FPS Explained: How to Test FPS, Fix Low FPS, and Optimize for 4K Gaming

If your game feels choppy, laggy, or less responsive than it should, FPS (frames per second) is the first number to check. In this guide, you’ll learn what FPS means, how to measure and test it correctly (including 1% lows), what “good FPS” looks like at 1080p/1440p/4K, why FPS drops happen (especially on laptops), and the fastest ways to boost performance for 4K.

FPS Basics: What It Is and Why It Matters

FPS is how many frames your GPU renders each second—higher FPS usually means smoother motion and lower input lag. If you play fast shooters, higher FPS can feel more responsive; if you play story games, stable FPS (no dips) often matters more than a huge average.

Typical feel in games:

• 30 FPS: Can look cinematic, but often feels choppy during fast camera motion.
• 60 FPS: A common “smooth” baseline for most players.
• 120+ FPS: Great for competitive play and high-refresh monitors.

Low FPS (or big FPS dips) often shows up as stutter, hitching, or “heavy” input.

FPS vs Refresh Rate: How to Match Your Monitor

For the best experience, target FPS that matches your monitor’s refresh rate (Hz), or stays consistently near it. A 60Hz screen can only show up to 60 unique frames per second; a 120Hz/144Hz screen benefits far more from higher FPS.

• FPS: Frames your PC produces.
• Refresh rate (Hz): How often the display updates per second.

If FPS fluctuates, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) tech like NVIDIA G-Sync or AMD FreeSync can reduce tearing and make frame dips feel less jarring.

How to Measure FPS: Turn on an FPS Counter

Before you tweak anything, turn on an FPS overlay so you can confirm whether changes help. Use a built-in counter for quick checks, or a detailed monitor if you want temps, usage, and 1% lows.

Built-in options

• Steam Overlay: Steam → Settings → In-Game → enable In-game FPS counter.
• Xbox Game Bar (Windows): Press Win + G → pin Performance.
• NVIDIA overlay: Press Alt + Z → enable FPS/Statistics (where available).
• AMD Radeon Software: Performance → Metrics Overlay → toggle FPS.

Detailed monitoring (avg FPS + 1% lows + temps)

MSI Afterburner + RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS) is a popular combo for on-screen stats (FPS, CPU/GPU usage, temperatures, and frametime-style indicators). For logging and analysis over longer sessions, tools like CapFrameX are also commonly used.

How to Test FPS Properly: A Repeatable Method

To test FPS accurately, use the same scene for 60–120 seconds and record both Average FPS and 1% Lows. Change only one variable at a time (a setting, driver, power mode, etc.), then rerun the exact same test.

Benchmarks vs real gameplay

• Built-in benchmarks (e.g., in many AAA titles) are great for consistency.
• Real gameplay tests are better for “Does it feel smooth?” —Pick a demanding area and repeat it.

What to record

• Average FPS: Overall performance.
• 1% lows: How bad the dips get (low 1% lows usually means stutter).
• Temps + usage: Helps identify bottlenecks (GPU maxed vs CPU maxed vs thermal throttling).

What’s a Good FPS Target?

Pick a target based on your display and game type: 60 FPS for smooth single-player, 120–144+ for competitive, and strong 1% lows if you hate stutter. At 4K, it’s often smarter to chase stable performance than a huge average.

Why Your FPS Is Low: Diagnose the Bottleneck First

Most low-FPS issues come from one of four causes: power limits, overheating/throttling, a CPU/GPU bottleneck, or VRAM/RAM pressure. Identify which one you have before you start changing random settings.

Common causes:

• Power limits (especially laptops on battery): Performance gets capped hard.
• Thermal throttling: High temps force CPU/GPU clocks down.
• Wrong GPU in use: Integrated graphics instead of the dedicated GPU.
• Driver issues / background apps: CPU/RAM gets eaten by extras.
• VRAM/RAM limits (common at 4K): Stutter when assets spill into system memory/storage.

Fix Low FPS Fast: Gaming Laptop Checklist (Retest After Each Step)

If you’re on a laptop, start with power + performance mode—these solve a huge share of “suddenly low FPS” problems. After each change, rerun your 60–120 second test so you can see what actually worked.

1. Plug in power: Gaming on battery often throttles CPU/GPU.

2. Enable performance/turbo mode:

• Windows power mode: choose a higher-performance plan/mode.
• Use vendor tools (e.g., Armoury Crate, Vantage, Alienware Command Center) for Turbo/Gaming profiles.

3. Confirm the dedicated GPU is being used:

  In NVIDIA/AMD settings, ensure the game runs on the discrete GPU, not integrated graphics.

4. Update GPU drivers:

  Use official NVIDIA/AMD/Intel drivers appropriate for your hardware.

5. Fix thermals:

  If temps are high (often ~85–90°C+ under load), performance may throttle. Clean vents, raise the back for airflow, or use a cooling pad.

Also worth checking:

• Close heavy background apps (browsers, recording/overlays, launchers).
• Ensure you have enough free storage space (some games stutter when storage is near full).
• Upgrade paths if you’re consistently memory-limited (RAM/VRAM constraints show up as stutter more than low averages).

Optimize for 4K: Upscaling First, Then the Settings That Move the Needle

For playable 4K, enable upscaling first (DLSS/FSR/XeSS) and start at “Quality.” If you still can’t hit your target FPS or your 1% lows are rough, reduce the settings that cost the most at 4K—usually ray tracing, shadows, and heavy lighting.

Use upscaling (DLSS, FSR, XeSS)

Upscaling renders at a lower internal resolution and reconstructs a 4K image, often giving huge FPS gains with modest quality loss. Start with:

• Quality mode for best visuals
• Move to Balanced/Performance if you need more FPS

(If your GPU/game supports frame generation, it can raise FPS further—but still watch 1% lows and input feel.)

Best graphics settings to lower first

1. Ray tracing (massive performance cost at 4K)
2. Shadows + global illumination
3. Volumetrics (fog, god rays)
4. Anti-aliasing (often redundant when upscaling is on)
5. Texture quality (only lower if VRAM is the limit)

Laptop-specific tuning (use cautiously)

• Use the highest stable performance mode.
• Keep airflow clear; consider a cooling pad.
• Undervolting/repasting can help thermals on some systems, but only if you’re comfortable with the risk and know your model’s limits.

With smart upscaling + the right settings cuts, many systems can reach smooth 4K in demanding games—especially if you’re targeting stable 60 FPS rather than chasing ultra-high refresh.

FAQ

Why does my game keep skipping frames (stuttering)?

Stutter usually comes from frame-time spikes, not just low average FPS. Common causes include overheating/throttling, background apps, shader compilation, driver issues, or VRAM/RAM pressure. Watch 1% lows, temps, and usage to pinpoint the culprit.

Does internet affect FPS?

No—FPS is rendered locally by your hardware. Bad internet affects ping/lag in multiplayer, which can feel like low FPS, but it’s a different problem.

How do I turn off the FPS counter on Windows 11?

Press Win + G → open the Performance widget → use the settings/controls to disable FPS, and unpin the widget if it’s pinned.

Can overclocking increase FPS?

Yes, sometimes. You may see modest gains, but it also increases heat and can worsen throttling—especially on laptops. If you try it, monitor temps and stability closely.

What frame rate is best for movies?

Movies are commonly presented at 24 FPS, which creates a “cinematic” motion feel. Games are interactive, so higher FPS usually improves responsiveness and smoothness.