Why Don‘t I Have the 120 FPS Option in Fortnite? Your Hardware Probably Doesn‘t Support It

As an avid Fortnite player and content creator myself, I know how frustrating it can be to wonder why you don‘t have access to the ultra-smooth 120 frames per second (FPS) mode that some players are enjoying.

The plain truth is that reaching 120 FPS in a demanding game like Fortnite requires a powerful gaming PC or new-gen console. Only around 8.5% of Steam users in 2022 had 120+ Hz-capable displays, according to the Steam Hardware Survey. So if you‘re still on an older 60 Hz monitor, or have a lower-end graphics card, you likely won‘t see the option.

In this guide, I‘ll go over the exact display and hardware requirements to enable 120 FPS mode, along with troubleshooting tips and performance optimization advice. Let‘s dive in!

Minimum System Requirements for Fortnite at 120 FPS

Here are the minimum specs needed:

Source: My own testing and research of 120 FPS performance requirements.

As you can see, all parts of your system need to be fairly high-end to maintain a 120 FPS rate in a game as demanding as Fortnite. This is because not only does the display need to keep up with rendering that many frames per second, but the GPU and CPU need to work extra hard to output double the frames that a typical 60 FPS setup would require!

Why 120 FPS Matters for Competitive Gaming

You might be wondering — why does higher FPS matter so much anyway?

Well, through side-by-side comparisons of gameplay on 60 Hz monitors versus 240 Hz monitors, I‘ve noticed a huge difference in responsiveness and how smooth the visuals are in motion. Going back to 60 FPS makes everything look choppy to me now!

The numbers support there being a competitive edge too. According to hardware site DisplayNinja, pro esports gamers have 1-2 frames quicker reaction times on 240 Hz monitors compared to 60 Hz ones. When tournaments come down to split-second plays, that could make all the difference.

So if you‘re looking to step up your Fortnite skills, upgrading to 120+ FPS is almost a necessity these days. Trust me, you won‘t regret it!

How to Enable 120 FPS Mode on Supported Platforms

Let‘s get into the exact steps required to unlock the 120 FPS setting, assuming your hardware does meet the requirements shown earlier:

On PC:

• Set monitor to 120 Hz or higher refresh rate in Windows settings
• In Fortnite settings, set Frame Rate Limit to Unlimited

On Xbox Series X/S:

• Enable 120 Hz output in TV & display options
• Turn on "120 FPS Mode" in Fortnite Video settings

On PS5:

1. Enable 120Hz output in System > Screen and Video
2. Select Performance Mode in Fortnite settings

Additionally, remember to adjust any resolution or graphical settings since higher FPS often comes at the cost of lower visual fidelity compared to 60 FPS.

Troubleshooting: Why Do I Still Not See 120 FPS?

If even after double checking your system specs and following the platform-specific steps above you aren‘t seeing the 120 FPS mode appear, don‘t panic. Here are a few other things you can try:

• Update your graphics drivers, GPU firmware, Windows/console OS to latest versions
• Disable GPU throttling features like Nvidia WhisperMode
• Close unnecessary background apps and processes
• Check CPU/GPU temperatures, make sure they aren‘t thermal throttling
• Consider overclocking your GPU safely for extra performance headroom

Seeing thermal throttling in particular on my RTX 3080 Ti has prevented me from hitting peak 120 FPS until I improved my case cooling. So monitor your temps!

Gameplay Optimization Tips for 120 FPS

Aside from chasing the highest possible frame rates, you can also tweak your in-game settings to get the most responsive feeling gameplay:

• Lower input lag by playing in Fullscreen, disabling Vsync
• Turn down superfluous graphics like Shadows, Post Processing
• Stick to 1080p resolution if your hardware can‘t manage 4K 120 FPS
• Tweak Nvidia Reflex settings to improve CPU/GPU sync for lowest latency

I know it takes some effort, but the payoff of ultrasmooth performance is well worth it. Let me know how these tips work for you!

The Future of 120 FPS Gaming

While 120 FPS Fortnite requires a significant hardware investment today, I expect this to change over the next couple years. Reports say over 50% of gaming monitors shipped in 2023 will be 120+ Hz as prices drop.

Epic Games has also hinted that optimizations to Fortnite‘s engine may allow 120 FPS on more mainstream GPUs in the future. And with new cards like the RTX 4070 matching the previous generation‘s flagship RTX 3090, achieving higher frame rates gets more affordable every generation.

So if you aren‘t quite able to run the game at 120 FPS yet, hang tight! Hopefully it won‘t be long before buttery smooth gameplay is the new norm.

Let me know in the comments if managing to get 120 FPS going for you, as well as any other questions about chasing the dream of high refresh rate Fortnite!