FPS vs. Hz: Definition and Differences

April 29, 2024, 7:07 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

In the streaming and especially in the gaming sector, it’s hard to avoid the abbreviations “FPS” and “Hz.” But what do they actually stand for, and how are they related?

Anyone looking to buy a new TV, monitor, or any display device will sooner or later encounter the FPS rate. Almost as frequently, the Hz specification appears in this context. TECHBOOK explains what these abbreviations mean and how the units are related–because if FPS and Hz are not aligned, problems can arise.

FPS and Hz–what are they anyway?

The abbreviations “FPS” and “Hz” stand for “frames per second” and Hertz, respectively. Both are important for monitors and displays. However, while many use the units almost synonymously, there are crucial differences.

FPS, or frames per second, refers to the frame rate, meaning how many images are shown per second. The more frames, the higher the value and the smoother the image. In the context of gaming hardware, FPS is used to indicate the frame rate of the GPU–Graphics Processing Unit or graphics processor.

Hertz, on the other hand, refers to the refresh rate, or the frequency of the output device, such as a PC monitor or TV. The most common panels have 60 Hertz, which is perfectly adequate for media playback–such as movies and series. In gaming, however, a higher refresh rate provides an advantage, as it allows for quicker reactions. Therefore, for fast-paced video games like shooters, 120 Hertz is considered the minimum.

Why “frames per second” and “Hertz” are needed

For a truly good picture, both values are important. For example, in gaming, the monitor needs a high Hertz rate to display the highest possible FPS. If the monitor has more Hertz than the graphics unit has FPS, it’s not a big problem. The lower value essentially takes over, so the same image is simply shown twice in a row. The differences are not visible to the human eye. Only the higher Hertz value–often associated with a higher price–is essentially wasted.

However, if the graphics card delivers significantly higher FPS values than the monitor has Hertz, that’s a different issue. In this case, noticeable display problems can occur. The monitor cannot display the images as quickly as the graphics unit calculates them. The result is the so-called “screen tearing” effect. Here, one half of the display already shows the new image, while the other still shows the old one; the display is thus “torn.”

The so-called V-Sync option (depending on the manufacturer, also known as FreeSync or G-Sync) can provide a remedy, but it is still advisable to match the monitor to the graphics unit.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TECHBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@techbook.de.