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G-SYNC 101: Control Panel

Published Jun 20, 2017 by in: G-SYNC

G-SYNC Module

The G-SYNC module is a small chip that replaces the display’s standard internal scaler, and contains enough onboard memory to hold and process a single frame at a time.

The module exploits the vertical blanking interval (the span between the previous and next frame scan) to manipulate the display’s internal timings; performing G2G (gray to gray) overdrive calculations to prevent ghosting, and synchronizing the display’s refresh rate to the GPU’s render rate to eliminate tearing, along with the delayed frame delivery and adjoining stutter caused by traditional syncing methods.

G-SYNC Demo

The below Blur Busters Test UFO motion test pattern uses motion interpolation techniques to simulate the seamless framerate transitions G-SYNC provides within the refresh rate, when directly compared to standalone V-SYNC.

NVIDIA Control Panel Retirement

As of NVIDIA driver version 610.47, the NVIDIA Control Panel has officially reached EOL:

“After 20 years of dedicated service, the classic NVIDIA Control Panel is officially retiring for Game Ready and Studio Drivers. For NVIDIA RTX PRO users, the NVIDIA Control Panel will continue to be supported until we have migrated professional features to the NVIDIA app

Existing installs of the NVIDIA Control Panel will remain on users’ systems, unless they perform a clean installation, and users who still need the NVIDIA Control Panel can continue to download it from the Microsoft Store, but we won’t be adding features, fixes, or other changes.”

While the original NVIDIA Control Panel settings locations will be retained below, the NVIDIA App settings locations are now also included for a more up-to-date reference.

G-SYNC Activation

“Full screen” / “Enable for full screen mode” (exclusive fullscreen-type functionality only) is automatically selected when a supported display is connected to the GPU. If G-SYNC behavior is suspect or non-functioning, tick off, apply, tick on, and apply.

G-SYNC Windowed Mode

“Full screen and windowed” / “Enable for windowed and full screen mode” allows G-SYNC support for legacy windowed and borderless windowed modes. This option was introduced in a 2015 driver update, and by manipulating the DWM (Desktop Windows Manager) framebuffer, allows G-SYNC’s VRR (variable refresh rate) to synchronize to the focused window’s render rate; unfocused windows remain at the desktop’s fixed refresh rate until focused on.

G-SYNC only functions on one window at a time, and thus any unfocused window that contains moving content will appear to stutter or slow down, a reason why a variety of non-gaming applications (popular web browsers among them) include predefined NVIDIA profiles that disable G-SYNC support. As such, per-profile application of this mode is optimal vs. global. See Closing FAQ #5 for instructions.

Note: this setting may require a game or system restart after application; “Show indicator” / “G-SYNC Indicator” can be enabled to verify it is working as intended.

G-SYNC Preferred Refresh Rate

“Highest available” is automatically selected when G-SYNC is initially enabled, and overrides the in-game refresh rate selector (if present), defaulting to the highest supported refresh rate of the display. This is useful for games that don’t include a selector, and ensures the display’s native refresh rate is utilized.

“Application-controlled” adheres to the desktop’s current refresh rate, or defers control to games that contain a refresh rate selector.

Note: this setting only applies to games being run in exclusive fullscreen-type modes. For games being run in legacy borderless or windowed modes, the desktop always dictates the refresh rate.

  • NVIDIA App
    Settings location

    The NVIDIA App does not expose the legacy “Preferred refresh rate” setting.

    While it is no longer directly accessible in the app, like with the NVIDIA Control Panel, it is still automatically selected when G-SYNC is initially enabled, just internally, and can alternatively be accessed via the NVIDIA Profile Inspector (download here):

    Blur Buster's G-SYNC 101: Control Panel

  • NVIDIA Control Panel
    Settings location (legacy)

G-SYNC & V-SYNC

G-SYNC (GPU Synchronization) works on the same principle as double buffer V-SYNC; buffer A begins to render frame A, and upon completion, scans it to the display. Meanwhile, as buffer A finishes scanning its first frame, buffer B begins to render frame B, and upon completion, scans it to the display, repeat.

The primary difference between G-SYNC and V-SYNC is the method in which rendered frames are synchronized. With V-SYNC, the GPU’s render rate is synchronized to the fixed refresh rate of the display. With G-SYNC, the display’s VRR (variable refresh rate) is synchronized to the GPU’s render rate.

Upon its release, G-SYNC’s ability to fall back on fixed refresh rate V-SYNC behavior when exceeding the maximum refresh rate of the display was built-in and non-optional. A 2015 driver update later exposed the option.

This update led to recurring confusion, creating a misconception that G-SYNC and V-SYNC are entirely separate options. However, with G-SYNC enabled, the “Vertical Sync” option in the control panel no longer acts as V-SYNC, and actually dictates whether, one, the G-SYNC module compensates for frametime variances output by the system (which prevents tearing at all times. G-SYNC + V-SYNC “Off” disables this behavior; see G-SYNC 101: Range), and two, whether G-SYNC falls back on fixed refresh rate V-SYNC behavior; if V-SYNC is “On,” G-SYNC will revert to V-SYNC behavior above its range, if V-SYNC is “Off,” G-SYNC will disable above its range, and tearing will begin display wide.

Within its range, G-SYNC is the only syncing method active, no matter the V-SYNC “On” or “Off” setting.

Currently, when G-SYNC is enabled, the “Vertical Sync” entry is automatically set to “Use 3D app setting” / “Use the 3D application setting” which defers V-SYNC fallback behavior and frametime compensation control to the in-game V-SYNC option. This can be manually overridden by changing the “Vertical Sync” entry in the control panel to “Off,” “On,” or “Fast.”

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3852 Comments For “G-SYNC 101”

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askobilv
Member
askobilv

A lower fps limit would rob frames

What if I want to reduce load on my GPU and CPU by capping to lower values like somewhere between 60-90 (on 144hz monitor)

Could that work or I will experience bad implications?

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5 years 1 month ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

With G-SYNC, the only reason you’d want to limit your FPS well below your max refresh rate is if your system couldn’t maintain a consistent average and/or to avoid render queue input lag in the instances your GPU usage was maxing out at that framerate.

I’d need more details on your specific use-case to say more.

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5 years 1 month ago
askobilv
Member
askobilv

Actually quite simple, playing a game without any fps limit, game runs well and smooth with gsync but GPU gets to 80c, fans kicking in and the whole thing feels hot, limiting to 70 fps, gsync still kicks and the experience is practically the same but this time GPU works easier and not exceeding 65c

Monitor is 144hz so I’m guessing I’m losing fps but truth is I can’t tell difference

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5 years 1 month ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

The primary implications of manually lowering the average framerate with a limiter is an increasingly longer native render time per frame (i.e. new frame information occurs less frequently the lower the framerate).

However, so long as you keep your monitor at your max physical refresh rate of 144Hz with G-SYNC, you’ll retain the scan in speed of that refresh rate, regardless of the set FPS limit, so if a lower average framerate is your preference (as to prevent strain on the system and reduce temperatures), and you can’t tell the difference, go for it. It’s all ultimately preference-based anyway.

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5 years 1 month ago
Jimmy
Member
Jimmy

Hi, thank you for the great articles you guys are amazing.
I have one quick question. I’ve recently bought a G-SYNC monitor 144hz and its capable of 180hz OC. The game that I play gives me around 160-170 fps. Do you recommend capping my fps @ 141 or OC the monitor and let the G-SYNC do its job while capping @ 177 ? My main goal is lower input lag with the highest fps.

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5 years 1 month ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

Depends on how well your particular monitor model (of your particular unit) handles its overclock.

If it’s G-SYNC native w/module, which has dynamic overdrive, then it’s more likely the overdrive performance will be more consistent when overclocked than with a G-SYNC Compatible monitor, which (99% of the time), has fixed overdrive.

As for the FPS/Hz/input lag aspect, 180Hz with G-SYNC is definitely a decent boost over 144Hz in scanout speed alone (6.9 vs. 5.6ms), meaning frames will scan in faster, regardless of FPS.

I.E. as long as overdrive performance doesn’t appear worse to you with it OC’ed, there’s no real downside to enabling it (free max FPS/Hz increase).

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5 years 1 month ago
Jimmy
Member
Jimmy

Oh ok, Thanks. I have one of your recommended Monitors 😛 its Asus PG248Q.

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5 years 1 month ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

That model is native G-SYNC, so you’re covered from an overdrive performance perspective. However, this reviewer found that certain forms of inversion artifacts (which they dub “interlace pattern artifacts”) may be more apparent at 180Hz vs 144Hz:
https://pcmonitors.info/reviews/asus-pg248q/#Responsiveness

There were also static interlace patterns, whereby a given shade had horizontal lines of a marginally lighter shade running through it. These were only observable at the leftmost third of the screen and were as good as invisible at 120Hz and very faint at 144Hz. At 160Hz they became slightly more pronounced, even more so at 170Hz until eventually at 180Hz they were more clearly visible.

Nothing deal-breaking, and this is entirely expected on TN panel types in particular, but still notable in regards to overclocking this model.

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5 years 1 month ago
18koko
Member
18koko

Hi I just want to ask if I enable low latency mode in nvidia control panel and also enble ingame low latency mode (valorant nvidia reflex on+boost) will it conflict with each another? Do I enable both or no?

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5 years 2 months ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

Reflex is considered a replacement to LLM and overrides it, so it doesn’t matter what you have LLM set to in the NVCP in that case.

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5 years 2 months ago
18koko
Member
18koko

My monitor is 144hz and with G-sync, V-Sync and Nvidia Reflex on my fps is cap @ 138 and sometimes it goes below 138. Should I cap my fps on a fps that my pc can maintain or it’s ok even if I can’t maintain 138 fps?

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5 years 2 months ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

In situations where you can’t maintain 138 FPS due to the GPU usage maxing out, Reflex will also prevent render queue input lag. So no, with Reflex, you don’t need to.

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5 years 2 months ago
christofin
Member
christofin

Hello, thank you for the wonderful article. I’ve been using a g-sync compatible monitor for a long time and have always left g-sync on, vsync on, and a framerate cap in the Nvidia control panel at 156fps with a 160hz monitor.

I think as time has gone on I’ve become more sensitive to noticing microstuttering in games. For example PUBG is an absolute stutterfest and it’s something I used to not notice. Likewise with games with awful frame pacing issues in general like Dark Souls 3. I’ve always tried to stick to games that have very smooth frametimes, like Overwatch. But even now with the reflex patch, I’ve seen a few frametime spikes here and there in Overwatch and I have to admit that it does bother me.

My question to you is this: is there something I can do system wide to reduce frame time spikes? Would turning off vsync help? I saw in the article in the stuttering section, you mentioned that if the game has a pause, no settings can fix that, but are there any settings that could mitigate how noticeable it is?

I used to try to just throw money at the hardware to mitigate stuttering. I’ve upgraded my ram and power supply, for example. Right now I have a 9900k with a mild overclock and a 3090 founders edition running at stock. I do aggressively monitor what tasks I let run in the background and I generally keep software closed while I’m playing games. Is there anything else I can do to help reduce stuttering in various games?

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5 years 2 months ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

is there something I can do system wide to reduce frame time spikes? Would turning off vsync help?

You mean use G-SYNC on + V-SYNC off or G-SYNC off + V-SYNC off instead? Not really; you’ll just get a full tear with a slightly shorter pause, instead of the slightly longer tearless pause you’d get with G-SYNC on + V-SYNC on during frametime spikes, which are going to occur with or without G-SYNC.

Is there anything else I can do to help reduce stuttering in various games?

It’s highly dependent on the given system/game combo; one game you could get the PC and/or game settings tuned just right, and another game will just be coded so badly in this respect, it will stutter on the same PC in the same conditions no matter what you try.

I’ve had multi-threads worth of conversations with “spike-lamenters,” and there comes a point where user intervention can only do so much.

For instance, I even get frametime spikes on my Oculus Quest 2 (sometimes worse than what I experience on my Index and flat games with my gaming PC), and that’s a fixed-spec, closed platform VR device (with no user-side graphical or performance settings to speak of), which actually prioritizes a lack of frametime spikes to ensure reduced disorientation and nausea.

If each instance isn’t regularly lasting a second or more at a time for you (e.g. average spike duration at around 100ms or less, with the occasional outlier beyond that), then what you’re seeing is probably as good as you’re going to get. That, and some games are inherently better than others in this respect. It’s a crapshoot.

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5 years 2 months ago
christofin
Member
christofin

Yep that’s what I meant, thanks. I’ll leave Vsync on with Gsync then.

Yep. I’ve spent way too much time trying to fix the frametime spikes in PUBG that frankly won’t ever get fixed that happen for everyone. It just seems like it’s almost unavoidable nowadays. Even in new titles. For example, the RE Village Steam discussion is full of people complaining about how the game freezes for 100ms every time you kill an enemy.

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5 years 2 months ago
MrSnave
Member
MrSnave

Hello, thanks for this incredible in depth post. I have one main question regarding G-Sync that I cant seem to wrap my head around.

My settings right now are: G-Sync On + V-sync On (NVCP) + in-game frame limit to 141 (144hz monitor) + Nvidia Low Latency On.

This works perfectly for games like fortnite where I am able to get the right FPS. however, in games like Mordhau my FPS cannot reach the 140 range. My question therefore is: what do i do in cases where the game cannot reach the optimal fps? do I limit my frames to a lower number that can be reached? or do I just leave it?
I hope to hear from you soon, and keep up the great work.

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5 years 2 months ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

what do i do in cases where the game cannot reach the optimal fps? do I limit my frames to a lower number that can be reached? or do I just leave it?

Here we get into render queue territory, which isn’t directly related to G-SYNC.

I’ve actually answered this question in the comments a lot lately, but short answer is, that’s what the LLM “On” portion addresses; LLM, Reflex, even HAGS, they all involve the render queue (the part of frame delivery between the CPU and the GPU) in one way or another.

In situations where your framerate can’t reach or exceed your framerate, and it’s because your GPU usage is maxed, you can:

1. Enable Reflex in supported games. This will override LLM settings (as it’s considered a replacement), and keeps the render queue empty in scenarios where the GPU is maxed.
2. Use LLM “On.” This only works in games that allow it to, and unlike Reflex, does not fully eliminate the render queue in GPU-bound scenarios, but only reduces it.
3. Use an FPS limit that prevents the GPU from maxing out at all times. This, like Reflex, eliminates the render queue, but unlike Reflex, is manual, and may mean setting a lower average framerate to achieve the same effect. However, it’s the only foolproof method in situations where Reflex isn’t available, and can still be more effective than LLM.

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5 years 2 months ago
MrSnave
Member
MrSnave

hi, thanks for your reply. I see mordhau does have a reflex option. Do I just simply change it to “enabled” or do I go for the “enabled + boost” option? Also, with regards to using Reflex, would it be fine to leave LLM “ON” in NVCP even when using it? or is it best if I turn it off whenever Reflex is being utilised. Thank you.

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5 years 2 months ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

Do I just simply change it to “enabled” or do I go for the “enabled + boost” option?

“Boost” is equivalent to setting “Power management mode” to “Prefer maximum performance” in the NVCP (keeps base GPU clock at its highest at all times; ironically also not directly related to Reflex or render queue input lag).

Also, with regards to using Reflex, would it be fine to leave LLM “ON” in NVCP even when using it? or is it best if I turn it off whenever Reflex is being utilised. Thank you.

There’s typically no harm in leaving LLM “On” globally when using G-SYNC; at worst, it typically does no harm, and at best, it reduces the render queue around 1 frame in GPU-bound situations in supported games. That, and Reflex overrides it, regardless of what it’s set to.

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5 years 2 months ago
MrSnave
Member
MrSnave

Gotcha, thank you! keep up the great work.

Like1Vote Down 
5 years 2 months ago
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