If you are a gamer, you know the importance of refresh rates and frames per second (FPS). Games, particularly competitive titles, depending on the FPS and you must be able to view the frames faster than your opponent players. This gives you an upper hand in the game and leads you to victory. But how much FPS can you get?
You might have heard of Refresh Rates while buying a monitor. Gaming monitors are usually equipped with more than 120Hz refresh rate. This rate denotes how often the monitor updates the frames. As for the FPS, it denotes the capacity of the GPU to produce frames for each second.
So, if you have a powerful GPU that can produce thousands of FPS can your monitor produce all the frames within the same time limit? Let us understand the relation between refresh rates and FPS while finding out the maximum FPS a 16Hz monitor can run.
How much FPS can a 165hz Monitor run?
A 165Hz monitor can run any number of FPS. But if it goes more than 165FPS, then you may experience screen tearing. We shall first know what is FPS, refresh rate, and screen tearing to completely understand the limitations.
Refresh Rate and FPS
Refresh Rate denotes the number of times the monitor can update the frame. It is the limit by which it can operate even if a greater number of frames are inputted into the display.
A monitor manufactured to work with a particular refresh rate can only display a maximum of the denoted rate and cannot go beyond it. For example, if you have a 165Hz refresh rate monitor, it means that the display can update a maximum of 165 frames for every second.
Frames Per Second denotes the number of frames generated by the GPU as commanded by the application or game it is running. A game can generate more than 1000 frames per second. If you have a high-end GPU, there is no upper limit for the FPS it can provide.
Screen tearing
This phenomenon occurs when there is a mismatch between the refresh rate and FPS. To be precise, when the FPS is higher than the refresh rate of the monitor, you will experience a cut in the frame displayed.
Let us consider a scenario where you have a 165Hz monitor and a powerful GPU that can generate 1000FPS. You play a game by setting the graphics level to a higher FPS. Due to the capacity of the GPU, the game will be generating 1000 frame data and feeding it to the display.
But, the capacity of the display is just 165Hz. So, it can properly display only 165 frames for every second. When more frame data is fed into the monitor, it will start to overlap the frames to be displayed which causes a cut in the existing frame shown on the display.
This screen tearing can be annoying and you cannot enjoy the graphics of the game. So, you will need to reduce the FPS manually in the game settings or use FreeSync or G-Sync technology to match the refresh rate and FPS automatically.
So, although a 165Hz monitor will be able to display any number of FPS, you cannot practically view it without any disturbances in the screen.
Read: Do curved monitors affect gameplay?
How to increase FPS in a 165Hz monitor?
You might own a 165Hz monitor but you might not be getting the highest frame rate possible with the display. You can get a maximum of 165FPS with this monitor. So, follow these steps to modify your display settings to produce the maximum FPS possible.
- Go to Settings and under System, select the Display tab.
- Scroll down and choose the Advanced Display settings.
- Here you can choose the display if you are using multiple displays. Once you have selected the displays, you can change the refresh rate of the monitor. Usually, the monitor is set to 60Hz and you can choose 165Hz which is the maximum setting.
- Now your monitor can display with the maximum refresh rate.
You cannot increase the FPS of a monitor to more than 165. But the application you are running can produce more frames per second which can be chosen within the settings of your application.
Pros and Cons of 165Hz monitor
There are certain advantages and disadvantages to using a higher refresh rate monitor. Knowing this will let you decide the type of monitor you will need for your usage.
Pros
- Smooth gameplay
- Faster response
- No motion blur
- Better visuals
- Advantageous in competitive games
Cons
- Expensive price point
- Cannot support FPS of more than 165
- TN panels might have poor color reproduction
- VA panels might have a slower response time
- Not much difference from a 144Hz monitor
Read: How do I know what kind of DisplayPort I have?
Who needs high FPS in a 165Hz monitor?
Gamers are usually benefited from the higher FPS of a 165Hz monitor. The higher frame rate gives them an upper hand in competitive games which makes it easier to respond faster than the opponents.
You can get smooth gameplay with fluid motion which makes the gaming more immersive. Action-packed games can be a visual treat and you can enjoy them more with such a responsive display. When this monitor is combined with premium gaming titles, it will be the ultimate gaming experience.
Apart from gamers, the general audience can also enjoy videos at a higher frame rate. This gives a unique smoothness to the videos they see and gives a real-time visual experience.
If you are into producing videos for YouTube or other social media, then having such a monitor can help you create smooth videos and upload them in the highest quality possible.
Read: How do I change my Monitor from 60Hz to 144Hz?
Conclusion
We have now understood the capacities of a 165Hz monitor and how much it can reproduce in the display. You will be able to use the terms refresh rate and FPS more accurately and select a suitable monitor if you are yet to buy one. Physically there isn’t a relationship between FPS and refresh rate. But, the limitations of the refresh rate affect the FPS it can display. If you understand this, you can avoid problems like screen tearing.
