AMD has just unveiled Frame Latency Meter (FLM), an open-source Windows utility designed to measure the response time of games based on mouse movements. FLM measures the time it takes for a mouse movement to translate into a new frame on the screen, providing insights into system performance.
This tool is particularly aimed at advanced gamers, power users, and game developers who are keen on optimizing whole-system latency or reducing input lag. If you’re new to frame latency measurements, they are commonly used online to approximate input lag by measuring button-to-pixel latency.
This used to be done with a high-speed camera, a mouse, and an FPS game with a visible muzzle flash. The camera would capture the moment the mouse was clicked, and you would count the frames until the muzzle flash or other on-screen reaction appeared.
This utility does not require any special equipment and works with any AMD, Nvidia, or Intel GPU that supports DirectX 11 or newer. For capturing data, AMD GPUs use the Advanced Media Framework or AMF codec, while other GPUs use the DirectX Graphics Infrastructure or DXGI codec. FLM can generate detailed latency and effective frame-rate statistics, which can be exported to CSV files for further data analysis.
FLM measures latency by continuously capturing frames and comparing each one to the previous frame within a selected region. It then generates a mouse movement event using standard Windows functionality and waits for the frame contents to change. The time between the mouse movement and the detected frame change is recorded as the latency.
To achieve a cleaner value, 16 latency measurements are averaged per row, but more measurements can be averaged for greater precision. Since FLM doesn’t require muzzle flash to measure latency, it allows for quick, repeated measurements without concerns about running out of ammo, enabling the application to autonomously collect unlimited samples for higher accuracy.
The software also offers some level of customization, enabling users to measure latency based on mouse movements or clicks. Users can specify frame capture regions and even choose between small samples, continuous accumulation, or a constant meter for measurements. It also supports frame generation technology, although there’s no clarity on whether it is compatible with all games that support the latest FSR 3 or DLSS 3.
FLM is available as a free download for Windows 10 and 11 users via GPU Open or the official GitHub repository.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
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