Refresh rate is how many times per second your monitor redraws the picture, measured in hertz. Frame rate is how many new frames your graphics card and game produce each second, measured in frames per second. The monitor shows whatever frames it receives, so a 144Hz screen fed 90 fps shows 90 new frames each second, not 144. Most gaming problems that look like a monitor fault come from the gap between these two numbers, and the fix is usually a setting rather than a new panel.
This guide explains what each number measures, why a mismatch causes tearing and stutter, how variable refresh rate closes the gap, and how to pick a frame rate target for your display. It also separates refresh rate from response time, which is a common source of confusion when reading monitor listings.
What refresh rate measures
Refresh rate is set by the monitor’s panel and its controller, and it describes a fixed schedule. A 60Hz display redraws the image 60 times per second, which gives it a refresh slot about every 16.7 milliseconds. A 144Hz display has a slot about every 6.9 milliseconds, a 240Hz display about every 4.2 milliseconds, and a 300Hz display about every 3.3 milliseconds. Each slot is a chance for the screen to show the newest frame it has received.
The refresh rate you see in a listing is the maximum the panel supports, not the rate you get by default. Windows often starts a monitor at 60Hz, and you must change it under Display settings, in the Advanced display section, to unlock a higher rate. The cable matters too. HDMI 1.4 cannot carry 1440p at 144Hz, so a high-refresh monitor connected through an older cable will run at a lower rate even when the settings are correct. Use DisplayPort or a current HDMI version for high refresh, and confirm the rate after you connect.
Refresh rate does not tell you how smooth a game feels by itself. A high refresh rate gives the screen more opportunities to show new frames, but the frames must come from the graphics card. A 240Hz panel with a game that produces 60 fps still shows only 60 new frames each second, with the extra slots repeating the same image. That is why the refresh rate is only half of the picture.
What frame rate measures
Frame rate is the number of complete images your graphics card and game produce each second, and it is measured in fps. Each frame takes time to render, so frame time is the reciprocal of frame rate. At 60 fps, each frame takes about 16.7 milliseconds to produce. At 144 fps, each frame takes about 6.9 milliseconds. Frame time is useful because it shows how long each image takes to appear, which is what you feel as responsiveness.
Frame rate depends on the graphics card, the processor, the resolution, the settings, and the upscaling mode. A strong card at 1080p with low settings can produce far more frames than the same card at 4K with ray tracing enabled. The number also changes from second to second. A game may average 120 fps while dropping to 80 fps during a heavy scene, and that drop is what you see as stutter, even if the average looks high. Frame rate counters and frame time graphs show the drops more clearly than a single average.
The frame rate your system can reach is therefore a range, not a fixed number. Set your target from the low end of that range, not the average, if you want steady motion. That approach matters more when you pair a fast monitor with a game that varies a lot in complexity, because the monitor will show every drop.
What happens when the two numbers do not match
When frame rate and refresh rate are out of step, the screen shows one of two visible problems. The first is tearing. Tearing happens when the GPU delivers a new frame partway through a refresh, so the top of the screen shows one frame and the bottom shows the next. It appears as a horizontal split that moves during fast camera turns, and it is most visible in shooters and racing games. Tearing occurs most often when the frame rate is above the refresh rate and VSync is off, because the GPU sends frames faster than the monitor can show them.
The second problem is stutter. Stutter happens when the frame rate drops below the refresh rate and the monitor keeps redrawing the same frame until a new one arrives. A 144Hz monitor fed 100 fps shows some frames for one refresh slot and others for two, and the uneven timing feels like a hitch. The effect is mild at a steady 100 fps and severe when the frame rate swings between 80 and 140. Stutter is the most common complaint about high-refresh monitors that are not paired with a matching frame rate, and it is a timing problem rather than a hardware fault.
VSync is the classic fix for tearing. It holds each frame until the monitor is ready, which removes the split image. The cost is input delay, because the GPU waits for the next refresh before it sends a frame. At a fixed refresh rate, VSync also drops the frame rate to a divisor of the refresh rate when the GPU cannot keep up, which can cause a sharp step down in smoothness. Variable refresh is a better option for most players, and the next section explains why.
How VRR closes the gap
Variable refresh rate, which NVIDIA calls G-Sync and AMD calls FreeSync, lets the monitor change its refresh timing to match the frames the GPU delivers. Instead of redrawing on a fixed schedule, the monitor waits for each new frame and then refreshes. That removes most tearing and most stutter from a frame rate that moves between, for example, 90 and 130 fps. It does this without the input delay of VSync, which is the main reason many players choose VRR over the classic fix.
There are two kinds of support to know about. G-Sync is NVIDIA’s branded standard, and G-Sync Compatible means the monitor passes NVIDIA’s testing for VRR on a supported card. FreeSync is AMD’s standard, and FreeSync Premium Pro adds requirements for HDR and low-latency behavior. Many monitors support both, and most NVIDIA cards can use a FreeSync monitor through the driver’s VRR setting. Check the monitor’s listing for the exact standards it supports, and enable the feature in the graphics driver and in the monitor’s on-screen menu.
VRR works only within the monitor’s VRR range, which is the span of frame rates over which the monitor can match its refresh. A monitor with a 48 to 144Hz range handles frame rates in that band smoothly. Below 48 fps, many monitors use low framerate compensation, which repeats frames at a multiple to keep the image steady. Above the top of the range, VRR stops working, and tearing can return unless you cap the frame rate. That is why a frame cap a few frames below the maximum refresh rate is the standard recommendation. Our guide to how to enable G-Sync and FreeSync walks through the settings for each brand.
Refresh rate is not response time
Refresh rate, response time, and frame rate are three separate specifications, and each one fixes a different problem. Refresh rate sets how often the screen can update. Response time is how quickly a pixel changes from one color to another, and it affects ghosting and smear during motion. Frame rate is how often the GPU produces a new image. A monitor can have a high refresh rate and a slow response, which shows as ghosting behind moving objects, or a fast response and a low refresh, which feels smooth in motion but updates too rarely to suit a shooter.
Response time figures in listings are not always comparable. Some manufacturers quote gray-to-gray response in ideal conditions, some quote MPRT, a motion blur reduction figure that depends on backlight strobing, and some give a bare millisecond number with no method. MPRT usually lowers brightness, and it may disable variable refresh while it is active. Read the method behind the figure before you compare two monitors, and check whether the number describes a mode you will actually use. Our guide to refresh rate and response time explained covers the figures in more depth.
Response time does not change frame rate at all. A monitor with a 0.03ms response still shows whatever frames it receives. It simply shows the transitions between them with less blur. That makes response time a clarity setting and refresh rate a smoothness setting, and both matter in fast games. Buying a fast-response monitor will not raise your frame rate, and buying a high-refresh monitor will not remove ghosting by itself.
Setting a frame rate target for your monitor
Nina Alvarez, our Display Specialist with nine years of monitor work, uses a colorimeter, a photodiode response-time tester, and a pattern generator to check panels for color, response, and timing. This article does not report readings from those tools. Every figure below is either a spec-sheet value or an estimate based on typical hardware, and the targets should be confirmed in your own game with a frame counter.
A good target sits a little under the refresh rate, so the frame rate stays inside the monitor’s VRR range and the screen has room to match each frame. The table below shows the targets we estimate for common refresh rates. The numbers depend on the game and the card, so treat them as starting points rather than promises.
| Monitor refresh | Frame rate target (estimate) | What to check in the spec sheet | Good fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60Hz | 55 to 60 fps, locked or steady | VRR range, if any | Casual and console-style play |
| 144Hz | 110 to 140 fps | VRR range of about 48 to 144Hz | Single-player and ranked play |
| 240Hz | 180 to 230 fps | VRR range up to 240Hz | Competitive shooters at 1080p |
| 300Hz | 220 to 290 fps | VRR range up to 300Hz | Esports at 1080p with a strong CPU |
Choose the refresh rate from the frame rate you can hold, not from the number on the box. A 240Hz monitor is a poor match for a system that holds 90 fps in your main game, because most of the refresh goes unused. The same monitor is a strong match for a system that holds 200 fps in a shooter at 1080p. Use a frame counter in your game for a week, note the low end of the range, and pick the monitor that sits just above it.
Common setup mistakes that cap refresh rate
Many monitors run below their rated refresh rate because of a setting, not a fault. The most common cause is Windows running the display at 60Hz. Open the Display settings, select the Advanced display section, and set the refresh rate to the monitor’s maximum. Then confirm the change in the graphics driver’s display panel, because some drivers keep a separate profile.
The second common cause is the cable. An HDMI 1.4 cable cannot carry 1440p at 144Hz, and an older HDMI port on a laptop or mini PC may cap the rate at 60Hz. DisplayPort carries high refresh rates more reliably, and the monitor’s menu will often show a lower rate when the input is limited. Try a DisplayPort cable on a known-good port before you assume the monitor is faulty.
The third cause is the in-game settings. Some games cap frame rate at a fixed value, and some enable VSync by default, which locks the output to a divisor of the refresh rate. Check the game’s video menu for a frame cap and a VSync option, and set the cap a few frames below your monitor’s maximum. Turn VSync off if you use VRR, because the two features overlap and the combination can add delay.
The fourth cause is the graphics driver’s own VRR setting. VRR must be enabled in the driver, and in some monitors it must also be enabled in the on-screen menu. A monitor that shows tearing despite supporting VRR usually has one of these switches off. Enable both, and retest in the game you care about most.
Frame time, averages, and 1% lows
An average frame rate hides the moments that feel worst. A game that averages 140 fps may spend part of each minute at 90 fps, and those dips are the stutter you notice. The 1% low figure, which most frame counters report, shows the frame rate that the slowest 1% of frames fall to. A large gap between the average and the 1% low means the frame timing is uneven, even if the average looks high. Smooth play depends on the low end as much as the average.
Frame time graphs show the same problem in another form. A steady line means frames arrive at regular intervals, and a spiky line means some frames take much longer than others. Spikes often come from shader compilation, a background process, or a CPU that cannot prepare the next frame in time. Tuning the settings or closing background tasks often smooths the graph more than buying a faster monitor would.
Match the monitor to the low end of your frame rate, not the average, if you want consistent motion. A 144Hz panel with a steady 120 fps low end will feel better than a 240Hz panel that dips to 70 fps during every fight. That is why a VRR monitor and a frame cap work well together, because the cap narrows the swings and the monitor absorbs what remains.
What to do if your frame rate does not match the monitor
Start with the basics, in this order. First, confirm the refresh rate in Windows Display settings and set it to the monitor’s maximum. Second, check the cable and the port, and use DisplayPort if the monitor supports it. Third, confirm that the game’s frame cap and VSync are set correctly, and that the monitor’s VRR is enabled in both the driver and the on-screen menu. Fourth, check the frame rate with a counter, and look at the 1% low rather than the average.
If tearing remains after those steps, cap the frame rate a few frames below the refresh rate and retest. If stutter remains, lower one or two settings that cost the most frames, such as shadows, ray tracing, or resolution, and watch the frame time graph. If the problem appears only in one game, the game may have a fixed frame limit or a known engine issue, so check the developer’s support notes before you change hardware. Our guide to how to fix screen tearing covers the remaining causes in more detail.
If the frame rate is steady and the monitor still looks wrong, the problem may be the panel or its settings rather than the frame rate. A display set to a high overdrive mode can show overshoot, which looks like a bright halo behind moving objects. Lower the overdrive setting one step at a time, and stop when the halo disappears without new smearing. That fix costs nothing and often solves what looked like a hardware fault.
Frequently asked questions
Is a higher frame rate always better than a higher refresh rate?
No. Frame rate above the refresh rate is wasted on screen, because the monitor cannot show every frame. Frames above the refresh rate can still lower input delay in some setups, but the visible gain stops at the monitor’s maximum. Aim for a frame rate that stays near or just under your refresh rate, and use a cap to keep it steady. Frames that arrive faster than the screen can show are either dropped or torn, which hurts the picture rather than helping it.
Does a 60Hz monitor look worse at 60 fps?
It looks smooth when frames arrive at a steady 60 per second, but any drop below 60 shows up as stutter. A 60Hz monitor running a 60 fps game shows one new frame per refresh, so there is no tearing when VSync or variable refresh is on. Moving to a 144Hz monitor does not help unless the graphics card can produce more than 60 fps, because the extra refresh slots would only repeat frames.
Do I need G-Sync or FreeSync?
Not strictly, but variable refresh rate is the simplest fix for mismatches between frame rate and refresh rate. It lets the monitor match its refresh to the frames the GPU delivers, which removes most tearing without the input delay that VSync adds. G-Sync Compatible and FreeSync displays both use variable refresh, but it works only within the monitor’s VRR range, so check that range in the spec sheet before you rely on it.
What is a good frame cap?
A common setting is a few frames under your refresh rate, for example 141 fps on a 144Hz monitor. The cap keeps the GPU from running at full load and keeps frames inside the variable refresh range. Set it in the game or in the graphics driver. Test the cap in a demanding scene, because a cap set too low gives up frames your system could have shown, while a cap set too high lets the frame rate spike past the monitor’s VRR range.
Does response time change frame rate?
No. Response time is how quickly a pixel changes color. Refresh rate is how often the monitor updates the image, and frame rate is how often the GPU produces a new image. A fast-response monitor shows less ghosting, but it will not add a single frame. Read response time, refresh rate, and frame rate as three separate numbers, because each one fixes a different problem on screen.
