NVIDIA G-SYNC: Variable Refresh Rate Monitors!

One small step closer to tomorrow’s Holodeck:Β NVIDIA G-SYNC! It is a technique for refreshing computer monitors at variable intervals (up to a certain limit).Β Instead of refreshing monitors at exact intervals, the monitor is refreshed when the GPU finishes generating a frame! [Image: AnandTech liveblog of launch event]

Variable refresh rates combines advantages of VSYNC ON (eliminate tearing) with the advantages of VSYNC OFF (low input lag), while virtually eliminating stutters (no mismatch between frame rate and refresh rate).

It is confirmed that this, alone, won’t eliminate motion blur as completely as strobe backlights (e.g. LightBoost), but this is a great step towards eliminating discrete refresh rates (which creates motion blur even at 144Hz. See photos of 60Hz vs 120Hz vs LightBoost), especially as the 144Hz limit is raised in the future, while using nVidia G-SYNC. Hopefully strobe backlight technologies can be combined with G-SYNC in the future — and hopefully already in some upcoming models.

EDIT:
– All G-SYNC monitors include an official strobe backlight mode, better than LightBoost!
– Mark Rejhon has quickly come up with a new method of dynamically blending PWM-free backlight at lower framerates to strobing at higher framerates; see addendum to Electronics Hacking: Creating a Strobe Backlight. This allows combining LightBoost + G-SYNC without creating flicker during lower framerates!

 


About Mark Rejhon

Also known as Chief Blur Buster. Founder of Blur Busters. Inventor of TestUFO. Read more about him on the About Mark page.

39 Comments For “NVIDIA G-SYNC: Variable Refresh Rate Monitors!”

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JuryPoolReject
Member
JuryPoolReject

PanzerIV…

I’m in a similar situation, but with a bit more to spend. I was going to wait for more G-Sync monitors to come rolling out 1st quarter next year. However, now there is another serious player in the game…EIZO….

Their ‘FG2421’ just came out and has had very good reviews… What I’ll prob be getting within a month or so. (out of stock at Amazon).

PanzerIV
Member
PanzerIV

I was just about to buy a 23″ 120Hz monitor then thought about a 24″ 120Hz Lightboost monitor and now I’ve came to the conclusion that with G-Sync next door, I’m better off waiting a few more months since it’s gonna be a long-term investment and I wouldn’t want to spend 300-350$ on a monitor already outdated shortly after I get it.

Nvidia says their strobbing will be better than the current unofficial 2D Lightboost. Let’s hope that it will be also for AMD videocards and that it won’t ruin the colors as everyone is saying the current best 24″ LB monitor is the VG248QE but that it haves terrible colors with LB :/ The 27″ models are already better but way overpriced and still not perfect.

Ah I also hope there will be a glossy model as I’m sick of those anti-glare monitors… no word yet about if we have to expect this for christmas or Q2 2014 and for how much?

Whitestar
Member
Whitestar

Great stuff about G-Sync Mark!
My biggest dream since getting an LCD monitor is and has always been to be able to play games with CRT smoothness at 60fps. Or rather, to get as close to that as possible. The point being to get reduced blur without having to have a constant fps of 100 or above, which very few – if any – GPU can manage in the newest and most demanding games.

Now, about the quote above: “We have a superior, low-persistence mode that should outperform that unofficial implementation, and importantly, it will be available on every G-SYNC monitor. Details will be available at a later date”. Are they actually talking about 60fps here, you think? Will we at 60fps with G-Sync get blur reduction that can be compared to say 100fps@100hz with LightBoost? What are your thoughts?

snakeeyes
Member
snakeeyes

i have a fast question, less motion blur i heared is mostly used for fast games like racing and cars, but can you tell me what else is it good for like is it as good to first person shooter games or movies maybe other than games ? like does it affect slow paced games?

snakeeyes
Member
snakeeyes

i guess the question that is bothering me is that with g synic do i need a 120 hz ,144 hz cause these removes screen tearing and if g synic already removes them then do i really need a 120 hz monitor ? would it be better and by how much ? is it minor benefits, cause am not sure if i have to go with 120 hz 1080p monitor with g synic or 60 hz 1600p with g synic, tho it’s not out yet i know but by any chance do you know the answer

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