diff --git a/src/app_matrix.rs b/src/app_matrix.rs
index 03a7312..8728a8c 100644
--- a/src/app_matrix.rs
+++ b/src/app_matrix.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ struct MatrixColumn {
     length: u16,
     speed: u16,
     chars: Vec<char>,
+    last_update: std::time::Instant,
+    update_interval: std::time::Duration,
 }
 
 impl MatrixColumn {
@@ -22,12 +24,17 @@ impl MatrixColumn {
             .map(|_| Self::random_matrix_char(&mut rng))
             .collect();
 
+        let now = std::time::Instant::now();
+        let update_interval = std::time::Duration::from_millis((100 / speed as u64).max(10));
+
         Self {
             x,
             y: 0,
             length,
             speed,
             chars,
+            last_update: now,
+            update_interval,
         }
     }
 
@@ -47,15 +54,20 @@ impl MatrixColumn {
         *matrix_chars.choose(rng).unwrap()
     }
 
-    fn update(&mut self, height: u16, frame_counter: usize, speed_multiplier: usize) {
-        // Calculate effective speed with multiplier (higher multiplier = faster)
-        let effective_speed = if speed_multiplier == 0 {
-            self.speed as usize * 8 // Much slower when multiplier is 0
+    fn update(&mut self, height: u16, _frame_counter: usize, speed_multiplier: usize) {
+        let now = std::time::Instant::now();
+
+        // Calculate effective update interval with multiplier (higher multiplier = faster)
+        let base_interval = std::time::Duration::from_millis((200 / self.speed as u64).max(20));
+        let effective_interval = if speed_multiplier == 0 {
+            base_interval * 4 // Much slower when multiplier is 0
         } else {
-            (self.speed as usize * 4).saturating_sub(speed_multiplier.saturating_sub(1)).max(1)
+            let divisor = (speed_multiplier + 1) as u32;
+            base_interval / divisor.max(1)
         };
 
-        if frame_counter % effective_speed == 0 {
+        if now.duration_since(self.last_update) >= effective_interval {
+            self.last_update = now;
             self.y = self.y.wrapping_add(1);
 
             // Reset column when it goes off screen
@@ -64,6 +76,7 @@ impl MatrixColumn {
                 let mut rng = rng();
                 self.length = rng.random_range(5..15);
                 self.speed = rng.random_range(1..4);
+                self.update_interval = std::time::Duration::from_millis((100 / self.speed as u64).max(10));
                 self.chars = (0..self.length)
                     .map(|_| Self::random_matrix_char(&mut rng))
                     .collect();