How to set up Gsync properly? (Gsync compatible monitor)

[Mark Kaine]

I know I should limit the framerate in NVCP 2-3fps higher than the refreshrate, correct? 

Is that it? Why is it necessary?

 

I also read some people use RTSS instead to limit the framerate,  what's the difference,  setting it in NVCP seems less of a hassle? 

 

Im just asking because last time I tried this nothing really worked, like it literally felt like Gsync stopped working after a few minutes,  if it even worked at all...

 

So i bought a new dp cable now in case that was at fault but I don't want to make any mistakes now and set it up properly? 

 

Its a mag 274qrf, 165hz, but I want to use it at 120hz... 

 

GPU is 3070 vision OC (specs is profile) 

[WereCat]

4 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

I know I should limit the framerate in NVCP 2-3fps higher than the refreshrate, correct? 

Is that it? Why is it necessary?

 

 

2-3FPS LOWER not higher than the refresh rate.

 

Because the frame limiter is not perfect and there is some variation.

 

You also need to both enable VSync and Frame limiter.

 

 

You wont get the VSync latency this way and it is required for perfect tearless experience even with GSync/FreeSync (usually there is still some tearing near the bottom of the screen if you leave VSync disabled).

[Levent]

You dont have to do any of that. I just enable gsync compatibility mode in NVCP then enable vsync in games, my monitor also has a feature where it shows me which mode its working (so that I can see freesync is enabled) and also has another option to display output HZ so that I know it matches the game FPS.

 

There is also this gem.

https://www.testufo.com/gsync

[GuiltySpark_]

6 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

I know I should limit the framerate in NVCP 2-3fps higher than the refreshrate, correct? 

Is that it? Why is it necessary?

Lower, not higher. If you have a 144Hz display for example, limit FPS to 142 or so. GSync does NOT work if you're rendering frames higher than your displays refresh rate. 

6 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

 

I also read some people use RTSS instead to limit the framerate,  what's the difference,  setting it in NVCP seems less of a hassle? 

Older method, NVCP didn't always have this function. I agree, i'd much rather do it right in Nvidia's own software. 

 

Some people swear by enabling VSync in conjunction with GSync but I despise that as I still feel the induced "lag" from VSync being on. 

 

https://blurbusters.com/gsync/gsync101-input-lag-tests-and-settings/14 

[Alex Atkin UK]

10 minutes ago, GuiltySpark_ said:

Some people swear by enabling VSync in conjunction with GSync but I despise that as I still feel the induced "lag" from VSync being on. 

 

https://blurbusters.com/gsync/gsync101-input-lag-tests-and-settings/14 

Except as they say in your linked page, that ONLY applies to "some games" that triple-buffer when vsync enables.

If you set a frame rate limit in those games, then you're sorted.  VSync only kicks in when going over the maximum refresh rate.

[Mark Kaine]

12 minutes ago, WereCat said:

2-3FPS LOWER not higher than the refresh rate.

Oh, ok... well i don't remember anymore if i did this wrong also when i tried,  but its possible...

 

13 minutes ago, WereCat said:

You also need to both enable VSync and Frame limiter.

in NVCP? In game i turn Vsync off then?

 

14 minutes ago, WereCat said:

Because the frame limiter is not perfect and there is some variation.

I definitely noticed that... works and then doesn't...  -.-

 

13 minutes ago, Levent said:

You dont have to do any of that. I just enable gsync compatibility mode in NVCP then enable vsync in games,

I mean, i tried that (minus the Vsync initially) and it didn't work properly... 

 

I guess i should try again though just in case it was the cable?

 

Also maybe i need to update the firmware or something... guess i have to check that too.

 

[GuiltySpark_]

I've had a Gsync module display (PG348Q) for nearly 5 years now and have never bothered wtih VSync. Simple framerate cap 1-2fps under the max refresh rate and its been great for every game. 

[GuiltySpark_]

9 minutes ago, Alex Atkin UK said:

If you set a frame rate limit in those games, then you're sorted.  VSync only kicks in when going over the maximum refresh rate.

Which I never want to happen so yeah, i stick to just capping games which is easy now that its built into NVCP.

[Andrewtst]

V-sync is not required to turn on for me as well in game or in NVCP. 

 

Now using 240hz monitor with VRR, not even need to bother framerate cap 1-2fps as they is no games I can play over 200fps.

[Alex Atkin UK]

21 minutes ago, Andrewtst said:

V-sync is not required to turn on for me as well in game or in NVCP. 

 

Now using 240hz monitor with VRR, not even need to bother framerate cap 1-2fps as they is no games I can play over 200fps.

That works too.

[Mark Kaine]

And why is it doing this all the time?  Its really annoying lol...

 

i dont understand why doesn't it stay either at 120 or 60hz? Since this game is locked at 60fps... nothing i can do other than turn off Gsync?

 

I still don't understand when the refresh rate is tied to the framerate,  what on earth makes it go to 120hz then? This game runs at 60fps... lol.

 

Cant turn on or off Vsync either btw

 

[WereCat]

1 hour ago, Mark Kaine said:

Oh, ok... well i don't remember anymore if i did this wrong also when i tried,  but its possible...

 

in NVCP? In game i turn Vsync off then?

 

I definitely noticed that... works and then doesn't...  -.-

 

I mean, i tried that (minus the Vsync initially) and it didn't work properly... 

 

I guess i should try again though just in case it was the cable?

 

Also maybe i need to update the firmware or something... guess i have to check that too.

 

NVCP is more convenient but not the best. Sometimes the in-game limiter gives the least latency, sometimes the RTSS is better... but I personaly just use NVCP because I'm too lazdy to do research on game to game basis...

 

I dont think it matters much whether you use in-game VSync or the one from NVCP since you won't be hitting the max refesh rate of the monitor because of the frame limiter and thus avoid the VSync latency penalty.

[Mark Kaine]

Lol, this is really weird... when i turn off OBS it does this...?

 

looks different right?

 

And I know what ya'll gonna say, why play a 60fps game with Gsync ... and you're right, except it does the same thing when a game runs at 100fps... it just doesn't feel smooth when the refreshrate is always higher than the framerate... (i remember i had that happen with 100fps and 165hz... it always jumped between the two) 

 

Well Im going to try to limit framerate  now with another game...

 

23 minutes ago, WereCat said:

NVCP is more convenient but not the best. Sometimes the in-game limiter gives the least latency, sometimes the RTSS is better... but I personaly just use NVCP because I'm too lazdy to do research on game to game basis...

 

I dont think it matters much whether you use in-game VSync or the one from NVCP since you won't be hitting the max refesh rate of the monitor because of the frame limiter and thus avoid the VSync latency penalty.

ok I see. and yeah i tried that before without Gsync, there isn't much difference between NVCP and ingame Vsync. 

 

[Mark Kaine]

Set it 118fps... Vsync is on...

 

Horizon Zero Dawn:

 

Shouldn't the refresh rate be at least somewhere close to the framerate? 

It just stays at 120hz .

[Stahlmann]

These are the steps i accumulated over the years to make G-Sync work perfectly and for pretty much any game:

 

Start off by enabling VRR in your monitor OSD if there is an option. Some monitors need it to be manually enabled for the first time.

 

In Nvidia driver:

- turn on G-Sync for fullscreen only (fullscreen AND windowed makes tab-out times a lot longer in my experience)

- go to the 3D settings header

- set preferred monitor technology to "G-Sync compatible"

- set the fps limit to your refresh rate (i tried everything from 0-5 fps lower than refresh rate it never made a difference as long as you cap it)

- enable V-Sync

(- while you're here, also set low-latency mode to ultra, there is no reason to leave this off and it improves latency in GPU bound situations)

 

In-game:

- turn off V-Sync

- set game to fullscreen (or exclusive fullscreen depending on what the game calls it)

- disable any in-game fps limiter (or set it to something higher than your driver fps limit when you cannot disable so the driver can do the work)

 

Using these settings i never had any tearing, stuttering or input lag issues when playing any game. I tried these on everything from non-cerified FreeSync monitors, G-Sync compatible ones, native G-Sync and G-Sync Ultimate.

[Mark Kaine]

6 hours ago, Stahlmann said:

Using these settings i never had any tearing, stuttering or input lag issues when playing any game. I tried these on everything from non-cerified FreeSync monitors, G-Sync compatible ones, native G-Sync and G-Sync Ultimate

Honestly I tried all that... I really thought its the dp cable perhaps,  but now i bought another one and its pretty much the same as with the old cable that came with the monitor...

 

 

Like it ("gsync") will work for 5 minutes (if that) and then simply stops working,  i kid you not as in the screenshot above it literally got stuck at 120hz for example even tho framerate was around ~70fps.

 

 

And even if it "works" its stuttery as heck,  sometimes the picture just stops moving... I'd be better off with intel hd graphics and no "gsync"...

 

you're right, it may or may not happen when alt tabbing, but it also happened simply by pressing the record hot key for OBS ... 

 

But it also just randomly can stop working,  as said typically after 5 minutes (whereas i want to emphasize it may "work" but its still stuttering... i literally tried without Gsync and unrestricted framerates that felt actually smooth in comparison) 

 

So i unfortunately cant really tell if thats just how gsync is supposed to work , or if indeed something is broken with the monitor or gpu... i mean it just feels *very* laggy and Im better off not using it,  which is a shame because why did i then pay for a "gsync compatible monitor "... feels like scam! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Stahlmann]

2 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

Honestly I tried all that... I really thought its the dp cable perhaps,  but now i bought another one and its pretty much the same as with the old cable that came with the monitor...

 

 

Like it ("gsync") will work for 5 minutes (if that) and then simply stops working,  i kid you not as in the screenshot above it literally got stuck at 120hz for example even tho framerate was around ~70fps.

 

 

And even if it "works" its stuttery as heck,  sometimes the picture just stops moving... id better off with intel hd graphics and no "gsync"...

 

you're right, it may or may not happen when alt tabbing, but it also happened simply by pressing the record hot key for OBS (delete) ... 

 

But it also just randomly can stop working,  as said typically after 5 minutes (whereas i want to emphasize it may "work" but its still stuttering... i literally tried without Gsync and unrestricted framerates that felt actually smooth in comparison) 

 

So i unfortunately cant really tell if thats just how gsync is supposed to work , or if indeed something is broken with the monitor or gpu... i mean it just feels *very* laggy and Im better off not using it,  which is a shame because why did i then pay for a "gsync compatible monitor "... feels like scam! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

There is definetly something wrong. If anything, VRR (G-Sync) makes the image smoother, not more stuttery. The fact that your monitor displays static 120Hz refresh rate while it should be syncing says that VRR is not on for whatever reason. If VRR is in fact on, the refresh rate and fps should always be one and the same.

[Mark Kaine]

7 minutes ago, Stahlmann said:

If VRR is in fact on, the refresh rate and fps should always be one and the same.

that is what Ive been expecting and how gsync is advertised,  but it never actually is... 

 

you think updating the monitor firmware would help? I mean its the last thing i could try before possibly doing an RMA...

 

And btw, i did turn on vrr on the monitor first, so that's not it either.  

[Stahlmann]

1 minute ago, Mark Kaine said:

that is what Ive been expecting and how gsync is advertised,  but it never actually is... 

 

you think updating the monitor firmware would help? I mean its the last thing i could try before possibly doing an RMA...

Could be a firmware issue. Updating might help if this monitor actually supports user-side firmware updates.

 

1 minute ago, Mark Kaine said:

And btw, i did turn off vrr on the monitor first, so that's not it either.  

Why would you turn off VRR if that's what you want to use?

[Mark Kaine]

1 minute ago, Stahlmann said:

Could be a firmware issue. Updating might help if this monitor actually supports user-side firmware updates.

yeah i think it does..  I'll give that a try.

 

2 minutes ago, Stahlmann said:

Why would you turn off VRR if that's what you want to use?

typo lol.