1% lows

NomenNescio

Dual Sense Edger and Blower
So, I have a question regarding 1% lows in PC gaming.

Let's say your 1% lows are in the 60 fps range, but your average are 120 fps, like in this video:



Should you cap your framerate near 60 or near 120 fps?

I've read that the 1% lows are what matters in order to avoid stuttering, but it seems absolutely insane to me to leave double the performance out of the table. 60 fps on a 5080 in an old game that doesn't even have ray tracing it's completely unacceptable. Freaking Series X can also do stable 60 FPS in this.
 
bro but seriously don't cap your framerate anywhere near 60, are you insane?

Forget this 1% low shite that's only been around recently for bar graph chasers
 
TFW you realize you just said your mom fucked at least 1,000 dudes.

Anyway, lol no don't cap to 60fps.
Confused Thinking GIF
 
Man when this game drops to 60fps it feels kind of bad. Ya know what will make it feel good? Making it 60 fps and feeling bad all the time!
According to 1% low evangelists, a lower but steadier framerate will feel better than a higher but inconsistent one. One thing is to drop from 120 fps to 100, another one is to drop to 60.
 
VRR does help mitigate the drops, but if they're really severe for a prolonged chunk of time, and regularly keep happening they'll hurt the experience.

I do think as we get past 60fps with all these higher refresh rate displays (even TVs) going to 240hz....good frame-times that are consistent are going to matter more than just pushing higher because past 120fps...you hit real diminished returns.

I do think most people don't really care unless the game hitches regularly, and the PC audience care more about this than anyone on consoles. People complained about traversal stutter opening doors on Dead Space Remake...barely effected my experience at all, and the general performance was still great.
 
Just looking at 1% low doesn't tell you much. Could just be a rogue drop like eg. when there's a lot of transparency effects on screen for a split-second which then gets picked up by the profiling tool.

I'd only worry about it if it's really low like 30fps or if it's happening really frequently. That would suggest something like a stuttering issue which I don't see in the video.
 
Should you cap your framerate near 60 or near 120 fps?

It depends how often it's hitting those 1% lows.

At the end of the day, try it both ways and then go with whatever you prefer. There are huge variabilities in an individual's hardware, configuration, and personal physical ability to perceive stuttering. Do your own testing.
 
I've heard that you should either…

1) just play the games, never do benchmarks, deactivate the fps counter, use what the game recommend for your system on preset settings and don't question it. Forget that you ever heard about 1% lows or frame times and don't watch DF videos.

or…

2) cap 3 fps below your screen refresh on your gsync screen and purchase the xx90 GPU and x950x3D CPU.
 
Last edited:
It depends if you're someone who can even notice 1% lows. I always ignore them in test because I don't notice them. If you do and they bother you, cap your FPS as low as you can close to that 1% low.
 
Daily reminder most PC gamers are still on 1080p. Literally heresy.
1080p60 looks decent enough on a 1080p display and locked 60.

It's one way to offset initial hardware costs and to elongate existing hardware useful life.

"Heresy" is what I wouldn't call gamers on a budget trying their best to enjoy their hobby.
 
I've read that the 1% lows are what matters in order to avoid stuttering, but it seems absolutely insane to me to leave double the performance out of the table. 60 fps on a 5080 in an old game that doesn't even have ray tracing it's completely unacceptable. Freaking Series X can also do stable 60 FPS in this.
Reminder that you dont need to extract maximum performance out of every game all the time, it even helps extending the gpu lifespan. If your display is 60hz theres even less of a reason to run at anything above it.

That said, with VRR or turned off v-sync these spikes wont even be noticeable.
 
Switch off your OSD.
If the game doesnt feel weird/choppy to you, then fuck it who gives a shit.
If it does feel weird/choppy see what the lows are and cap closer to there cuz maybe you are sensitive to those changes in frame rate.
No one can tell you if you are or arent and if you follow the OSD you will be consciously aware of the changes in framerate even if without the OSD you wouldnt have even noticed it.

You are following the numbers without following what you actually feel.

I'd guess about 1% of the time
TG1QKk4.jpeg
 
1080p60 looks decent enough on a 1080p display and locked 60.

It's one way to offset initial hardware costs and to elongate existing hardware useful life.

"Heresy" is what I wouldn't call gamers on a budget trying their best to enjoy their hobby.
Yup most ppl dont realise how extremly demanding are some of the games even in 1080p when maxed(no dlss, no turning off rt, maxed means maxed, in some cases those settings are above ultra).
Maxed native 1080p60 stable(which means 1% lows above 60 too, hard to get 0,1% above ) today requires 5070ti already for some games and even then u gotta either put on dlss or turn down/off some settings:

For ppl who claim they can run everything in 1080p maxed "smoothly" i always recommend cp2077 with pt(thats extremly demanding, no amd card can hold stable 60 in native 1080p here) or AC:S again trully maxed or wukong(again max settings/rt on), hell even spiderman2 maxed with rt put on ultimate no dlss/framegen is superheavy in 1080p for 5070ti- u wont hold stable 60.
Here another vid, timestamped, just with maxed ac shadows in 1080p, 5070ti( so currently 850$+ streetprice card):
- prolonged dips below 50fps just running tru the woods...
Here quick clip of cp2077 with pathtracing in 1080p on brand new 9070xt(over 800$ cheapest streetprice):
 
Last edited:
just buy a new gpu
Pc gaming is like being at the carnaval trying to kick over cups. But instead of throwing balls you just throw big wads of cash
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom