If you spend a lot of time on computer screens for work or mostly for gaming, you understand the term Frame Per Second or FPS.
Depending on the game you are playing or the monitor you are using, the FPS can vary significantly.
The question is, as these speeds get faster and the monitors get better, can the human eye really tell?
Is there a reason to get a high-quality monitor or game if your eyes can’t even see the difference?
Here is some really helpful information about FPS, how to understand it better, and to make sure you have the equipment you need for your eyes.
How Many FPS Can the Human Eye See?
The human eye can see at around 60 FPS and potentially a little more.
Some humans believe they can see up to 240 FPS, and some testing has been done to prove this.
Getting humans to see the difference between something that is 60 FPS and 240 FPS should be rather easy.
There should be a significant difference between the two.
Some people will argue that there is a much less significant difference between 120 and 240 FPS.
Many people believe there is a certain plateau in human vision that will not allow the eye to see the difference between these ultra-fast speeds.
Therefore, the evolution of these high-performance monitors will someday become pointless.
If the human eye stops being able to tell the difference at some point, is it really necessary to purchase these types of monitors?
What Is the Difference Between FPS and Hz?
Some people will use the terms FPS and Hz interchangeably.
These are two different things.
The FPS stands for frames per second.
This is how many frames your computer is drawing or producing per second.
The Hz is the refresh rate on your monitor.
The two things do not depend on each other, and they will work separately from one another.
If the Hz on your monitor is slow, it is not going to change the FPS rate of your game, but it could provide a less clear image of the scenes being depicted.
If you end up purchasing a game with high FPS, then you should have a high Hz gaming monitor to go with it.
Do You Need a High FPS Game if You Have a High Hz Monitor or Screen?
Just because you have a high Hz monitor does not mean you must have a high FPS game.
The game may not appear as clear as it would if you had something with higher FPS, but it will still function.
You will get some excellent performance from the game, and you can always upgrade for a higher FPS game at some point.
Most gamers will admit they would rather have a high Hz monitor than a high FPS game.
The reason is that, without the high Hz monitor, the game can only perform to a certain level.
If the Hz is a high, the game will be able to perform at much higher levels.
How High Do the HZ Levels Go in a Monitor?
The highest Hz level monitors on the market right now go to about 360 Hz.
This is the fastest refresh rate that has ever been seen in a monitor.
Of course, it is important to recognize that the refresh rate is one of the things that will add to the cost of the monitor.
High-quality gaming monitors with fast speeds and refresh rates can end up being thousands and thousands of dollars.
The typical Hz choices are usually 120, 144, 165, and 240.
Of course, there are other unique options from some companies, but these seem to be the most popular choices, especially for those looking for faster refresh rates.
How a High Frame Rate Impacts Quality in Video Games
Once the FPS and the Hz get to a certain level, it is difficult to see how they affect the quality of a video game.
When FPS is lower, around 30, you will notice that the game seems to move a little slower, and images don’t look quite as realistic.
When you move to the 60 Hz, you will notice big changes, and the game will appear to be much more high functioning.
It takes a trained eye to notice the difference between the 120 Hz and the 144 Hz, but it won’t take much to notice the difference between 30 and 60 Hz or FPS.
It’s important to remember that one FPS is equivalent to one Hz.
When you are shopping for video games that depict realistic situations, it does make sense to make sure the FPS is higher.
If you compare this higher FPS with a high-quality monitor that has a higher Hz, then you will have a much more qualified gaming system.
Why Does Frame Rate Matter?
Frame rate really matters when you are a serious gamer.
If you are not someone who plays a lot of video games or cares about how the game performs, then the frame rate really won’t matter.
When you have a low frame rate, there may be a choppy video, or there could be lag times during the game.
If you play an occasional video game that does not require high-quality graphics, then none of this may matter to you.
If you are playing against friends or trying to play at a competitive level, then you will need these higher quality components.
Can You Run a Frame Rate Test on a Monitor?
You can, and you should run a frame rate test on your monitor to see how it is performing.
You may not know if your game is performing properly or your monitor until you run a test to see what your monitor is capable of.
Running a frame rate test on a monitor is not hard to do.
Most of the time, you can do the test on your actual monitor when you access the settings or through gaming accounts you have set up.
The Steam platform allows you to put a frame rate counter in the bottom corner of your screen.
This will allow you to see how the game is performing while you are playing, and if you seem to have issues with rate of speed, you will know why.
Can You Increase a Frame Rate?
We have established that it is hard to tell the difference between certain frame rates.
Sometimes you will get to the point where the human eye (untrained) can’t tell the difference.
However, if you are starting to see the issues with your lower frame rate, there are a few things you can do to try and improve performance.
First of all, you will want to make sure your monitor is capable of a higher frame rate.
If your frame rate is 60Hz and your monitor is a 60Hz, then there won’t be much you can do.
These solutions are more for people who feel like they are not getting the performance they should be getting from their system.
One option to try is to drop your resolution display settings.
If you switch to something with a lower contrast, the frames should be able to move at a faster rate.
With not as clear a picture to put on the screen, your device should have no trouble going through frames quickly.
Of course, you may notice the difference in the contrast, but sometimes you can find a good balance between the two.
Another thing to try would be to check your video playback settings.
Is your playback set for the fast-paced games that you are currently using?
Make sure it is not set for a much slower setting or purpose.
Another thing you can do to increase your frame per second rate is to buy a different graphics card which has better hardware.
This is, of course, going to be an expense, but it will very likely be less expensive than purchasing an entirely new monitor.
Look for a graphics card that supports the level of play you use your computer and monitor for.
One other way to increase your FPS is to look for an app or program that will automatically optimize for you.
You can find these types of programs that will work to make sure your settings are as they should be.
If you give the program or app access to your control panel, it will make any necessary adjustments for you.
These adjustments should increase the FPS to a point where you can feel satisfied with the performance you are getting.
If nothing works and you can’t get the FPS you need with your current system, then you may want to purchase an entirely new monitor.
Of course, this is going to be the most expensive way to fix your issue, but sometimes you won’t find a way around this.
Can You Train Your Eye to See the Higher FPS?
Do your friends say they can see the difference between the higher Hz monitors and the lower Hz.
Can you tell the difference?
Would you know if you did a test where you had no idea which was the higher quality monitor and which was the lower quality?
It’s hard to really say the exact level the human eye maxes out their ability to see the difference in FPS.
You can’t really train your eye to see faster.
You can learn to react faster, and you can learn to be more aware of situations, but you can’t be trained to see faster.
When people go through certain types of military training, they will work on being able to react faster and shorten the reaction time between sight and action.
This is different than a person learning to see faster.
Most humans will have the same rate of sight, and they will probably see around 60 FPS.
For very serious experts who have learned how to see the tiniest glitches, there is a chance they can see quite a bit higher than 60 FPS, but this is rare.
Conclusion
Every time a new monitor is released with the latest and greatest Hz rates, people will question if it is worth the upgrade.
As these monitors get so high performing at some point, they are going to surpass the levels of a human being.
Of course, there will be professionals and technology fans who insist they need this type of speed, but the truth is they probably don’t.
As long as your game and your monitor are over 60 FPS or 60 Hz, you should be getting an outstanding user experience from your equipment.
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