A question on how Nvidia G-Sync works...

[donmatty89]

Id just like to clarify something about how GSync works please. My question is best displayed with an example:

For instance I have a gsync 120hz monitor. Im playing on a GTX 1080 that is beasting through a game and putting out 200fps. Would my monitor say 'hang on, i cant display 200fps, i can only refresh at 120hz' and therefore cause the GPU to turn things gown and only output at max 120fps too? i.e. save on energy/heat and not wasting resources putting out extra frames that the monitor will not be able to utilise?

 

[ajpaolello]

Sounds more like a how does refresh rates work rather than g-sync. And to answer, no it will not cap your fps at 120 if you can hit 200. You will have trouble noticing above 120. Really it's a big deal in something like FPS games, like CSGO. A 144 hz monitor user will see a 60 hz monitor user before the 60 hz user sees the 144 hz user.

What you're thinking of with locking is Vsync. Vsync matches your fps rate with your monitor's refresh rate. So CSGO for example with Vsync on would only hit 120 fps for example. This is to prevent tearing on the screen, like a distorted image. G-sync aimed to prevent tearing without vsync.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_G-Sync
https://hardforum.com/threads/how-vsync-works-and-why-people-loathe-it.928593/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refresh_rate

Some light reads and probably more detailed than what I can provide.