Frame Rate
Frame Rate
The number of images displayed per second in a video or game.
In Simple Terms
Frame rate is a number that shows how many images a video or game uses to create motion in one second. A higher number is like having more pages in a flipbook — the more images there are, the smoother the motion looks. It's often used to describe how smooth the motion looks in TV shows, online videos, and games.
Behind the Name
In English, "frame" means a single still image, and "rate" means a ratio or speed. Put together, "frame rate" describes how quickly those still images are switched each second. The unit is often written as "fps," short for "Frames Per Second."
Take a Closer Look!
Frame rate refers to the number of still images displayed per second in a video or game.
Like a flipbook, a video creates the illusion of motion by rapidly switching between many slightly different still images.
Simply put, the more images switched per second, the smoother and more natural the motion looks.
This number is written using the unit fps — for example, 30fps means 30 images are used every second.
Regular TV broadcasts and online videos commonly use 30fps, films and animation are often produced at 24fps, and fast-moving games or motion-focused videos often use 60fps or higher.
A higher frame rate means less blur even in fast-moving footage, resulting in a cleaner picture.
However, processing more images per second also places a bigger load on phones and computers, and can make video file sizes larger.
Because of this, the right frame rate is chosen based on how the video will be used and the performance of the device.