Frame Pacing: Why 120 FPS Can Still Feel Bad
A high average FPS can hide uneven delivery. You do not feel averages. You feel timing. Frame pacing describes how evenly frames arrive. Uneven frametimes create roughness, microstutter, and a less controllable feel.
What Bad Pacing Feels Like
- Rough motion despite high FPS.
- Microstutter during camera pans.
- Inconsistent aim feel and late corrections.
- The game feels different from scene to scene.
Why It Happens
- FPS swings from unstable load.
- Background tasks and scheduling variance.
- Rendering queues and buffering behavior.
- Streaming and shader compilation spikes.
Practical Fix Order
- Close sources of random background load for testing.
- Cap FPS to a target you can hold consistently.
- Reduce settings that cause spikes, not just average drops.
- Enable VRR only after pacing is stable.
- Keep the setup stable and judge feel over multiple sessions.
The Rule
Stable frametimes beat higher FPS. Consistency is the upgrade you feel.
Related Guides
ExperienceOutcomes you can feel in play.
PlaybooksStep by step fixes for better feel.
GearHardware that shapes feel.
Stutter Types: Shader, CPU, Streaming (Know Which One You Have)Name the stutter type, then fix the right thing.
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