The Truth Behind the Internet Connection and FPS Myth
When it comes to online gaming, everyone wants to be the best. But how do you know if you’re good or not? Most players rely on two things: their Internet connection and their FPS (frames per second) count. The logic behind these two ideas is that a fast Internet connection and a high FPS count are both factors that lead to a good game. If you have a low FPS or your Internet connection isn’t fast enough, then you won’t be any good at the game. It’s as simple as that. Sounds logical, right? Well… Not exactly.
There’s no denying that an Internet connection and FPS are both important components of online gaming, but they aren’t the only ones. Even worse, believing in these two ideas can seriously undermine your ability to improve your skills and ultimately hinder your potential as a player.
What is FPS and Why Does it Matter?
FPS, or frames per second, is the number of images your computer can render per second. In other words, it refers to the smoothness of your gameplay. If you have a high FPS, then your game will look more fluid and natural. Players with low FPS tend to experience “stuttering” and “skipping” when they move around, which can be super frustrating. If you want to avoid this, it’s recommended that you keep your FPS count between 60 and 90.
FPS is crucial for online gaming because it affects how well you communicate with other players. If your FPS count is low, then your screen will be jumpy and uneven, making it harder to see what’s happening. You might also miss out on important communication messages and end up being unhelpful to your team. A low FPS can also cause you to lag and lag, in general, can be super detrimental to gameplay.
Internet Connection and Its Relationship with FPS
Most people believe that the faster your Internet connection is, the higher your FPS will be. If you have a fast Internet connection, then you will have a high FPS, and vice versa. This, unfortunately, is a huge misconception. A fast Internet connection and a high FPS are two completely different things. A high FPS has to do with how well your computer handles rendering images, whereas a fast Internet connection has to do with how quickly your computer can send and receive data from the server you’re playing on.
In other words, you can have a low FPS but have a fast Internet connection, which means that your gameplay won’t be hindered at all. You might not even notice any difference in your gameplay. In fact, many pro gamers have slow Internet connections because they have a better connection quality. A lower ping (the time it takes for your data to reach the server) is preferable because it leads to less lag and a more stable connection. A high FPS is nice to have, but it’s not nearly as important.
What Is a Healthy Frame Rate?
When it comes to FPS, healthiness varies depending on the game and the type of gameplay you’re doing. FPS rates for first-person shooters (FPSs) are usually around 80–130, whereas, for real-time strategy games (RTSs), they’re normally around 40–50. FPS rates for action games, multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs), and sports games are all around 30–60.
Whatever the game, a healthy FPS count means that your computer is rendering images at a smooth rate and that you aren’t experiencing any stuttering or lag. If your FPS rate is lower than this, then you might experience some issues. However, it’s important to note that FPS is not the only thing that impacts the smoothness of your gameplay.
How Many FPS Can The Eye See?
Another common misconception is that the amount of FPS your eye can see is directly related to how good your gameplay is. This is simply not true. Sure, having an FPS of 60 is better than having 10, but it doesn’t mean that you’re better than someone with 30 FPS. The only difference between having 30 FPS and 60 FPS is that the gameplay with 30 FPS will be noticeably jumpier.
The FPS count that you can actually see is referred to as “perceptual” FPS. This means that your eye will only be able to see the FPS count if the difference between the actual FPS and the perceived FPS is less than 5. So if your actual FPS is 30 but your eye only sees 30 because of a slight delay between pressing a button and seeing the results, then your eye will only see 30 FPS.
What Causes Low FPS?
There are many reasons why you might have a low FPS. The most common culprits are having old or insufficient hardware and having multiple programs running in the background. Most FPS cons can be fixed by upgrading your hardware, like swapping out your old graphics card for a new one. However, you can’t do anything about programs running in the background, like Discord, web browsers, and even your game itself. If you want to increase your FPS, then you need to make sure that you close any unnecessary programs before you start playing.
The Importance of Good Hand-Eye Coordination
Most people who are new to gaming are, unfortunately, mislead by the idea that a high FPS and a fast Internet connection are crucial for good gameplay. This will lead them to believe that they’re not good at the game because they have a low FPS and a slow Internet connection. The truth is that FPS and ping are just tools that help you play the game better. You can have an average FPS and have a low ping, but if you don’t have good hand-eye coordination, you won’t be any good at the game.
Hand-eye coordination refers to the ability to move your hand and eyes in tandem, like aiming and shooting in FPS. It’s the skill of being able to react quickly to what’s happening in the game, like noticing an enemy’s head pop up from behind a wall and quickly aiming at it. People with good hand-eye coordination will have a better chance of winning than those with bad hand-eye coordination. It doesn’t matter if you have a high FPS and a fast Internet connection; you still won’t be any good at the game if you don’t have good hand-eye coordination.
The Problem With Viewing Your FPS Count
The FPS count that you view on your screen is not the same as the actual FPS count. The actual FPS is the number of frames your computer can process in one second, whereas the number you see on your screen is the number of frames your graphics card is processing. You might have a low FPS, but your graphics card might be working twice as hard to process the images. Your FPS might look low, but it’s actually higher than it should be.
The FPS count displayed on your screen is not always consistent, either. It will be lower when you’re in a game and will increase when you’re out of it. So if you’re in a game and you see a low FPS count, you might assume that you have a problem. But when you’re out of the game, your FPS count might be completely normal.
The Problem with Using Your Internet Connection to Measure Skill
The Internet connection speed that you have is something you can’t really change. You can’t go to your Internet provider and say, “Make my Internet faster!” It’s not that simple. Whatever Internet speed you have, you have to live with it. It’s important to remember that you can’t control your Internet connection speed. If you win a game and you have a low FPS and a low ping, it could be because you have a bad connection, not because you aren’t good at the game. It could be that your Internet connection is having issues or that you have a problem with your computer.
Why a Good Internet Connection and FPS Count Don’t Guarantee Great Gameplay
While a good connection and a high fps count are important, they do not guarantee good gameplay. Good gameplay is a mixture of different factors, such as connection and fps. Why? Because a game is more than just its frame rate and connection quality. There is a lot going on under the hood. A game is a series of mathematical calculations.
When you move your character, the game is doing the math to determine where it will go. When you shoot a gun, the game is doing the math to determine where the bullets will go. When you click on an enemy, the game is doing more math to determine if you hit it. If you have a high fps but are clicking on the wrong place, the enemy will dodge your shots and you won’t be doing any more math, you will be doing less.
FAQs
Does high ping affect FPS?
Yes, high ping can affect FPS in online gaming. When the ping is high, there is a delay in sending and receiving data between the player’s computer and the game server. This delay can cause the game to appear slow or choppy, which may lead to a drop in FPS.
Does slow internet affect online gaming?
Yes, slow internet can affect online gaming. When the internet connection is slow, there can be delays in sending and receiving data between the player’s computer and the game server. This delay can cause lag and affect the gameplay experience, making it difficult to play online games smoothly.
Can FPS affect ping?
No, FPS does not affect ping. FPS stands for frames per second, which is a measure of how many frames a game can display per second. Ping, on the other hand, is a measure of how long it takes for data to travel from the player’s computer to the game server and back. These two measures are not related to each other.
Does latency affect FPS?
Yes, latency can affect FPS in online gaming. Latency is a measure of the delay in sending and receiving data between the player’s computer and the game server. When the latency is high, there can be a delay in displaying the game on the player’s screen, which can lead to a drop in FPS.
Does high latency cause low FPS?
Yes, high latency can cause low FPS in online gaming. When there is a delay in sending and receiving data between the player’s computer and the game server, it can cause the game to appear slow or choppy, which may lead to a drop in FPS. High latency can also cause lag, making it difficult to play online games smoothly.
The Bottom Line
While playing online games, the quality of your connection has just as much of an impact on your overall experience as the hardware you’re using to play them. Connection issues can result in dropped connections or latency, which can negatively affect your fps in games. Latency is the delay between when you push a button and when the action happens. High latency can cause problems such as delayed reaction times, issues with syncing with other players, and choppy gameplay.
Connection speed can also have an impact on your fps. The faster your connection, the better the overall gaming experience. Even a slightly slower connection can cause issues such as stuttering during gameplay, long load times, and disconnects.
About The Author
Williams Alfred Onen
Williams Alfred Onen is a degree-holding computer science software engineer with a passion for technology and extensive knowledge in the tech field. With a history of providing innovative solutions to complex tech problems, Williams stays ahead of the curve by continuously seeking new knowledge and skills. He shares his insights on technology through his blog and is dedicated to helping others bring their tech visions to life.
