One of PC gaming’s biggest advantages over consoles is the ability to push frame rates higher than 60 and 120fps and utilize adaptive sync technology to keep that gameplay looking smooth, no matter how much the frame rate fluctuates. That’s why if you’re looking to jump into the world of PC gaming or get more serious about your setup, you’ll want to know the difference between FreeSync and G-Sync, two important types of adaptive sync tech that will keep your gameplay looking and feeling as smooth as possible.
Adaptive sync technology like FreeSync and G-Sync synchronize your monitor’s refresh rate with the frame rate outputted by your graphics card. That means if your gaming monitor is 144Hz or even 240Hz, but your graphics card is pushing 100fps, your monitor’s adaptive sync tech (either FreeSync or G-Sync) will bring your display’s refresh rate down to 100Hz to keep your image feeling smooth and your inputs free of latency. FreeSync and G-Sync can be found in both gaming monitors and gaming TVs.
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VSync, which stands for vertical sync, is a graphics option available in the vast majority of video games. This stabilizes your frame rate so that it never goes beyond your monitor’s refresh rate. While this can help with keeping your gameplay free of screen tearing, it can cause performance issues and input lag that comes from the frames buffering. Adaptive sync tech like FreeSync and G-Sync take over for VSync, providing a much smoother, tear-free experience without needing to limit your refresh rate.
Adaptive sync is quite the game-changer, especially as more PC and console gamers adopt displays with higher refresh rates. But what exactly is the difference between FreeSync and G-Sync? What do you need to make sure you’re getting the best experience? And why should you care? There are a lot of questions that definitely need to be answered before you jump in, so we’ve built this guide to help.
What is FreeSync?
FreeSync is an adaptive sync technology that was created by AMD for use with variable refresh rates and its graphics cards. When a monitor supports FreeSync, it can work with your AMD graphics card to match a display’s refresh rate with your gameplay’s frame rate. This AMD exclusivity was the case for some time, while Nvidia had its own version called G-Sync. However, Nvidia now supports FreeSync, allowing owners of FreeSync displays to use this tech with Nvidia’s graphics cards–this is a certification called G-Sync Compatible. Nvidia provides certification for monitors to market themselves as G-Sync Compatible, but many non-certified FreeSync monitors are still compatible with Nvidia graphics cards–though to be safe, you’ll want to make sure the monitor is certified G-Sync Compatible.
There are also a number of different versions of FreeSync. FreeSync is the base version, while FreeSync Premium is for displays that run at a minimum of 120Hz and 1080p. Premium also adds low frame rate compensation (LFC). This makes it so your gameplay will remain smooth even if the frame rate goes lower than the minimum supported refresh rate of your monitor. Premium Pro, the highest tier of FreeSync, has all of FreeSync Premium’s benefits with the added benefit of using them with HDR turned on.
FreeSync monitors are much cheaper than those that have true G-Sync support as they utilize cable protocols in HDMI and DisplayPort as opposed to Nvidia’s proprietary G-Sync processor that’s built into its monitors. Many manufacturers have opted for FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible certification for this reason as they’re able to put the G-Sync logo on the box of a monitor if it’s compatible. Come from Sports betting site VPbet
FreeSync monitors to consider:
