What is FPS?
FPS, or frames per second, measures how many images your game displays every second. A higher FPS generally means smoother, more responsive motion, whether you’re playing a standard game on a screen or a VR application, which typically needs a much higher and more consistent FPS to stay comfortable.
The more useful number for a developer, though, is frame time: how many milliseconds each frame has to stay under. At 30 FPS, that budget is 33.3ms (1000ms ÷ 30); at 60 FPS, it's cut to 16.7ms. Consistency matters as much as the raw number. For example, a game holding a steady 45 FPS usually feels smoother than one swinging between 30 and 60. Unity's own profiling tools let you check exactly where those milliseconds are going.
What FPS should be targeted?
- 30 FPS: The practical minimum for most games; fine for slower-paced genres, but noticeably less smooth than higher rates.
- 60 FPS: The standard target for most games on both desktop and mobile, and a comfortable baseline for general use.
- 90-120 FPS: The typical minimum for VR, since a low or unstable frame rate is far more likely to cause motion sickness in VR than on a flat screen.
- 144+ FPS: Sought after for competitive, fast-paced games, where lower input latency can matter as much as visual smoothness.
What are the benefits of a high FPS?
- Smoother motion: Higher FPS reduces judder and makes fast movement easier to track visually.
- Lower input latency: Your actions show up on screen faster, which matters most in fast-paced or competitive games.
- More comfortable VR: A high, stable FPS is one of the biggest factors in reducing VR motion sickness.
What are the challenges of a high FPS?
- Costs GPU headroom: A higher FPS target leaves less time per frame, which can force lower graphics settings to hit it.
- Uses more battery and generates more heat: Especially relevant on mobile, where sustained high FPS can trigger thermal throttling.
- Needs a display that can keep up: A high FPS provides no visible benefit if the player’s monitor or device can’t refresh fast enough to show it.
For a deeper walkthrough of diagnosing and fixing these tradeoffs, see Unity's guide to profiling game performance.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is FPS the same as refresh rate?
No. FPS is how many frames your application renders each second. Refresh rate (measured in Hz) is how many times your monitor redraws the screen each second. You need a high enough refresh rate to actually see the benefit of a high FPS.
What is a good FPS for VR?
Most VR platforms require a minimum of 60 FPS on mobile VR and 90 FPS on desktop VR, since a low or unstable frame rate in VR is far more likely to cause motion sickness than the same frame rate would on a flat screen.