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Glossary:Variable refresh rate (VRR)

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Revision as of 21:43, 1 September 2018 by Aemony (talk | contribs) (→‎AMD FreeSync: added AMD's custom "FreeSync over HDMI" stuff implemented back in 2016.)

Graphics and video

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Video settings

Hardware

Variable refresh rate (VRR), sometimes also called dynamic refresh rate (DRR), refers to technologies that enables dynamic refresh rates for monitors, where the refresh rate of the monitor is continuously synced to the output rate of the content being displayed. This prevents screen tearing in the supported range, while also lower power consumption as the monitor does not need to refresh at its highest supported rate while displaying content below that rate.

Variable refresh rate range (VRR range) refers to the range supported by a monitor where a dynamic refresh rate synced to the content is possible. This range usually starts at around 30 Hz and typically covers the full range upwards to the maximum refresh rate supported by the monitor.

Key Points

Allows tearing-free gameplay and low input delay on variable frame rates within the supported VRR range of the monitor without resorting to Vertical sync (Vsync).
Will result in slightly less power consumption for monitors in scenarios where the refresh rate decreases based on the frame rate of the content being displayed.

Technologies

AMD FreeSync

Monitors are generally cheaper compared to Nvidia G-Sync monitors, as manufacturers do not have to pay a licensing fee for adoption nor implement expensive or proprietary hardware modules.
According to AMD, FreeSync also does not have the communication overhead the competing Nvidia's G-Sync technology have; meaning frame presentation will never be delayed or impaired by time-consuming two-way handshakes.[1]

FreeSync (or Radeon FreeSync as it is sometimes marketed as) is AMD's variable refresh rate technology and unique hardware/software solution that allows dynamic refresh rates on monitors by utilizing open industry standards. For example, FreeSync utilizes the VESA DisplayPort Adaptive Sync protocols to allow dynamic refresh rates over a DisplayPort connection, and will also support the Variable Refresh Rate technology adopted in the HDMI 2.1 specification for HDMI connections.[2] To enable the use of variable refresh rate technology over HDMI connections in monitors released 2016, almost two years before VRR became a part of the, at the time, future HDMI 2.1 specification, AMD and technology partners used vendor-specific HDMI extensions to implement AMD FreeSync over HDMI, thereby keeping the technology fully interoperable with HDMI standards.[3]


References