If you’ve ever felt your PC running hot during a light gaming session, or noticed your GPU fans screaming at full speed in a menu screen, you already know the problem.
Uncapped frame rates can push your hardware way harder than necessary, and VSync isn’t always the answer.
VSync locks your frame rate to your monitor’s refresh rate, but it comes with its own baggage.
Input lag, stuttering, and compatibility issues make a lot of players want to avoid it entirely.
The good news is that Steam gives you solid options for capping your FPS without touching VSync at all.
Why Cap Your FPS in the First Place?
Your GPU doesn’t know when to stop.
Without a frame rate limit, it will render as many frames as possible, even if your monitor can only display 60 or 144 of them per second. This wastes power, generates unnecessary heat, causes coil whine and can shorten the lifespan of your components over time.
Capping your frame rate keeps everything running smoothly and efficiently.
It’s especially useful for menu screens, loading screens, and less demanding games where your GPU might otherwise hit 500+ FPS for no reason.
How to Use Steam’s Built-In FPS Limiter
Steam added a native frame rate limiter a few years back, and it’s genuinely one of the easiest ways to handle this.
You don’t need any third-party software to make it work.
To access it, open Steam and head to Steam > Settings > In-Game. Look for the option that says “In-game FPS counter” and just below that you’ll find the frame rate limit setting.
You can set a global cap that applies to all your games from here.
Steam gives you several preset options like 30, 60, 72, 90, 120, and 144 FPS, or you can choose “Unlimited” if you want to turn it off.
This is a quick and clean solution that works without enabling VSync.
Setting a Per-Game FPS Cap in Steam
The global cap is convenient, but sometimes you want different limits for different games.
A demanding AAA title might need a 60 FPS cap to stay stable, while a simple indie game is fine at 120. Steam lets you set per-game limits through the individual game properties.
Right-click any game in your Steam library and select Properties.
Under the General tab, you’ll see a “Frame Rate Limit” dropdown. Set it to whatever you want for that specific game, and it will override your global setting every time you launch it.
This is one of the most underused features in Steam, and it’s a total game-changer for keeping your system running comfortably across a mixed library.
Using NVIDIA Control Panel to Cap FPS
If you have an NVIDIA GPU, the NVIDIA Control Panel gives you even more precise control over your frame rate.
This method works at the driver level, so it applies regardless of what game or launcher you’re using.
Open the NVIDIA Control Panel, go to Manage 3D Settings, and look for the “Max Frame Rate” option. You can set this globally under the Global Settings tab, or target a specific game under Program Settings.
Make sure VSync is set to “Off” in the same panel if you don’t want it interfering.
The Max Frame Rate setting works completely independently of VSync, which is exactly what we’re going for.
Using AMD Radeon Software to Cap FPS
AMD users have a similar option baked into AMD Radeon Software. Open the Radeon Software app and navigate to the Gaming tab. From there, select a game from your library or add one manually.
Under the game’s settings, you’ll find a “Frame Rate Target Control” slider.
Drag it to your desired limit and you’re done. Just make sure VSync is disabled in the same settings panel so the two features don’t conflict with each other.
AMD also has a global Frame Rate Target Control option that applies across all games, which you can find in the global graphics settings section of the app.
Using RTSS (RivaTuner Statistics Server)
RivaTuner Statistics Server, or RTSS, is the gold standard for frame rate capping among PC enthusiasts.
It works with virtually any GPU brand, any game, and any launcher. If Steam’s built-in limiter ever doesn’t work for a specific title, RTSS almost certainly will.
RTSS is free and usually comes bundled with MSI Afterburner, which is a popular GPU monitoring and overclocking tool. Once installed, open RTSS and you’ll see a Framerate limit field at the bottom of the main window. Type in your desired cap and it applies immediately.
RTSS operates at a very low level, which actually makes it more accurate and consistent than most other methods.
It’s also well-known for producing extremely smooth frame pacing, which is the difference between a game that feels fluid and one that feels slightly choppy even at a locked frame rate.
Which Method Should You Use?
For most players, Steam’s built-in frame rate limiter is the easiest starting point.
It’s already there, it’s simple to configure, and it handles the majority of use cases without needing anything extra installed.
If you want more control or run into a game where Steam’s limiter doesn’t work well, go with the NVIDIA or AMD driver-level cap depending on your GPU.
These are rock-solid and work at a deeper level than the Steam option.
For the smoothest possible experience and the most universal compatibility, RTSS via MSI Afterburner is the enthusiast’s choice.
It takes a couple of extra minutes to set up, but it gives you the best frame pacing and works across every game and launcher on your system.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
When you set a frame rate cap, try to aim slightly below your monitor’s maximum refresh rate rather than matching it exactly.
For example, if you have a 144Hz monitor, a cap of 141 or 142 FPS gives your system a tiny bit of headroom and can reduce the chance of stuttering.
Also, make sure you’re not using multiple FPS limiters at the same time.
Having Steam, NVIDIA Control Panel, and RTSS all trying to cap your frame rate at once can cause conflicts and inconsistent behavior. Pick one method and stick with it.
Finally, remember that capping your FPS is completely separate from VSync.
VSync syncs your frame output to your monitor’s refresh rate to eliminate screen tearing, but it adds input lag.
An FPS cap simply tells your GPU to stop rendering above a set number.
You can use both together, but you absolutely don’t have to, and for competitive gaming especially, skipping VSync while using a cap is usually the better call.
Getting your frame rate under control is one of those small tweaks that makes a big difference. Your PC runs cooler, your GPU thanks you, and your games often feel more consistent.
Whether you go with Steam’s built-in tool or something more advanced like RTSS, ditching VSync while keeping your FPS in check is absolutely the move.