Not all PC gamers realize that they can check the FPS of their games on their Windows 10 machine using an FPS counter within the Xbox Game Bar application. Microsoft added the FPS counter way back in October 2019 and it can come handy if you’re interested to know some of the important performance data like the frames per second / FPS of your machine when playing games.
Continue reading below to know how to use your Windows 10 frame rate counter. Keep in mind that this FPS counter can work on all your games so you simply have to activate when playing.
What is FPS in gaming?
PC gamers tend to be more particular when it comes to the performance of their machines than console gamers. One of the things that PC folks keep special attention to is the FPS. This is done by monitoring FPS using either a built-in FPS counter, or a third party software to do a similar job.
For casual gamers, the term FPS may be unfamiliar. FPS stands for Frames per second and is an important performance metric, especially if you play a high quality game like Cyberpunk 2070.
FPS is the number of frames or images that are shown on a PC monitor every second. When it comes to fast-paced, competitive games like Call of Duty Warzone, it’s ideal to have an FPS higher than 60 FPS although 60 FPS is still fine. Anything slower than 60 frames per second when playing games that require fast reflexes must be avoided. The higher the FPS, the faster and smoother your actions on the game becomes.
Why do you need to keep track of your FPS?
If your game becomes choppy, or if you’re experiencing delays, also commonly referred to as lag, it may be due to your PC being unable to maintain good frames per second/FPS. There can be many reasons why this happens. One of the most common causes for low FPS situations can be your hardware. To know, you should try using an FPS counter like the built-in FPS counter for Windows 10 OS.
Just remember, if you’re graphics card is old, or if your hardware in general is several years, the new game you’re playing may simply be too much for your machine.
Others may experience low FPS issues if their monitor’s refresh rate is lower than the FPS that the graphics card is firing off. For instance, if you’re trying to play a game at 120 FPS but your monitor’s refresh rate is only 60 Hz, there may be a noticeable lag due to synchronization issues.
Those playing first person competitive games are sensitive to low FPS issues as one wrong move due to a glitch can mean losing a battle or an easy kill for their opponent. A split-second delay can mean a big difference in such games so the faster your PC can process frames per second can be a big advantage.
What should be your target frame rate?
The ideal FPS you should be targeting depends on the game you’re trying to play. If the games that you play most of the time does not require fast reaction times, such as Civilization 6, having a low-end system may be good enough. I’ve personally tried playing Civ 6 on a years-old machine with 60 FPS and it works wonderfully. However, if your games need sharp images and quick reaction like when playing Fortnite or Call of Duty Warzone, you must have at least 75 frames per second. If you have 240 Hz monitor and your graphics card support, that’s even better!
How to check FPS on Windows 10 (All Games)
Estimate Cost : 0
Time Needed : 5 minutes
This article is about showing you how to check the FPS on your Windows 10 machine using the built-in FPS counter. This is a handy tool as there’s no need for you to install any third party tool to do a similar job. <br>In order to use the built-in FPS counter, you must ensure that your Windows 10 OS is fully updated. Microsoft added the built-in FPS counter as part of the October 2019 Xbox Game Bar update. <br>In case you haven’t updated yet, you can manually update your Windows 10 OS at this time, then install the <strong>Xbox Game Bar</strong> application from the <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-pk/p/xbox-game-bar/9nzkpstsnw4p?rtc=1&activetab=pivot:overviewtab">Microsoft Store</a>. <br><strong>IMPORTANT</strong>: Make sure to restart your PC after updating the app so that the changes will take effect.<br>Once you’ve installed the latest Xbox Game Bar app, follow the steps below to open the FPS counter:
On your keyboard, press the <strong>Windows button</strong>.
Alternatively, you can click on the Start/Windows button at the lower left on the taskbar.
Search for <strong>Xbox Game Bar</strong>.
You will be brought to a new window.Click on <strong>Xbox Game Bar</strong>.
A new window will pop up.Select the <strong>Performance </strong>section.
You can do so when the Xbox Game Bar should show at the top of the screen.A small window should display your FPS.
As well as other information such as CPU, GPU, and RAM.
You will be brought to a new window.
A new window will pop up.
As well as other information such as CPU, GPU, and RAM.Tools
- Windows
Materials
- PC
NOTE: You’ll need to click on the PIN icon at the top of the small window if you want real-time monitoring of your PC’s FPS or other performance metrics.
Why use the built-in Windows 10 FPS counter?
The most important reason why you should consider using your Windows 10 Xbox Game Bar FPS counter is its functionality. Although the tool does not have any other features that third party FPS counter like MSI Afterburner offers, it works just fine if your main goal is to simply monitor your PC’s frame rate or performance data.
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