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Start with the game’s own frame-rate limit. If it has no usable cap, set one in your GPU software; use V-Sync when your main goal is to stop tearing. With a variable-refresh-rate (VRR) display, a cap slightly below its maximum refresh rate is a practical starting point.
Choose a limit for the problem you want to solve
An FPS limit sets an upper ceiling on how many frames a game renders. It does not make the game reach that number: if your PC can render only 52 FPS, a 60-FPS cap will not raise performance to 60.
- Reduce heat, fan noise, or power use: Use an in-game or driver cap, then lower it until the game remains smooth enough. A lower cap can be a better efficiency trade-off than running at the display’s maximum refresh rate.
- Stop menus or loading screens rendering excessive frames: Try the game’s cap first, then a driver-level limit. AMD’s Frame Rate Target Control (FRTC), when available, is designed to cover full-screen menus and loading screens as well as gameplay.
- Eliminate tearing on a fixed-refresh display: Use V-Sync. A numeric cap alone does not synchronize frames to the display.
- Stay below a VRR display’s refresh ceiling: Enable VRR and set a cap slightly below the monitor’s maximum refresh rate.
- Improve latency or inconsistent frame delivery: Try a single in-game or driver cap and compare the result in that game. V-Sync and different limiters behave differently; no one setting is best for every game and system.
- Cap a game without a built-in option: Use your GPU’s per-game controls, or consider RTSS if those controls do not work.
Capping FPS can reduce GPU load, power use, heat, and noise, and can prevent wasted rendering in light games or menus. It cannot fix a CPU bottleneck, network lag, shader-compilation stutter, poor frame pacing built into a game, or drops below the cap.
Pick a sensible FPS target
FPS describes how many frames the game renders per second. Refresh rate, measured in hertz (Hz), describes how many times the display can refresh per second. A 144 Hz monitor can refresh up to 144 times per second; it does not mean every game runs at 144 FPS. Rendering above a fixed-refresh display’s rate can cause tearing, but the panel’s refresh ceiling does not increase.
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FreeSync and G-SYNC technologies let a compatible display vary its refresh behavior within a supported range. If a game exceeds the top of that range, a slightly lower cap can help keep it within VRR operation. NVIDIA recommends a cap slightly below maximum refresh for G-SYNC and G-SYNC Compatible displays. A commonly used starting point is 2–3 FPS below the maximum, but it is a tuning heuristic, not a universal rule.
| Display or goal | Starting point |
|---|---|
| 60 Hz fixed-refresh display | Try 60 FPS if the game can sustain it; use V-Sync if tearing is the problem. |
| 144 Hz VRR display | Try 141 FPS as a below-ceiling starting point. |
| 165 Hz VRR display | Try 162 FPS as a below-ceiling starting point. |
| 240 Hz VRR display | Try 237 FPS as a below-ceiling starting point. |
| Lower heat or noise | Choose the highest rate that still feels smooth; for example, 90 or 120 FPS may be preferable to 144 FPS on a 144 Hz display. |
| Frequent drops below the target | Choose a lower cap that the system can sustain, or reduce graphics settings. |
The below-refresh figures are examples, not guaranteed optimal values. Test for smoothness, latency, and frame-time consistency in the game you play.
Set an FPS limit in the game
A game’s own limiter is usually the simplest first choice: it is integrated with the game and does not require an external overlay. Limiter quality varies, however, so check how the game feels as well as what its FPS counter reports.
- Open the game’s Settings, Options, or Video/Graphics menu.
- Look under Display, Graphics, Advanced Graphics, or Performance.
- Find a setting called Frame Rate Limit, Maximum FPS, Max Frame Rate, Frame Cap, or Target Frame Rate, and choose your target.
- Apply the change. Restart the game if it asks you to.
- Check the result with the game’s FPS counter or a frame-time overlay.
If the only relevant option is V-Sync or Vertical Synchronization, that synchronizes presentation to the display rather than providing an arbitrary numeric ceiling.
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Set a per-game limit with NVIDIA Control Panel
- Right-click the Windows desktop and open NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Select Manage 3D settings, then open Program Settings.
- Select the game, or add its executable if it is not listed.
- Find Max Frame Rate, turn it on, and enter the target FPS.
- Select Apply, then launch or restart the game.
NVIDIA’s Control Panel reference documents a configurable range of 20–1000 FPS; actual behavior may vary with the driver, game, API, and application mode. NVIDIA says the feature was introduced in R440 drivers. See the Manage 3D Settings reference and NVIDIA’s Max Frame Rate guidance.
For G-SYNC or G-SYNC Compatible displays, NVIDIA recommends a cap slightly below maximum refresh. Its smooth, tear-free VRR guidance also involves V-Sync, but the appropriate configuration depends on the game and settings such as NVIDIA Reflex. Avoid stacking limiters without a reason. On laptops, NVIDIA says that when Max Frame Rate is combined with Battery Boost or Whisper Mode, the lowest active limit takes effect.
AMD: Radeon Chill and FRTC are different controls
Use Radeon Chill for movement-sensitive frame limiting
Radeon Chill adjusts frame rate in response to in-game movement. Chill Min sets the lower limit during less active scenes, while Chill Max sets the upper limit during active scenes.
- Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition and select the Gaming tab.
- Choose the game profile, or use global graphics settings.
- Enable Radeon Chill and set Chill Min and Chill Max.
- Where the current software supports it, set both values to the same target for a more consistent ceiling, then apply and test.
AMD’s support documentation lists values from 30 to 300 FPS and support for many DirectX 9–12 and Vulkan titles, but behavior depends on the driver, GPU, API, and application mode. Chill’s movement-sensitive behavior may not suit players who want the most predictable frame delivery. AMD says automatically selected defaults can depend on the connected display and FreeSync range. See AMD’s Radeon Chill setup guide.
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Use Frame Rate Target Control when supported
FRTC is separate from Chill. AMD describes it as a target maximum for full-screen applications that can reduce power, heat, and noise, including in menus and loading screens. Its current product page identifies a 30–200 FPS range for Radeon RX 6000 and RX 7000 Series GPUs, with DirectX 9, 10, 11, 12, and Vulkan support. Do not assume it is available on every Radeon GPU or in every window mode; check whether the control appears in your current driver. AMD says to change the setting outside the game and restart the game for the change to take effect. Details: AMD Frame Rate Target Control.
Intel graphics: use the game’s limiter or synchronization settings
Intel’s official support guidance focuses on V-Sync and frame delivery rather than documenting a universal driver-level numeric FPS cap equivalent to NVIDIA Max Frame Rate. Check the game’s own limiter first. If synchronization is the goal, use the game’s V-Sync option or the available Intel graphics control software.
On Intel Arc systems, Frame Delivery options may include Application Choice, which follows the game’s V-Sync setting, and Smart VSync, which enables V-Sync when render rate exceeds display refresh and disables it when render rate falls below it. Availability and labels depend on the software and system. Intel explains V-Sync behavior in its V-Sync support article and Arc Control frame-delivery documentation.
FPS cap, V-Sync, and VRR: which should you use?
| Setup or goal | Recommended starting point |
|---|---|
| Fixed-refresh monitor with tearing | Enable V-Sync if the game can sustain the display refresh rate. |
| VRR monitor for general gaming | Enable VRR and try a cap slightly below maximum refresh. Add V-Sync only if your chosen setup calls for it or tearing appears at the top of the range. |
| Lower power, heat, or noise | Set a lower numeric cap in the game or driver. |
| Competitive play | Compare the game’s limiter with the driver cap; prioritize stable frame times and test latency in that game. |
| No built-in limiter | Try your GPU driver’s control, then RTSS if needed. |
V-Sync synchronizes game output with display refresh. It is useful for reducing tearing, but it is not an arbitrary FPS cap. Depending on implementation and performance, it can increase latency or cause stutter if the game cannot sustain the refresh rate. Intel describes V-Sync’s purpose and the tearing or jerkiness possible with it disabled in its support guidance. NVIDIA’s Adaptive V-Sync describes a mode that unlocks below the V-Sync threshold and locks when performance improves.
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A standalone cap can set a target such as 58, 117, 141, or 162 FPS and reduce rendering load without itself synchronizing each frame to a fixed-refresh display. For a VRR display, enable VRR in the monitor and in the applicable operating-system or driver settings, select the correct monitor refresh rate, and test a cap just below the ceiling. AMD recommends capping FPS or using V-Sync when frame rates regularly exceed display refresh; see its FreeSync guidance.
Use RTSS only if simpler limiters do not work
RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS) is a third-party tool used for per-executable profiles and FPS or frame-time overlays. It can be a useful fallback when a game has no limiter and the driver control does not affect it. This article does not link to a download because a clearly authoritative developer distribution URL is not established here; avoid random download mirrors.
RTSS interacts with a game’s rendering process, so it can conflict with anti-cheat systems, other overlays, or frame-generation features. If it causes crashes, a missing overlay, broken frame generation, or abnormal performance, disable it for that game. During troubleshooting, do not run multiple external overlays and limiters at once.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a cap that is ignored or feels wrong
The FPS still exceeds the cap
- Confirm the setting applies to the executable actually running the game. A launcher and the game itself may use different executables.
- Check that a global driver setting is not overriding the per-game profile, and restart the game after changing driver settings.
- Test the game’s display modes separately. A driver control may behave differently in borderless or exclusive fullscreen, or with a particular graphics API.
- Check for other active limiters. On NVIDIA laptops, Battery Boost or Whisper Mode can impose a lower effective cap than Max Frame Rate.
- If frame generation is enabled, find out whether the counter shows native rendered FPS or includes generated frames. Where a limiter acts relative to frame generation depends on the game and technology; test the actual output rather than assuming one cap formula.
The game is capped lower than intended
- Check the monitor’s selected refresh rate and any active V-Sync setting.
- Review laptop power-saving modes and vendor performance profiles.
- Check the game’s own cap and any active driver cap.
- For Radeon Chill, confirm both Min and Max are set as intended.
- If V-Sync is active and the system cannot sustain full refresh, check whether the game or driver is using a lower synchronized rate.
The counter looks right, but play feels stuttery
- Look at frame time as well as average FPS. An FPS counter alone can hide uneven delivery.
- Test one limiter at a time: the in-game cap, then the driver cap, rather than stacking both.
- Temporarily disable duplicate overlays and test frame generation separately.
- Check shader-compilation behavior, background processes, and whether the monitor is running at its intended refresh rate.
- Change one setting at a time so you can tell which change affected the result.
The image still tears
A cap alone does not guarantee tear-free output. For a fixed-refresh display, try V-Sync. For VRR, verify that the feature is enabled both on the monitor and in the applicable driver or operating-system settings.
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Verify the result
- Use the game’s counter or a frame-time overlay to see whether the cap holds during gameplay and menus.
- Check GPU utilization, power use, and fan behavior if reducing system load was the goal.
- Confirm the monitor is actually using the intended refresh rate.
- On a VRR display, check smoothness near the upper end of its range.
- With frame generation enabled, distinguish native render rate from displayed FPS where the available tools allow it.
Average FPS, 1% lows, frame time, native rendered FPS, generated-frame counts, and monitor refresh rate describe different parts of performance. No single counter necessarily tells you exactly what the panel is presenting.
For developers: set a limit in the engine
Unreal Engine
Unreal Engine exposes Set Frame Rate Limit through Game User Settings; Epic documents that a value of 0 disables frame-rate limiting. Unreal also uses the engine-specific t.MaxFPS console variable. For example:
t.MaxFPS 60This is an Unreal command, not a universal command for every game. See Epic’s Set Frame Rate Limit and Performance and Profiling Overview.
Unity
On desktop, Unity uses Application.targetFrameRate when V-Sync is disabled. If QualitySettings.vSyncCount is nonzero, Unity ignores Application.targetFrameRate on desktop and follows the V-Sync setting. Unity cautions that Application.targetFrameRate can cause desktop frame-pacing issues and recommends QualitySettings.vSyncCount for desktop targets. For example:
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Application.targetFrameRate = 60;On mobile, Unity says Application.targetFrameRate is the relevant control, but the requested rate may be rounded down to a divisor of the display refresh rate. For example, a request for 25 FPS on a 60 Hz Android display can result in 20 FPS. See Unity’s Application.targetFrameRate documentation.
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