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To cap frame rates, use Max Frame Rate in NVIDIA Control Panel, or choose AMD’s fixed Frame Rate Target Control (FRTC) or adaptive Radeon Chill in AMD Software. NVIDIA’s control can apply globally or per game; AMD offers global and per-game settings for Chill, while FRTC is a fixed cap subject to supported hardware and game modes.
Choose a fixed cap or an adaptive target
A fixed cap sets a maximum the GPU should not exceed. NVIDIA Max Frame Rate and AMD FRTC work this way. Radeon Chill instead adjusts frame rate with player movement: it aims for a lower minimum during low-motion moments and allows frame rate to rise toward a configured maximum during action.
- Use a fixed cap when you want one consistent ceiling, such as to limit excess rendering or pursue a particular frame-rate target.
- Use Radeon Chill if you want AMD’s motion-dependent minimum and maximum behavior.
- Use a game’s built-in limiter if it meets your needs; otherwise, use the GPU software control supported by your hardware and game.
Vendor documentation describes potential uses such as reducing power use or, in certain scenarios, system latency. It does not establish that one limiter is always smoother, more accurate, or lower-latency in every game.
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- Open NVIDIA Control Panel and select Manage 3D settings.
- Choose Global Settings to set a general limit, or open Program Settings and select the game or application for a per-app limit.
- Find Max Frame Rate, set the desired value, and apply the change. NVIDIA’s undated Control Panel Help reference lists a setting range of 20–1000 FPS; available controls may depend on the installed driver and hardware. NVIDIA Control Panel Help describes it as the maximum 3D game or application frame rate the GPU will render.
There is also a separate Background Application Max Frame Rate control for a game or 3D application running in the background. NVIDIA’s Help reference lists its range as 20–200 FPS. Use this setting when you want a distinct background limit rather than changing the foreground cap.
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Set an adaptive FPS range with AMD Radeon Chill
- Open AMD Software and go to Graphics.
- Under Global Graphics, enable Radeon Chill.
- Set Min FPS for low-motion or idle moments and Max FPS for fast action.
For a game-specific configuration, open the game under Games and adjust its profile. AMD says the custom profile setting overrides the global setting. Its support documentation says Radeon Chill can be configured globally or separately for supported games using AMD Software application profiles: AMD Radeon Chill configuration guidance.
Chill is optional and does not replace FRTC. Enabling Chill disables Radeon Anti-Lag and/or Radeon Boost if either is enabled, because AMD says those features do not interoperate with Chill. AMD’s Radeon Chill page explains its motion-dependent behavior.
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Set a fixed cap with AMD Frame Rate Target Control
AMD FRTC sets a target maximum rather than a motion-dependent range. AMD’s current product documentation describes support for Radeon RX 6000 and RX 7000 series GPUs, DirectX 9, 10, 11, and 12 and Vulkan titles, and fullscreen exclusive mode. It lists a target range of 30–200 FPS. These are implementation-specific support details and may change with driver updates; check the installed AMD Software for the controls available to your system.
- Exit the game.
- Open AMD Software and change the FRTC target.
- Relaunch the game for the change to take effect.
See AMD’s current Frame Rate Target Control documentation. AMD’s separate older support guidance describes different FRTC behavior and a 30–300 FPS range, so that older range should not be combined with the current product page’s RX 6000/7000 implementation details.
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Choose a target that fits your setup
There is no single ideal FPS limit for every player. Pick a target based on the game, the reason for limiting frames, and the behavior you want. A display’s refresh rate can inform that choice, but you do not need to buy a display or other hardware to configure a software cap.
- For a fixed ceiling: choose NVIDIA Max Frame Rate or AMD FRTC if your hardware and game mode support it.
- For motion-responsive limits on AMD: set Radeon Chill’s minimum and maximum to suit low-motion and action scenes.
- For variable refresh rate (VRR): NVIDIA identifies staying within a display’s VRR range as a use case. For that use, NVIDIA advises setting the limit slightly below the display’s maximum refresh rate; treat this as NVIDIA’s guidance for that scenario, not a universal rule. NVIDIA’s 2020 driver announcement also describes power-saving and latency-related use cases.
If a setting is missing or does not affect a game, confirm that you selected the intended global or per-game profile and check the relevant vendor support limits. For AMD FRTC, verify the GPU, graphics API, fullscreen exclusive mode, and that you changed the target with the game closed before relaunching.
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