When you’re in the middle of an intense online gaming session, there’s nothing worse than stuttering gameplay or a laggy frame rate. If you want to increase FPS (frames per second), your gaming experience can become smoother, more responsive, and way more enjoyable.
Your shots don’t land, your movement feels sluggish, and, let’s be honest, it’s frustrating. Boosting your FPS can make a world of difference in how smooth and responsive your games feel.
In this article, we’re diving deep into what FPS is, how to improve it, and why it’s crucial for your gaming experience.
What is FPS?
First things first, let’s break it down: FPS stands for “frames per second.” In simple terms, it measures how many images (or frames) your computer can render every second during a game.
Think of it as a flipbook; the more pages you flip per second, the smoother the animation appears.
Source: Flipboku
For gaming, FPS typically falls into these categories:
- 30 FPS: Playable, but far from smooth. You’ll notice some choppiness, especially in fast-paced games.
- 60 FPS: The sweet spot for most gamers. Smooth and responsive.
- 120+ FPS: Ultra-smooth. This is the dream for competitive players who want every advantage.
The higher the FPS, the more fluid your game looks and feels. But keep in mind that achieving a high frame rate depends on your hardware, settings, and even the game you’re playing.
How to Increase Your FPS in Games?
Here’s the juicy part: boosting your FPS. If your game looks more like a PowerPoint presentation than a smooth animation, don’t worry—there are plenty of ways to fix it. Let’s go step by step.
1. Optimize Your Graphics Settings
Every game comes with graphical settings you can tweak. Sure, ultra settings look stunning, but they’re not worth it if your FPS suffers. Here are the key settings to adjust:
- Resolution: Lowering your resolution can dramatically improve FPS, but it’s a trade-off between clarity and performance.
- Texture Quality: Medium or low textures reduce the strain on your GPU.
- Shadow Quality: Shadows look cool, but they’re resource-heavy. Turn them down or off.
- Anti-Aliasing: This smooths out jagged edges, but it’s a performance killer. Try FXAA or turn it off.
- V-Sync: Turn this off unless you’re experiencing screen tearing.
- Post-Processing Effects: Bloom, depth of field, and motion blur add cinematic effects but can drag FPS down. Disable them for a big boost.
Fortnite graphics settings. Source: Reddit
Many games offer presets like “Low,” “Medium,” or “High” settings. Start with “Low” and work your way up until you find a balance between visuals and performance.
2. Update Your Drivers
Outdated drivers are a common culprit for poor FPS. Your GPU (graphics card) relies on drivers to communicate with your games. Companies like NVIDIA and AMD release updates regularly to optimize performance for new games. Make it a habit to:
- Check for driver updates via your GPU’s software (e.g., NVIDIA GeForce Experience or AMD Radeon Software).
- Install the latest updates.
- Restart your PC after installing updates.
3. Overclock Your GPU
If you’re comfortable tinkering with hardware, overclocking your GPU can squeeze out extra performance to increase FPS.
Tools like MSI Afterburner or ASUS GPU Tweak make the process relatively straightforward. But be cautious—overclocking can increase heat and power consumption. Monitor your temperatures and use safe settings.
Overclock settings in ASUS GPU Tweak III. Source: Republic of Gamers
4. Close Background Applications
Your PC’s resources are finite. If you have a dozen Chrome tabs open, Spotify blasting, and Discord running, your games won’t get the power they need.
Before gaming, close unnecessary apps to free up CPU and RAM. Use Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to see what’s eating up resources.
Source: MS.Codes
5. Enable Game Mode
Windows 10 and 11 have a built-in Game Mode that prioritizes gaming performance. To enable it:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Gaming > Game Mode.
- Toggle it on.
This feature minimizes background tasks while you’re gaming.
Source: Lifewire
6. Upgrade Your Hardware
If all else fails, it might be time to invest in better hardware to increase FPS. Here’s where to start:
- GPU: The heart of gaming performance. If your GPU is several years old, upgrading can drastically boost FPS.
- CPU: Some games are CPU-heavy (like strategy games). A better processor can improve performance.
- RAM: 16GB is the sweet spot for most modern games.
- Storage: Install your games on an SSD. It won’t directly increase FPS but will reduce loading times and stuttering.
7. Adjust Your Power Settings
Your PC might be set to a power-saving mode, which throttles performance to conserve energy. Here’s how to fix it:
- Open Control Panel.
- Go to Power Options.
- Select “High Performance.”
For laptops, make sure you’re plugged in while gaming to avoid performance drops.
Source: Groovypost
8. Use Performance-Boosting Software
There are programs designed to optimize your PC for gaming. Tools like NoPing can reduce network lag and boost FPS by optimizing your system’s connection to game servers.
Other software like Razer Cortex or MSI Afterburner can free up system resources and manage hardware performance.
9. Clean Your PC
Dust buildup can cause overheating, which leads to throttled performance. Open your PC case (or laptop) and gently clean out dust with compressed air. Focus on fans, vents, and your GPU.
10. Check for Malware
Viruses and malware can secretly hog system resources. Run a full scan with a trusted antivirus program to ensure your system is clean.
11. Adjust In-Game FPS Limits
Some games have an option to limit FPS to conserve resources. While this can help with overheating, it’s not ideal if you’re aiming for maximum performance. Set the FPS limit to match your monitor’s refresh rate (or slightly higher) for smoother gameplay.
Valorant video settings with FPS limiting options. Source: bo3
12. Disable Overlays
Apps like Steam, Discord, and GeForce Experience often come with overlays that run in the background. While convenient, they can eat into your FPS. Disable these overlays in the app’s settings to increase FPS when you’re gaming.
Source: Business Insider
13. Optimize Network Settings
For online games, a stable connection is just as important as good FPS. High latency or packet loss can disrupt your gameplay. Use a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi, and consider using tools like NoPing to stabilize your connection to game servers.
14. Adjust Windows Settings
Windows itself has settings that can affect gaming performance. Turn off unnecessary visual effects like transparency and animations by:
- Typing “Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows” in the Start menu.
- Selecting “Adjust for best performance.”
- Keeping the most essential features like font smoothing if needed.
Source: Smode
15. Check Your Game’s File Integrity
Corrupted game files can cause performance issues.
Platforms like Steam and Epic Games Launcher have options to verify the integrity of game files. This ensures everything is running as it should.
16. Monitor Temperatures
Overheating can lead to thermal throttling, where your hardware reduces performance to cool down. Use tools like HWMonitor or Core Temp to keep an eye on your CPU and GPU temperatures. If they’re too high, consider improving your cooling solution (e.g., adding more fans or using a laptop cooling pad).
Source: Softonic
How Can I Monitor my FPS?
To increase FPS, you first need to know your current frame rate. Here’s how to monitor it:
In-Game Options
Many games have a built-in FPS counter. Check the settings menu or Google your game’s specific instructions.
Software Tools
Third-party tools like FRAPS, MSI Afterburner, or NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience can overlay an FPS counter on your screen while you play.
These tools often provide additional stats, like CPU and GPU usage, which can help identify performance bottlenecks.
Hardware Monitors
Some gaming keyboards and monitors have built-in FPS counters. While not as common, these are handy if you want to keep track without using software.
How Important is FPS for Gaming?
Why does FPS even matter? Here’s the deal: higher FPS directly impacts how smooth and responsive your games feel. Let’s break it down:
Competitive Gaming
In games like Counter-Strike, Valorant, or Apex Legends, higher FPS can mean the difference between landing a shot and missing it. Lower FPS introduces input lag, making your actions feel delayed. For competitive players, 120+ FPS is often considered essential.
Immersion
Even if you’re not chasing trophies, smooth gameplay enhances immersion. A higher frame rate makes animations, camera movements, and overall gameplay feel more natural.
Comfort
Low FPS doesn’t just look bad—it can cause motion sickness or headaches for some players. A consistent frame rate (even if it’s only 60 FPS) is crucial for a comfortable gaming experience.
Longevity
As games become more demanding, achieving high FPS ensures your hardware remains relevant. It’s a future-proofing strategy that keeps you enjoying new releases without constant upgrades.
How Can I Optimize my GPU’s Performance?
To optimize your GPU’s performance, the first step is ensuring your drivers are up to date.
GPU manufacturers like NVIDIA and AMD frequently release driver updates to improve performance, fix bugs, and enhance compatibility with the latest games.
You can update drivers easily using tools like NVIDIA GeForce Experience or AMD Radeon Software, which also allow you to optimize game settings automatically. Keeping your drivers current ensures your GPU performs efficiently and can handle the demands of modern games and applications.
Additionally, you can tweak your GPU settings for better performance.
Adjusting graphics settings in games—such as lowering texture quality, disabling unnecessary effects like motion blur, and turning off V-Sync—can reduce the strain on your GPU.
Overclocking your GPU using software like MSI Afterburner is another option to boost performance, though it should be done carefully to avoid overheating.
Lastly, make sure your system is running efficiently by closing unnecessary background applications, cleaning dust from your hardware to prevent overheating, and enabling high-performance mode in your PC’s power settings.
These adjustments can collectively enhance your GPU’s output and deliver smoother gameplay.
Improving your FPS doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By optimizing your settings, keeping your drivers updated, and considering a few hardware upgrades, you can transform your gaming experience.
Remember, it’s all about finding the right balance for your system and gaming style. Start small—tweak a setting here, close a background app there—and watch as your gameplay becomes smoother and more responsive. Happy gaming!NoPing has a “Boost FPS” feature, freeing up to 35% more CPU and RAM resources for your game. Try it for free now!