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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.

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.”

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3696 Comments For “G-SYNC 101”

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tomatojuice
Member
tomatojuice

I see that this article was published in 2017 and I am not sure if it’s been updated so I wanna ask a few questions.You advise FreeSync folks to use in-game V-SYNC as “AMD control panel V-SYNC is limited to OpenGL”.Is this still the case?

Also AMD adrenaline software has Radeon Enhanced Sync and VSync, which one should one use?

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4 months 14 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

I see that this article was published in 2017 and I am not sure if it’s been updated

I’ve selectively updated it over the years, but almost nothing involving fundamental VRR behavior has changed since.

You advise FreeSync folks to use in-game V-SYNC as “AMD control panel V-SYNC is limited to OpenGL”.Is this still the case?

I actually just added that recommendation to my Optimal G-SYNC Settings; previously, I had to repeatedly explain it to FreeSync users in the article comments.

And yes, according to official AMD documentation, it is still the case:
https://www.amd.com/en/resources/support-articles/faqs/DH-012.html#DH-012-Refresh

I’ve now linked my recommendation to it.

Also AMD adrenaline software has Radeon Enhanced Sync and VSync, which one should one use?

Neither.

AMD Enhanced Sync is equivalent to Nvidia Fast Sync, which I don’t recommend pairing with VRR. See:
https://blurbusters.com/gsync/gsync101-input-lag-tests-and-settings/8/

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4 months 14 days ago
anthony3192
Member
anthony3192

If I’m playing a single player where it runs at 120 fps and uses the GPU at 99%, but I have activated gsync + vsync from NVCP, setting a limit of -3 fps (237 fps) as you recommended, in any case the GPU reaches 99/100% since the game reaches a maximum of 120fps but the limit is 237 fps. In these cases what do you do? Does having the gpu constantly run at 99/100% cause latency?

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4 months 16 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

Does having the gpu constantly run at 99/100% cause latency?

Yes, and it’s separate of the sync latency G-SYNC is already preventing in that scenario.

My minimum -3 FPS limit recommendation is only for VRR, and is only to ensure in the cases that the framerate can exceed the refresh rate, it remains within it so VRR stays engaged.

It is not intended to prevent any non-sync latency or achieve consistent average framerates, for instance, as this is a per system/game situation that is impossible to provide a single recommendation for, nor is it directly related to VRR operation.

You can reduce render queue-level latency caused in GPU-bound scenarios (separate of the sync latency VRR addresses) by 1) preventing it automatically with Reflex 2) using LLM where Reflex isn’t available (LLM isn’t very effective in the best of cases and is a last ditch method), or 3) setting a manual FPS limit at a value that keeps GPU usage below 99%. I.E. if GPU usage is 99%+ at 120 FPS 240Hz, set a limit enough below it that GPU usage is 98% or under.

GPU usage is essentially your performance budget, so whenever it hits or exceed 99% usage, it means your average framerate can’t reach anything higher in the given scene at your current resolution and graphical settings with your particular PC specs.

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4 months 16 days ago
anthony3192
Member
anthony3192

that’s what my latency was due to then, I always play with 99% gpu usage. so can I also limit the frame rate from the game itself? like putting a 120 fps cap on Resident Evil 4 and getting 80% gpu usage? Because I see that even with nvidia’s low latency active (re4 does not support reflex) it remains fixed at 100% with the free framerate. that you know how to limit the fps from the control panel does nvidia increase input lag? Thank you

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4 months 16 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

so can I also limit the frame rate from the game itself? like putting a 120 fps cap on Resident Evil 4 and getting 80% gpu usage?

Yes.

I see that even with nvidia’s low latency active (re4 does not support reflex) it remains fixed at 100% with the free framerate.

Reflex monitors and reduces GPU usage via its dynamic limiter, LLM does not, so GPU usage can still max out with LLM enabled.

Instead, LLM attempts to reduce the maximum amount of pre-rendered frames that can generate at once whenever the GPU is maxed.

Maximum pre-rendered frames default to 3 at the driver-level, and LLM tries to get that down to 0 or 1, where possible, so instead of GPU-bound scenarios increasing latency by up to 3 frames, LLM can hypothetically get that down to 0-1 frame, but sometimes at the expense of frametime performance, as opposed to Reflex or a manual limit.

that you know how to limit the fps from the control panel does nvidia increase input lag?

External limiters typically have anywhere from 1/2 to 1 frame extra latency over in-game limiters.

That said, if Reflex or an in-game limiter aren’t available, a manual external FPS limit is usually still more effective than standalone LLM at reducing GPU-bound latency.

I.E. say you set a 120 FPS Nvidia Max Frame Rate limit instead of the in-game limit to prevent 99%+ GPU usage in RE4; MFR will have 1/2 frame more latency than the in-game limiter, but it will guarantee 0 extra frames of latency caused by GPU-limitation if it’s prevent maxed GPU usage at your target framerate.

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4 months 16 days ago
anthony3192
Member
anthony3192

Is there a way to set it like on console? I see that on PC there is a lot of technicality, on console you press VRR ON and you have solved everything. Is there a VRR and input lag setting on PC that is equivalent to the console one?

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4 months 16 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

To my knowledge, when you activate VRR on consoles, it’s equivalent to enabling the G-SYNC/FreeSync toggle on PC, and that’s it.

Whether V-SYNC is paired with VRR, a FPS limit is set within the refresh rate to keep VRR in range, let alone prevent the GPU from being maxed is something I doubt is accounted for in most console games.

And if/where it is, it would be down to the individual console devs to implement for their game at the engine-level, and most of them probably aren’t even aware of the VRR ceiling or GPU-bound latency; these are niche enthusiast topics.

So my guess is most console games are using VRR on + V-SYNC on or VRR on + V-SYNC off without a framerate limit, and that they let the GPU reach 99%+ in the majority of cases to maximize achievable average framerate.

In other words, for console games with VRR support that can reach a steady 120 FPS at 120Hz (few that there are), you’re experiencing either VRR on + V-SYNC on (which reverts to standalone V-SYNC behavior), or VRR on + V-SYNC off (which reverts to tearing), so you’re only getting the full benefit of VRR whenever the framerate dips below the refresh rate due to maxed GPU usage.

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4 months 16 days ago
Gihibe
Member
Gihibe

Hi jorimt, if the game doesn’t have Reflex, is it better to use NVCP Low Latency Mode or RTSS Reflex? I’m asking because in the tooltip that appears when hovering over ‘NVIDIA Reflex’ in RTSS, it says it’s intended to be used with DLSS Frame Generation, and also mentions that enabling it in games without native NVIDIA Reflex support will activate Reflex low-latency mode as a side effect. My GPU doesn’t support DLSS, so in those cases, is this basically the same as NVCP’s Low Latency Mode, or does RTSS actually implement Reflex regardless of whether the game supports it?

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4 months 18 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

The tooltip is where my knowledge ends for that particular RTSS feature; too many possible scenarios to offer a single recommendation, so I have not prioritized testing it.

Regarding “Reflex low-latency mode,” that’s not LLM or ULLM, that’s the Reflex-exclusive behavior where it uses its limiter to dynamically adjust itself to just below the achievable average framerate as to prevent maxed GPU usage.

Finally, if your only option to prevent GPU-bound scenarios is either NVCP LLM (either “On” or “Ultra”) or RTSS Reflex, I’d go with the latter; LLM isn’t very effective in the best of cases.

As for the remainder, you’d have to ask the RTSS author.

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4 months 18 days ago
anthony3192
Member
anthony3192

Thanks for all the valuable information. So if I wanted to activate only gsync without vsync, but without getting the tear at the bottom of the screen how could I do it? by any chance is there a way to activate reflex even if not implemented in the game?

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4 months 15 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

So if I wanted to activate only gsync without vsync, but without getting the tear at the bottom of the screen how could I do it?

You can’t; VRR on + V-SYNC on + framerate within the refresh rate is the lowest latency tear-free syncing method possible. Any lower latency requires tearing at the given physical refresh rate.

by any chance is there a way to activate reflex even if not implemented in the game?

Other than RTSS Reflex, not that I know of; the Reflex SDK otherwise has to be implemented at the engine-level by the devs.

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4 months 15 days ago
anthony3192
Member
anthony3192

How did you set it all up? do you use gsync + vsync also in competitive games? what do you use for games without a reflex?

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4 months 14 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

How did you set it all up?

It varies; As a baseline, I use G-SYNC + NVCP V-SYNC.

For framerate limiting, sometimes I use the in-game limiter, sometimes NVCP Max Framerate, sometimes RTSS, and sometimes Reflex instead. It simply depends on the game.

I don’t use LLM.

do you use gsync + vsync also in competitive games?

I haven’t played comp in years, but when I did, yes, I used G-SYNC + V-SYNC.

what do you use for games without a reflex?

Again, it depends on the game and what I’m trying to achieve. But say my system can only reach an average of 80 FPS in a newer game with my chosen settings, but it’s maxing my GPU; I’ll typically set it low enough below 80 FPS to 1) avoid extra render queue latency, and 2) to make the average framerate more consistent, as opposed to swings between 80-100 FPS.

I personally prefer a more consistent lower average framerate over a slightly higher one that fluctuates more, but ymmv.

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4 months 14 days ago
anthony3192
Member
anthony3192

why don’t you use LLM? as far as you know, RTSS set on Nvidia Reflex to activate it in games that is missing.. can it cause stuttering or instability?

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4 months 14 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

why don’t you use LLM?

Because it’s inferior to Reflex or a manual FPS limit to prevent GPU-limitation.

as far as you know, RTSS set on Nvidia Reflex to activate it in games that is missing

As I already explained to you in my first reply, Reflex Low Latency Mode and NVCP LLM aren’t the same thing; LLM is a less effective legacy setting that is overridden when Reflex is enabled.

can it cause stuttering or instability?

In the cases that NVCP LLM actually does work, it can affect frametime performance negatively by starving the render queue, especially during frametime spikes, sometimes elongating them in my experience.

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4 months 14 days ago
razyy
Member
razyy

Excellent info. What would the best settings be for AMD now in 2025? I have a 360hz monitor coming soon and play games like CS. Would it be better to leave uncapped or use freesync in this case?

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4 months 18 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

“Best settings” in what way? VRR on + V-SYNC on dynamically adjusts the refresh rate to the framerate to steer the tearline off-screen, whereas VRR off + V-SYNC off doesn’t (I.E. tears).

So if you’re looking for the lowest possible tear-free latency, VRR, else, lowest possible latency is always VRR/V-SYNC off + highest uncapped framerate that does not max GPU usage for comp.

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4 months 18 days ago
razyy
Member
razyy

Right. Would capping at 357 with vsync and freesync on even have that much of a latency diff compared to everything off and uncapped? I mean in CS I’m at ~400 fps anyway. I understand now that having gpu not at 100% is key. Just trying to decide if I can find a global setting for most of my games rather than doing per game tweaking.

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4 months 17 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

Would capping at 357 with vsync and freesync on even have that much of a latency diff compared to everything off and uncapped? I mean in CS I’m at ~400 fps anyway.

Nope, there wouldn’t be much if any of an average latency difference between those two particular scenarios at 360Hz.

The higher the physical refresh rate, the less latency difference there is between VRR/V-SYNC on and VRR/V-SYNC off.

So for FreeSync, you’d want either FreeSync on + in-game V-SYNC on (unlike NVCP V-SYNC, AMDCP V-SYNC only applies to OpenGL games, to my knowledge) + a manual limit that is both at least 3 frames within the refresh rate and prevents 99%+ GPU usage. That, or you can substitute the manual limit with Reflex, which will automatically handle both.

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4 months 17 days ago
razyy
Member
razyy

Thanks. I will use the recommended VRR settings then. Also it seems like the AMD control panel vsync is working perfectly fine now even in dx11 and 12 games. The setting is definitely capping my fps to the refresh rate. They must have changed it now.

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4 months 16 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

Possibly, I don’t have an AMD card to test, so can’t confirm. But it would have been a very recent development, if so; AMDCP V-SYNC has been spotty for years.

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4 months 16 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

Also it seems like the AMD control panel vsync is working perfectly fine now even in dx11 and 12 games. The setting is definitely capping my fps to the refresh rate. They must have changed it now.

Just to follow-up on this, I checked and “Wait for Vertical Refresh” indeed still seems to be limited to OpenGL:
https://www.amd.com/en/resources/support-articles/faqs/DH-012.html#DH-012-Refresh

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4 months 14 days ago
anthony3192
Member
anthony3192

Hi, let me start by saying that I recently switched to a PC after years of consoles, I have a 9800x3d and a 4080 super connected to a Samsung G6 OLED monitor at 240hz.
Why do you recommend activating a frame cap by activating gsync and vsync? For example, I use the reflex which limits me to 225 fps, am I doing something wrong?

I wanted to ask you, for single player titles where I generally get between 70 and 100 fps, (always with active reflex or low latency mode on ultra) does it matter if I don’t set the frame cap? or do I have to force it to have the best input lag? I would just like to have the lowest input lag, that’s all.. I would like to know the best setting, thanks.

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4 months 19 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

Why do you recommend activating a frame cap by activating gsync and vsync?

Do you mean why do I recommend G-SYNC + V-SYNC, or why do I recommend G-SYNC + V-SYNC + a minimum -3FPS limit?

If the former, that’s my most frequently asked question. See entry #2 of my Closing FAQ:
https://blurbusters.com/gsync/gsync101-input-lag-tests-and-settings/15/

For example, I use the reflex which limits me to 225 fps, am I doing something wrong?

With G-SYNC, you need to ensure the average framerate is at least 3 frames within the physical refresh rate to keep it engaged (since it doesn’t work above the refresh rate, only within it).

What you use to do that (in-game, RTSS, Reflex, etc), and by how much below my minimum recommendation (-3 FPS, -15 FPS, etc), is essentially up to preference.

for single player titles where I generally get between 70 and 100 fps, (always with active reflex or low latency mode on ultra) does it matter if I don’t set the frame cap?

No; unless you want to increase the average framerate consistency for whatever reason, you don’t need to set a manual limit if Reflex/ULLM are already setting an automatic limit with G-SYNC + V-SYNC.

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4 months 18 days ago
anthony3192
Member
anthony3192

Thank you for the super quick response! The problem, however, remains just one: by disabling both gsync and vsync, I get a significantly lower input lag, even in single-player games. I might be very sensitive to input delay, but I can feel it and it bothers me a lot, and that’s why I can’t decide. Whether to keep the image with the flickering and very low input lag, or to have a perfect image and an input delay (for me) that is unbearable..

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4 months 18 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

The problem, however, remains just one: by disabling both gsync and vsync, I get a significantly lower input lag, even in single-player games. I might be very sensitive to input delay

At 240Hz, the average latency difference between G-SYNC on + V-SYNC on and G-SYNC off + V-SYNC off at framerates within the refresh rate is virtually zero:

comment image

So either you’re experiencing latency not directly related to VRR operation, or it’s placebo.

But yes, OLED VRR flicker isn’t fully avoidable.

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4 months 18 days ago
anthony3192
Member
anthony3192

and what could cause this latency? when I have everything deactivated the pad becomes very light. yes, clearly the OLED flickering will always be there and that doesn’t bother me, I meant the “shaking” if we want to define it that way which is felt with the sync turned off and rotating the camera

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4 months 18 days ago
jorimt
Author
jorimt

and what could cause this latency?

I don’t know. You’re asking about a potential config-specific issue (comprised of your particular pc parts, monitor, software configuration and games), and perhaps even one unique to your perceptions.

All I can share are the latency results.

The only other VRR-related issue I can think of in your case is that the mouse cursor update rate is tied to VRR, so at 240Hz 30 FPS VRR, for instance, the mouse will move like it’s at 30Hz, whereas with 240Hz 30 FPS non-VRR, the mouse will move like it’s at 240Hz, but it would only become noticeable at much lower framerates, and not as much with 100 FPS VRR at 240Hz.

yes, clearly the OLED flickering will always be there and that doesn’t bother me, I meant the “shaking” if we want to define it that way which is felt with the sync turned off and rotating the camera

I can only assume by “shaking” you mean “tearing” artifacts, which is what G-SYNC + V-SYNC on prevents over G-SYNC off + V-SYNC off.

G-SYNC + V-SYNC is the closest to “tearless” V-SYNC off behavior you can get.

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4 months 18 days ago
wpDiscuz

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