Getting right to the difference between refresh rates and frame rate…
60 Hz and 60 FPS (frames per second) are interrelated, but not the same thing. 60 Hz refers to the refresh rate of your display while 60 FPS is the number of frames per second rendered by your PC or console.
To put it another way, the frame rate determines how fluid any particular game is while the refresh rate of your monitor (or TV) will dictate how smooth a game will appear.
Each year it seems like there are a set of must have features across gaming. In 2021, that means high refresh rates, 8K support, and a slew of new ways to increase general fluidity.
If you’re someone looking to hop on the 120 fps bandwagon with your PS4, you’ll unfortunately have to wait until you lock down a PS5 or Xbox Series X.
No PS4 models support 120 fps both due to power and required spec of HDMI. It goes without saying that the PS4 also can’t handle 144 fps.
High refresh rates have only just now broken into the console space thanks to the bleeding edge tech found in the Xbox Series X and PS5.
Despite TV manufacturers catering to gamers, monitors largely remain a much better option in terms of faster response times. New TVs offer features like Auto Low Latency Mode and Variable Refresh Rate, but monitors have offered much better latency for over a decade.
While not important to all players, lower latency and higher fps means more fluid gameplay and a greater level of control. For those playing first-person shooters and fighting games, a better response time can mean a competitive advantage over those playing on laggy displays or lower specced machines.
Just how do monitors affect fps?
Technically, monitors only affect fps indirectly. They’re responsible for the visible frame rate that a player will see, and it’s the reason why those with powerful machines opt for 144Hz displays.
No matter the in game fps, a 60Hz display will only ever output 60 fps.
You’ve just wrapped up a rough day and all you want to do is kick back with your PS4.
Whether you’re into single player games or prefer chasing frustration online, you probably want the best looking and performing experience possible.
And then it happens – your frames start dropping.
There’s no escaping the constant stuttering and dipping, and more importantly, it’s driving you absolutely insane.
Why does the PS4 suffer from FPS drops?
There’s a multitude of reasons why the PS4 suffers hits to performance, but the biggest by far are:
Relative to its age, Sony’s console is capable of producing some incredible looking games, but there’s a reason the company opted to introduce the Pro revision this generation.
It wasn’t all that long that the FPS of games was a foreign concept to the majority of gamers, but after the overwhelming success of titles like Call of Duty on consoles it’s become a mainstay in discussions.
If you play games on a regular or Slim PS4, you might have noticed that Sony is doing things a little differently this time around. For those that want it, a new, more powerful console is offered with the PS4 Pro.
And with all of the new marketing buzzwords since its inception (HDR, 4K, Ultra HD, and so forth), it’s sometimes hard to know what the original model is truly capable of.
Can the normal PS4 run 60 FPS? Does the Pro really offer a significant boost?
It turns out Sony’s aging console still has a lot to offer on the performance front.
Note: I’m not talking about general stuttering and hitches in Forza Horizon 4. I would imagine if you aren’t rocking an Xbox One X this is par for the course. At least, this has been my experience.
After installing today’s update for Forza Horizon 4 (October 11, 2018), I initially booted to terrible performance and low FPS. I’m using a base Xbox One for reference, but I thought I’d let others know what I did if anyone else out there runs into this with the current or any future updates (restart your Xbox One).