No, 60Hz and 60FPS Are Not the Same – Here‘s Why It Matters for Gamers

As a hardcore gamer and content creator focused on wringing every last drop of performance out of my rig, one topic I get asked about a lot is: is 60Hz the same as 60FPS?

The short answer? No, no they definitely are not.

While it‘s an understandable question for casual gamers, understanding the difference between your monitor‘s refresh rate (Hz) and your game‘s frame rate (FPS) is absolutely essential to building your best gaming setup. Keep reading and I‘ll break down exactly why Hz and FPS matter when chasing silky smooth visuals and ultra responsive controls.

What is Refresh Rate (Hz)?

First, a quick refresher – refresh rate, or Hz for short, is how many times your monitor updates with new images each second. For example, a 60Hz monitor refreshes 60 times per second. With each refresh, your monitor draws a new frame sent from your graphics card, updating what you see on screen.

So if you have a 60Hz monitor, that means the screen renews 60 times per second. Older monitors often capped at 60Hz, while many gaming monitors today range from 144Hz up to 360Hz for high-end esports rigs.

Gaming visuals on a 60Hz monitor (left) versus 144Hz monitor (right). Notice less blur at 144Hz. Credit: ViewSonic

Now for specs lovers out there, refresh rates are measured in hertz (Hz), which represents "cycles per second". So a 120Hz monitor refreshes 120 times a second.

The key benefit of higher refresh rates is reduced motion blur and increased responsiveness. With more frequent screen refreshes, the delay between your controls and on-screen actions shrinks noticeably. It really does make a huge difference – check out [this video example comparing 60Hz, 144Hz, and 240Hz](). Higher = smoother!

What Are Frames Per Second (FPS)?

Alternatively, frames per second (FPS) communicates how many unique consecutive images your graphics card renders each second. So at 60 FPS, your GPU paints 60 distinct frames every second. Modern graphically intense games often deliver over 100+ FPS on strong gaming PCs.

Your FPS directly correlates with how smooth and fluid animations appear in-game. The higher your frame rate, the more seamless and lifelike movements become. FPS also impacts input lag much like refresh rate. More FPS gives quicker on-screen feedback.

Higher FPS (right) leads to smoother animations in League of Legends. Credit: Nvidia

Now unlike Hz which depends on monitor capabilities, your FPS relies heavily on your gaming rig‘s muscle and in-game video settings. Lower resolutions and detail levels effectively raise FPS. Cranking every slider to max will thrash all but the strongest graphics cards!

Match Your Monitor Hz to FPS for Smoothest Gameplay

So now that we understand these two pivotal gaming metrics, why does matching refresh rate to frame rate matter? Pairing your monitor‘s Hz to your playable FPS gives the smoothest, tear-free visuals possible.

For example, attaining 144 FPS to match your fancy 144Hz gaming monitor guarantees flawlessly fluid animations and instantly responsive controls. Likewise, 60 FPS perfectly matches 60Hz displays found on mainstream rigs.

But what happens when Hz and FPS fall out of sync? Tone down settings or upgrade hardware! Maxing graphics quality to choke FPS on a high refresh display causes tearing, lag, and visible choppiness.

Alternatively, sustaining extremely high FPS like 200+ FPS on a 60Hz screen yields almost no visual gains – that monitor just can‘t refresh any quicker! Excess frames get discarded.

Here‘s a comparison:

As you can see, matching Hz and FPS should be a priority to extract the full benefits from nice gaming monitors. Dropping $500+ on an upgrade doesn‘t help much running way under the optimal frame rate!

My Personal Recommendations

For most casual gamers playing singleplayer adventures, a 60Hz screen still delivers excellent results as long as you hit 60 FPS consistently. This tier suits more affordable rigs perfectly.

However, fast-paced competitive multiplayer titles really come alive at higher frame rates. Based on personal testing across hundreds of hours in games like Apex Legends, Fortnite, and Destiny 2, I strongly recommend 144Hz monitors for most gaming setups today.

With a quality $700-1200 desktop featuring modern midrange to high-end graphics cards, you can absolutely nail buttery visuals at 144 FPS in popular titles. The difference versus 60 FPS feels incredible – almost like upgrading to a high-end OLED TV.

Only hardcore esports gamers and competitive streamers should consider pushing to 240Hz in my opinion. Make sure to run benchmarks before purchasing to ensure your rig can actually output above 200 FPS consistently after cranking settings.

Many eSports athletes even use [Nvidia Reflex and G-SYNC]() combos to further intensify system responsiveness!

Quick Hz and FPS Breakdown:

• 60Hz – Standard for most mainstream gaming. Target 60 FPS.
• 144Hz – Competitive and high-end gaming. Target at least 140 FPS with a strong GPU.
• 240Hz – Hardcore and professional esports gaming. Target 240+ FPS.

At the end of day, the exact monitor and matching GPU combo depends heavily on the games you play and your overall budget. Just make sure you are realistic about expected FPS before overspending on a high refresh panel that your rig can‘t fully support.

Hopefully this deep dive clarifies why refresh rate and FPS dictate so much of your gaming experience. Understanding these building blocks is the first step to establishing your dream gaming setup. Let me know if you have any other questions – happy to chat more in the comments below!