With hardware capable of pushing 500+ FPS and monitors running at 360Hz, the question of what constitutes "good" FPS has become more nuanced. The answer depends on your game, your monitor, and what you're trying to achieve. Here's a practical guide.

The Baseline: 60 FPS

60 FPS was the gold standard for years and remains the minimum for smooth gameplay. At 60 FPS, each frame takes 16.7ms — this limits your maximum system latency floor and causes visible judder on higher refresh rate monitors. For single-player games on a 60Hz monitor, 60 FPS is perfectly fine. For competitive gaming in 2025, it's the minimum acceptable, not the target.

144 FPS — The Competitive Minimum

144 FPS is the current competitive gaming baseline. It matches the most common competitive monitor refresh rate (144Hz), reduces frame time to 6.9ms, and provides noticeably smoother motion than 60 FPS. The jump from 60 to 144 FPS is the single most impactful frame rate upgrade you can make — virtually every player can perceive and benefit from this improvement.

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240 FPS — Serious Competitive Play

240 FPS at 240Hz reduces frame time to 4.2ms and makes fast flick shots and tracking significantly easier due to more frequent position updates per second. Most esports professionals play at 240Hz or higher. The jump from 144 to 240 is meaningful but less dramatic than 60 to 144. If you're competing at a high level in CS2, VALORANT, or Apex, targeting 240+ FPS is worthwhile.

360 FPS and Beyond

360 FPS at 360Hz brings frame time down to 2.8ms. The perceptual improvement over 240 FPS is real but subtle — most players need side-by-side testing to notice it. At this level, monitor quality, pixel response time, and your own reaction speed become the limiting factors more than frame rate itself. It's a genuine advantage at the top level of competition but not necessary for most players.

FPS Targets by Game Type