Our Monitor Refresh Rate Tests: G-SYNC
What it is:
An implementation of variable refresh rate that works with NVIDIA graphics cards.
When it matters:
If you have an NVIDIA graphics card.
Monitor manufacturers have come up with new technology in recent years to improve your gaming experience. One of those is variable refresh rate (VRR) support which matches the refresh rate of your monitor with the frame rate of your source, even if the frame rate drops. This helps reduce screen tearing and helps to provide a smooth gaming experience.
There are different types of VRR produced by different companies, and one is NVIDIA’s G-SYNC feature. For VRR to work, the monitor has to be compatible with your graphics card’s VRR feature. Before 2019, only G-SYNC monitors worked with NVIDIA graphics cards, but since then, monitors that natively support AMD’s FreeSync VRR feature can still work with NVIDIA graphics cards thanks to the G-SYNC Compatibility feature.
We test every monitor with an NVIDIA graphics card to see which type of G-SYNC it has, whether native or compatible. This test is part of a bigger test where we look at its refresh rate range and different types of VRR support.
You can learn more about the entire Refresh Rate and Variable Refresh Rate tests here.
When It Matters
If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, you’ll want to know if the monitor you want to buy can implement its VRR feature with it. If you want a native G-SYNC monitor, you know that it works with an NVIDIA graphics card, but if you have a native FreeSync monitor, you’ll want to look at this test to see if it works.
Our tests
For our tests, we use a test PC with an NVIDIA RTX 3000 Series graphics card connected to the monitor. It’s a fairly straightforward test as we open the NVIDIA Control Panel to see which type of G-SYNC support it has (Native or Compatible), use the NVIDIA Pendulum Demo to see the refresh rate range at which it works, and then look for any screen tearing, bugs, or flicker. We also play a few games to see if there are any problems.
G-SYNC
What it is:
An implementation of variable refresh rate that works with NVIDIA graphics cards.
When it matters:
If you have an NVIDIA graphics card.
There are four different possibilities of results for this test. Each result tells us something different about the monitor, and while native FreeSync monitors can still work with NVIDIA graphics cards, there are a few extra advantages you get with a native G-SYNC monitor too.
No: Some displays simply aren’t compatible with NVIDIA’s G-SYNC technology as there’s screen tearing. This is becoming increasingly rare, as most monitors at least work with G-SYNC.
A certified G-SYNC Compatible display — MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD
Compatible (NVIDIA Certified): NVIDIA officially certifies some monitors to work with their G-SYNC compatible program, and you can see the full list of certified monitors here. On certified displays, G-SYNC is automatically enabled when connected to at least a 10-series NVIDIA card over DisplayPort.
NVIDIA tests them for compatibility issues and only certifies displays that work perfectly out of the box, but they lack the G-SYNC hardware module found on native G-SYNC monitors.
The simplest way to validate that a display is officially G-SYNC compatible is to check the ‘Set up G-SYNC’ menu from the NVIDIA Control Panel. G-SYNC will automatically be enabled for a certified compatible display, and it’ll say ‘G-SYNC Compatible’ under the monitor name. Most of the time, this works only over DisplayPort, but with newer GPUs, it’s also possible to enable G-SYNC over HDMI with a few monitors and TVs, but these are relatively rare.
We use the Pendulum Demo and check games to see if there are any noteworthy issues or oddities.
An unofficial G-SYNC Compatible display — Gigabyte AORUS FI32U
Compatible (Tested): Monitors that aren’t officially certified but still have the same ‘Enable G-SYNC, G-SYNC Compatible’ setting in the NVIDIA Control Panel get ‘Compatible (Tested)’ instead of ‘NVIDIA Certified’.
However, you’ll see on the monitor name that there isn’t a certification here. There isn’t a difference in performance between the two sets of monitors, and there could be different reasons why it isn’t certified by NVIDIA, including NVIDIA simply not testing it. As long as the VRR support works over its entire refresh rate range, the monitor works with an NVIDIA graphics card.
A native G-SYNC Display — Dell Alienware AW2721D
Yes (Native): Displays that natively support G-SYNC have a few extra features when paired with an NVIDIA graphics card. They can dynamically adjust their overdrive to match the content, ensuring a consistent gaming experience. Some high refresh rate monitors also support the NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer to measure the latency of your entire setup.
Like with certified G-SYNC compatible monitors, G-SYNC is automatically enabled on Native devices. Instead of listing them as G-SYNC Compatible in the ‘Set up G-SYNC page’, Native monitors are identified as simply ‘G-SYNC Capable’ below the monitor name.
We don’t specify if it has a standard G-SYNC certification or G-SYNC Ultimate, as both are considered the same for this testing.
For this test, we ensure G-SYNC is enabled from the NVIDIA Control Panel and use the NVIDIA Pendulum Demo to ensure G-SYNC is working correctly. If we have any doubts, we’ll check with a few games to ensure it’s working with real content.
Additional Information
G-SYNC vs FREESYNC vs HDMI Forum VRR
As mentioned earlier, there are different types of VRR formats, and the most common ones now are FreeSync, G-SYNC, and HDMI Forum VRR. They all present the same advantages for a nearly tear-free gaming experience, and the differences between them are on supported devices. Most graphics cards and monitors support at least FreeSync or G-SYNC, if not both, but HDMI Forum VRR is relatively new and isn’t available on as many devices. It’s part of HDMI 2.1 certification and is the only VRR format that the PlayStation 5 supports. The Xbox Series X, on the other hand, supports both HDMI Forum VRR and FreeSync.
There’s a relationship between G-SYNC and HDMI Forum VRR because any native G-SYNC monitor also supports HDMI Forum VRR.
Learn more about G-SYNC vs FreeSync
Officially Supported Monitors
NVIDIA has a list of certified monitors that they update to show each monitor’s certification. You can see the current list on NVIDIA’s website. If your monitor is supposed to be supported but isn’t working, make sure the monitor’s firmware and your graphics card’s drivers are up to date.
Note that the list on NVIDIA’s website isn’t always perfectly up-to-date; there may be other models supported that haven’t been listed.
How To Get The Best Results
To enable the VRR support, you must first select «G-SYNC Compatible» from the Setup G-SYNC setting under NVIDIA Control Panel. From there, you can enable G-SYNC for either full-screen mode or both full-screen and windowed mode.
If you don’t see this option, there are a few things you can check:
- Make sure you’re using a supported graphics card.
- Use a DisplayPort connection. For many G-SYNC compatible (native FreeSync monitors), the G-SYNC support only works with a DisplayPort connection. Monitors with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth should work with G-SYNC over both HDMI and G-SYNC. We’ll make a note in the text of the review which connections support G-SYNC.
Conclusion
G-SYNC is one of the common variable refresh rate (VRR) formats to reduce screen tearing when the frame rate of your game drops. For VRR to work, both the monitor and graphics cards need to work with the same VRR format, and our G-SYNC test checks to see if a monitor supports G-SYNC VRR with an NVIDIA graphics card. Most modern monitors are at least G-SYNC compatible, which is a nice addition, as pre-2019, you needed a native G-SYNC monitor to work with NVIDIA graphics cards.
Only 5% of Adaptive-Sync Monitors Made The Cut
Since we announced support for Adaptive-Sync Variable Refresh Rate monitors, we’ve been testing every model available, with those that passed several tests being marked “G-SYNC Compatible”.
This validation ensures that buyers receive a baseline Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) experience that makes gaming smoother, clearer, and more enjoyable.
We’ve completed our first phase of testing, getting our hands on as many Adaptive-Sync monitors as we could, and we’ve got the results ready to share with you.
To date, 503 VRR monitors have passed through our lab, and 28 (5.56%) have received G-SYNC Compatible validation, meaning 475 monitors failed.
Why? 273 failed for lacking a VRR range of at least 2.4:1 (e.g. 60Hz-144Hz), meaning you were unlikely to get any of the benefits of VRR as your framerate wasn’t within the tight range offered.
And while some may have had a sufficient VRR range, 202 of those also failed due to image quality (flickering, blanking) or other issues. This could range in severity, from the monitor cutting out during gameplay (sure to get you killed in PvP MP games), to requiring power cycling and Control Panel changes every single time.
And in 33 other cases, we couldn’t get hold of a monitor to test as they were no longer manufactured.
In the course of our testing, we collected a bunch of other interesting info about the many VRR models available. For instance, 55% have a maximum VRR refresh rate below 75Hz, so if you like to game with a higher framerate, perhaps for a competitive edge, VRR will never activate, so you’ll always have tearing, or will always have V-SYNC enabled to avoid tearing, which increases input latency, making gameplay feel less responsive.
|
Percentage of Monitor Models by Refresh Rate |
|||
|
Refresh Rate (Hz) |
G-SYNC |
G-SYNC Compatible |
Adaptive-Sync |
|
>144 |
50% |
39% |
4% |
|
76 — 144 |
41% |
58% |
41% |
|
<75 |
9% |
3% |
55% |
Note: All G-SYNC and G-SYNC ULTIMATE displays activate G-SYNC VRR from 1Hz to the display’s max refresh rate, whereas G-SYNC Compatible and Adaptive-Sync displays only activate VRR in a specific refresh rate range
With GeForce RTX graphics cards delivering high levels of performance in the latest titles, such as Apex Legends, Mordhau, Rage 2, and World War Z, our testing showed that gamers buying displays with VRR refresh rates that max out at 75Hz will in fact spend the majority of their time gaming without any VRR.
For that reason, we instead recommend that high refresh rate gamers buy G-SYNC or G-SYNC ULTIMATE displays that operate from 1Hz to the display’s maximum refresh rate, or G-SYNC Compatible displays with higher maximum VRR refresh rates, and wider VRR ranges.
For G-SYNC Compatible displays, we also noted the maximum refresh rates during testing, and the breakdown of passes and fails: over 300 failed monitors had a max 75Hz refresh rate or lower, and/or super slim VRR ranges, only 3 monitors that passed reached 120Hz, and the majority of the others had a refresh rate of 144Hz or higher. However, 76% of these higher refresh rate G-SYNC Compatible monitors run at only 1920×1080, limiting game detail and clarity.
Furthermore, the majority of G-SYNC Compatible monitors use TN displays, limiting fidelity, pixel response times, viewing angles, color accuracy, and a multitude of other display facets.
In comparison, a far greater number of G-SYNC and G-SYNC ULTIMATE monitors feature superior VA or IPS displays, giving you improved color and contrast, and better overall image quality.
All run from 1Hz to their maximum supported refresh rate, and there are numerous 2560×1440, 4K, and high-def Ultrawide displays available to game on.
When scrolling through the full list of G-SYNC, G-SYNC ULTIMATE, and G-SYNC Compatible gaming monitors, you’ll see that G-SYNC and G-SYNC ULTIMATE offer a complete, varied range of display sizes, refresh rates and panel types, plus the many other G-SYNC improvements that guarantee the very best experience straight out of the box.
This all made possible by our rigorous G-SYNC and G-SYNC ULTIMATE validation process that sees us working with manufacturers and partners from a product’s conception, through to its development, and finally to its release. For a look behind the scenes, check out LinusTechTips’ video below:
NVIDIA has continually raised the bar for Variable Refresh Rate gaming since we invented G-SYNC in 2013, and at Computex 2019 we have unveiled the next generation of enthusiast gaming monitors, crafted with cutting-edge Mini LED technology.
Learn more in this article, and be sure to download and install our new Game Ready Driver to update your system with support for a further 3 G-SYNC Compatible gaming monitors.
For G-SYNC Compatible’s next phase, we’ll continue testing newly-released adaptive sync monitors for G-SYNC Compatibility, and bringing you support for those that do pass in new Game Ready Drivers.
For further news about the latest G-SYNC, G-SYNC ULTIMATE and G-SYNC Compatible developments, stay tuned to
GeForce.com.
A note about frame synchronization — DTF guides
For homeless PC and monitor.
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Do you play on a 60Hz monitor? Do you have a port display or g-sync scarves in it? Are you tired of constantly thinking about how to achieve the maximum smooth image and not scream in pain due to input lag? Do you feel sorry for your video card, issuing 300 fps into the void? In this short post, I will cover all the main cases that a valiant PC gamer may encounter.
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Variant A
A modern game that runs entirely on direct X 12. Everything is simple here. The first thing we do is go to nvidia drivers and enable low latency mode there.
Second: we turn on vertical synchronization in the game in any way possible. Everyone, we are amazing. It really works, trust me. There will be no input lag if the conditions match. The picture is smooth and without gaps.
Guys with AMD cards — my condolences. nine0003
Additional condition: reinforced concrete fps above 60 or with very, very small drawdowns.
Variant B
Just any game that requires minimal latency. It works both in economy mode (lock at 60 fps) and in boyar mode (lock at 120 fps). We need one simple program — riva tuner statistics server. It comes with msi afterberner. There doesn’t seem to be a separate one.
Opening our miracle utility. Add the desired game. Set the frame time limit and scanline limit values:
It is worth starting from 60 and minus one, as indicated in the screenshot.
Sometimes the values 61 and -1, or 59 and -1, work. What will it give? The tearing bar, our favorite gap, will hang in one place instead of running all over the screen. My minus one hangs in place of the red bar and does not interfere.
If the tearing is not there, or you just don’t like its position, then we change minus one to … yes, to whatever you want, in negative values. At minus 500, for example, and look what happened. For a 120 fps lock, everything works almost exactly the same, just click on the label itself to show scanline x2. 120, -1 and further by typing. Total: smooth picture, tearing is hidden in a non-irritating place, no additional input lag. nine0003
Guys playing through game pass — my condolences.
Additional condition: full screen mode and reinforced concrete FPS above 60/120/etc. Let’s hang out less.
Variant B
Any game that runs on direct X libraries 11 and below. Open the nvidia control panel. Choose sync > fast.
Everything. Basically, if I remember correctly, this is the synchronization method that triple buffering was supposed to be, but it wasn’t. The FPS will freeze at the “Hertz x 2” mark and will solve all our problems. In our case, this is 120 frames per second. nine0003
To the guys with AMD cards, my repeated condolences.
Additional condition: reinforced concrete fps above 120.
Well, something like this. Gentlemen with g-sync and 144Hz monitors — this is not written for you.
What is G-Sync, how to enable and configure it correctly
Author: admin
nine0002 Do you have a G-SYNC capable monitor and an NVIDIA graphics card? Consider what G-SYNC is, how to enable it and configure it correctly in order to take full advantage of the potential and possibilities of this technology. Keep in mind that just turning it on isn’t everything.
Contents
- 1 Synchronization technologies
- 2 What is G-SYNC?
- 3 Enable G-SYNC in NVIDIA Control Panel
- 4 What do I do with V-SYNC if I have G-SYNC? Leave it enabled or disable it? nine0070
- 5 Enable vertical sync in NVIDIA settings
- 6 Limit FPS to less than the maximum screen refresh rate
Synchronization technologies
Every gamer knows what vertical synchronization (V-Sync) is.
This function synchronizes the image frames in such a way that the screen tearing effect is eliminated. If you turn off vertical sync on a regular monitor, then the input lag (delay) will decrease, while you will notice that the game will become better responsive to your commands, but thus the frames will not be properly synchronized and will reach screen tearing. nine0003
V-Sync eliminates screen tearing, but at the same time causes an increase in the delay in the output of the picture relative to the control, so that it becomes less comfortable to play. Every time you move the mouse, it seems that the effect of the movement occurs with a slight delay. And here the G-SYNC function comes to the rescue, which allows you to eliminate both of these shortcomings.
What is G-SYNC?
Quite an expensive but effective solution for NVIDIA GeForce video cards is the use of G-SYNC technology, which eliminates screen tearing without additional delay (input lag). But to implement it, you need a monitor that includes the G-SYNC module.
The module adjusts the screen refresh rate to the number of frames per second, so there is no additional delay and the effect of screen tearing is eliminated. nine0003
Many users, after purchasing such a monitor, only enable NVIDIA G-SYNC support in the NVIDIA control panel settings with the conviction that this is all they need to do. Theoretically yes, because G-SYNC will work, but if you want to fully maximize the use of this technology, then you need to enable a number of additional features related to the appropriate setting of classic v-sync and limiting FPS in games to a number less than the maximum refresh rate by a few frames monitor. Why? You will learn all this from the following recommendations. nine0003
Enable G-SYNC in NVIDIA Control Panel
Let’s start with the simplest basic solution, that is, from the moment the G-SYNC module is turned on. This can be done using the NVIDIA Control Panel. Right-click on the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel (NVIDIA Control Panel).
Then go to the tab Display — G-SYNC Setup. Here you can enable the technology using the «Enable G-SYNC» field. Tag him.
You will then be able to specify whether it will only work in full screen mode, or may also activate in games running in windowed mode or full screen windows (no borders). nine0003
If you select the «Enable G-SYNC for full screen mode» option, the function will only work in games that have full screen mode set (this option can be changed in the settings of specific games). Games in windowed mode or fullscreen windows will not use this technology.
If you want «windowed» games to also use G-SYNC technology, then enable the «Enable G-SYNC for windowed and full screen mode» option. When this option is selected, the function intercepts the currently active window and overlays its action on it, enabling it to support modified screen refresh. You may need to restart your computer to activate this option. nine0003
How to verify that this technology is enabled.
To do this, open the Display menu at the top of the window and check the «G-SYNC Indicator» field in it. This will inform you that G-SYNC is enabled when you start the game.
Then go to the «Manage 3D Settings» tab in the sidebar. In the «Global settings» section, find the «Preferred refresh rate» field.
Set the value «Highest available» here. Some games may impose their own refresh rate on themselves, which may result in G-SYNC not being fully utilized. This setting will override all game settings and always enable the maximum monitor refresh rate, which is most commonly 144Hz on G-SYNC devices. nine0003
In general, this is the basic setting that needs to be done to enable G-SYNC. But, if you want to fully utilize the potential of your equipment, then you should read the further instructions.
What should I do with V-SYNC if I have G-SYNC? Leave it enabled or disable it?
This is the most common dilemma for G-SYNC monitor owners. It is generally accepted that this technology completely replaces the classic V-SYNC, which can be completely disabled in the NVIDIA control panel or simply ignored.
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First you need to understand the difference between them. The task of both functions is theoretically the same — to overcome the effect of screen tearing. But the way it works is very different.
The
V-SYNC synchronizes frames to match the monitor’s constant refresh rate. Therefore, the function acts as an intermediary, capturing the picture and, accordingly, the display of the frame, so as to adapt them to a constant frame rate, thereby preventing image tearing. As a result, this can lead to input lag (delay), because V-SYNC must first «capture and arrange» the image, and only then display it on the screen. nine0003
The
G-SYNC works exactly the opposite. Adjusts not the image, but the refresh rate of the monitor to the number of frames displayed on the screen. Everything is done in hardware using the G-SYNC module built into the monitor, so there is no additional delay in displaying the picture, as is the case with vertical sync. This is its main advantage.
The whole problem is that G-SYNC works well only when the FPS is in the supported refresh rate range. This range covers frequencies from 30Hz to whatever the monitor supports (60Hz or 144Hz). That is, this technology works in full measure when the FPS does not fall below 30 and does not exceed 60 or 144 frames per second, depending on the maximum supported refresh rate. Looks really good, below is an infographic created by BlurBusters. nine0003
What happens if the frame rate per second is outside this range? G-SYNC won’t be able to adjust the screen refresh, so anything out of range doesn’t work. You will find exactly the same problems as on a regular monitor without G-SYNC and classic vertical sync will work. If it is turned off, screen tearing will occur. If it is on, then you will not see the gap effect, but iput lag (delay) will appear.
So it’s in your best interest to stay within the G-SYNC refresh range, which is a minimum of 30Hz and a maximum of what the monitor can support (most commonly 144Hz, but 60Hz displays do exist).
How to do it? Using the appropriate vertical sync settings, as well as limiting the maximum number of FPS. nine0003
What, therefore, is the conclusion from this? In a situation where the number of frames per second drops below 30 FPS, you need to leave V-sync still enabled. These are rare cases, but if it comes to them, then V-SYNC guarantees that the effect of tearing the picture will not occur. If the upper limit is exceeded, then everything is simple here — you need to limit the maximum number of frames per second in order not to approach the upper limit, at the intersection of which V-SYNC is turned on, thereby ensuring the continuous operation of G-SYNC. nine0003
Therefore, if you have a 144 Hz monitor, you need to enable the FPS limit at 142 in order not to approach the upper limit. If the monitor is 60 Hz — set the limit to 58. Even if the computer is able to make more FPS, then it will not do it. Then V-SYNC will not turn on and only G-SYNC will be active.
Enable vertical sync in NVIDIA settings
Open the NVIDIA Control Panel and go to the «Manage 3D Settings» tab.
In the Global Setting section, find the option Vertical Sync (Vertical synchronization) and set the option to «On» (Enabled). nine0003
Thanks to this, V-sync will always be ready to turn on if the FPS drops below 30 FPS, and a monitor with G-SYNC technology would not be able to handle it.
Limit FPS to a value less than the maximum screen refresh rate
The best way to limit frames per second is to use RTSS (RivaTuner Statistics Server). Of course, the best solution is to use the limiter built into the game, but not everyone has one. nine0003
Download and run the program, then in the list of games on the left side, check the Global box. Here you can set a common limiter for all applications. On the right side, find the «Framerate limit» field. Set the limit here for 144Hz monitors to 142 FPS, respectively, for 60Hz devices -58 FPS.
When the limit is set, there will be no delay to activate classic v-sync and the game will be much more comfortable.
