS. It is a key factor regarding how smooth motion will be within videos, games, and animation.

For example, if you are watching a video or playing a game, from what you see. Apparently smooth motion is actually not continuous but a fast series of still images, or frames, perceived by your brain as movement. And this movement will look smoother and more realistic with a higher FPS.

Frame rate is central to the quality of a visual experience. Lower frame rates, such as 24 FPS, can appear choppy. Especially in fast-moving scenes. This rate is commonly used in cinema because it creates a distinct “film-like” aesthetic. However, in gaming or high-definition video production. 24 FPS often feels insufficient.

In gaming, FPS is everything. The more frames per second present in the display, the better the latter will be in terms of the smoothness of motion and definite lack of recognizable input delay. Input lag means the delay which occurs between your action. A button is pushed and that thing shows up on the screen. In competitive online gaming a matter of milliseconds could cost one the game, and the amount of time difference is measured in microseconds. Then by general consensus many gamers consider 60 FPS as standard, with others aiming for 120 FPS or even 240 FPS for even more FPS.

High frame rates depend on device processing capability. It relies on the CPU, GPU, and RAM, which all team up to generate and render those frames. If this hardware is less powerful. Then judder occurs wherein the real FPS drops well below target rate. Often resulting in the game not acting smoothly enough or the stutter of videos.

Frame rates also affect the animation and special effects. The more FPS, the more realistic even rapid sequences can be, such as when an explosion, or a chase takes place. That is why the majority of directors and other creators on various types of media and entertainment contend for a higher frame rate, up to 48 or 60 FPS.

What Is Refresh Rate (Hz)?

Refresh rate  expresses the number of times a display alters its image in one second and is measured in hertz. From this, it becomes directly proportional to how fluid the motion is going to look on your screen.

Whereas framerate is set by the software itself. Refresh rate relates directly to the physical capability of your display. Specifically telling how many times in one second it will be drawing the image on your screen. Regardless of how many or how few frames a computer or game console happens to be creating.

A higher refresh rate serves to improve motion clarity and eliminates ghosting or motion blur. Ghosting involves a previous image leaving its ghost on the screen, producing a trail effect of sorts. Motion blur provides a blur or less clear outline of fast-moving targets. Higher refresh rates ensure that these problems are reduced.

To gamers, high refresh rates are a game-changer. It allows the monitor to keep up with the high FPS generated by powerful hardware. Gaming does not end with refresh rates of a monitor. Just like having a high refresh rate in a first-person shooter game, browsing through web pages, watching videos or editing high definition content appears a lot smoother. This will greatly benefit video production experts since they require accurate playback during an editing process.

There are multiple technologies that take it even further, with variable refresh rates including NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync. These technologies get the monitor to switch its refresh rate to the frame rate within games. The goal is to maintain non-interfering gameplay even under conditions when the full update rate of the projection, or the FPS, differs from the ideal set rate.

Differences Between Frame Rate And Refresh Rate

While frame rate and refresh rate seem quite similar at first glance. It does completely different tasks and originates from distinct sections of your infrastructure. Frame rate describes how many frames your hardware can render per second, whereas refresh rate dictates how many frames your screen can actually accept and resend within that second.

Where they differ is in their source. Frame rate is dictated by software-such as a game or video application-and relies on the muscle of your hardware to function. Whereas refresh rate is an attribute of your monitor or TV.

For example if your computer runs at 60 frames per second and your monitor is running at 30 hertz. Then it will only display 30 of those frames per second. This will lead to the creation of a fragmented experience. On the other hand, if Your monitor can support 144 Hz refresh and the game runs at 30 FPS. Then the display refreshes more often than the frames are generated. Resulting in a less smooth experience because the same images will be shown time and again.

Both the metrics have different impacts on the visual experience, too. Frame rate determines the smoothness of motion. Low FPS makes the graphics to be triggered and jog which makes the game and video playing to become uncomfortable. Refresh rate determines motion overshadows and low refresh rate causes screen tear or areas belonging to different frames are seen at different times.

How Frame Rate And Refresh Rate Work Together

These two measurements should operate in parallel for enhanced visualization to happen. While incompatibility of the two can cause screen tearing, stuttering or even input lag.

With frame rate invoking refresh rate, a condition referred to as screen tearing happens. For instance if your game executes per frame at one hundred frames per second however, your monitor is running at 60 Hz. At a given time some parts of different frames may be depicted on the screen; this can give a strapping look. Technologies on the other hand like V-Sync, seek to control the FPS to the refresh rate. However, this can add input lag that makes it not feasible for (first person shooter) games.

Stuttering arises out of the interaction of a low frame rate and the refresh rate that results in varying frame delivery. This results in a stuttering of gameplay or videos being watched on this device. Most conventional monitor systems fail to address this through fixed refresh rates of the monitor; G-Sync and FreeSync adapt to the frame rate.

Another important factor is input lag. The higher the refresh rate. The higher the refresh rate. The shorter amount of time it takes between your input and what happens on the screen which just feels more immediate. This is important most especially and unforgivably so when it comes to gaming since time is everything and can be measured in microseconds.

If you want to extract the most from performance you require the hardware to deliver high frame rates and this goes hand in hand with the display rates. For example, connecting one of the best computers for gaming with the 240 Hz monitor makes it smooth if this game supports high FPS.

Which One Matters?

Which one is more important, frame rate or refresh rate, depends on your use case.

For gamers, frame rate is often the priority. A higher FPS makes for smoother gameplay and reduces input lag. However, to realize the full potential of high FPS. One needs a monitor with a matching refresh rate. Competitive gamers spend money on high refresh rate displays for that extra bit of performance.

The frame rate is crucial for the editors or content creators in the playback and editing of a video. A high frame rate will make transitions smoother, with full details on a preview. Especially where the scenes are in high motion. Although a high refresh rate monitor is great for enhancing editing. It’s less critical compared to trying to achieve a desired FPS for an output.

For casual users, refresh rate might be more of an issue. These things we do, watching videos or browsing, general multitasking, feels much smoother on a screen that has a higher refresh rate. Just swiping down on the web page appears clearer and more fluid on a 120hz screen as compared to a 60 hz screen.

Admittedly, both are important, and a balance of refresh rate and frame rate is the best setup. This would be something like running a game at 120 FPS on a 120 Hz monitor as an ideal solution for gamers, or the ability to make the output FPS match the refresh rate of the editing monitor. For smooth previews concerning video creators.

Conclusion 

The frame rate and refresh rate are the cornerstones to a smooth visual experience. Frame rate defines the smoothness of motion, while refresh rate defines clarity. Individually, they define exactly how you interact with digital content. Understanding their interplay goes a long way in informed decision-making for simple everyday use.