1% low and average FPS calculator
Average FPS hides stutter. Paste your frame times in milliseconds and see the average, the 1% low and the 0.1% low, the numbers reviewers use to judge how smooth a game feels.
Why average FPS is not enough
Two games can both average 100 frames per second and feel completely different. If one delivers every frame in 10 milliseconds and the other alternates between fast frames and occasional 40 millisecond hitches, the second one will feel jerky even though the average is the same. Averages smooth over those slow frames, which are the ones your eyes and hands notice.
That is why reviewers report 1% lows and 0.1% lows. They describe how the game performs during its worst moments rather than its typical ones. A large gap between the average and the lows is the clearest numeric sign of stutter.
How to read the 1% low gap
Compare your 1% low to your average. The ratio gives a quick idea of how smooth the game feels.
| 1% low vs average | Feel | Typical cause |
|---|---|---|
| 90% or more | Very smooth | Even frame delivery |
| 80 to 90% | Smooth | Minor variation |
| 60 to 80% | Some stutter | Occasional spikes or streaming |
| Under 60% | Noticeable stutter | Shader compile, memory or CPU limit |
How the numbers are calculated
Average FPS is the total number of frames divided by the total time, which equals the number of frames over the sum of all frame times. For the 1% low, the tool sorts your frame times from slowest to fastest, takes the slowest 1 percent of them (at least one frame), averages those times and converts the result back to frames per second. The 0.1% low does the same with the slowest tenth of one percent.
Some tools use a percentile instead, which reads the frame time that 99 percent of frames beat. The two methods are close for smooth data and can differ for spiky data, so compare results only between runs that use the same method. This calculator also shows the worst single frame and the spread of your frame times.
What to do about low 1% lows
Start by finding the cause. If the stutter appears when you enter new areas, it is often asset streaming or shader compilation, and an SSD and a second run can help. If the processor shows high load on one core, a faster processor or lower CPU-heavy settings may help. If memory is full, adding RAM or lowering texture settings may help. If the graphics card runs out of memory, reduce texture quality or resolution.
Use the frame budget calculator to see which part limits you, and the VRAM calculator to check memory use. Capturing a longer run gives steadier 1% and 0.1% figures.
How to use the 1% low FPS calculator
- Capture frame times during real gameplay for at least a minute.
- Copy the milliseconds column and paste it into the box.
- Read the average, the 1% low and the 0.1% low.
- Compare the 1% low with the average. A gap above about 20 percent means stutter.
- Change one setting, capture again and compare.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using too few frames. A few hundred frames make the 0.1% low meaningless.
- Mixing frame times and frame rates in the same list.
- Comparing runs from different tools that calculate lows in different ways.
Related tools and guides
Keep going with these: Frame budget calculator, FPS to frame time converter, CPU and GPU bottleneck checker, VRAM calculator, processor and memory bottleneck guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 1% low FPS?
It is the average frame rate of the slowest 1 percent of frames in a run. It shows how the game behaves in its worst moments. A 1% low close to your average means smooth play, while a big gap means you will feel stutter.
How do I get frame times to paste in?
Many performance overlays and capture tools can log frame times to a file or show them as a list. Copy the milliseconds column and paste it into the box. Capture at least a minute of gameplay so the low figures use enough frames to be reliable.
What is the difference between 1% lows and 0.1% lows?
The 1% low averages the slowest 1 percent of frames, while the 0.1% low averages the slowest tenth of a percent, which captures rarer and bigger hitches. A large gap between the two points to occasional severe spikes rather than constant mild stutter.
Why does my game stutter with a high average FPS?
Stutter comes from uneven frames, not low averages. Shader compilation, asset streaming, a CPU limit, full memory or background tasks can all create slow frames. A high average hides them, which is why lows and frame time graphs are more telling.
What is a good 1% low?
As a rule of thumb, a 1% low at 80 percent or more of the average feels smooth. For a 144 Hz monitor that means about 115 FPS or higher. Smaller gaps are better, but also check that the average itself meets your target.
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