Freesync capable?

Tech87 · May 18

I read that both the s21+ and s21 ultra have adaptive screen refresh rates between 48hz-120hz, and 10hz-120hz respectively.

I'm wondering if either supports freesync, for a tear-free gaming experience?

HanZie82 · May 18

There are Samsungs with freesync, but those arent it.

Their adaptive refreshrate works a bit different.
It just changes framerate depending on content, it does not do it constantly.
Like the youtube app, it gives you 60fps.
looking in twitter app it gives you 30.
And when gaming it might give you 120.

But it will not constantly change depending on how fast it can deliver a full built frame like free/G-sync works.

Tech87 · May 18

7 hours ago, HanZie82 said:

There are Samsungs with freesync, but those arent it.

Their adaptive refreshrate works a bit different.
It just changes framerate depending on content, it does not do it constantly.
Like the youtube app, it gives you 60fps.
looking in twitter app it gives you 30.
And when gaming it might give you 120.

But it will not constantly change depending on how fast it can deliver a full built frame like free/G-sync works.

I understand freesync on monitors, and the terminology of "adaptive sync" is often used when speaking of freesync as well.

This is confusing, as Samsung uses the term "adaptive sync" for the refresh rates of their phones.

I see they're not the same thing, and I guess we're not at the point where any phones currently have freeysync technology in them, despite the misnomer naming of "adaptive sync" ?

Eigenvektor · May 19

9 hours ago, Tech87 said:

I understand freesync on monitors, and the terminology of "adaptive sync" is often used when speaking of freesync as well.

Adaptive sync is a technology, FreeSync and G-Sync are specific implementations of that technology.

Adaptive sync doesn't necessarily mean the monitor constantly adjusts its refresh rate, simply that it can adapt its refresh rate to the content as needed. For regular monitors that usually means it adapts to a game's fps. On a mobile that probably doesn't make sense/would waste too much battery live.

Tech87 · May 19

33 minutes ago, Eigenvektor said:

Adaptive sync is a technology, FreeSync and G-Sync are specific implementations of that technology.

Adaptive sync doesn't necessarily mean the monitor constantly adjusts its refresh rate, simply that it can adapt its refresh rate to the content as needed. For regular monitors that usually means it adapts to a game's fps. On a mobile that probably doesn't make sense/would waste too much battery live.

When speaking from a PC perspective, adaptive sync aka Freesync/Gsync, is a technology to match the screens refresh rate to the fps of the game, typically within a given range of 48hz-120hz or more.

However, that's not what mobile manufacturers do at all. Instead, they confusingly use the same technology name, but don't implement it in the same way.

As you mentioned, this could be due to battery limitations, but I would like to see the option left up to the user, should they choose.

Mobile devices simply set a refresh rate based off what task is being performed.

For example, when watching video content, the device may set the refresh rate to 30hz, static content 60hz, and perhaps 120hz or higher when gaming.

Eigenvektor · May 19

6 hours ago, Tech87 said:

When speaking from a PC perspective, adaptive sync aka Freesync/Gsync, is a technology to match the screens refresh rate to the fps of the game, typically within a given range of 48hz-120hz or more.

I know how FreeSync/G-Sync works My point is they are vendor specific implementations of the adaptive sync technology type. Adaptive sync simply means the monitor can adjust its frame rate, but not necessarily how it's done (e.g. fps or something else)

6 hours ago, Tech87 said:

However, that's not what mobile manufacturers do at all. Instead, they confusingly use the same technology name, but don't implement it in the same way.

Afaik G-Sync requires additional hardware, so even if it wasn't an Nvidia exclusive technology, it might be impossible to implement due to size, cost and/or power constraints.

While FreeSync should be royalty free, it might still require some additional functionality that isn't present in the GPUs of mobile SoCs.

A mobile device is not a game console. The number of people who care enough to warrant the additional implementation cost and higher price is probably too small. It would mostly make sense on game centric devices that, at the same time, don't have the performance for a consistent 120 fps.