Can Slow Internet Cause Low Frames Per Second (FPS)?
According to PC Guide 101, there are over 3.22 billion gamers worldwide, the gaming experience can be deeply impacted by performance issues like frame rate drops. FPS (frames per second) is critical for smooth, seamless gameplay, but many gamers often wonder whether their slow internet connection is the culprit behind low FPS. While slow internet can certainly affect your gaming experience, slow internet doesn’t directly cause low FPS. Let’s dive deeper into the difference between internet speed, FPS, and what truly impacts your gaming performance.
What Is FPS?
FPS, or frames per second, is a way of measuring how many pictures (or frames) your computer can show on the screen every second while you’re playing a game. Think of it like a flipbook: the faster you flip the pages, the smoother the pictures look. In a video game, the more frames your computer can show per second, the smoother and more real the action looks.
When the FPS is high, the game feels smooth, like watching a movie. But if the FPS is low, the game can look choppy, like it's skipping or freezing. This can make it harder to control your character and might even ruin the fun of the game. High FPS is especially important for fast-action games where quick reactions are needed, like shooting or racing games. When your FPS is low, everything feels delayed and sluggish, which can be frustrating and affect your gameplay experience.
Can Internet Speed Cause Low FPS?
One common misconception is that slow internet causes low FPS. The reality is that internet speed has little to no direct effect on FPS. FPS is largely determined by your computer’s hardware, like the CPU, GPU, and RAM. However, a slow internet connection can cause latency and lag, leading to stuttering or delays in online gaming, which some may confuse with low FPS.
We recommend for gammers to plug your computer directly into your router via ethernet. This will remove any interference, coverage issues, and lag. If you need help for ethernet cable installation, one of our expert Teks would be happy to help get this all setup and running properly for you!
Can Hardware Affect FPS?
Yes! Your computer’s hardware plays a crucial role in determining your FPS. Here’s a breakdown of the key components:
How Can CPU Affect FPS?
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) processes the game’s instructions, and a more powerful CPU can handle complex calculations faster. If your CPU is outdated or overloaded, it can bottleneck performance, causing a drop in FPS.
Here are some of our favorite gaming CPUs available today, catering to different performance levels and budgets:
Our Favorite Gaming CPUs
Intel Core i9-13900K
- Why it’s great: One of Intel’s latest flagship processors, the i9-13900K offers top-tier performance with 24 cores (8 performance, 16 efficiency cores). It handles gaming and multitasking with ease, making it ideal for high-performance gaming rigs. It supports the latest DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0.
- Best for: Hardcore gamers and streamers who want maximum power for both gaming and productivity.
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Why it’s great: This processor from AMD's Zen 4 lineup is a powerhouse for gaming and other demanding tasks. With 16 cores and 32 threads, it’s great for gaming, streaming, and content creation. Its efficiency in multi-threaded workloads makes it ideal for gamers who also handle heavy tasks like video editing.
- Best for: Gamers who need a balance between gaming performance and multitasking capabilities.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
- Why it’s great: Offering solid gaming performance at a lower price point, the Ryzen 5 7600X is ideal for budget-conscious gamers. It features 6 cores and 12 threads, and its single-core performance makes it great for most modern games.
- Best for: Gamers building a budget or mid-range system who still want great performance.
Intel Core i7-13700K
- Why it’s great: This CPU combines excellent gaming performance with a more affordable price than the i9 models. It has 16 cores (8 performance, 8 efficiency), making it a great option for gamers who need extra processing power for streaming or multitasking.
- Best for: Gamers who need a balance of price and high-end performance.
When choosing a CPU, consider your gaming setup, your budget, and whether you also plan on multitasking or streaming while gaming. Matching your CPU with a good GPU is also important for maximizing your performance.
How Can GPU Affect FPS?
The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is one of the most important parts of your computer when it comes to gaming. Its job is to take all the complex images, textures, and animations in your game and turn them into what you see on your screen. Think of the GPU as the artist that draws everything in real-time while you're playing.
In graphically demanding games—like ones with realistic landscapes, fast action, or detailed characters—the GPU has to work even harder. The more powerful your GPU is, the faster and smoother it can draw each frame, which improves your FPS (frames per second). This is why high-performance GPUs are essential for games that have high-resolution textures, advanced lighting, or complex effects.
If your GPU is older or not strong enough, it may struggle to keep up, especially in newer games with more demanding graphics. When the GPU can’t keep pace, you’ll see a drop in FPS, making the game feel slow, choppy, or even unplayable. This is why upgrading to a better GPU can make a huge difference in gaming performance, especially if you play modern, graphically intensive games like first-person shooters or open-world games.
For most gamers, investing in a good GPU will have the biggest impact on performance, even more than upgrading other components like the CPU or RAM, particularly if you're focused on achieving higher FPS in games.
Our Favorite Gaming GPUs
Here are some of our favorite gaming GPUs available today, catering to different performance levels and budgets:
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
- Why it’s great: This is one of the most powerful gaming GPUs on the market, offering unparalleled performance in 4K gaming. It excels in demanding games, providing extremely high FPS even with ray tracing enabled. It’s also great for content creators who need strong rendering power.
- Best for: Hardcore gamers who want the best performance possible and play at 4K resolution.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
- Why it’s great: AMD’s flagship GPU offers top-tier gaming performance, especially for 4K and 1440p gaming. It provides excellent value compared to NVIDIA’s high-end GPUs, with strong ray-tracing capabilities and a good balance between price and performance.
- Best for: Gamers looking for high-end performance at a slightly lower price point than NVIDIA’s top models.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
- Why it’s great: The RTX 4070 Ti is a great choice for gamers who want high performance in 1440p gaming. It delivers strong FPS in modern games with ray tracing and DLSS technology. It’s ideal for those who want great performance without paying the premium of the highest-end GPUs.
- Best for: Gamers looking for high FPS in 1440p gaming, with some 4K capabilities.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- Why it’s great: This GPU is excellent for 1440p gaming and even 4K in some games. It offers a strong performance at a lower price compared to NVIDIA’s equivalent models, making it a great value choice for high-resolution gaming.
- Best for: Gamers who want great 1440p performance and good 4K support at a more affordable price.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- Why it’s great: The RTX 3060 is an excellent option for gamers on a budget. It’s great for 1080p gaming and can handle 1440p in many games as well. It also includes ray tracing and DLSS, offering good performance for its price.
- Best for: Budget-conscious gamers who want solid 1080p performance with the potential for 1440p gaming.
AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
- Why it’s great: The RX 6700 XT delivers excellent 1080p and 1440p performance at a competitive price. It offers solid gaming performance and features like ray tracing and AMD's Smart Access Memory for boosted efficiency.
- Best for: Gamers looking for strong 1080p and 1440p performance on a budget.
When choosing a GPU, consider your monitor’s resolution, the types of games you play, and your budget. Higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4090 are overkill for 1080p gaming but shine in 4K. On the other hand, budget options like the RTX 3060 or RX 6700 XT are great for 1080p or 1440p gaming without breaking the bank.
How Can RAM Affect FPS?
RAM (Random Access Memory) is like your computer’s short-term memory. It helps your system handle multiple things at the same time, like running a game while you also have a web browser open. The more RAM you have, the better your computer can keep everything running smoothly.
Think of RAM as your desk space. If you have a big desk, you can spread out and work on lots of things at once without getting cluttered. But if your desk is small, everything gets crowded, and you have to stop and organize before you can do more work. Similarly, when your computer doesn’t have enough RAM, it struggles to keep up, which can slow down your games and lower your FPS.
For larger or more demanding games, having enough RAM is essential to keep everything running fast and smoothly, helping your game load quicker and perform better. If your computer doesn’t have enough RAM, it may struggle to keep the game running, leading to slowdowns or choppy performance.
The amount of RAM (Random Access Memory) your computer needs depends on what you’re using it for, especially when it comes to gaming.
- For basic tasks and older games: 8 GB of RAM is usually enough. You can run simple games and do some light multitasking (like browsing the web while playing).
- For modern games and multitasking: 16 GB of RAM is considered the sweet spot. Most new games recommend this amount of memory for smooth performance, even with some background applications running.
- For high-end gaming or heavy multitasking: 32 GB of RAM is ideal if you’re playing the latest, most demanding games, running multiple programs at once, or even streaming while gaming.
Having more RAM doesn’t directly increase FPS, but it ensures your computer can handle larger, more complex games and tasks without slowing down. For most gamers, 16 GB of RAM is enough for a smooth experience, but if you’re into serious multitasking or high-end gaming, upgrading to 32 GB might be worth it.
How Can I Improve FPS?
If you're struggling with low FPS, there are several ways you can improve it by optimizing your system and settings:
Update your drivers
Updating your GPU and other hardware drivers ensures that your components are working at their peak performance. Manufacturers regularly release driver updates that improve stability and compatibility with new games.
Lower in-game settings
If your FPS is low, lowering your game’s resolution and reducing graphics settings like shadows, textures, and anti-aliasing can help boost performance.
Close background applications
Applications running in the background can use up valuable CPU, GPU, and RAM resources. Closing unnecessary programs while gaming will free up resources and improve your FPS.
Optimize power settings
For laptops or desktops with power-saving features, switching to "High Performance" mode ensures your system dedicates more resources to gaming and reduces FPS drops.
Clean your PC
Dust and debris can build up inside your computer over time, especially around important components like the CPU and GPU, which are responsible for running your games. When dust collects on these parts, it makes it harder for the fans to keep them cool. This leads to overheating, and when your computer gets too hot, it can’t perform as well.
When the system overheats, it often slows down to protect itself, a process called thermal throttling. This can cause your FPS to drop, making your game feel slow or choppy. Just like how it’s harder to run when you’re too hot, your computer slows down when it’s overheating.
To avoid this, it’s important to clean your computer regularly. You can use compressed air to blow out dust from fans, vents, and other components. Also, make sure your computer is placed in a well-ventilated area where air can flow freely. By keeping your system cool, you’ll help prevent FPS drops and ensure your games run smoothly.
Upgrade hardware
If you’ve tried the above steps and still experience low FPS, it may be time to upgrade your hardware. Here are the most critical components to consider upgrading:
CPU
Upgrading to a faster, multi-core CPU will help your system process game data more quickly, leading to higher FPS and better performance.
GPU
Investing in a newer, more powerful GPU can have the most significant impact on FPS, particularly for visually demanding games.
RAM
Increasing your RAM capacity will allow your system to handle larger games and multitask more efficiently, improving FPS in memory-intensive situations.
Final Thoughts: Can Slow Internet Cause Low Frames Per Second (FPS)?
While slow internet can cause lag and delays in online games, it doesn’t directly affect your FPS. FPS depends more on your hardware components, such as the CPU, GPU, and RAM. By optimizing your system settings and upgrading your hardware where necessary, you can achieve smoother, higher FPS for a better gaming experience.
