What is the Best FOV for FPS Games?
The ideal FOV range for most FPS games is 90-120 degrees. Competitive players generally use either 90 or 104 FOV to balance visibility and aim precision. I‘ll explain why through this in-depth guide.
As an avid FPS gamer and content creator, I‘ve tested numerous FOV settings across games like Apex Legends, Warzone, Valorant and CS:GO. I‘ve also analyzed what the top esports professionals use.
Let‘s dive into why 90-120 is the FOV sweet spot:
What is FOV in FPS Games?
FOV stands for "field of view" – it determines how much peripheral vision is visible on your screen. A lower FOV zooms your view in, while a higher FOV gives you more peripheral vision.
Higher FOV (right) shows more surroundings but targets appear smaller
FOV is an tradeoff between situational awareness and target focus/accuracy. Too low and you‘ll get flanked easily. Too high and targets become harder to hit at range.
Finding the Optimal FOV Range
Based on my testing and research, the ideal FOV range for most FPS games falls between 90-120 degrees.
Here‘s why:
Benefits of 90-120 FOV:
- Spot enemies in peripheral vision more easily (+react faster)
- Reduced risk of motion sickness
- Balances visibility with aim precision
- Gives a balanced, immersive perspective
- Enhanced sense of speed and space
This 90-120 degree recommendation is backed up by various sources:
| Site | Recommended FOV |
|---|---|
| ProSettings | 90-120° |
| Dexerto | 100-120° |
| CharlieIntel | 90-104° |
And the majority of pro players use either 90 or 104 FOV (more on that later).
Let‘s compare the pros and cons of low vs high FOV:
| Low FOV (60-80) | High FOV (100+) | |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Less peripheral vision | Greater situational awareness |
| Targeting | Easier to see and track targets | Targets appear smaller |
| Precision | Easier to line up shots | Hits harder at longer range |
| Immersion | Less natural perspective | Mimics real life vision more closely |
| Performance | Less demand on hardware | Potential frame rate reduction |
| Motion Sickness Risk | Higher | Lower |
FOV Impact Based On Display Size
The optimal FOV also varies based on your display size and resolution.
Here are the FOV guidelines for different displays:
| Display Resolution | Recommended FOV |
|---|---|
| 1080p | 90-100° |
| 1440p | 100-120° |
| 4K | Up to 120° |
This is because higher resolutions show more environmental detail. So you can increase FOV without sacrificing target acquisition ability.
For example, here is ~100 FOV on 1080p vs 1440p:
1440p (right) can handle a higher FOV without losing target focus
So if you game on a 24" 1080p display, I‘d recommend no higher than 100 FOV. But on a 32" 1440p screen you could comfortably use up to 120 FOV.
How to Find Your Perfect FOV
Rather than just copying someone else‘s FOV, I suggest fine tuning based on your gear and preferences using this process:
1. Start at 100 FOV – provides a natural viewing angle for most displays.
2. Custom match to test – gives you variable targets and ranges in a controlled environment.
3. Strafe left & right while aiming down sight – check if targets stay centered without excess edge distortion.
4. Repeat at longer ranges – increase FOV if struggling to acquire targets or it feels too zoomed in. Reduce FOV If targets seem too small to effectively hit.
5. Play a full match – validate in actual gameplay if the FOV feels right balance of awareness vs accuracy for your style.
This allows you to optimize based on your setup – whether that‘s a 24" 360hz esports rig or 65" 4K TV. Dialling in your FOV takes testing, but pays dividends.
Pro Tips For Leveraging FOV
Here are some advanced tactics competitive players use to leverage FOV:
Prefer head-on engagements – Higher peripheral vision with high FOV gives an advantage when facing enemies head on as you spot them sooner. Avoid long corridor battles where a narrower sightline benefits target acquisition.
Prioritize awareness in close quarters – Situations like building clears in Warzone favor maximizing FOV to catch flankers even if targets are smaller in central vision.
Identify range thresholds – Determine max ranges where you can effectively track targets using your chosen FOV. Understand when you should avoid long-range battles without cover that expose FOV limitations.
Set per optic FOV – Title like Warzone give the option to define separate FOV when aiming down sight with magnified scopes vs hip fire. You can optimize each.
Pro Player FOV Settings
Let‘s examine what the top professionals use. Most stick to either 90 or 104 vertical FOV:
| Player | Game | FOV | Aspect Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shroud | Apex Legends | 110 | 16:9 |
| NateGibson | Call of Duty | 104 | 16:9 |
| TenZ | Valorant | 103 | 4:3 |
| DrDisrespect | PUBG | 90 | 16:9 |
But why 104 specifically?
- It strikes the right balance for 16:9 displays between peripheral vision and centred target size.
- Going higher seems to yield minimal awareness gains for most gunsights and ranges.
- Valorant pros favor slighty higher FOV due to agent abilities impacting the optimal balance.
So while Shroud & DrDisrespect‘s settings work for them, 104 is what most highly competitive FPS gamers use as the defacto standard.
Summary – Key Things to Remember
Hopefully this guide has been valuable in optimizing your FOV for competitive gaming. Here are the key takeaways:
- The FOV "sweet spot" for most players is 90-120 degrees
- On PC, 104 is extremely popular amongst pros
- Higher screen resolutions support higher usable FOV
- Finding your personal optimal FOV requires in-game testing per your setup
- Adapt your style to your chosen FOV rather than only copying someone else‘s
Dialing in field of view ultimately translates to more wins through properly balanced awareness and accuracy.
Let me know if this helps tweak your setup! I‘m happy to answer any other FPS performance questions.
