FPS vs monitor refresh rate calculator
See your frame time in milliseconds, and how much FPS goes to waste above your monitor's refresh rate.
Frame time is just 1000 divided by FPS, and refresh interval is the same math for your monitor's Hz — the "wasted" percentage compares the two to show how much of what your GPU renders never actually reaches the screen once FPS climbs past what the monitor can display. Whether that matters to you depends on whether you've got variable refresh rate (G-Sync/FreeSync) enabled and how you personally weigh GPU heat against input latency.
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Report an issue with this calculationWorked example
Say you're running 240 FPS on a 144Hz monitor. Frame time ≈ 4.17ms, refresh interval ≈ 6.94ms. Since 240 exceeds 144, about 40% of rendered frames are never actually displayed without VRR — real GPU work that goes to waste.
Now say the same monitor is fed 100 FPS instead. Frame time is 10ms, still above the 6.94ms refresh interval, so 100 doesn't exceed 144 — 0% is wasted, every rendered frame gets its turn on screen.
FAQ
Is FPS above my refresh rate really wasted?
Without G-Sync/FreeSync (variable refresh rate) or a frame cap, yes — your monitor can only display one new image per refresh interval, so extra rendered frames are dropped or torn rather than shown in full.
What is frame time?
The time your GPU takes to render one frame, in milliseconds: 1000 divided by your FPS.
Should I just cap my FPS at my refresh rate?
It's a common recommendation to reduce wasted GPU work and heat, though some competitive players prefer uncapped FPS for lower input latency even above their refresh rate. This calculator shows the numbers — the trade-off is a personal preference.
If I have G-Sync or FreeSync enabled, does the wasted-frame figure still apply?
Not really — the calculator itself doesn't know whether you have VRR on, it just does the plain FPS-vs-Hz math. With VRR enabled, your monitor adjusts its refresh timing to match the game's output, so the wasted-frames concept mostly stops applying.
What counts as valid input?
Any positive number for FPS, and any positive number for refresh rate in Hz (e.g. 60, 144, 240).
What if my FPS is lower than my refresh rate?
No frames are wasted — every rendered frame can be displayed before the next refresh cycle, so there's no gap to report.
Is this tied to a specific game?
No — it's pure arithmetic on the two numbers you enter, so it works the same regardless of which game or monitor you're checking.
Does a higher refresh rate always mean smoother gameplay?
Not on its own — it helps only if your FPS is high enough to actually use it. Pairing a 240Hz monitor with a 90 FPS game doesn't get you the full benefit; the frame-time numbers here show exactly why.
Can I compare more than one monitor?
Yes — just re-run the calculator with each monitor's refresh rate to compare the results.