Frame rate and refresh rate are not the same thing
Frame rate (FPS): how many unique frames your GPU renders per second. Determined by your CPU, GPU, game settings, and resolution.
Refresh rate (Hz): how many times per second your monitor redraws the screen. Determined by your monitor and set in display settings.
They are produced by different devices (GPU vs monitor) and are almost never perfectly synchronized.
What happens when FPS ≠ Hz
FPS lower than Hz (e.g. 60 fps on 144Hz)
The monitor redraws the same frame multiple times until a new one arrives. Smooth enough, but you are not using the full 144Hz capability. Low FPS also means longer frame times, increasing perceived stutter independent of Hz.
FPS higher than Hz (e.g. 200 fps on 144Hz)
The monitor can only show 144 unique frames per second. The excess 56 frames are discarded. Without VRR/V-Sync, frames are delivered mid-refresh, causing screen tearing: a horizontal seam where two frames are visible simultaneously.
FPS equals Hz
Ideal and rare in practice. Consistent 144fps on 144Hz = perfectly smooth. Even small dips to 143fps cause occasional frame repeats.
V-Sync
V-Sync synchronizes the GPU's frame delivery to the monitor's refresh cycle, eliminating tearing. Downside: it buffers frames to wait for the next cycle, adding input lag (typically 1-2 frames worth, which is 7-14ms at 144Hz). At 60fps V-sync on a 144Hz monitor, input lag can be up to 33ms.
VRR: G-Sync and FreeSync
Variable Refresh Rate solves the mismatch problem elegantly. Instead of the monitor refreshing at a fixed Hz, it refreshes when the GPU sends a new frame. When your GPU renders a frame at 87fps, the monitor refreshes at 87Hz. At 143fps, it refreshes at 143Hz.
Within the VRR range (typically 48Hz to 144Hz or 165Hz), you get no tearing and no V-Sync input lag: the best of both worlds.
G-Sync vs FreeSync
Both technologies work with modern integrated graphics and modern AMD/NVIDIA GPUs.
Why FPS above monitor Hz still helps
Even if your monitor is capped at 144Hz, running 300fps vs 144fps reduces the average time between frames that your system "knows about" before rendering. This reduces input lag in the GPU driver by keeping the frame queue shorter. This is why competitive players turn off V-Sync and run uncapped fps even on 144Hz monitors.
Refresh rate and FPS for gaming
For the smoothest experience:
Quick reference
| Scenario | Result | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| FPS > Hz, no VRR, no V-Sync | Screen tearing | Enable VRR or V-Sync |
| FPS > Hz, V-Sync on | No tearing, added lag | Use VRR instead |
| FPS > Hz, VRR on | Smooth, low lag | Ideal |
| FPS < Hz, VRR on | Smooth, may need low framerate compensation | Check FreeSync Premium |
| FPS < Hz, no VRR | Stutter at low fps | Target higher FPS or use V-Sync |
Use our Refresh Rate Test to confirm what Hz your browser is running at, and Frame Skip Test to detect dropped frames.