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How Bad Is 30 Frames Per Second? The Definitive Answer

30 frames per second (FPS) is…complicated. It’s not inherently bad, but its acceptability hinges dramatically on context. In 2024, in the realm of gaming, 30 FPS is generally considered a bare minimum, and often undesirable for many gamers, especially on PC. Many people will say there is no difference at all between 30 and 60 FPS, or any other frame-rate above 30 for that matter. That as long as the frame-rate is a constant 30 FPS or close to it that it will be ‘buttery smooth’ and provide an enjoyable experience.

It’s a compromise. It signifies a trade-off between visual fidelity, system performance, and perceived smoothness. While some players might find it perfectly adequate for certain console games or slower-paced titles, others will experience noticeable choppiness, input lag, and a general lack of fluidity compared to higher framerates.

The primary reason for this divisiveness lies in advancements in display technology and gaming hardware. Modern monitors boast high refresh rates (60Hz, 144Hz, or even higher), designed to display more frames per second. When a game runs at 30 FPS on a 60Hz display, each frame is displayed twice, which can exacerbate the perception of stuttering and unevenness. This is especially true if your monitor can’t switch refresh rate to 30Hz. When you are limiting frames, your refresh rate is still 59.94 or something like that. What happens is that there’s a discrepancy with the timing of the monitor. This discrepancy causes 30fps to look terrible.

The subjective experience also plays a significant role. Gamers accustomed to 60 FPS or higher will likely find 30 FPS jarring, while those less sensitive to frame rate variations might consider it acceptable, especially if the alternative is significantly reduced visual quality.

Ultimately, 30 FPS is a baseline, and whether it’s “bad” depends entirely on individual tolerance, the specific game, and the hardware setup. Now, let’s delve deeper into the intricacies of frame rates with some frequently asked questions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about 30 FPS

1. Why Does 30 FPS Look So Much Worse Now Than It Used To?

The shift in perception isn’t about our eyes changing, but about our expectations and technology evolving. Older consoles were often designed around 30 FPS as a target, and games were optimized accordingly. More importantly, CRTs had inherent motion blur that masked some of the judder, and the screen was refreshed with new visual data at regular intervals. However, most modern LCDs and OLEDs are sample-and-hold displays, meaning they show each frame for the entire refresh cycle. This makes any stutter or judder from low frame rates much more noticeable. Finally, vast majority of monitors can’t switch refresh rate to 30Hz. When you are limiting frames, your refresh rate is still 59.94 or something like that. What happens is that there’s a discrepancy with the timing of the monitor. This discrepancy causes 30fps to look terrible. Also, modern gaming hardware, particularly on PCs, can often push much higher frame rates, and we get accustomed to the smoothness.

2. Is 30 FPS Smooth Enough for Gaming?

That depends. For fast-paced action games, competitive shooters, or anything requiring precise timing, most gamers would argue that 30 FPS is inadequate. The input lag – the delay between pressing a button and seeing the action on screen – is significantly higher at 30 FPS, hindering responsiveness. However, for slower-paced games, strategy titles, or cinematic experiences, 30 FPS might be acceptable, especially if it allows for higher graphical fidelity. If a smooth consistent framerate is important to you, do not do this. 30 FPS is always better than 45 FPS on a 60Hz display in terms of smoothness and consistency.

3. What’s the Difference Between 30 FPS and 60 FPS?

The most obvious difference is the number of frames displayed per second. 60 FPS displays twice as many frames as 30 FPS, resulting in a much smoother and more fluid visual experience. This is especially noticeable in fast-moving scenes or when making quick camera movements. 60 FPS greatly reduces LCD motion blur

The second major difference is input lag. 60 FPS inherently reduces the delay between your actions and their on-screen representation. In twitch-based games, this can be a game-changer.

4. Why Do Console Games Often Target 30 FPS?

Consoles often target 30 FPS to achieve a balance between visual quality and performance. Console developers often prioritize graphical fidelity and complex game worlds. Pushing for 60 FPS might require significant sacrifices in visual detail or resolution. 30FPS is regarded as a reliable compromise when balancing performance and stability on consoles. Most console games are fine utilizing 30FPS unless 60FPS is essential to the experience.

5. Is 40 FPS Better Than 30 FPS?

Yes, generally. While not as ideal as 60 FPS, 40 FPS offers a noticeable improvement over 30 FPS in terms of perceived smoothness and responsiveness. However, it’s still below the ideal range for many gamers, especially on high refresh rate monitors. 40 FPS is playable for most games, but it is not ideal. FPS stands for frames per second, and it refers to the number of frames that a game renders each second. A higher FPS means smoother gameplay, while a lower FPS can lead to choppiness and stuttering.

6. What FPS Is Considered Unplayable?

This is subjective. However, below 30 FPS, most gamers will experience significant choppiness and stuttering. Input lag becomes very noticeable, and the overall gaming experience suffers. In competitive FPS games and other fast-paced action centric games, some people consider a framerate of 30FPS to be low enough that the framerate makes the game “unplayable” or makes it very difficult to be competitive. Lower FPS can lead to choppy and obtrusive lags. For consistently smooth gameplay, aim for 45 FPS or higher, though most games are still playable at 30 FPS.

7. Does Monitor Refresh Rate Affect How 30 FPS Looks?

Absolutely. A monitor with a higher refresh rate (e.g., 144Hz) will exacerbate the issues with 30 FPS because each frame is displayed for a shorter duration, highlighting any unevenness. On a 60Hz monitor, 30 FPS can sometimes be mitigated by using V-Sync, which synchronizes the game’s frame rate with the monitor’s refresh rate, reducing screen tearing but potentially introducing input lag.

8. How Can I Make 30 FPS More Bearable?

If you’re stuck with 30 FPS, there are a few tricks to improve the experience:

Enable V-Sync: This can reduce screen tearing, but it may increase input lag.
Use Adaptive Sync (FreeSync/G-Sync): These technologies dynamically adjust the monitor’s refresh rate to match the game’s frame rate, eliminating tearing and reducing stuttering. The best thing you can do is synchronize the frame rate with the monitors refresh rate. You can either use FreeSync for AMD or GSync for Nvidia depending on the GPU you have. … If you don’t have an adaptive sync monitor you could still use VSync. … Without syncronization even high frame rates will feel bad.
Motion Blur: Some gamers prefer to enable motion blur in games running at 30fps. This adds artificial motion blur to the image, which can help to mask the judder and make the game appear smoother.
Maintain Consistent Frame Times: Variable frame times are more jarring than a consistent but lower frame rate.

9. Why Do Some People Prefer 30 FPS Over 60 FPS?

This is rare, but some gamers prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate. They might prefer to run a game at 30 FPS with higher graphics settings rather than sacrificing visual detail for 60 FPS. Also, some people may actually not be able to see the difference. When you get frame drops from 60fps, it’s much more jarring because the game looks so smooth and then suddenly it’s jittery and stuttery, which can take you out of the moment and break immersion. However, if a game drops from 30fps to something like 28 or 29, it’s much less noticeable.

10. Is 30 FPS Good Enough for Watching Movies or TV Shows?

Yes, generally. Most movies and TV shows are filmed at 24 FPS or 30 FPS. So, watching content at 30 FPS is usually perfectly acceptable and doesn’t introduce any visual issues. 30fps is well-suited for live broadcasts of news and sports action. It’s also great to add more detail to fast-moving videos. 30 frames per second is mostly used for live TV like news programs, concerts, sports, and soap operas. These six extra frames per second make for a much smoother video feel that works great for a less cinematic video.

11. Will Upgrading My Hardware Always Guarantee Higher FPS?

Not always. While a more powerful CPU and GPU will significantly improve frame rates, other factors can limit performance, such as:

Game Optimization: Poorly optimized games can struggle to run smoothly even on high-end hardware.
Monitor Resolution: Higher resolutions (e.g., 4K) require more processing power, potentially lowering frame rates.
Drivers: Outdated or faulty graphics drivers can negatively impact performance.
Background Processes: Resource-intensive background applications can steal processing power from the game.
RAM: Insufficient RAM can cause stuttering, even with a powerful CPU and GPU.

12. Can You Tell the Difference Between 25 FPS and 30 FPS?

In most cases, it’s difficult to distinguish between 25 FPS and 30 FPS. The difference is subtle, and most people wouldn’t notice it without a direct comparison. One has 5 fore frames per second than the other. More frames per second just means what’s happening on screen will be smoother, but 25 and 30 frames per second are indistinguishable from each other to the human eye, so don’t worry about it.

13. Is 1080p 30 FPS or 1080p 60 FPS Better?

1080p 60 FPS is generally considered superior. The higher frame rate provides a smoother and more responsive experience, especially in gaming. However, if your hardware struggles to maintain a consistent 60 FPS at 1080p, dropping down to 30 FPS might be necessary to achieve stable performance. In general, 1080p 60fps is better than 1080p 30fps. This is because 60fps provides a smoother and more fluid video experience compared to 30fps. The higher frame rate makes motion appear more natural and less choppy, which is especially important in fast-paced games or action scenes.

14. Is 4K at 30 FPS Worth It?

For gaming, 4K at 30 FPS is often a compromise. While the increased resolution provides stunning visual detail, the lower frame rate can impact gameplay, especially in fast-paced titles. Many gamers prefer to play at 1440p or 1080p with a higher frame rate for a smoother and more responsive experience. Well, it depends. In filming I’d recommend 4k because at 30fps because even if you upload 8k 120fps to YouTube it compresses it to make it load faster. So, 4k would look more like 1080, 1080p will look like 720p, etc. But, in gaming, I’d recommend 1080p 60fps because fps speed is generally more important in gaming.

15. What Role Does Gaming Research and Education Have in Understanding Frame Rates and Game Performance?

Understanding the nuances of frame rates and game performance goes beyond just technical specifications. Organizations like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org play a vital role. They explore the intersection of games, learning, and technology, advancing our knowledge of how games impact cognition, skill development, and overall user experience. Research from such institutions helps us understand not only the technical aspects of frame rates but also their psychological impact on players. With the increased awareness, we can better design and optimize games to deliver the most engaging and enriching experiences possible.

How bad is 30 frames per second?