Convert FPS to Frame Time, Analyze Refresh Rates & Bandwidth
The average frame rate your GPU produces.
The maximum times your screen updates per second.
e.g., 1920×1080 (1080p), 2560×1440 (2K)
8-bit (Standard)
10-bit (HDR)
12-bit (Pro)
Frame Time (Latency)0 ms
Visible FPS (Capped by Hz)0 FPS
Wasted Frames0 FPS
Pixel Throughput0 MP/s
Est. Uncompressed Bandwidth0 Gbps
Understanding Game Frame Rates and Frame Time
In competitive gaming and high-fidelity rendering, understanding the relationship between FPS (Frames Per Second) and Frame Time (measured in milliseconds) is crucial for optimizing your experience. While most gamers focus solely on the "FPS counter," the consistency of frame delivery—known as frame pacing—is often more important for a smooth experience.
FPS vs. Frame Time: The Formula
FPS and Frame Time are inversely related. While FPS tells you how many images are generated in one second, Frame Time tells you how long a single frame remains on screen. Lower frame times reduce input lag and create a more responsive feel.
The core formula used in this calculator is:
Frame Time (ms) = 1000 / FPS
FPS = 1000 / Frame Time (ms)
For example, at 60 FPS, a new frame is generated every 16.67ms. At 144 FPS, this drops to roughly 6.94ms, significantly reducing the delay between your mouse movement and the action on screen.
Refresh Rate (Hz) vs. GPU FPS
Your monitor's Refresh Rate (measured in Hertz or Hz) is the physical limit of how many images it can display per second. If your GPU produces 200 FPS but your monitor is only 60Hz, you are physically only seeing 60 images per second.
GPU Bottleneck: If FPS < Hz, your monitor is waiting for frames, which may cause stuttering.
Monitor Bottleneck: If FPS > Hz, your GPU is wasting energy rendering frames you cannot see, often leading to "screen tearing" unless V-Sync is enabled.
Why Resolution and Bandwidth Matter
As you increase resolution (from 1080p to 4K) and frame rate, the data throughput required increases exponentially. This calculator estimates the raw uncompressed bandwidth required to send these frames to your display. This helps in understanding if your HDMI or DisplayPort cable has sufficient bandwidth (e.g., HDMI 2.0 vs 2.1) to support your desired gaming settings.
Example: A 4K signal at 60 FPS requires significantly more bandwidth than 1080p at 144 FPS, impacting which cables and hardware interfaces you need.
function calculateFrameData() {
// 1. Get Inputs
var fpsInput = document.getElementById('targetFps');
var hzInput = document.getElementById('refreshRate');
var wInput = document.getElementById('resWidth');
var hInput = document.getElementById('resHeight');
var depthInput = document.getElementById('colorDepth');
var fps = parseFloat(fpsInput.value);
var hz = parseFloat(hzInput.value);
var width = parseFloat(wInput.value);
var height = parseFloat(hInput.value);
var bitDepth = parseFloat(depthInput.value);
// 2. Validation
if (!fps || fps <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid average FPS (greater than 0).");
return;
}
if (!hz || hz hz) {
visibleFps = hz;
wastedFps = fps – hz;
} else {
visibleFps = fps;
wastedFps = 0;
}
// C. Pixel Throughput (Megapixels per second)
// Total pixels per frame * FPS / 1,000,000
var totalPixels = width * height;
var throughput = (totalPixels * fps) / 1000000;
// D. Bandwidth (Gbps) – Uncompressed estimate
// (Width * Height * 3 channels * bits per channel * FPS) / 1,000,000,000
// Standard RGB has 3 channels.
var bitsPerPixel = bitDepth * 3;
var rawBandwidthBits = totalPixels * bitsPerPixel * fps;
// Apply varying blanking interval overhead estimate (roughly 1.1x to 1.2x for CVT-RB usually, keeping it raw for simplicity or adding modest overhead)
// Let's display RAW pixel rate bandwidth for cable estimation roughly.
var bandwidthGbps = rawBandwidthBits / 1000000000;
// 4. Output Results
document.getElementById('resultArea').style.display = 'block';
document.getElementById('resFrameTime').innerHTML = frameTime.toFixed(2) + " ms";
document.getElementById('resVisibleFps').innerHTML = visibleFps.toFixed(0) + " FPS";
var wastedElem = document.getElementById('resWasted');
wastedElem.innerHTML = wastedFps.toFixed(0) + " FPS";
if (wastedFps > 0) {
wastedElem.style.color = "#ff8888";
} else {
wastedElem.style.color = "#fff";
}
document.getElementById('resPixels').innerHTML = throughput.toFixed(1) + " MP/s";
document.getElementById('resBandwidth').innerHTML = bandwidthGbps.toFixed(2) + " Gbps";
// 5. Status Messages
var msgBox = document.getElementById('bottleneckMsg');
var smoothBox = document.getElementById('smoothMsg');
msgBox.style.display = "none";
smoothBox.style.display = "none";
if (fps > hz) {
msgBox.innerHTML = "Monitor Bottleneck: Your GPU is generating " + (fps – hz).toFixed(0) + " more frames than your monitor can display. This may cause screen tearing. Consider enabling V-Sync or capping FPS to " + hz + ".";
msgBox.style.display = "block";
} else if (fps < hz) {
msgBox.innerHTML = "GPU Bottleneck: Your monitor supports " + hz + "Hz, but you are only getting " + fps + " FPS. You aren't utilizing the monitor's full smoothness potential. Try lowering graphics settings.";
msgBox.style.display = "block";
} else {
smoothBox.innerHTML = "Perfect Sync: Your Frame Rate matches your Refresh Rate. Ensure V-Sync or G-Sync/FreeSync is active for the smoothest experience.";
smoothBox.style.display = "block";
}
}