Frame Time and FPS Calculator
Frame time (ms)
6.944
How it works
Frame rate (FPS) and frame time are reciprocal measures of rendering performance — but frame time is the more informative metric for perceived smoothness. A game averaging 100 FPS might feel stutter, while a steady 60 FPS feels smooth. The Frame Time and FPS Calculator converts between FPS and frame time, explains frame time variance, and provides target values for common refresh rates.
**FPS vs. frame time** FPS = frames per second (how many frames are rendered each second). Frame time = milliseconds per frame (how long each frame takes to render). Frame time = 1000 / FPS. Examples: 60 FPS = 16.67ms; 120 FPS = 8.33ms; 144 FPS = 6.94ms; 240 FPS = 4.17ms; 360 FPS = 2.78ms.
**Why frame time matters more than average FPS** Average FPS hides variance. A game showing "120 FPS average" might have occasional frames taking 50ms (20 FPS equivalent) while other frames take 4ms. These spikes (stutter) are immediately perceptible even though the average FPS looks high. Tools like FrameView, FCAT-OFR, and GPU-Z capture frame time graphs that reveal this variance. The 1% low and 0.1% low FPS metrics (the slowest 1% and 0.1% of frames) are better smoothness predictors than averages.
**Refresh rate targets** 60 Hz monitor: smooth if consistent frame times near 16.7ms. 144 Hz: target 6.9ms. 240 Hz: target 4.2ms. 360 Hz: target 2.8ms. Variable refresh rate (VRR/G-Sync/FreeSync): GPU renders at whatever FPS it can; monitor adapts within its VRR range, eliminating tearing.
**VSync and input latency** VSync synchronises frame delivery to the monitor's refresh cycle, eliminating screen tearing. The tradeoff: variable input latency (up to one full frame delay = 16.7ms at 60Hz). Competitive players disable VSync and accept tearing to minimise latency, or use fast sync alternatives (Nvidia Reflex, G-Sync + VSync).
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Several factors: (1) Motion blur — YouTube video at 60fps typically has motion blur from camera shutter (each frame captures 1/120 second of exposure). Games render sharp frames by default with no motion blur — sharp frames at 60fps look more 'choppy' than blurred frames because the human visual system expects motion blur in sequential images. (2) Display pixel response — LCD ghosting adds blur in games more than in pre-rendered video. (3) Input latency — in games, each frame must be rendered reactively; in video, all frames are pre-rendered. (4) Frame time consistency — game fps often varies around 60; video is locked.
- 1% low FPS (also called 'P99 frame time') is the slowest 1% of frames in a session. If you play for 10 minutes at 120 fps average and your 1% low is 45 fps, it means 1% of frames took over 22ms (equivalent to 45 fps). These slow frames are the stutters you perceive. A game with 120 fps average and 45 fps 1% low feels much worse than a game with 80 fps average and 75 fps 1% low, because the absolute minimum frame rate matters more for perceived smoothness than the average. Frame time variance (captured by 1% low) is the true smoothness metric.
- Yes — even at FPS above your monitor's refresh rate, lower latency is meaningful. At 144 Hz, frames are displayed every 6.94ms. If you render at 500 fps, each frame is only 2ms old when displayed — reducing end-to-end input latency compared to rendering at exactly 144 fps where the displayed frame is up to 6.94ms old. Studies (and competitive players' experience) show perceived responsiveness improvements up to the 300–400 fps range on 144–240 Hz monitors. Above that, marginal gains become imperceptible. Nvidia Reflex and AMD Anti-Lag specifically target reducing this 'render lag'.
- Recommended approach: set frame limiter to slightly below your monitor's maximum refresh rate (e.g., 237 fps on a 240 Hz G-Sync monitor). Reasons: (1) Keeps fps within VRR range to avoid the lower-bound lock. (2) Prevents GPU from maxing out, which reduces power draw, heat, and frame time variance. (3) Leaves headroom in the render pipeline for more consistent frame pacing. RTSS (RivaTuner Statistics Server) is the most precise frame limiter tool, more accurate than in-game limiters or driver limiters. For non-VRR monitors, a limiter at exactly the refresh rate is a good baseline.