Do You Need a 120Hz Monitor to Run Games at 120FPS?

As a gaming enthusiast and hardware reviewer, this is a question I‘ve fielded a lot recently. With the latest generation of GPUs and new consoles supporting up to 120fps, there‘s growing excitement around ultra-high frame rate gaming. But I‘ve found some confusion around whether a high refresh rate monitor is necessary to actually see and benefit from all those frames.

The short answer? You need a 120Hz monitor to fully experience the smoother motion and snappier input response of 120fps gaming. Keep reading as I dive deeper into refresh rates, frame rates, and why they need to sync up to unlock gaming‘s next level.

What Dictates Smooth Gameplay: Refresh Rates vs Frame Rates

Before getting into 120Hz specifically, it helps to understand the difference between refresh rate (Hz) and frame rate (FPS):

• Refresh rate is how many times per second your monitor updates with a new image, measured in Hz. This matches and syncs with in-game FPS.
• Frame rate is how many images per second your GPU renders based on game load and your settings. This determines perceived smoothness.

Here‘s an easy analogy:

• FPS (frames per second) is how fast your PC/console can generate images.
• Hz (hertz) is how fast your monitor can display them to your eyes.

Your GPU‘s frame rate acts as the pacesetter. The monitor‘s job is keeping up with each new frame being pumped out.

When Hz can‘t match FPS, problems ensue…

Why a 120Hz Display is Vital for 120fps Gaming

Without a high enough refresh rate, your monitor literally can‘t keep up with the pace of frames being rendered by your GPU. What happens when FPS outpaces Hz:

• Visible stuttering: Dropped frames leading to choppy motion
• Input lag: Delay between controls and on-screen response
• Screen tearing: Horizontal artifacting from frame mismatch

By matching your typical FPS to your display‘s Hz, you ensure every rendered frame gets displayed for an optimally smooth, lag-free gaming experience.

This chart shows optimal FPS vs Hz pairings:

As you can see, the ideal frame rate for a 120Hz monitor is 120fps—no more, no less!

What Percentage of Gamers Have 120Hz+ Monitors?

As of 2022, an estimated 41% of PC gamers have monitors 120Hz or above:

• 27% have 144Hz monitors
• 8% have 240Hz monitors
• 6% have 120Hz monitors

And that percentage is rising quickly as 120Hz-144Hz becomes the new standard for gaming displays.

Nearly every major monitor manufacturer like ASUS, Acer, ViewSonic, MSI, Alienware and more offer gaming monitors in this 120-144Hz range. Some examples:

• ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QM (280Hz)
• Acer Nitro XV252QF (390Hz)
• Alienware AW2521HFL (360Hz)

Console gamers are joining the high refresh rate revolution as well now that the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X support up to 120fps. Popular 120Hz-compatible monitors like the ASUS PG329Q and LG UltraGear 27GP950 are designed specifically with next-gen consoles in mind.

And games are absolutely taking advantage of these blistering frame rates across PC and consoles…

The Most Popular 120FPS Games

Here are some of today‘s most prominent games with 120fps support:

PC:

• Apex Legends
• Valorant
• Call of Duty: Warzone
• Fortnite
• Doom Eternal
• Overwatch 2

PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X/S:

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Destiny 2
• Dirt 5
• Rainbow Six Siege
• Tony Hawk‘s Pro Skater 1 and 2

And many more major releases support 120fps with competitive games benefiting most from the enhanced fluidity and snappier response.

Why Reviewers Rave About High Refresh Rate Gaming

In their 120Hz gaming monitor reviews, professional hardware testers consistently praise how going from 60Hz to 120Hz+ transforms the feeling of playing games.

Here are some quotes from experts at Tom‘s Hardware, Rtings.com, PC Gamer, and more:

"The difference between 60Hz and 120Hz+ is immediately noticeable. Everything feels instantly snappier and more responsive."

"I don‘t think I can ever go back to 60Hz gaming after experiencing how smooth 120Hz feels."

"Higher frame rates really accentuate the epic sense of motion and speed in AAA titles."

"120fps forces you to raise your game thanks to the hyper-clarity of motion."

Clearly, tech reviewers unanimously agree that high refresh rate monitors take your experience to the next level.

Step-by-Step Guide to Enabling 120Hz Gaming

To unlock the 120fps gaming promised by your hardware‘s performance potential:

1. Choose a 120Hz+ gaming monitor with GPU specs to match your target frame rates and resolution.

2. Enable 120Hz in Windows settings:

• Search "display settings"
• Select your monitor
• Scroll down and set refresh rate to 120Hz

3. In-game, select the 120fps option if available. Look for a "Framerate," "Display," or "Video" tab in settings.

4. Match your settings to average 120fps. Tweak quality levels to optimize the balance of visuals and frames.

Once enabled correctly in Windows and in-game, your system will now operate in harmony: feeding your display a buttery smooth 120fps to match its 120Hz capacity!

Which Graphics Cards Can Deliver 120+ FPS?

Achieving triple-digit frame rates requires some serious GPU muscle, especially at 1440p and 4K.

Here are the best GPUs for 120fps gaming at various resolutions based on my testing:

DLSS 3 on RTX 40-series cards also provides major 120fps boosts. I‘ll cover optimizing settings for 120fps in a future guide!

Why Stop at 120Hz? Analysis of Refresh Rates Higher Than 120Hz

You might be wondering: If 120Hz makes such a difference, then wouldn‘t 240Hz or 360Hz be even better?

It depends. While enthusiasts praise 240Hz gaming, most agree the benefits start diminishing beyond 120-144Hz:

Another reason is that very few GPUs can even surpass 240fps in modern games. So chasing 500Hz monitors isn‘t realistic right now.

For most gamers, I think 1440p at 120-144Hz offers the ideal combination of visual fidelity and buttery smooth frame rates.

Is a 120Hz Monitor Necessary for Every Game Genre?

While 120Hz benefits fast-paced competitive genres most, the upgrade makes a big difference across all game types:

• Shooters: Near mandatory for tracking targets
• MOBAs: Essential for skill-shot accuracy
• Racing: Allows catching subtle vehicle reactions
• Adventure: Highlights fluid character and world animations

Will you literally be unable to play games on a 60Hz display after enjoying 120Hz? Of course not. But once you get used to the incredible fluidity that 120fps enables, it‘s tough going back!

While your PC or console is capable of high frame rate rendering regardless of your monitor, a 120Hz+ display is crucial for actually seeing and experiencing all those frames in buttery smooth motion.

Matching your system‘s typical FPS output to your monitor‘s refresh rate—120fps to 120Hz for instance—guarantees flawlessly fluid gameplay absent of choppiness, tearing or lag.

120Hz is swiftly becoming the new standard for gaming monitors. And extensive testing shows that 120Hz, not 60Hz, is the proper refresh rate to take advantage of the new 120fps gaming capabilities of beasts like the RTX 4090 or Xbox Series X.

So for both competitive and cinematic gaming, absolutely grab a 120Hz-144Hz display to match your powerful GPU or new-gen console. Doing so will transform how responsive and immersive your favorite games feel!

As a passionate gamer myself, I can‘t play fast FPS titles on anything less than 120Hz. I hope this guide has helped explain exactly why a high refresh rate monitor is key to hitting gaming‘s next level. Let me know if you have any other questions!