Microsoft recently announced the addition of a new framerate counter to Windows 10. The feature will come as part of the Xbox Game Bar and will help gamers track in-game framerate performance without the use of third-party tools such as FRAPS, or in-built frame rate counters in Steam or Origin.
This new framerate counter will roll out to Windows 10 users as part of the October 2019 Update for the Xbox Game Bar. It should appear as part of an automatic update, but you can also manually trigger an update by visiting the Microsoft Store in Windows 10 and manually checking for updates. Once the Game Bar is updated, you can see the framerate counter by pressing Windows Key and the G key together.
It will then appear under the “Performance” section of the overlay, alongside additional options to check CPU, GPU, and RAM usage. Framerates from the past 60 seconds will also show up in the form of a graph, making it easier to see how a games’ performance is changing. For further customization, the look and feel of the overlay can be tweaked, including the transparency.
“We heard you loud and clear, the Performance overlay needed a framerate counter. With the October 2019 Game Bar update, we’re introducing the highly requested frames per second (FPS) counter to the Performance overlay on Xbox Game Bar,” Microsoft explained in a blog post.
As part of the October Game Bar update, Microsoft is also adding in an ability to track Xbox Achievements with a new Achievements overlay. Similar to the experience on Xbox One consoles, Windows 10 users can now pull up the Achievements overlay and check a game’s achievements list and details. Achievement notifications will now open in the Game Bar, instead of a companion app, meaning that Windows 10 gamers will no longer have to exit games to see progress towards unlocking accomplishments.
The addition of a framerate counter comes after the Game Bar was updated back in May, with abilities such as a Spotify integration, improved social features, and a new customizable user interface. Microsoft promises that these new features are just the beginning. “Tons of things” are apparently in store for Windows 10 and Xbox gamers in the coming months. As usual, you can expect for Windows Insiders and Xbox Insiders to test out any new features first, we have more on how you can sign up here.
