What is an FPS calculator?
An FPS calculator estimates how many frames per second a PC will run a game at, before you buy or upgrade anything. You enter the processor, the graphics card and the game, and it predicts the average frame rate and the 1% lows at the resolution and graphics preset you plan to use.
The answer depends on two separate limits. The CPU decides how many frames the game logic can prepare each second, which hardly changes with resolution. The GPU decides how many of those frames it can draw, which drops sharply as you add pixels or raise quality. Your real frame rate is close to whichever limit is lower. This tool works out both limits for each game, so it can also tell you why you get the FPS you get and what would raise it.
Short version: if a game is CPU-limited, lowering settings won't add FPS and a faster processor will. If it's GPU-limited, lower settings, DLSS/FSR or a faster graphics card will. The “Limited by” column tells you which case you're in.
How to use the FPS calculator
- Pick your CPU and GPU. Type a model number such as “5600”, “14600K” or “5070 Ti”. Laptop chips and integrated graphics are included and marked.
- Choose a game. Pick one of the 12 supported titles, or a game type (AAA, esports, CPU-heavy or ray tracing) for anything else.
- Set your resolution. Pick the resolution you actually play at. Open Settings to change quality, RAM, upscaling and your monitor's refresh rate.
- Read the FPS table. It shows every combination of 1080p, 1440p and 4K with Low to Ultra, colored by frame rate. Select any cell to load those settings.
- Check your refresh-rate targets. The calculator tells you whether 60, 144 and 240 Hz are within reach and what to change if they aren't. Copy the link to share your result.
How we estimate FPS
The FPS calculator uses the same engine as our bottleneck calculator. Every CPU and GPU has a gaming performance index built from averaged benchmark results, not synthetic scores. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is 100 on the CPU side and the RTX 4090 is 100 on the GPU side.
1. A profile for each game
Games load hardware very differently. Valorant can run at 800 FPS on a fast CPU because each frame is cheap to prepare and draw. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 struggles to pass 100 FPS on the same CPU because it simulates a whole planet. So each game starts from one of four engine types (AAA, esports, CPU-heavy or ray tracing) and gets its own CPU, GPU and VRAM multipliers on top. We calibrated them against averaged results for an RTX 4060 at 1080p High and a Ryzen 7 9800X3D at low settings.
2. CPU and GPU frame-rate limits
The CPU limit is the CPU index times the game's CPU factor, adjusted for quality preset and RAM. The GPU limit is the GPU index scaled by resolution (pixel count−0.62, which matches measured results better than a linear drop), quality, upscaling, the game's GPU factor and a penalty when the game needs more VRAM than the card has.
3. Combining them
Accuracy: across many systems the estimates usually land within about 10–15% of averaged benchmarks. A single run can differ more, because patches, drivers, the map or scene you test, RAM speed, cooling and background apps all move the number. Use the result to compare parts and settings, not as a guarantee for one game session.
Supported games and how they load your PC
Each game's profile at a glance. “Engine type” is the workload the profile builds on, and the cap is a frame-rate limit the game sets itself.
| Game | Engine type | FPS cap |
|---|---|---|
| Counter-Strike 2 Source 2 is heavier on the GPU than CS:GO was. Competitive players use Low or Medium for the highest frame rates. | Esports | – |
| Valorant Very light on the GPU. Above about 400 FPS the CPU and RAM speed decide your frame rate. | Esports | – |
| Fortnite DirectX 12, High preset without Lumen or Nanite. Performance mode runs much faster on any GPU. | AAA games | – |
| Cyberpunk 2077 Raster only. Ray tracing cuts these numbers roughly in half; pick the Ray tracing game type for RT Overdrive. | AAA games | – |
| Elden Ring Locked to 60 FPS by the game. A higher figure here only means more headroom for stable frame times. | AAA games | 60 |
| GTA V GTA V Enhanced without ray tracing. Busy city areas and long draw distance load the CPU most. | AAA games | – |
| Call of Duty: Warzone Uses a lot of VRAM. 8 GB cards need lower texture settings to avoid stutter. | AAA games | – |
| Apex Legends Capped at 300 FPS by the engine. Big fights with many effects are the most demanding moments. | Esports | 300 |
| Marvel Rivals Unreal Engine 5 with Lumen lighting. Low settings or upscaling help a lot on mid-range cards. | AAA games | – |
| Baldur's Gate 3 Act 3 (the city of Baldur's Gate) runs about 25% slower than these averages and is CPU-limited on most PCs. | CPU-heavy | – |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Dense airports and photogrammetry cities load the CPU and VRAM most. Frame generation helps a lot here. | CPU-heavy | – |
| Minecraft (Java) Vanilla Java at 12 chunks. Sodium can roughly double these numbers; shader packs make it GPU-heavy. | Esports | – |
Playing something else? Pick the matching game type. AAA fits most big single-player releases, Esports fits light competitive shooters and MOBAs, CPU-heavy fits strategy games, simulators and MMOs, and Ray tracing fits games with RT or path tracing switched on.
FPS in popular games for common builds
Estimated average FPS at High settings with native resolution, each build at the resolution it's usually bought for. Select a number to open that build and game in the calculator.
| Game | Ryzen 5 5600 + RTX 4060 1080p | Ryzen 5 7600 + RTX 5070 1440p | Ryzen 7 7800X3D + RX 9070 XT 1440p | Ryzen 7 9800X3D + RTX 5080 4K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counter-Strike 2 | 239 | 318 | 387 | 274 |
| Valorant | 390 | 512 | 634 | 465 |
| Fortnite | 112 | 147 | 181 | 133 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 73 | 100 | 121 | 86 |
| Elden Ring | 60 cap | 60 cap | 60 cap | 60 cap |
| GTA V | 113 | 146 | 186 | 153 |
| Call of Duty: Warzone | 85 | 117 | 145 | 107 |
| Apex Legends | 160 | 209 | 260 | 192 |
| Marvel Rivals | 72 | 100 | 121 | 86 |
| Baldur's Gate 3 | 74 | 96 | 123 | 106 |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 | 46 | 64 | 80 | 59 |
| Minecraft (Java) | 220 | 283 | 366 | 415 |
Want the bottleneck view of a build instead? Browse popular CPU + GPU builds with bottleneck percentages at 1080p, 1440p and 4K.
How many FPS do you need? 60, 144 and 240 Hz
More FPS only helps up to what your monitor can show. A 144 Hz monitor displays at most 144 frames per second, so 300 FPS won't look smoother, though it does cut input latency slightly in competitive games.
| Target | Who it's for | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| 60 FPS | Single-player, story and simulation games on a 60 Hz screen or TV | Usually GPU-limited. Almost any modern 6-core CPU is enough. |
| 144 FPS | Most gamers with a 144–180 Hz monitor, shooters and action games | A mid-range GPU at 1080p or 1440p and a CPU from 2022 or later. |
| 240 FPS | Competitive CS2, Valorant, Fortnite and Apex players | Mostly CPU-limited. X3D chips such as the 7800X3D and 9800X3D shine, with Low or Medium settings. |
If your frame rate falls short of your refresh rate, turn on G-Sync or FreeSync. Variable refresh makes 90 FPS on a 144 Hz screen look smooth with no tearing. If you exceed it, cap FPS 3 or 4 frames below the refresh rate for steadier frame pacing, lower latency and less heat.
Average FPS vs 1% lows
Average FPS is the number most benchmarks quote, but 1% lows decide how smooth a game feels. The 1% low is the frame rate of the slowest 1% of frames, which are the hitches you notice in a firefight or when a new area loads. A game averaging 120 FPS with 1% lows of 50 feels worse than one averaging 100 with lows of 80.
Lows are hit hardest when the CPU is the limit, because busy moments add CPU work on top of an already full load. Large L3 caches help a lot, which is why X3D processors post far better 1% lows than their averages suggest. Too little RAM or VRAM causes stutter too: 8 GB of system memory and 8 GB graphics cards at high texture settings are the most common causes.
How to get more FPS
When the GPU limits
- Turn on DLSS, FSR or XeSS in Quality mode for roughly 30–50% more FPS with little visible loss.
- Lower the heaviest settings first: ray tracing, shadows, volumetric fog and screen-space reflections. Textures barely affect FPS if you have enough VRAM.
- Try frame generation (DLSS Frame Generation, FSR Frame Generation) in single-player games when you already have 60+ FPS.
When the CPU limits
- Enable XMP or EXPO and run two RAM sticks in dual-channel. Slow or single-channel memory can cost 10–25% FPS in CPU-heavy games.
- Lower CPU-side settings: crowd density, view distance, physics and simulation detail. Graphics quality barely matters here.
- Close background apps such as browsers and launchers, and use your GPU's hardware encoder when streaming.
- Upgrade within your socket. On AM4, a Ryzen 7 5700X3D is often the cheapest big jump. The bottleneck calculator shows which CPU fully feeds your GPU.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this FPS calculator?
Across many systems the estimates usually land within about 10–15% of averaged benchmarks. Individual results vary with game patches, drivers, the map or scene you play, RAM speed, cooling and background apps. Use the numbers to compare hardware and settings, not as an exact promise for one session.
How do I calculate the FPS my PC will get?
Pick your CPU, graphics card and game in the calculator above, then set your resolution and quality. It estimates how many frames the CPU can prepare and how many the GPU can render, and shows the lower of the two as your average FPS, along with 1% lows for every resolution and preset.
Does the CPU or the GPU matter more for FPS?
It depends on the game and resolution. At 1440p and 4K in AAA games the GPU matters most. In esports titles like CS2 and Valorant, at 1080p, or in simulators like Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU often sets the limit. The calculator's “Limited by” column shows which part limits each game.
Why does Elden Ring show 60 FPS on every PC?
Elden Ring is locked to 60 FPS by the game itself. Faster hardware doesn't raise the cap, but it keeps frame times steadier and the frame rate closer to a constant 60. Apex Legends has a similar built-in cap at 300 FPS.
Is 60 FPS good for gaming?
Yes, for single-player and story games 60 FPS is smooth and responsive. For competitive shooters, 144 FPS or more on a high-refresh monitor gives clearly smoother motion and lower input latency. Very few people benefit from more than 240 FPS.
Does RAM affect FPS?
Yes, mostly through 1% lows. 8 GB of RAM causes stutter in modern games, and single-channel memory or memory running without XMP/EXPO can cut CPU-limited FPS by 10–25%. For gaming in 2026, 32 GB of dual-channel memory is the sweet spot.
How much FPS does DLSS or FSR add?
In GPU-limited games, Quality mode typically adds 30–50% FPS and Performance mode 60–90%. If the CPU is already the limit, upscaling adds little because the GPU was not holding you back. Frame generation is separate and roughly doubles the displayed frame rate, at a small latency cost.
Why is my real FPS lower than the estimate?
Common causes are RAM running at default speed without XMP/EXPO, a laptop or small case that throttles under heat, the monitor cable plugged into the motherboard instead of the graphics card, outdated drivers, background apps, or a particularly demanding map or scene. Check GPU usage with an overlay such as MSI Afterburner: below 90% points at the CPU or RAM.
Does the FPS calculator work for laptops?
Yes. Popular laptop CPUs and GPUs are included and marked “Laptop”. Laptop GPUs vary a lot with power limit and cooling, so thin-and-light models can run 10–25% below the estimate.