Question 165hz lower FPS or 120hz higher FPS ?

[Dolixe]

I have a 165Hz monitor, but games I play, like Apex, don't give me 165 FPS, which is fine because at least it gives me stable FPS. However, I wonder if it’s better to set my refresh rate to 120Hz or 144Hz while having higher FPS than the refresh rate, or should I keep it at 165Hz even though the FPS can't reach 165? Also, what impact would this have on input lag? I've heard that a higher refresh rate means lower input lag. Is that true? And is it true that using 120/144Hz while having higher FPS will give me a better visual experience?

 

[bill001g]

This is where you admit you were not born on krypton and your eyes are not better than every other human...especially not all those gamers playing shooter games that believe the only reason they to do not win more is they do not have a high enough FPS.

It is hard to say what you can really see, there are many scientific papers that say 24fps but nobody has tested this lately and all the computer equipment manufactures are spreading lots of false non science based information. It is still believed it is well under 60fps. So many people that have placebo effect that believe they can see all the extra dollars they spent on their really expensive monitor. Be nice if someone would test this but all the equipment manufactures I suspect will resist it since they want everyone to believe if you spend a extra $1000 you too can get 600fps and "own noobs" in video games.

What is much more important is what they now call 1% low. You generally can't detect if the monitor is running 120 or 144 or 165. What you can see is if the frame rate drops to say 20 fps for just a small fraction of a second. This is not really a monitor thing it is more a huge combination of things in the game. All it takes is a slight glitch in the software to not produce video frames for this tiny amount of time.

 

[Lutfij]

The point about input lag at higher refresh rates is true but if the game you play or the hardware you have can't output 165FPS or higher or can't work with 165Hz than you're left with the input lag that corresponds to that frame rate that you're game/platform can dish out.

example;
You have a 165Hz monitor but your game/hardware can only do 60FPS then the input lag will correspond to you owning a 60Hz monitor.

For the sake of relevance, please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time.

 

[boju]

So you get a bit lower than 165fps? But can achieve higher than 120~144fps?

I wonder if it’s better to set my refresh rate to 120Hz or 144Hz while having higher FPS than the refresh rate

Don't want fps to go over refresh rate as that'll give a jitter effect, non smooth motion as excess frames are dropped / frames not making it in time with the refresh rate window.

If your screen has vrr (gsync/freesync), you should use it. It adjusts Hz accordingly to fps in real time. Running 120hz while achieving half that in frames could 120hz give an advantage to say 60hz? no, just in Windows/ web browser.

If you are running vrr, leave Hz to 165.

 

[Dolixe]

What is much more important is what they now call 1% low. You generally can't detect if the monitor is running 120 or 144 or 165. What you can see is if the frame rate drops to say 20 fps for What is much more important is what they now call 1% low. You generally can't detect if the monitor is running 120 or 144 or 165.

but the 1% and 0.1% lows have nothing to do with the refresh rate right?

 

[Dolixe]

For the sake of relevance, please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time.

CPU : R5 2600
GPU : RX 570 4GB
MOBO : Asrock B450 Steel Legend
RAM : 2x16 32 gb 3200 (bottlenecked by cpu and now run at 2933)
PSU : Lux 550 watt bronze
Monitor : viewsonic 75hz and Koorui 165hz
OS : Windows 10

 

[Dolixe]

So you get a bit lower than 165fps? But can achieve higher than 120~144fps

yes, sometimes. i've never monitored the 1% lows, highest, and average FPS, but from playing, I can see that the lowest is around ~100, and the highest can get to ~170

If you are running vrr, leave Hz to 165.

i have freesync, but i forgot whether i turned it on or off (i'll check later since im in a different city right now). but okay ill leave it at 165 hz. Thank you

 

[boju]

Yeah check your freesync options, often enabled first in monitor osd before available in adrenaline, it'll make a world of difference.

 

[Dolixe]

Yeah check your freesync options, often enabled first in monitor osd before available in adrenaline, it'll make a world of difference.

oh i thought i only needed to turn it on in the monitor 😅