CoD Refresh Rates (Why do they make it so complicated?)

[wannaturnuptheheat]

I have the power to run CoD at the best settings possible, but I am confused about the Refresh Rate option in video settings. I can select up to 75Hz. Should I select the highest setting it allows? It's confusing because I think my monitor only has a max refresh rate of 60Hz... Also, I know that reviews always go gaga over how they can get CoD to run at 100s of FPS, so should I be turning off Vsync? Or do they just let it go as high as it will to show how undemanding of a game it is?

I know, I know, "You should be able to tell for yourself!" But I haven't really tested it too much, I usually just leave it on 60Hz and VSync on and am afraid to set 75Hz for fear of massive screen tearing or something.

EDIT: I have tried to turn off Vsync, it seems to increase general FPS but will also increase framerate loss in smoke clouds, etc. (compared to leaving Vsync on)

 

[Hawkeye22]

Vsync on or off will not blow up your monitor. I leave my off unless a game is having problems with screen tearing, then i turn it on. Screen tearing will not blow up your monitor, it's just visually unappealing.

As for the refresh rate in video settings... Did you mean within the game or in windows? In windows, just let it select the refresh rate apprpriate for your screen resolution. I don't think I've ever sen a refresh rate within a game, just vsync options.

 

[wannaturnuptheheat]

Vsync on or off will not blow up your monitor. I leave my off unless a game is having problems with screen tearing, then i turn it on. Screen tearing will not blow up your monitor, it's just visually unappealing.

As for the refresh rate in video settings... Did you mean within the game or in windows? In windows, just let it select the refresh rate apprpriate for your screen resolution. I don't think I've ever sen a refresh rate within a game, just vsync options.

The CoD games (at least Modern Warfare 2 and BlOps, can't remember if MW1 has it) have refresh rate as an option in video settings:

This is my laptop I'm posting on (away from my dorm, posting between classes), but IIRC I can select 59Hz, 60, 70, and 75Hz for my refresh rate using my main rig.

Also, in looking for my monitor, I think it's this one? Again, I can't check the monitor itself right now, and it doesn't appear in my Newegg order history (maybe because it's out of stock?), but I'm fairly sure this is right. Turns out it does have a refresh rate up to 75Hz... but I can only select 60Hz in video settings when I'm at the desktop.

Vsync in general confuses me, it doesn't seem to help in Bad Company 2, it seems to actually INCREASE tearing in Just Cause 2... blah.

 

[Hawkeye22]

Your vid card may be able to do 75Hz at lower resolutions, but at your monitors native resolution it can probably ony do 60hz. This is not a problem.

I'm not sure why CoD has a refresh rate since VSync will make the refresh rate match the monitors refresh rate. If you know your monitor is running at 60hz, I'd just set CoD to the same.

 

[wannaturnuptheheat]

Your vid card may be able to do 75Hz at lower resolutions, but at your monitors native resolution it can probably ony do 60hz. This is not a problem.

I'm not sure why CoD has a refresh rate since VSync will make the refresh rate match the monitors refresh rate. If you know your monitor is running at 60hz, I'd just set CoD to the same.

So just to clarify: Even if I set it at 75Hz in CoD's menu, it should run at 60Hz ? And am I correct in assuming that, if I turn on the FRAPS FPS counter, I can tell if it is somehow at 75Hz if VSync is on, yes? (It would have a constant framerate of ~75?)

And also, I don't think there's an issue with my video cards handling 75Hz at 1080p...

 

[Hawkeye22]

Like I said, I'm not sure what the refresh in CoD is doing. Vsync should take care of refresh rates. The refresh rate in CoD seems redundant. As long as CoD refresh rate is set equal or lower than your monitor's maximum refresh rate you should be fine. If the two refresh rates get too out of sync you will either get screen lag or screen tearing.

 

[gamerk316]

What it probably will do is if you select 75Hz, it will force you to a lower resolution. Its not like HDMI/DVI has the bandwith for 1080p/75Hz anyways...