A popular question we get asked a lot is, “Is 75hz good for gaming?” The short answer is: YES! A 75hz monitor is definitely good for gaming. It is not the best option available on the market, but it is a great option for gamers on a budget.
A 75hz monitor will provide a smooth gaming experience and is also great for watching movies and TV shows.
If you want to learn what “Hz” stands for, why it is crucial for gaming, and what kind of games are best played on a 75hz monitor, read on!
What is a 75Hz Monitor?
The refresh rate is a basic spec for monitors and TVs measured in hertz (Hz). The most common refresh rates on monitors today are 60Hz, 75Hz, 144Hz, 165Hz, and even higher.
A monitor’s refresh rate is how many times per second the image on its screen is refreshed. A faster refresh rate produces a more smooth picture, whereas a slower refresh rate creates a less smooth one.
So, a 75Hz monitor means that the image on the screen is refreshed 75 times per second.
The human eye can see 10 to 12 images (frames) per second as static images. Anything above that is perceived as a video or moving image.
So, as you can understand, the higher the refresh rate of your monitor, the smoother video and gaming experience you will get.
Related Article: “Does RAM Affect FPS? [Solved]“
Why is a Higher Refresh Rate Important for Gaming?
The main reason why a higher refresh rate is vital for gaming is that you will get better quality and smoother graphics.
On the other hand, a lower refresh rate will make the motion appear choppy. This is why most PC gamers prefer to play on monitors with high refresh rates because it gives them a better gaming experience.
Another important reason a higher refresh rate is necessary for gaming is that it reduces input lag. Input lag is the delay between when you press a button on your controller and when that action is displayed on your screen.
A lower refresh rate will result in a higher input lag, which is not ideal for gaming. So, if you want the best gaming experience possible, you should consider getting a high refresh rate monitor.
So, is 75Hz Good for Gaming?
As I already told you, a 75Hz monitor is good for gaming; however, the type of games you play will determine if it is the best option for you.
For example, if you play games like Cyberpunk 2077, HALO Infinite, or Far Cry 6, a 75Hz monitor might not be the best option.
In these cases, you need a monitor with higher refresh rates, like 144Hz or even 240Hz.
But, if you play MOBA games like League of Legends, Dota 2, Overwatch, or less demanding games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, or CS: GO, then a 75Hz monitor is definitely a good choice.
Refresh Rate Vs. Frames Per Second (Hz vs. FPS)
A common misconception is that the refresh rate (Hz) and frames per second (FPS) are the same.
But they are not! The refresh rate is the number of times your monitor refreshes the image on the screen, while the FPS is the number of images your GPU can render per second.
And while they are not the same thing, they are closely related. This is because the number of frames your monitor can display per second is the same as the number of times it can refresh the image on the screen.
So, if you have a monitor with a 75Hz refresh rates, it can display up to 75 FPS.
If you have a 60Hz monitor and your GPU renders 100 frames per second (FPS), then your monitor will only display 60 of those frames resulting in a choppy and uneven gaming experience.
Finally, if you have a 144Hz monitor and your GPU can render 100 FPS, your monitor will display all 100 frames, resulting in an underutilized refresh rate but a smooth gaming experience.
So the best way to get a smooth gaming experience is to have a monitor with a similar refresh rate to your maximum achievable framerate.
The last thing to keep in mind is that the cable you are using to connect your GPU to your monitor also plays a role in the maximum refresh rate you can achieve.
For example, if you use a DisplayPort cable, you can achieve a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz. But if you are using an HDMI cable, then the maximum refresh rate you can achieve is only 60Hz. So, make sure you use the right cable!
Related Article: Motherboard HDMI Not Working: [Solved]
How many FPS can my GPU produce?
Knowing the number of FPS your GPU can produce is very important because it will help you choose the right monitor for your needs.
For example, if you have a high-end GPU that can produce 100 FPS, then you would need a monitor with a refresh rate of at least 100Hz to take full advantage of your GPU’s capabilities.
But unfortunately, finding out how many FPS your GPU can produce is not as simple as it sounds.
This is because many factors can affect the number of FPS your GPU can produce, such as the game you are playing, the settings you have enabled, and even your CPU and RAM.
The best way to find out how many FPS your GPU can produce is to use a real-time FPS counter like MSI Afterburner.
MSI Afterburner is one of my favorite tools because it’s free, easy to use, and works with almost any GPU.
- Once you have downloaded and installed MSI Afterburner, open the program and go to “Settings” and then the “Monitor” tab.
- Select the “Framerate” option from the drop-down menu and click “OK.”
- Now, launch the game you want to play and play for a while.
- Then open MSI Afterburner’s heartbeat rate and you will see your framerate.
Keep in mind that the FPS you see is not necessarily the maximum achievable framerate.
Related Article: Do You Need A Graphics Card For A PC? [Solved]
If you don’t want to download any programs, you can also use the built-in FPS counter on Steam.
- Launch Steam and go to the “Settings” menu to do this.
- Then, select the “In-Game” tab from the left sidebar and enable the “In-game framerate counter” option.
- Now, launch the game you want to play, and Steam will start displaying your current framerate in the corner of your screen.
- After doing this a few times, you will know the average and maximum framerate your GPU can produce in different games with different settings.
Now that you know this number choosing the right monitor is much easier.
For example, if you know that your GPU can produce 100 FPS in the game you want to play, you would need a monitor with a refresh rate of at least 100Hz.
On the other hand, if your GPU can only produce 60 FPS, then a 60Hz monitor would be sufficient.
I know that at this point, many of you will be wondering if there is anything you can do if there is a big gap between your maximum achievable framerate and your monitor’s refresh rate.
The answer is yes, which brings us to the next section.
Related Article: How To Monitor CPU And GPU temp While Gaming? [Solved]
What To Do If The Difference Between Refresh Rate And Frames Per Second Is Big?
1. V-Sync
Because the difference between the refresh rate of your monitor and the FPS your GPU can produce can cause screen tearing, a solution called “V-Sync” was created.
V-Sync is a technology that synchronizes your GPU’s framerate with your monitor refresh rate to prevent screen tearing.
Screen tearing can be described as horizontal lines appearing on your screen when two different parts of the same image are displayed simultaneously.
V-Sync synchronizes the refresh rate with the frame rate by capping your GPU’s framerate to the refresh rate of your monitor.
So, if you have a 60Hz monitor and your GPU can produce 100 FPS, V-Sync will cap your framerate to 60 FPS.
Although this may sound like a bad thing, it actually isn’t.
This is because when your GPU’s framerate is higher than your monitor’s refresh rate, you will only be able to see a part of the image being displayed.
This is because the image is being drawn faster than your monitor can display it, so parts of the image will be “hidden” behind other parts of the image, creating the screen tearing effect.
V-Sync prevents this from happening by capping your framerate to the refresh rate of your monitor.
The downside of V-Sync is that it can cause input lag, which is the delay between pressing a button and the action being performed on screen, and this is because V-Sync introduces a small amount of latency.
So, if you are looking for the best possible gaming experience, you should disable V-Sync.
You should use it as a last resort to prevent screen tearing if your framerate is lower than your monitor’s refresh rate.
To enable or disable the V-Sync, you must go to your GPU’s control panel and do it from there.
I will not go into more detail on how to do this because it varies from GPU to GPU.
Related Article: What Is GPU Artifacting, And How To Fix It
2. Overclocking your Monitor
Another way to bridge the gap between a higher FPS GPU and a slower refresh rate monitor is to overclock your monitor.
Overclocking is the process of increasing the clock speed of a component beyond its manufacturer-specified maximum.
In this case, you will be increasing the refresh rate of your monitor.
However, overclocking your monitor can be risky.
Overclocking your monitor will reduce its lifespan and void your warranty, so it’s not something I would recommend to everyone.
As I have said in many different articles overclocking any piece of hardware should be done only by experienced users that know what they are doing.
With that being said, if you are experienced in overclocking and want to try it, let me give you a quick overview of how to do it.
I have an Nvidia graphics card, so I will use the Nvidia Control Panel for this example.
- First, open the Nvidia Control Panel and go to the “Adjust desktop size and position” section.
- Then, select the “Override the scaling mode set by games and programs” option and click “Apply.”
- Next, go to the “Change resolution” section and select the “Customize…” option.
- Click the “Create Custom Resolution” option and change the Refresh Rate (Hz) without changing other values.
- Click “OK” and then “Apply.”
Your monitor should now be running at the refresh rate you have set.
Tip: Make sure to change the refresh rate slowly and see how your screen reacts. If it suddenly goes black, it means you have set the refresh rate too high and need to lower it.
Is 75Hz good for competitive gaming?
I have mentioned many times that 75Hz is good for casual gaming, but what about competitive PC gaming?
Well, the answer is a bit complicated. You see, in most competitive games, every slight advantage counts. So if you have a 144Hz monitor and your opponent has a 75Hz monitor, then you might have a slight competitive edge over them.
This is because the higher refresh rate will, along with less input lag, will give you a slight edge over your opponents.
Now, this advantage will not make you a pro overnight, but it will give you a slight edge that could be the difference between winning and losing.
However, in some competitive games like Dota 2 and Overwatch, the game is not as fast-paced as other FPS games, so the difference between a 75Hz monitor and a 144Hz monitor is not that significant.
So, while in general, 75Hz is good for gaming, it may not be the best for competitive gaming.
It really depends on the game you are playing.
Related Article: What Is A Normal GPU Temp While Gaming? [Solved]
Is 144Hz or 75Hz better for gaming?
The answer is that 144Hz is better for gaming, but 75Hz is good enough for most games.
But, before getting all excited to purchase your new 144Hz monitor, you should ensure your GPU can produce enough FPS to take advantage of the higher refresh rate.
So while a 144Hz is better, it requires a more considerable investment as you will probably need to upgrade your GPU as well.
In gaming culture, many people think that the higher specs or the more expensive the gear is, it’s always better.
While that is mostly true, it’s not always the case.
Most of the time, it comes to your needs and how you can invest your money in the best way possible.
For example, if you play MOBA games like Dota 2 or League of Legends, why pay a ton of money to get a high-end gaming monitor when a 75Hz one will do just fine?
75hz for gaming FAQ
Can A 75Hz Monitor Run 240 FPS?
No, a 75Hz monitor can not run 240 fps. The maximum frame rates that a 75Hz monitor can display is 75fps.
Is 75Hz A High Refresh Rate?
If you consider that the base refresh rate for monitors is 60Hz and the highest is 500Hz, then 75Hz is not that high. However, it is pretty decent for casual gaming.
Is 75Hz Enough For PS4?
If you consider that PS4 games are capped at 60fps, then a 75Hz monitor is more than enough. This is one of these cases that I was talking about where higher is not always better.
Is 75Hz Good For CSGO?
Yes, 75Hz is good for CSGO. This is because CSGO is not a very demanding game, and a 75Hz monitor will provide you with a smooth gaming experience.
Should I Get A 75Hz Or 144Hz Monitor?
If you want the best gaming experience possible, you should go for the 144Hz monitor. However, if you are on a tight budget, then a 75Hz monitor will do just fine.
Is 75 Hz Better Than 60Hz?
If you consider that a 75Hz monitor will refresh the screen 75 times per second and a 60Hz monitor will refresh the screen 60 times per second, then a 75Hz monitor is better.
However, the difference is not that big, and you will probably not notice it.
Conclusion
This was a long article, and I hope I did not just answer the question “Is 75hz good for gaming” but also provided you with some valuable insights about how important refresh rates are and what is the best option for you.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.
Nick Ryley is a computer architect and the owner of The Pc Geekz.
His love for playing games got him interested in computers in the first place. He wanted to be able to build a gaming PC that could run all the latest games at max settings, and this has him pursuing a major in computer architecture!
He started this blog to help people out and answer some of the most common questions about computer building