G-SYNC 101: Control Panel


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.

G-SYNC Activation

“Enable for full screen mode” (exclusive fullscreen functionality only) will automatically engage when a supported display is connected to the GPU. If G-SYNC behavior is suspect or non-functioning, untick the “Enable G-SYNC, G-SYNC Compatible” box, apply, re-tick, and apply.

Blur Buster's G-SYNC 101: Control Panel

G-SYNC Windowed Mode

“Enable for windowed and full screen mode” allows G-SYNC support for windowed and borderless windowed mode. This option was introduced in a 2015 driver update, and by manipulating the DWM (Desktop Windows Manager) framebuffer, enables 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.

Note: this setting may require a game or system restart after application; the “G-SYNC Indicator” (Nvidia Control Panel > Display > G-SYNC Indicator) can be enabled to verify it is working as intended.

G-SYNC Preferred Refresh Rate

“Highest available” automatically engages when G-SYNC is 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 mode. For games being run in borderless or windowed mode, the desktop dictates the refresh rate.

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 control panel’s “Vertical sync” entry is automatically engaged to “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.”



3195 Comments For “G-SYNC 101”

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newbieguys
Member
newbieguys

I have a 144hz monitor asus vp24qgr with Adaptive-Sync (FreeSync™) elmb with vga 1660 is it better to use G-SYNC + NVCP V-SYNC + LLM Ultra + cap 141hz in valorant to reduce low input?

rawaimer
Member
rawaimer

Thanks a lot for the research! I’m using a FreeSync monitor and an amd graphics card. In the driver settings, you can select 4 options for setting up vertical synchronization: 1) Always on 2) on if not specified by the application 3) off if not specified by the application 4) always off. If I enable freesync in the driver, enable vsink in the game, then which option should I select in the driver? Well, the opposite situation: if I want to disable vsync in the game and want to enable it in the driver, how should I enable it? 1) always enable? or 2) enable if not specified by the application? Well, I still wanted to clarify which option is preferable in your opinion, to enable vsink in the game or in the driver settings? Battle(non)sense says it’s better to enable it in the game, because there may be some optimizations inside the engine

БэглSmagle
Member
БэглSmagle

Hello everyone, I have a question about the range of g-sync (I write through a translator, so I apologize for my English :)). The operating range of my g-sync monitor is 48-165 Hz, but by turning on the g sync pendulum program, and turning on the Hz display indicator built into the monitor, I noticed that the actual operating range of g-sync is 56-165 Hz, if the fps drops below 56, then frames begin to split in two, no matter how much I searched for information on this matter, I did not find anything, does anyone have an answer on this issue? And yet, g-sync does not work if you turn on the monitor refresh rate of 60Hz, BUT using the program
Custom Resolution Utility (CRU), I changed the range of g-sync to 22-165hz, and g-sync started working at 60hz, not an understandable anomaly. Sorry if the question is off topic, but it’s interesting to know how it works

rec0veryyy
Member
rec0veryyy

I have a 144hz monitor, currently I have gsync on + vsync nvcp and vsync off in most games, almost all the games go well but … in the case of rainbow six if I limit the fps to 141 from the nvcp the frametime line is not straight and there are small peaks instead if I do it from rivatuner is completely perfect, why does this happen? in battlefield v it happens to me that from the nvcp if i limit the fps it keeps going at 144 and it only works with rivatuner, why doesn’t the nvcp go well? it seems that rivatuner is better for all the games it gives me the sensation

LeviTigerPants
Member
LeviTigerPants

Hello, I was wondering, what is the best case for my AOC c24g1 monitor (they say with Free-Sync) using my 1070? Does all of this apply to your G-Sync settings?

If so, I’d like some clarification as to what would be the best for a game like CS, where I get 120-144 frames, and Baldur’s Gate, where I am getting 30-55ish frames. Does it change in this circumstance where I don’t have G-Sync specifically, and the two games are different? Or is Free-Sync + Frame limit 141 in NVCP + V-Sync NVCP always the best?

How do I enable Free-Sync on NVCP too? I clikced enable for windowed and full screen mode, then my display, then enable settings. Under that it says “Selected Display is not validated as G-SYNC compatible. Beneath that it says “to enable this monitor set is as primary display”. What should I be doing here?

Thanks

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