Should Motion Blur Be On or Off at 60fps?
Answer: At 60fps, you don’t need any motion blur to fake a sense of speed. The scenery flies by fast enough for your eyes to create the illusion itself.
Why is that the case? A commonly held belief is that the human eye can process at most 60 frames per second (FPS) on average. However, this is not entirely accurate. Modern displays and games have greatly improved the ability to deliver smooth motion at 60fps, eliminating the need for motion blur. Instead, the screen becomes updated 60 times per second, creating a crisp, clear image that’s visually appealing.
Key takeaway: If you have the option to disable motion blur at 60fps, consider doing so for better graphical performance and improved clarity in your gaming experience.
Does turning off motion blur improve FPS?
Yes, disabling motion blur can improve your framerate (FPS). The reasoning is simple: less GPU processing power is needed when motion blur is off. This is especially significant at higher resolutions or on weaker hardware.
| GPU Benchmark | FPS @ 60fps with motion blur | FPS @ 60fps without motion blur |
|---|---|---|
| Weak (AMD Radeon HD 5550) | 35-40 FPS | 40-45 FPS |
| Mid-range (Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 Ti) | 45-50 FPS | 55-60 FPS |
| High-end (AMD Radeon RX 480) | 60-70 FPS | 80-85 FPS |
As seen from the table above, FPS can increase significantly by up to 30% without motion blur.
Is motion blur useful?
Yes, in specific situations. For low-quality displays or situations where artifacts are noticeable (such as in older monitors), motion blur can be used as a temporary solution. However, with advancements in display technology, it has become less essential in general gaming scenarios.
- Exceptions: Camera-intensive games, old screens without high refresh rates, or situations where rolling shutter affects game performance.
Conclusion:
To sum up, motion blur can negatively impact performance when disabling motion blur at 60fps can lead to noticeable improvement in framerate. Considering most modern screens don’t require motion blur for acceptable motion clarity, there isn’t a significant disadvantage for disabling it at 60fps. Therefore, players with capable hardware are often better off without motion blur for a more smooth experience.
In scenarios where motion blur remains effective:
For applications mentioned earlier (low-quality screens, camera-intensive games), motion blur still offers beneficial results. These use cases are less relevant in high-end gaming situations with superior displays.
In essence, the key question – Should motion blur be on or off at 60fps? – primarily answers itself: In standard high-end gaming settings with compatible hardware, there isn’t a compelling argument to retain motion blur at 60fps.