The best FPS counter for a Windows gaming PC is usually the one already built into the software you use: Steam for Steam games, NVIDIA App for supported GeForce systems, or AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition for compatible Radeon systems. For deeper performance measurement, NVIDIA FrameView and CapFrameX add logging or capture analysis; MSI Afterburner and RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS) offer a more configurable hardware-monitoring OSD.
These tools do different jobs, and their FPS figures are not always directly comparable. Choose based on your game and GPU, whether you need only a live number or also telemetry and analysis, and what kind of frames the counter reports.
Which FPS counter should you choose?
- Just want an in-game number? Start with the overlay in your game platform or graphics software: Steam, NVIDIA App, or AMD Adrenalin, depending on your setup.
- Want to customize a hardware-monitoring display? MSI Afterburner paired with RTSS is a flexible option, but requires both programs to run.
- Want logs or performance comparisons? Use FrameView for measurement and logging, or CapFrameX to capture and compare runs.
- Considering Xbox Game Bar? Microsoft documents pinned widgets, but the Microsoft material cited here does not verify a current FPS-counter feature.
The recommendations below reflect documented features, not comparative lab tests. There is no established performance-overhead comparison across these programs, so do not assume that any overlay has zero impact.
7 FPS counter programs for Windows
1. Steam In-Game Overlay Performance Monitor — best for Steam games
If the game runs through Steam, its built-in Performance Monitor is a convenient first choice. Steam documents FPS, CPU, GPU, and system RAM information, and says the monitor can distinguish base-game FPS from FPS that includes frame generation. It is intended for understanding how a game is running and what load it places on the system, rather than as a universal overlay for games outside Steam. See Steam’s Performance Monitor guide for supported setup details.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →#1 Best Overall
- QHD Resolution (2560 x 1440) has 1.7 times the pixel density of Full HD for incredibly detailed pinsharp images
- HDR10 provides brighter highlights and nuanced shadow for added depth - making every scene feel more vivid and realistic
- The 180Hz refresh rate minimizes lag for gameplay with ultra-smooth action. Plus, the 1ms response time helps capture your moves in real-time, allowing you to react fast for gaming precision
- AMD FreeSync reduces choppiness, screen lag and image tearing, ensuring that your fast-paced, complex in-game action is stable with minimal stutter
- Ergonomic stand allows for tilt, pivot and height adjustments to maximize gaming comfort
2. NVIDIA App overlay — best for supported GeForce systems
For a compatible GeForce system already using NVIDIA App, the overlay provides real-time FPS and performance statistics. NVIDIA lists GPU and CPU utilization, 1% low FPS, and system latency among the available metrics. Check NVIDIA’s current NVIDIA App release and compatibility information before relying on a particular feature or setup, since support depends on the GPU and software version.
3. AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition — best for compatible Radeon systems
AMD’s metrics overlay can show data in games and applications, be customized, and log metrics. Listed measures include frame rate, frame time, 99th-percentile FPS, stutter rate, GPU utilization and temperature, and CPU measures. It requires a compatible Radeon system and the full Adrenalin installation. AMD’s guide documents Ctrl+Shift+O as the default overlay toggle; its screenshots use Adrenalin 23.9.1, so current interface labels may differ. Consult AMD’s performance-metrics guide for current details.
Rank #2
- 32 Inch curved 1500R gaming monitor, 240Hz high refresh rate for gameplay
- Performance: 240Hz refresh rate, Full HD 1920*1080P resolution, 1ms MPRT response time, Built-in FreeSync technology, Anti-flicker, Low blue light
- Interfaces: HDMI up to 240Hz, DP 1.4 up to 240Hz, Earphone Jack, No speakers built-in. One DP cable comes with the package
- Display Colors: 125% sRGB color gamut, 16.7M display colors, 300 Nits brightness, HDR technology, 3500:1 contrast
- Ergonomic Design: 1500R curved, Tilt: -5°~15°, VESA Compatible (100 x 100mm), 178° Wide Viewing Angle.Recommended distance of playing games in this monitor is about 1.2 meters.
4. MSI Afterburner — best for a configurable hardware OSD
Afterburner lets you choose hardware-monitoring metrics and display selected items in an on-screen display. In its settings, select the desired items under Settings → Monitoring and enable Show in On-Screen Display. MSI’s documented in-game OSD setup also requires RTSS, and both applications must remain running in the background. You do not need to overclock your GPU to use the FPS display. Download Afterburner from MSI or Guru3D; MSI warns about lookalike or phishing installers. See MSI’s Afterburner guide.
5. RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS) — best as the OSD partner for Afterburner
RTSS is an overlay utility in its own right, but it commonly serves as the component that displays Afterburner’s selected hardware metrics in games and controls OSD appearance. If you use Afterburner’s documented hardware-monitoring OSD, install RTSS and keep both programs running. That additional setup is more involved than using an overlay already present in Steam or your graphics software. MSI explains the relationship in its Afterburner setup guide.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallRank #3
- 【INTEGRATED SPEAKERS】Whether you're at work or in the midst of an intense gaming session, our built-in speakers provide rich and seamless audio, all while keeping your desk clutter-free.
- 【EASY ON THE EYES】 Protect your eyes and enhance your comfort with Blue-Light Shift technology. This feature reduces harmful blue light emissions from your screen, helping to alleviate eye strain during long hours of use and promoting healthier viewing habits.
- 【WIDEN YOUR PERSPECTIVE】Our sleek minimal bezel design ensures undivided attention. The nearly bezel-free display seamlessly connects in a dual monitor arrangement, delivering an unobstructed view that lets you focus on more at once, completely distraction-free.
6. NVIDIA FrameView — best for measurement and logging
FrameView combines a configurable real-time display with performance measurement and logging through PresentMon. NVIDIA lists frame rates, frame times, power, and performance per watt among the information it can report, and describes support for a wide range of graphics cards, major APIs, and UWP apps. Power reporting differs by vendor: NVIDIA cards report chip and board power, while AMD cards report chip power only. NVIDIA’s page currently advertises version 1.9; check the corresponding guide for API-specific overlay compatibility before troubleshooting a game. See NVIDIA FrameView.
7. CapFrameX — best for capture and run comparison
CapFrameX is aimed at users who want to capture sessions and analyze them, rather than leave a counter on screen. Its project documentation describes frametime, FPS, percentile, and stutter analysis, along with aggregation and comparison of captures. It has a hook-free overlay; an optional RTSS renderer is also available and requires RTSS to be installed separately.
Rank #4
- 24 Inch Curved 1500R 160Hz FHD Fast VA Monitor for business and gaming.
- Performance:160Hz Refresh Rate | MPRT 1ms Response Time丨 FreeSync | Blue light reduction | Flicker-free
- Screen Colors:sRGB 110% | 300nits | 8 bits丨DCI-P3 97%丨3000:1 Contrast Ratio|HDR
- Ergonomic Stand:Tilt / Kensington Lock: -5°~15°(+/-2°) / Yes丨VESA Compatible (75 x 75mm) | 178° Wide Viewing Angle
- Input&Output:HDMI 2.0*1(Up to 160Hz), DP1.4*1(Up to 160Hz)|No Speakers
The current project documentation lists Windows x64 and the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime (x64); setup also checks for the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable. CapFrameX relies largely on PresentMon for game detection, which can fail, and multiple detected processes may require you to select the correct one. Overlapping PresentMon-based monitoring in other tools can conflict, so the project advises disabling duplicate FPS or frametime metrics. See the CapFrameX project documentation and its support and troubleshooting notes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to compare FPS readings correctly
“FPS” can describe different things. Steam says its monitor can separate base-game FPS from FPS including frame generation, so two counters may show different values while both are working as designed. Before comparing screenshots, a benchmark result, or settings changes, check whether the counter represents base or generated frames and whether it reports an instantaneous reading or data from a capture. FrameView and CapFrameX provide broader measurement workflows than a single live number.
Recommended Free Tools
Best Value
- 1800R curve monitor the curved display delivers a revolutionary visual experience with a leading 1800R screen curvature as the images appear to wrap around you for an in depth, immersive experience
- Hdmi, VGA & PC audio in ports
- High refresh rate 75Hz.Brightness (cd/m²):250 cd/m2
- Vesa wall mount ready; Lamp Life: 30,000+ Hours
- Windows 10 Sceptre Monitors are fully compatible with Windows 10, the most recent operating System available on PCs.Brightness: 220 cd/M2
For a meaningful performance comparison, use the same game scene, settings, capture duration, and measurement method for each run. A momentary overlay reading is useful for checking current performance, but it is not by itself a complete benchmark result.
Xbox Game Bar: a caveat about FPS support
Xbox Game Bar is often described in third-party coverage as an FPS-counter option. Microsoft’s Game Assist FAQ confirms that Game Bar widgets can be pinned over games and opened with Win+G, but does not confirm an FPS metric or its current support conditions. The available evidence therefore supports Game Bar widgets generally, not a dependable FPS-counter recommendation. See Microsoft’s Game Assist FAQ.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
