Using V-Sync on a Free-Sync Monitor

[11rednazo]

I know this question is always asked, debated, and what it seems to look like a death battle with much toxic debate on it, but I wanted to get a strait answer and final answer on the bit question. Can you use V or G-sync on a FreeSync monitor and in visa-versa using AMDSync on a G or V-sync monitor. What is the problems, the ups and downs, and what is most wise when it comes to either buying a monitor tailored to the card, or does it not matter that it is just more of a way to get support and to avoid going from forum to forum trying to ask answers. I would like to know if buying a FreeSync monitor would still would when enabling V-sync or would buying into 'proprietary' realms and getting a supported monitor. I would like to see a follow up video on one of linus videos and then testing to see about mixing and matching to see if there is a noticeably difference or if it just the at this point, up to the buy to get either open sourced. or name brand. 

[Guest]

You can't use G-sync on a free-sync monitor, as g-sync requires a physical do-tad in a monitor.

 

V-sync is only software based, so you can use it on both g-sync or free sync monitor or a plain old normal monitor.

 

While freesync is also software/protocol based, i belive you can't use it on a g-sync monitor, without changing the firmware atleast.

[Oshino Shinobu]

GSync/FreeSync and VSync are different technologies that perform different tasks with different requirements. They can't really be grouped together. 

 

VSync will work with any monitor as it's all managed from the source (ie. the computer). The monitor just displays what it's given and doesn't "know" what the PC is doing to manage the frame rate. 

 

GSync is an Nvidia proprietary technology that requires a monitor with a dedicated GSync module and a compatible Nvidia graphics card in order to work. 

 

Freesync is AMD's take on AdaptiveSync, which is part of the DisplayPort spec managed by VESA. It is an AMD technology (though the base of it is still built on VESA's technology), but it is not entirely proprietary and does not require dedicated hardware on the monitor side of things. While the technology isn't closed off like GSync is, you realistically still need to have a compatible AMD GPU as they're really the only ones that support it right now. The monitor needs to be FreeSync enabled, but as FreeSync is built upon tech that is already in the DP spec, it doesn't require any dedicated modules like GSync. 

 

You cannot use GSync on a FreeSync monitor and you cannot use FreeSync on a GSync monitor. FreeSync = AMD and GSync = Nvidia. 

 

As for VSync, it can be used on either. It's important to understand that VSync doesn't replace GSync or FreeSync, or vice-versa. It is a technology that can be used alongside either, or turned off or used on its own. GSync and FreeSync only work while your FPS is below your monitor's refresh rate. Above it, they do nothing. VSync can work below and above, but if you're using it alongside GSync or FreeSync, it will typically only work above the monitor's refresh rate and turn off to allow GSync/FreeSync to take over below it. 

 

FreeSync monitors generally don't have a price premium as they don't have any additional hardware that would make them more expensive than regular monitors. So if you have an Nvidia GPU, buying a FreeSync monitor typically isn't a waste of money, as it doesn't cost any more than a non-FreeSync monitor and will function as a standard monitor just fine. Things change when buying a GSync monitor though. As GSync monitors have additional hardware that adds cost to the monitor (typically around $200 or so), buying a GSync monitor without a compatible graphics card is often a waste of money as monitors with similar specs are likely to be available for cheaper and will function exactly the same (and possibly better, depending on whether your GPU is FreeSync compatible and whether the GSync monitor has any ports other than DP). 

 

In terms of Nvidia GPUs with FreeSync monitors and AMD GPUs with GSync monitors, there is no difference in performance. They will just function like a standard monitor, as if it wasn't GSync/FreeSync enabled at all. 

[11rednazo]

26 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

GSync/FreeSync and VSync are different technologies that perform different tasks with different requirements. They can't really be grouped together. 

 

VSync will work with any monitor as it's all managed from the source (ie. the computer). The monitor just displays what it's given and doesn't "know" what the PC is doing to manage the frame rate. 

 

GSync is an Nvidia proprietary technology that requires a monitor with a dedicated GSync module and a compatible Nvidia graphics card in order to work. 

 

Freesync is AMD's take on AdaptiveSync, which is part of the DisplayPort spec managed by VESA. It is an AMD technology (though the base of it is still built on VESA's technology), but it is not entirely proprietary and does not require dedicated hardware on the monitor side of things. While the technology isn't closed off like GSync is, you realistically still need to have a compatible AMD GPU as they're really the only ones that support it right now. The monitor needs to be FreeSync enabled, but as FreeSync is built upon tech that is already in the DP spec, it doesn't require any dedicated modules like GSync. 

 

You cannot use GSync on a FreeSync monitor and you cannot use FreeSync on a GSync monitor. FreeSync = AMD and GSync = Nvidia. 

 

As for VSync, it can be used on either. It's important to understand that VSync doesn't replace GSync or FreeSync, or vice-versa. It is a technology that can be used alongside either, or turned off or used on its own. GSync and FreeSync only work while your FPS is below your monitor's refresh rate. Above it, they do nothing. VSync can work below and above, but if you're using it alongside GSync or FreeSync, it will typically only work above the monitor's refresh rate and turn off to allow GSync/FreeSync to take over below it. 

 

FreeSync monitors generally don't have a price premium as they don't have any additional hardware that would make them more expensive than regular monitors. So if you have an Nvidia GPU, buying a FreeSync monitor typically isn't a waste of money, as it doesn't cost any more than a non-FreeSync monitor and will function as a standard monitor just fine. Things change when buying a GSync monitor though. As GSync monitors have additional hardware that adds cost to the monitor (typically around $200 or so), buying a GSync monitor without a compatible graphics card is often a waste of money as monitors with similar specs are likely to be available for cheaper and will function exactly the same (and possibly better, depending on whether your GPU is FreeSync compatible and whether the GSync monitor has any ports other than DP). 

 

In terms of Nvidia GPUs with FreeSync monitors and AMD GPUs with GSync monitors, there is no difference in performance. They will just function like a standard monitor, as if it wasn't GSync/FreeSync enabled at all. 

Thank you, this is what I have been looking for when it came to just looking at them because most of the time when someone asks about it, it just becomes confusion, but with this defined answer (Thank you so much of it), I now can actually figure out a judgement call, including that was just confused me for the most part. That and if you are a nivida dire hard then go for the G-sync stuff but if it bounce around then go with freesync at least so then it does hurt the wallet and stuff. Though this does makes thing a lot more clear when it comes to picking a choosing monitors. 

[Oshino Shinobu]

32 minutes ago, 11rednazo said:

Thank you, this is what I have been looking for when it came to just looking at them because most of the time when someone asks about it, it just becomes confusion, but with this defined answer (Thank you so much of it), I now can actually figure out a judgement call, including that was just confused me for the most part. That and if you are a nivida dire hard then go for the G-sync stuff but if it bounce around then go with freesync at least so then it does hurt the wallet and stuff. Though this does makes thing a lot more clear when it comes to picking a choosing monitors. 

There has always been quite a bit of confusion regarding GSync/FreeSync, thanks to Nvidia and AMD's documentation (what little there is of it) on it being abysmal and Nvidia botching the settings in their control panel when GSync first launched. 

 

IMO, GSync is worth the cost premium over a standard monitor if you already have powerful Nvidia GPUs or plan on getting one. That makes FreeSync even better as it doesn't have the extra cost. So if you're not really worried about which brand GPU you buy, go for FreeSync. That way you can spend the $200 you'd save on a better GPU or an SSD or something. Plus, if another brand comes into the GPU market (someone like Intel), they're most likely to going to support FreeSync/AdaptiveSync rather than GSync. 

 

Honestly, I wish that Nvidia and AMD would work together on this to both adopt and improve upon AdaptiveSync so that everything supports it. Though, that will likely never happen.