[SOLVED] Can you turn on G-sync on any FreeSync monitor?

noonoo300

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Following the recent statement from NVIDIA, that their cards will now support the adaptive sync technology FreeSync, I was left with a question: Will it work with every FreeSync monitor?

Since NVIDIA made the statement, they have also published a list of 12 FreeSync, monitors that are "G-Sync certified", which makes the whole thing a lot more confusing. Is this their way to make extra money - advertising the huge display manufacturers (Asus, Acer BenQ, etc), Or will this ONLY work with "certified" monitors? I just couldn't find an answer anywhere.

*btw I know the list will get bigger, as they continue to test and see if more monitors are "up to their standards", but the question remains.

Thank you
 
Solution

No.
There are some cheap monitors that support FreeSync thru HDMI and that won't play nice with Nvidia G-Sync.


More choices is always better for consumers. Those are 12...

Eximo

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From the original press releases they guarantee compatibility with those certified monitors. All others that support Adaptive Sync, well, results may vary. The scalars in non-certified monitors have different sync ranges. Behavior outside of those sync ranges won't be equivalent to G-sync, and you might get less than desirable results. But if it works, and you keep the performance of the PC between the sync ranges, you should have no tearing.

You aren't turning on G-sync or Freesync either, just enabling Adaptive Sync which is part of the Display Port specification. Freesync via HDMI I'm pretty sure isn't supported, but don't quote me on that.

Not vital to operation, so if it doesn't work you aren't out everything. You might see about buying locally so that returns will be easier.
 

No.
There are some cheap monitors that support FreeSync thru HDMI and that won't play nice with Nvidia G-Sync.


More choices is always better for consumers. Those are 12 monitors Nvidia have tested, but that does not automatically implied that it won't work on other monitors. There are many other FreeSync (Adaptive Sync) monitors that will play nice with Nvidia G-Sync.
They just release the drivers that allow to turn on the setting, so you will see many other monitors added by Nvidia and other sources.
Acer KG251QF and Viotek GN24C are inexpensive FreeSync monitor, not listed, but they work without issues.


Even before Nvidia announced it, some of us have been using FreeSync monitors that were working just fine with Nvidia GPUs (10xx & 20xx series).
 
Solution

noonoo300

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Thank you for your replies!
I didn't know G-Sync \ FreeSync doesn't work with HDMI... Could you elaborate? since it seems to me that newer monitors seem to be mainly HDMI. And if not HDMI then what, DVI?
 

Eximo

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You are using FreeSync with a AMD hard via HDMI, yes. The topic is an Nvidia card using Adaptive Sync. Pretty sure that is only going to be via Display Port.

FreeSync does work via HDMI on supported monitors, but not all of them have that. It was bit hit or miss at the start.

G-sync is exclusively Display Port which is the non-licensed display port (great name) that pre-dates HDMI and usually has a slight edge on bandwidth and technology. The newer G-Sync modules offer an HDMI input, but it can't be used for G-Sync (Though it is really nice for me, I can plug my laptop into when I want a big screen, without having to unplug my desktop)
 

Eximo

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Oops, I always thought it was the other way around. That would explain why it is in everything.

I've never quite understood why there are two such similar standards in the first place. Now it makes more sense, an alternative to paying the licensing fees.