Glossary:Variable refresh rate (VRR)
Graphics and video
Resolutions
Video settings
- Field of view (FOV)
- Windowed / borderless fullscreen
- Anisotropic filtering (AF)
- Anti-aliasing (AA)
- High-fidelity upscaling
- Vertical sync (Vsync)
- Frame rate (FPS)
- High dynamic range (HDR)
- Ray tracing (RT)
- Color blind mode
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 - AMD's solution.
- Nvidia G-Sync - Nvidia's solution.
- DisplayPort/VESA Adaptive-Sync - An optional specification of the DisplayPort 1.2a video interface standard, although mandatory for the Embedded DisplayPort standard.
- HDMI 2.1 Variable Refresh Rate - A mandatory specification of the HDMI 2.1 standard.
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 Monitor FAQ on AMD
FreeSync (or Radeon FreeSync as it is sometimes marketed as) is AMD's proprietary 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]
Nvidia G-Sync
- Requires proprietary hardware and licensing fees, increasing the cost of monitors implementing the technology.
- Have been discovered to rely on the VESA DisplayPort Adaptive Sync protocols[4], theoretically making it fully compatible with compliant FreeSync/DisplayPort Adaptive Sync monitors. However the ability to use G-Sync with these unlicensed monitors is prevented by the Nvidia display drivers.
- G-Sync FAQ on GeForce
- G-Sync 101 on Blur Busters
G-Sync is Nvidia's proprietary variable refresh rate solution, only available for use with monitors which includes Nvidia's proprietary G-Sync module. The G-Sync module replaces the typical internal scaler of the display, meaning a G-Sync display does not have any built-in scaling support. Instead the monitor relies on the the scaling support of the graphics card to scale video signals not matching the native resolution of the monitor.
Recommended optimal settings[5] |
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Nvidia Control Panel settings:
In-game settings:
Notes
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References
- ↑ SweClockers - Interview: AMD on dynamic frequencies with Project Freesync (English) - last accessed on 2018-09-01
- ↑ AMD - FreeSync Monitor FAQ - last accessed on 2018-09-01
- ↑ AMD PowerPoint Presentation - AMD FreeSync™ Technology Over HDMI® - last accessed on 2018-09-01
- ↑ GameNab - Nvidia G-sync Hack (working on every monitor ?) DP1.2 and EDP - last accessed on 2018-09-02
- ↑ Blur Busters - G-SYNC 101: Optimal G-SYNC Settings & Conclusion - last accessed on 2018-09-02