It is widely known that 60FPS content can be played on a 144HZ monitor. But the visuals need not feel like of the best quality. Streaming content with an FPS value that matches the monitor’s HZ value is always better. Otherwise, the images can look a bit all over the place.
Let’s learn more about this scenario in the section below.
FPS, HZ, and More
It is essential to properly understand concepts like refresh rate, frame rate, etc., to discuss the effects these can have while streaming content.
Refresh Rate
The refresh rate is also known as the Vertical Scan Rate. Refresh rate is the rate at which a monitor can display new visuals. The higher the refresh rate, the higher the monitor’s picture quality.
The refresh rate is usually measured in the unit HZ. The most commonly found refresh rates in modern LCD televisions are from 60HZ onwards. The refresh rate can go up to 240HZ. Some best-selling LCD televisions have refresh rates like 60, 75, 120, 144, etc.
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Frame Rate
Frame rate is the rate with which the streaming content displays the frames. It is measured in FPS (Frames Per Second). Frame rate varies widely in content creation.
24 is a standard frame rate for most content. It is ideal for VFX edits and other special effects. Almost all typical movies are shot with a 24FPS frame rate.
Live television broadcasts are usually shot in 30FPS. When the frame rate increases, movements and motion can be displayed better on the screen.
Live television broadcasts are mostly sports matches, which involve a lot of movement. 24FPS is not enough to capture the sports movements in their actual effect. This is why 30FPS is a standard frame rate in live broadcasts.
Regarding computers and computer-related graphics, 60FPS is an excellent option. Computers can easily stream 60FPS. So, video games and similar computer-specific content are usually made in such higher frame rates.
The introduction of 4K monitors has significantly improved the scope of frame rates. Gamers now prefer content with higher frame rates like 90, 120, 144, etc. These frame rates provide highly professional and clear visuals for the games.
What Happens When the Refresh Rate and Frame Rate Do Not Match?
When the refresh rate and frame rate do not match each other, it does not affect the streaming in any way. The content can be streamed and watched comfortably on the display. However, there will be some technical issues that can happen during the streaming.
The most common issues are as follows.
- Judder
- Screen Tearing
Judder
Judder is the technical issue when the images feel a bit choppy on the screen. That is, there won’t be any uniformity in how the frames are shown on screen. Some may appear for a bit longer, while others are just shown for a shorter time.
So, the visuals look and feel like they are not related at all when experiencing judder.
Judder can cause the visuals to appear disjointed, affecting the visual experience significantly. Judder can happen on TV monitors and computer screens alike. But it is most commonly found in TV monitors.
According to the experts, judder happens if the screen’s refresh rate cannot evenly divide the frame rate of the content.
For example, consider a screen with a 144HZ refresh rate and a content of 60FPS. The screen should have refresh rates like 60 or 120HZ to divide the frame rate evenly. Thus, the visuals may appear disjointed in this case.
So, the best way to avoid judder is to match the content’s frame rate with the screen’s refresh rate as much as possible.
Screen Tearing
Screen tearing is common when the monitor’s refresh rate and the content’s frame rate do not match. Screen tearing causes multiple frames to overlap with each other and cause unclear or low-quality images on the screen.
Two instances can cause screen tearing. They are as follows.
- The frame rate of the content is much lower than the monitor’s refresh rate.
- The frame rate of the content is much higher than the monitor’s refresh rate.
Several hardware and software solutions are available to fix the screen tearing problem. However, the most convenient and straightforward solution is to choose a screen with a refresh rate that matches the content’s frame rate.
Can You Play 60FPS on a 144HZ Monitor?
It is definitely possible to play 60FPS on a 144HZ monitor. As mentioned before, the difference in frame rate and refresh rate is not an issue regarding the streaming of the content. A 144HZ monitor definitely supports 60FPS or 120FPS content.
But, the only issues will be regarding the quality of the visuals. As explained above, when the refresh rate and frame rate are different, it can cause judder and screen tearing.
Let’s look into detail whether 60FPS content and 144HZ monitor can experience judder or screen tearing.
Judder occurs when the frame rate cannot be evenly divided by the screen’s refresh rate. 60FPS cannot be evenly divided by 144HZ. So, it is more likely for judder to occur in this instance.
When it comes to screen tearing, the necessity is that the refresh rate and the frame rate should not be very different. But in the case of 144HZ and 60FPS, the screen’s refresh rate is more than double the frame rate of the content. So, the possibility of screen tearing is very high in this case.
Final Word
In conclusion, it is clear that it is not impossible to stream 60FPS content on a 144HZ monitor, except that some technical hiccups can happen. Installing a variable refresh rate service like FreeSync or G-Sync is an effective way to resolve these technical hiccups. Another convenient solution is to run the monitor screen at a lower refresh rate to match the frame rate of the content.
