How does a FreeSync monitor work with a NVIDIA GPU?

[kingmustard]

I know that G-Sync monitors work best with NVIDIA GPUs and FreeSync monitors work best with AMD GPUs.

 

How well does a FreeSync monitor work on a NVIDIA GPU?

 

(I don't mean I want to enable FreeSync on my NVIDIA GPU)

 

For example, if I use a 144 Hz FreeSync monitor with my NVIDIA GPU, will I still be able to display games up to 144 Hz/fps? What would I still use vsync in games? Would vsync only cause tearing over 144 fps in this configuration?

[ProRifts]

I am pretty sure Linus did a video on this topic. You can definitely get 144hz, no matter what GPU but I think that FreeSync is locked to AMD GPUs only. Don't take my word for it though.

[caldrin]

Freesync wont work with Nvidia cards so you will just have to use vsync and yeah will go up to what the monitor can handle.

I say wont.. Linus did do a video showing how to get it working but it involves having an AMD Graphics card as well.

[kingmustard]

2 minutes ago, caldrin said:

Freesync wont work with Nvidia cards so you will just have to use vsync and yeah will go up to what the monitor can handle.

I say wont.. Linus did do a video showing how to get it working but it involves having an AMD Graphics card as well.

In most games I play, I get 60-120 fps anyway.

 

So if I get 60-120 fps and said FreeSync monitor will display anything up 144 Hz without any visible issues on a NVIDIA GPU, what is the purpose of the FreeSync part?

[GoldenLag]

there is a workaround. it involves having an AMD APU installed and tweaking some settings in windows.

 

i think its been done with AMD GPU aswell but the gest of it is the set the Nvidia GPU has the "high performance" GPU and then the AMD GPU to "low power" and then plugging your monitor to the AMD GPU.

 

 

the reason it works with the APU is that it is integrated graphics, meaning you can set the iGPU to "low power". unshure if it works with full GPUs. once configured you will use the Nvidia GPU for the rendering and the AMD GPU for video-out. 

 

 

 

edit: that is the workaround to get freesync working with an Nvidia card.

when the monitor doesnt have compatible sync tech, it just works like a regular monitor

[kingmustard]

5 minutes ago, GoldenLag said:

there is a workaround. it involves having an AMD APU installed and tweaking some settings in windows.

 

i think its been done with AMD GPU aswell but the gest of it is the set the Nvidia GPU has the "high performance" GPU and then the AMD GPU to "low power" and then plugging your monitor to the AMD GPU.

 

 

the reason it works with the APU is that it is integrated graphics, meaning you can set the iGPU to "low power". unshure if it works with full GPUs. once configured you will use the Nvidia GPU for the rendering and the AMD GPU for video-out. 

 

 

 

edit: that is the workaround to get freesync working with an Nvidia card.

when the monitor doesnt have compatible sync tech, it just works like a regular monitor

Sorry, I didn't mean I wanted to enable FreeSync on my NVIDIA GPU.

 

It was more of a 'How does the combination work; what sort of experience would I get?'-type thing

[GoldenLag]

2 minutes ago, kingmustard said:

It was more of a 'How does the combination work; what sort of experience would I get?'-type thing

as a i explained in my edit. it will work like any old monitor. no difference. 

[kingmustard]

1 hour ago, GoldenLag said:

as a i explained in my edit. it will work like any old monitor. no difference. 

I still don't understand the difference between a 144 Hz FreeSync monitor on a NVIDIA GPU and the same monitor on an AMD GPU.

[GoldenLag]

Just now, kingmustard said:

I still don't understand the difference between a 144 Hz FreeSync monitor on a NVIDIA GPU and the same monitor on an AMD GPU.

oh.

 

while adaptive sync(freesync/gsync) is used it matches framerate and refreshrate on the monitor, meaning tearing is removed.

 

tearing is when a different frame is drawn mid-refresh and therefore continues drawing the new frame instead. that means half the frame might be "new" and the other half "old" (we are talking small ammounts of time here).

 

end result is that without it, some tearing will occur if you dont lock the framerate to the monitors refreshrate (vsync).

 

 

 

tl;dr tearing is removed

[kingmustard]

Just now, GoldenLag said:

oh.

 

while adaptive sync(freesync/gsync) is used it matches framerate and refreshrate on the monitor, meaning tearing is removed.

 

tearing is when a different frame is drawn mid-refresh and therefore continues drawing the new frame instead. that means half the frame might be "new" and the other half "old" (we are talking small ammounts of time here).

 

end result is that without it, some tearing will occur if you dont lock the framerate to the monitors refreshrate (vsync).

 

 

 

tl;dr tearing is removed

But tearing will only appear over 144 fps, yes?

[GoldenLag]

1 minute ago, kingmustard said:

But tearing will only appear over 144 fps, yes?

outside the capabilities of the technoligy and refresh of the monitor

 

specs differ, but below 48 fps it will start buffering frames to remove tearing (some have as low as 20 if im not misstaken)

 

above 144 hz however i believe tearing will start to happen. 

[kingmustard]

Just now, GoldenLag said:

outside the capabilities of the technoligy and refresh of the monitor

 

specs differ, but below 48 fps it will start buffering frames to remove tearing (some have as low as 20 if im not misstaken)

 

above 144 hz however i believe tearing will start to happen. 

Ah, so there's a "lower limit", unlike a standard 60 Hz monitor?

[GoldenLag]

Just now, kingmustard said:

Ah, so there's a "lower limit", unlike a standard 60 Hz monitor?

there is a "lower limit" to how low the technoligy goes.

 

old freesync 1 monitors had official specs of 48 hz lower treshhold (if im not misstaken). some went lower. 

 

you can manually set the refreshrate down below 48 hz, but the adaptive sync wont work in the low range. (again some do, but you get my point)

[caldrin]

Either way just treat it as a normal monitor in your case as Freesync will not be used.

So you are stuck to using vsync only. If you want to eliminate screen tearing by going over the refresh rate of the monitor you could use some software to limit the FPS in games. I use EVGA Precision XOC when I need to do that but I am sure there is other software out there..