[UPDATE] Official : FreeSync Launched, Dubbed Adaptive-Sync.

[TechFan@ic]

As of today AMD's adaptive refresh rate technology "FreeSync" very much akin to Nvidia's G-Sync has been officially ratified as a VESA standard in Displayport 1.2a and is now officially known as Adaptive-Sync.

 

Adaptive-Sync has been a part of VESA’s embedded DisplayPort, eDP, spec since 2009 and as a result, a lot of adaptive-sync technology is already incorporated into a lot of the components for displays that rely on eDP for internal signaling. Implementation of DisplayPort

How Adaptive-Sync can work to reduce power consumption and improve content presentation.

 

Furthermore the Adaptive-Sync technology will be offered to all panel makers free of charge. This is quite different from G-Sync which requires the panel maker to pay Nvidia a licensing fee.

Adaptive-Sync technology is offered to VESA members free without any license fee, which means we will likely see big monitor manufacturers like Dell and Samsung adopting this standard fairly quickly.

 

Source
http://www.brightsideofnews.com/2014/05/12/vesa-adds-adaptive-sync-displayport-1-2-standard/

 

Update : AMD has just released a Q&A about Adaptive-Sync and how it relates to FreeSync.

Q: When can I buy a monitor compatible with Project FreeSync?

A: AMD has undertaken every necessary effort to enable Project FreeSync in the display ecosystem. Monitor vendors are now integrating the DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync specification and productizing compatible displays. AMD is working closely with these vendors to bring products to market, and we expect compatible monitors within 6-12 months. 

Q: What are the requirements to use FreeSync?

A: To take advantage of the benefits of Project FreeSync, users will require: a monitor compatible with DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync, a compatible AMD Radeon GPU with a DisplayPort connection, and a compatible AMD Catalyst graphics driver. AMD plans to release a compatible graphics driver to coincide with the introduction of the first DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync monitors.

 

Q: What AMD Radeon GPUs are compatible with Project FreeSync?

A: The first discrete GPUs compatible with Project FreeSync are the AMD Radeon R9 290X, R9 290, R7 260X and R7 260 graphics cards. Project FreeSync is also compatible with AMD APUs codenamed “Kabini,” “Temash,” “Beema,” and “Mullins.” All compatible products must be connected via DisplayPort to a display that supports DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync.  

 

Q: How is Project Freesync different from NVIDIA G-Sync?

A: While both technologies have similar benefits, G-Sync uses expensive and proprietary hardware. In contrast, Project FreeSync utilizes the industry-standard DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync specification to promote wider adoption, lower cost of ownership, and a broad ecosystem of compatibility. 

You can read the full Q&A here which includes more questions and answers.

[brownninja97]

imagine the marketing for it, check out the "AS" on my monitor, daayyyumm.

[qwertywarrior]

WOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[FlakeyBanana]

HHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dizmo]

So...would this make GSync basically useless?

[Osmium]

So...would this make GSync basically useless?

Looks like it.

[Thorium19]

Hip, Hip, HOOOOOOOORRRRRAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!!  :lol:

 

 

i may be a little too enthusiastic about this  :rolleyes: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

still, competition is good.

[Sidiox]

So...would this make GSync basically useless?

It's not entirely the same as GSync, although I don't quite know the techinical details.

[Osmium]

I am tempted to buy a G-Sync Kit and outfit it to my monitor so I can sell it in the future as a collector's item.

[Epitome]

yay!!!!!!

[Osmium]

It's not entirely the same as GSync, although I don't quite know the techinical details.

 

No it literally is the same as G-Sync. They both synchronize the refresh rate of the monitor to that of the amount of frames being rendered in real time. Nvidia has just been the sacrificial lamb to make it happen.

[Scionyde]

Name sounds kinda close to 'Adaptive Vsync'. I'm a little disappointed they didn't stick with such an epic troll-y name, though

 

It will be interesting to see how well these work compared to Nvidia's solution.

[Freaky_spider]

hell YES!!!! you'll still need to buy a new monitor tho, but atleast it can be any monitor with a DP 1.2a input

[Me1z]

No it literally is the same as G-Sync. They both synchronize the refresh rate of the monitor to that of the amount of frames being rendered in real time. Nvidia has just been the sacrificial lamb to make it happen.

 

No, it is not literally the same. With G-sync the monitor's refresh rate synchronizes with the GPU and with freesync the GPU's frame rate synchronizes with the monitor.

[TERAFLOP]

I remember how Linus criticized AMD for FreeSync when it was first announced and only citing Nvidia's response which was a bullcrap "we're the only company that has a scalar that can do this" which as we know was a complete lie.

Dynamic refresh rate has existed since 2009 in embedded display port as a firmware feature. A scalar was never needed as is evident today with this announcement.

 

[LawrenceBarnes2013]

So...would this make GSync basically useless?

Let's wait and see, ("me" nVidia fan , i don't think so)

[GRJohn]

No, it is not literally the same. With G-sync the monitor's refresh rate synchronizes with the GPU and with freesync the GPU's frame rate synchronizes with the monitor.

Three drunk guys in a bar,

Guy1 : I walk by moving my right foot then my left foot that's how I make progress. (AMD)

Guy2 : No that totally doesn't work, if you want to make progress you have to move your left foot and then your right foot and that's how you make real progress ! (Nvidia)

Guy3 : I'm so drunk I can't even walk. (Intel)

[kuddlesworth9419]

What I find really funny is that consoles will be stuck without this tech for 10 years.

[LawrenceBarnes2013]

let's see if it can keep up with the Champ, "G-Sync"

[dizmo]

What I find really funny is that consoles will be stuck without this tech for 10 years.

Unless it gets adopted into TV's, in which case much much sooner..

[Osmium]

No, it is not literally the same. With G-sync the monitor's refresh rate synchronizes with the GPU and with freesync the GPU's frame rate synchronizes with the monitor.

 

No you are talking about V-Sync. V-Sync forces the GPU to output only the amount of frames that is in sync with the monitor. G and Freesync are actual additions to the monitor that allow them both to dynamically change refresh rates.

[Me1z]

Three drunk guys in a bar,

Guy1 : I walk by moving my right foot then my left foot that's how I make progress. (AMD)

Guy2 : No that totally doesn't work, if you want to make progress you have to move your left foot and then your right foot and that's how you make real progress ! (Nvidia)

Guy3 : I'm so drunk I can't even walk. (Intel)

 

I see the point your making, the end result is similar, but its like comparing rear wheel drive to front wheel drive. Both make the car move, but they are completely different completely and change the way the car feels when you drive it.

[EmmaLong]

I see the point your making, the end result is similar, but its like comparing rear wheel drive to front wheel drive. Both make the car move, but they are completely different completely and change the way the car feels when you drive it.

AMD is like an all wheel drive car. Whichever wheel has the most traction they will make use of.

[qwertywarrior]

No, it is not literally the same. With G-sync the monitor's refresh rate synchronizes with the GPU and with freesync the GPU's frame rate synchronizes with the monitor.

ehh u just gave the definition of Vsync ...

 

freesync = Gsync

[LOLPhilips]

Yarrrrr,

 

Lets see these new monitors coming =) and thank you amd.

Good of Nvidia to be the firestarter for once (even if theirs is an expensive solution)