Frame Rates and Gaming

Do higher frame rates really help with gaming?

The talk of the town was always 60fps.  I remember, before I had my first computer, experiencing 60fps on my Xbox One – I was blown away.  I can see why everyone always said that was the new standard.  They weren’t wrong. Fast-forward almost 10 years since I experienced a frame rate higher than 30 for the first time, and that statement still holds true – but what is beyond that?  60hz is a staple across the board in terms of monitors and TV’s, however, 144hz has become the new standard for a lot of people, at least in the competitive scene.  While it is nice to have that buttery smoothness for single player games, competitive games are who benefit the most.

I am seeing... double?

I remember when I purchased my first 144hz monitor – I was in love immediately.  What a huge step-up on my favorite games, primarily Overwatch at the time, and how smooth it was.  I also noticed my cursor moving extremely well on my gaming desktop, too.  I was blown away, truth be told.  I have never experienced anything like this, and I was blown away at how much of a difference it made. Now, I do want to clarify that it certainly didn’t make me a better gamer, but it changed my gaming experience significantly. Source: Nvidia The picture above does quite a bit of justice, but seeing this in real time is the icing on the cake.  What you are seeing above is referred to as ghosting, making it seem like you are seeing multiple when there is just one model.  In the competitive scene, these movements are critical and the smoother it is, the more likelihood you have a better shot. Smooth as butter. One of my favorite things is the smoothness that higher refresh rates provide.  With all the technology in the world, and to strive for photo realism and beautifully aesthetic games, higher refresh rates allow for much better immersion, seamless movement, and all-around realism.  I know, I sound crazy, but that is what it feels like. One of my favorite titles to play are the Forza titles, especially the Forza Horizon titles.  I was watching one of my children play Forza Horizon 5 on an Xbox One S, and it looked like it was performing at 30 fps.  30.  It was choppy, blurry, and just overall hard on my eyes.  Jumping over to my gaming PC and firing up that title, and it is a smooth 144fps/144hz.  There wasn’t any choppiness, or ghosting; it was just like watching a race in real life.  It is an absolute game changer.

What brands should you go with for the best frames?

There are so many manufacturers out there and so many amazing options, but which to go with for your desktop computer?  Well, I would recommend doing research on what you need.  There are so many options in terms of resolution, response time, screen type, screen size, etc.  I have always been an Acer person as they offer great options at good prices.  However, there are many others such as MSI, Asus, Samsung, and Gigabyte. As new components come out, such as more powerful GPUs and CPUs, it really does benefit to invest in a monitor that can help support running games at those higher refresh rates.  No matter what titles you are playing, whether it be a competitive scene such as CS: GO or Valorant, or the single player scene with titles like God of War (2018) or Elden Ring, higher refresh rate monitors are sure to enhance your gameplay experience like no other! Here at AVADirect, we offer a wide selection of computer monitors – from high refresh rates to high resolutions; even both combined!