Gaming performance

Refresh rate (Hz) vs. FPS

Hz is the display's refresh rate; FPS is the game's frame rate. They describe related but different parts of the display pipeline.

QUICK EXPLANATION

Read both numbers separately

A 144 Hz display can refresh up to 144 times per second, while the game may render fewer or more frames. Synchronization settings determine how those frames are presented.

The display's maximum refresh rate does not make a game render at that FPS.

Result: You can see a high refresh rate in Windows while an individual game runs at a lower frame rate.

How to check it

Check the current display rate in Windows Advanced display and the frame rate in the game. If motion looks uneven, learn about frame pacing and variable refresh rate before changing several settings.

Check: Confirm which measurement changed after adjusting a display or game setting.

Sources & page details

Microsoft: DXGI flip model and frame presentation ↗

Reviewed 2026-09-26

These are general explanations; available features and results vary by game, graphics hardware, driver and display.