Monitors

Can 60hz Run 120FPS? The Reasonable Answer is Here

Can 60hz Run 120FPS

Frame per second – FPS is a popular term in gaming, and with the advancement in gaming industries overall, the requirements for gaming hardware have increased. However, some people with 60Hz monitors still want to play games at a higher refresh rate to have the edge over their in-game competitors.

So the question arises, can a 60hz monitor run 120FPS? As for its answer, people have mixed experiences. To find out the definitive answer read this article to the very end.

The answer is NO. A 60Hz monitor can not render 120 frames; however, you can use some external hardware force to make it deliver a respectable FPS.

Let’s start by understanding the difference between Hertz (Hz) and FPS:

Hz vs. FPS: The Differences

hz vs fps differenceHz or Hertz is a unit to measure the frequency response of display. You might have seen these numbers (75Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz) in the specifications of monitors and mobile displays. The advantage of higher Hz is the overall interactive experience will be much smoother, while FPS is only noticeable in high-end gaming.

FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second. As its full form suggests, it refers to frames a display can render in a second.

This rendering speed depends on the screen frequency, meaning FPS relies on Hz.

Can 60hz Run 120FPS?

The explanation you are about to read also implies the questions, can 75hz run 120FPS, 120hz run 240FPS, and so on.

Exclude gaming; your monitor will run at 60Hz. The movies you watch, the document you type, and the input you enter are all processed on 60Hz – 60FPS or lower since there is no requirement for swift movements.

Now. If I include gaming, most 2D and regular 3D games (not AAA titles) will run at 60Hz. To boost the FPS output up to 100 or more, you will need a 16 series Nvidia GPU, 1650, 1650 Q-Max, or 1660; anyone from these suggestions or higher can quickly help you achieve that.

Do pay attention that the use case here is for non-graphic intensive games. These games have repetitive frames; you don’t see any screen tearing or lag in the gaming experience.

However, when it comes to games like GTA-5, where new frames generate constantly, you will have a bad gameplay experience.

So what causes the problem actual problem here? You might be thinking.

The most straightforward answer is hardware acceleration does not work well after a specific limit, and the 60Hz is also the policeman here.

Your 60Hz monitor can render 60 frames, and when an efficient GPU pulls more frames than 60, the screen frequency cannot comply with it every time.

Turning off the V-sync can fetch you some great FPS on 60Hz, but again, the problem arises in high-end games like Shadow of Tomb Rider and GTA-5.

A Small Solution

You might have seen in this smartphone camera that the higher the resolution, the lower FPS you get. The same concept goes with the monitor.

If you have a 60Hz monitor with an HD (720p )resolution, I recommend dropping the idea of reducing in-game resolution because the experience is not fulfilling.

For Full HD or higher resolution 60Hz monitor owners, downgrading the game setting to 720p is definitely worth a try.

Advantages of 120FPS on 60Hz

The perks of this only benefit in gaming and not everyday use like typing, watching movies, etc.

  • The input delay will be reduced
  • Significant drop in display response time (8-10ms)
  • Smooth gameplay experience

Disadvantages of 120FPS on 60Hz

The downsides are concerning AAA-title gaming.

  • Screen tearing is high
  • Noticeable lag
  • Frameskip

Verdict

A 60Hz monitor will never be able to produce 120FPS until or unless there is hardware forcing to do it or the V-Sync setting is off and overclocking your monitor might not result in the best experience. I recommend if it’s the smooth gaming experience you are after, then buying a monitor with higher Hz will be beneficial in the long run. Not just in gaming but even in everyday use, you will feel the smoothness of higher Hz and FPS in gaming.

Howard Tavares

About Howard Tavares

Hi, Howard here. I love the computer displays, and I enjoy working on my dual monitor setup. After a lot of experiments, failures, successes, and reviews, I started Best Monitor Hz to helpmates like me who want to talk about a screen that can fulfil their working or gaming needs.

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