Frames per second, or FPS, serves as a vital indicator for PC gamers, acting as a heartbeat for the gaming experience. A higher FPS translates to smoother gameplay, while a lower FPS can result in frustrating stuttering and lag. Therefore, monitoring your FPS is essential to fully enjoy your favorite games. Fortunately, you don’t need sophisticated software to keep track of your FPS; there are several straightforward methods available.
Use Steam Overlay to Check FPS of PC Games
Steam, a favored platform among gamers, includes a built-in tool for tracking FPS. This feature is easy to activate and provides a clear, real-time display of your frame rate. To enable the FPS counter, launch Steam without running a game, navigate to Settings > In-Game, and select a corner of your screen for the counter’s display. Once you start your game, the FPS counter will appear in your chosen location.
While Steam’s FPS counter is quite handy, it is primarily designed for Steam games. You can try adding non-Steam games to your library to utilize this feature, but its effectiveness may vary across different titles.
Using NVIDIA GeForce Experience to Check FPS
For those with an NVIDIA graphics card, NVIDIA GeForce Experience offers a more comprehensive approach to in-game performance monitoring. To activate the FPS counter, open GeForce Experience and click the gear icon in the top right corner to access settings. Ensure the “In-Game Overlay” is enabled, then click “Settings” within this option. Navigate to HUD Layout > Performance > FPS and select a corner of your screen for the counter.
However, GeForce Experience may present some quirks. The FPS overlay might not always display correctly, showing inaccurate values or disappearing altogether. If you encounter such issues, toggling between full screen and borderless windowed modes can sometimes rectify the problem.
Monitoring PC Games FPS with AMD Software
AMD users also have access to tools for tracking in-game performance. AMD Software, specifically designed for the company’s graphics cards, includes a built-in FPS counter along with other performance metrics. To activate the FPS counter, open AMD Software and navigate to the “Performance” tab. Ensure you’re on the “Metrics” tab and enable the “Metrics Overlay” option. By default, this overlay will be visible on your screen, but you can opt to activate it only during gameplay by enabling “Game Detection for Metrics Overlay.”
Beyond merely displaying FPS, AMD Software allows users to view frame time, 99th percentile FPS, CPU and GPU usage, and more. If you prefer to focus solely on FPS, you can customize the overlay in the “Tracking” tab by selecting the desired metrics.
Leveraging Your Game’s Built-in Tools to Check Performance
Many modern games come equipped with built-in FPS counters, providing a convenient way to monitor performance. However, the method for finding and activating these options can vary significantly between games. Some titles feature a dedicated “Show FPS” option hidden within the video or graphics settings, while others might require a specific keyboard shortcut or console command.
For example, players of Minecraft can simply press F3 to access a debug screen displaying FPS and other vital information. In more complex games, you may need to explore console commands or even modify game configuration files. While this approach demands a bit more technical know-how, it often offers greater customization options. For instance, DOTA 2 players can use the “cl_showfps 1” command in the developer console to enable the FPS counter.
If you find yourself struggling to locate your game’s FPS counter, a quick online search can be invaluable. Searching for the game title followed by “show FPS” will likely yield helpful results and guides.
MSI Afterburner: A Versatile Tool for Monitoring Performance
For those in search of a dedicated third-party solution to monitor FPS, MSI Afterburner is a widely used choice. Originally designed for MSI graphics cards, this software has become a staple for overclocking and performance monitoring across various GPU brands. To utilize MSI Afterburner’s FPS monitoring capabilities, ensure you install the “Rivatuner Statistics Server” component during setup. Once installed, launch MSI Afterburner and navigate to the “Monitoring” tab. Locate the “Framerate” option under “Active Hardware Monitoring Graphs,” enable it, and check the “Show in On-Screen Display” box.
With these settings applied, your FPS will be displayed in the top-left corner of your screen while gaming. MSI Afterburner also offers customization options to tailor the appearance of the on-screen display to your preferences.
Disclaimer: We may be compensated by some of the companies whose products we talk about, but our articles and reviews are always our honest opinions. For more details, you can check out our editorial guidelines and learn about how we use affiliate links.
