104 PCWorld MARCH 2021HERE’S HOW
IMAGE: STEAMD
o you need a faster graphics card
(go.pcworld.com/fsgc)? Only if
your games aren’t running as
smoothly as you’d like. Fortunately,
Steam includes a feature that displays the current
frame rate of the game you’re playing in the corner
of the screen, and you can turn it on very easily.
I wouldn’t advise using frame rate
counters normally, lest you give in to the
insidious desire to upgrade based on raw
numbers rather than actual playability. MostPC gamers consider 60 frames per second
(fps) to be the gold standard for smoothness,
while others demand nothing less than 100
fps, but console gamers or people who
prefer maxed-out visuals over responsive
speeds can be happy with as little as 30 fps,
as long as those frames get delivered
smoothly. What works for you is highly
subjective. Still, if you’re trying to figure out if
your current hardware is struggling, or which
in-game graphics options to dial down toHow to see your PC game’s frame
rate with Steam’s FPS counter
It’s quick and easy! BY BRAD CHACOS