frametime

FrameTime is the duration between the start of one frame and the start of the next in a sequence of rendered frames. It is typically expressed in milliseconds or seconds and is a fundamental metric for real-time graphics, animation, and video playback.

FrameTime is inversely related to frame rate. If a target is 60 frames per second, the ideal FrameTime is about 16.7 milliseconds; at 120 Hz it is about 8.3 milliseconds. Real-world FrameTime can vary from frame to frame, reflecting fluctuations in rendering and display processes.

Measurement typically captures the total time to render and present a frame, including CPU work, GPU rendering, and any waiting caused by synchronization with the display (vsync) or buffering. Tools in game engines, profiling suites, and platform APIs can log FrameTime per frame.

Variability in FrameTime affects perceived smoothness. Large spikes or uneven pacing, known as jank, detract from motion quality. FrameTime is influenced by scene complexity, CPU/GPU bottlenecks, memory bandwidth, thermal throttling, driver overhead, and cross-thread synchronization.

Applications include performance tuning, benchmarking, and monitoring in games, simulations, and media players. Analyzing FrameTime distributions (median, percentiles, and maximums) helps determine if targets are reachable and where optimizations should focus.

Common reference values: at 60 Hz displays, aim around 16.6–16.7 ms per frame; at 120 Hz around 8.3 ms; at 30 Hz around 33.3 ms. Achieving a tight FrameTime budget supports smoother, more consistent motion.