Have you experienced screen tearing while gaming? It can be very annoying! Screen tearing is when you get horizontal lines and stuttering in an otherwise correct frame. This can ruin your gaming experience and even damage your PC. Or you could be just looking for new equipment to upgrade your system. So, are you looking for a new gaming monitor?
The good news is that you have not one but two choices, and you can decide after checking them out.
If you go out looking for a gaming monitor, you will hear about terms such as ‘Freesync’ and ‘G-sync’ when talking about specifications. Do you know about them? They are adaptive sync technologies from the well-known tech giants, Nvidia and AMD. They are both well-known and reputed names in the world of gaming. Nvidia and AMD have set high standards with all their products. If you wonder what Freesync and G-sync are and which one you should choose, read on.
Adaptive Sync
The GPU or the Graphics Processing Unit of your PC sends images extremely fast to the monitor. If even a single frame lands outside of the refresh rate of the monitor, it results in a screen tear. The refresh rate of your monitor can be 60Hz or higher; it does not matter. The speed 60Hz means that it refreshes every 1/60th of a second.
Adaptive sync is the continuous adjustment of the monitor’s vertical refresh rate to match the frame per rate of the graphics card. This eliminates screen tears and leaves you with smooth gameplay sans any stutters. Most graphic cards come with ‘V-sync’ technology, which helps by limiting the frame rate of the game in order to match the refresh rate of the monitor.
G-sync and Freesync function in different manners. They take care of the input lag issue by synchronizing the refresh rate with the graphics card’s FPS (Frames Per Second). So, what happens is that if the game goes low to 45 FPS, then the rate of refresh will also drop to 45Hz in a split second.
Nvidia or AMD?
When you have a choice, you want to know the differences between the two and how it affects your decision. One obvious recommendation which can help you is that if you have an Nvidia GPU, then go for G-sync, and if you have an AMD GPU, then select FreeSync. If you choose monitors and graphic cards, it is best to understand the syncing technology to see what is best for you.
The Differences Between G-Sync and FreeSync
Though both these technologies tackle the same problem, the implementation differs. Nvidia’s G-sync: these monitors have a proprietary scaler with only 2 inputs; display port and HDMI. Only the display port supports the adaptive sync technology. The scaler is fitted during the manufacturing process, which is why the G-sync monitors are more expensive than the FreeSync ones.
AMD’s FreeSync: FreeSync monitors provide more connectivity choices, including the older options such as DVI or VGA apart from the newer HDMI. Freesync is an AMD open standard so, during the manufacturing process, it does not need any hardware implementation. This keeps the costs down.
Initially, G-sync worked only with Nvidia-supported graphics cards, and the same was the case with Freesync, which only worked with AMD cards. In the last years, both these monitors have undergone changes and now support the other graphics cards as well. You can now run Gsync on a freelance monitor. Follow the link to learn how.
What about the performance of G-sync and Freesync?
Both G-sync and Freesync are designed to make the gameplay smooth and reduce any lags apart from preventing screen tearing. They both work in different ways to achieve this. AMD’s Freesync uses the functionality of the video card to keep track of the monitor’s refresh rate by using the Adaptive-Sync standard built into its display port.
Nvidia’s G-sync has a built-in chip in the monitor’s construction, through which it works. AMD prefers to keep its working and approach private and does not disclose it fully.
Some users have noted that Freesync does reduce tearing, but some monitors exhibit ‘ghosting.’ This means that when objects or people move on the screen, they leave a shadow in their last position. It is only for a very short time, and some users don’t even notice it, but to some, it is too annoying. The reason for this problem could be power management. If enough power is not reaching the pixels, there will be gaps, and there will be ghosting if there is too much power.
Another problem that both G-sync and Freesync face is when the frame rate does not consistently sync with the refresher range of the monitor. G-sync sometimes has flickering due to very low frame rates, and Freesync has stuttering problems with low frame rates.
What should you choose?
Both G-sync and Freesync are similar in their output. Some people decide to go with Freesync, mainly because of the lower cost, while others find that the G-sync certification program supports a low frame rate in all the compatible monitors. G-sync works on GeForce 600 series graphics cards while Freesync works on Radeon RX 200 series. The GeForce card will work on a Freesync monitor and vice versa, as compatibility is not an issue.
Freesync-2 Vs G-sync Ultimate
AMD has released Freesync-2, with better features and technology to address the earlier version’s problems. G-sync has also come out with G-sync Ultimate and has some excellent features. Both offer a great gaming experience to the users.
Conclusion
It is necessary to remember that several people play games without using either of these technologies. This technology is mainly useful if you are experiencing screen tearing or stuttering. If you find that your gaming experience is not that great, you can opt for Freesync or G-sync. The thing is that once you have used this technology, you may not want to go back to normal gameplay. G-sync seems to have better adaptive technology but at a higher price. You need to make sure that your PC can handle the high tech. Otherwise, you would be just wasting money. Alternately Freesync offers excellent gameplay at a much lower cost. So, the decision depends on your needs. If money is not an object for you, then choose G-sync Ultimate for the smoothest gaming experience.