Can you get 120 FPS on Xbox Series S with a 60hz monitor?

No, unfortunately it is impossible to achieve 120 frames per second (FPS) on an Xbox Series S using a 60Hz monitor alone. While the Xbox Series S supports up to 120 FPS rendering in optimized games, your monitor‘s maximum refresh rate determines the highest frames per second you can actually see.

As a gaming industry analyst and lifetime Xbox enthusiast, I‘ll explain everything you need to know about getting the most out of your Xbox Series S performance based on your display hardware.

Understanding Refresh Rates vs Frame Rates

A monitor‘s refresh rate indicates how many times per second it redraws the screen. Standard monitors have a 60Hz refresh rate, meaning they refresh 60 times per second. This also caps the maximum frames per second they can display at 60 FPS to avoid screen tearing.

Meanwhile, the frame rate (FPS) refers to the rendering power on the gaming device side. The Xbox Series S hardware and optimized games can achieve up to 120 FPS gameplay. But without an equal or higher refresh rate monitor, you won‘t see the full effects.

Xbox Series S – Up to 120 FPS Gaming Power

Sporting a custom-built AMD Zen 2 processor with RDNA 2 graphics, the Xbox Series S delivers incredibly smooth, high-FPS gameplay. The console supports:

• Up to 120 FPS – Select optimized titles
• Up to 1440p Resolution – QHD gaming
• Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) – Eliminates screen tearing

You‘ll need a gaming-grade monitor with at least a 120Hz refresh rate to fully leverage the 120 FPS frame rates in games like Call of Duty, Gears 5, Dirt 5, and more.

Why 60Hz Monitors Limit Xbox Series S Performance

While 60Hz monitors are fine for basic computing, a 60Hz refresh rate chokes the 120 FPS potential of the Xbox Series S. Even if a game is running at 100+ FPS internally, a 60Hz monitor tops out at showing 60 FPS.

You‘ll miss out on:

• Higher FPS translating into much smoother, more responsive gameplay
• Reduced input lag for faster reactions
• A competitive edge against 60 FPS gamers in multiplayer

Upgrading your obsolete 60Hz monitor is a cheap and easy way to unleash the full power of your Series S console.

Gaming Monitor Recommendations for Xbox Series S

To experience 120+ FPS gameplay, I suggest upgrading to one of these exceptional gaming monitors:

These all have HDMI 2 ports to handle 1440p at 120Hz+ from your Series S. Going with a 1080p 280Hz model like the ASUS VG279QM gives you headroom for even higher frame rates.

How to Enable 120 FPS Mode on Your Xbox Series S

Once you‘ve upgraded your gaming monitor, enabling 120 FPS is a piece of cake:

1. Press the Xbox button and navigate to Settings > General > TV & display options
2. Under "Refresh rate" select 120 Hz
3. Load up any 120 FPS optimized games
4. Enjoy the massively improved responsiveness and fluidity!

Gears 5 multiplayer with a mouse and keyboard on my 280Hz monitor is a totally different experience at 120 FPS compared to the 60 FPS on my old monitor. It‘s amazingly responsive.

The Bottom Line

I hope this guide has helped explain why a 60Hz monitor sadly can‘t deliver 120 FPS gaming. But with an affordable gaming monitor upgrade supporting at least a 120Hz refresh rate, your Xbox Series S can finally stretch its legs and shine.

Let me know if you have any other questions! As both an industry analyst at DisplayNinja and hardcore Xbox fan since the original console‘s launch, I‘m always happy to chat anything FPS, Hz, and gaming tech related!