Fraps Keygen is one of the oldest and most well-known video game recording and benchmarking utilities available today. First released in 2001, Fraps pioneered gameplay recording and frame rate benchmarking on Windows PCs.
Although it’s over 20 years old now, Fraps still maintains a strong userbase today thanks to its simplicity, wide compatibility, and unique features. This guide will cover everything you need to know about using Fraps in 2024 – from setup and configuration, to recording gameplay and benchmarking performance.
What is Fraps Keygen?
Fraps Download free is a utility program for Windows that performs two primary functions:
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Gameplay Recording – Fraps can capture audio and video of games and other fullscreen DirectX/OpenGL applications. It’s one of the easiest ways to record smooth, high quality gameplay footage.
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Frame Rate Benchmarking – Fraps can display and log a game’s frame rate (FPS) counter in real-time. This makes it easy to benchmark performance across different hardware and settings.
In addition to these core features, Fraps also provides screen capture, custom benchmark hotkeys, and an intuitive interface. At its peak, it was the go-to tool for YouTube gaming channels, graphics benchmarking, and video creation.
While more advanced recording apps like OBS Studio have largely replaced Fraps today, it still fills a useful niche for its simplicity and wide compatibility. Later sections will cover Fraps’ capabilities in detail and how it stacks up in the modern era.
Using Fraps for Recording Gameplay
One of Free download Fraps’ most popular uses is recording gameplay videos. Although it lacks some advanced features of newer software, Fraps excels in its simplicity and compatibility.
Setting Up Fraps for Recording
To start, download and install the latest version of Fraps from our site. Launch the app and you’ll see a straightforward interface with all the major configuration options.
The key settings for recording include:
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Video Capture Hotkey – Set a hotkey to start/stop recording. F9 or F10 works well.
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Frame Rate (FPS) – 30 and 60 FPS are common for gameplay. Higher is smoother but requires more disk space.
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Resolution – Match your game’s native resolution for best quality. 1280×720 and 1920×1080 are popular.
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Half-size mode – Halves resolution to improve performance and reduce file size.
There are also options for customizing the video save directory, codec, frame times benchmarking, and more.
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Recording Gameplay
Once configured, simply launch the game you want to record and press your chosen hotkey when gameplay starts. By default Fraps will capture audio from your default sound input device as well.
Take note of the disk space used indicator in the top-right corner. Uncompressed gameplay video eats storage extremely quickly. Be prepared with a high capacity SSD or HDD.
When you’re finished recording, hit the hotkey again to stop and save the video file. Fraps uses a lossless AVI or BMP format to preserve quality, which you can later edit and convert if needed.
Tips for Smooth Recordings
Here are some tips to help you get the best results while recording with Full version crack Fraps Keygen:
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Reduce graphics settings slightly – This will improve performance and recording overhead. Shoot for a minimum of 30 FPS if possible.
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Close other programs – Fraps captures everything on screen, so minimize any background apps.
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Use a dedicated recording drive – A separate SSD or HDD just for Fraps files helps tremendously.
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Test different codecs – If you have lag try switching from the default uncompressed codec to MJPEG.
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Update your drivers – Having the latest GPU and other hardware drivers can help with stability and performance.
With the right settings and setup, Fraps makes recording buttery smooth, high fidelity gameplay video a breeze.
Benchmarking Performance with Fraps
The other main use case for Fraps is benchmarking the frame rate performance of games and applications. This allows you to accurately measure FPS (frames per second) to test hardware capabilities or the impact of different graphics settings.
Monitoring FPS in Real-Time
Simply enable the FPS overlay in Fraps to see an in-game counter displaying your current frame rate:
You can customize the corner and color of the overlay. This allows real-time FPS monitoring while playing.
Benchmarking and Frame Times
For structured benchmarks, Fraps Keygen can log all frame times internally while playing a game or running a benchmarking tool.
Once complete, visit the Fraps Benchmark tab to see:
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Average FPS – General overall performance. Higher is better.
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Max FPS – Top throughput during the benchmark.
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Min FPS – The worst slowdowns and bottlenecks.
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Frame times – Detailed log of individual frame render times. Useful for finding hitches and inconsistencies.
This data can be saved to a CSV file for further analysis and comparison.
Useful Benchmarking Tips
To get meaningful data from Fraps’ benchmarking features:
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Use reproducible benchmarks or scripted run sequences whenever possible. This reduces variability.
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Test different graphics settings like resolution, AA, shadows, etc. to find performance bottlenecks.
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Compare benchmark runs from multiple passes to account for caching and startup effects.
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Be sure to close unneeded background apps and use a consistent test setup for fair comparisons.
With diligent methodology Fraps provides an easy yet powerful way to evaluate real-world gaming performance on Windows.
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Fraps Tips and Tricks
Beyond the basics, there are a number of handy tips and tricks to take advantage of:
Reduce Recording Overhead
If you experience lag or FPS drops while recording with Fraps, try these optimizations:
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Lower resolution – Cut back to 1280×720 or 960×540 if needed.
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Use Half-Size Mode – Halves dimensions to significantly reduce file size and load.
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Cap FPS – Limit FPS to 30 or 60 to reduce strain if your PC struggles.
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Disable AA/AF – Temporarily turn off GPU heavy eye-candy.
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Tweak codec – Use MJPEG instead of default codec if AVI lag persists.
Customize Hotkeys and Interface
Fraps Keygen lets you customize its interface and hotkey behaviors:
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Change benchmark hotkeys for screenshotting or toggling FPS counter.
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Set hotkeys to start/stop audio and video independently.
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Modify interface colors and turn FPS counter always on.
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Move the frame rate overlay or save directory to fit your workflow.
Streaming with Fraps
Although OBS Studio has become the streaming app of choice, Fraps can be used in conjunction with streaming software:
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Use hotkeys to conveniently start/stop recording alongside streams.
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Enable FPS counter in Fraps to monitor performance while streaming.
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Record locally with Fraps at higher fidelity, while streaming with lower settings.
Troubleshooting Issues
If you experience low FPS, choppiness, crashes, or other issues – try these steps:
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Update GPU/chipset drivers, DirectX, Windows updates, etc.
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Disable GPU recording features like ShadowPlay or Relive.
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Close all background programs and disable antivirus scans.
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Use a dedicated SSD/HDD for Fraps videos.
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Adjust codec, FPS, graphics settings to find optimal balance.
With the right settings and setup Fraps runs smoothly even on low end modern PCs.
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The Ongoing Usefulness of Fraps in 2024
Despite its age, Fraps still offers usefulness and niche benefits versus modern recording and benchmarking utilities:
Wide compatibility – Fraps works with decades of games and software. Great for older titles and capturing retro gaming footage.
Simplicity and ease of use – The intuitive and minimal interface makes Fraps accessible for casual users.
Lightweight and low overhead – Less system impact compared to more complex apps like OBS Studio.
Lossless video – Uncompressed local recording can achieve higher video fidelity than streaming.
Powerful benchmarking – Detailed FPS, frame time, and benchmark logging.
For gameplay recording, OBS Studio has become the tool of choice for its advanced capabilities and integration with streaming. But Fraps still excels in its simplicity and low overhead benchmarking. It’s a classic utility that fills a useful role even today.
Conclusion
Despite its venerable age, Free download Fraps Keygen remains a capable and user-friendly utility for game video recording and benchmarking on Windows PCs. With its wide compatibility, lightweight impact, and unique features, Fraps still garners interest today among retro gamers, benchmarkers, and casual users.
This guide covered all you need to know to get started with recording gameplay and benchmarking frame rates. While more advanced tools exist, Fraps requires minimal setup and provides great results. With the right settings and optimizations, Fraps continues to be a easy to use classic.
For recording, OBS Studio offers greater flexibility and integration with streaming. But Fraps remains fast and simple. For benchmarking, the detailed FPS counter, frame time logging, and lightweight impact keep Fraps a useful option. It excels at quantifying real-world gaming performance.
So revisit Fraps Keygen if you need an uncomplicated way to capture archival gameplay footage or accurately benchmark performance on both new and retro gaming rigs. Despite the many years since its inception, this stalwart utility still delivers straightforward and reliable results.