How big of a difference is 144hz when it comes to input lag + vsync tradeoff and vsync off + screen tearing tradeoff?

[drambit]

I built a new computer recently, and am having a very stubborn issue when I go back and play fps games. Right now I am using Portal for my example. With V-Sync on I get this really brutal stutter effect sometimes, but for the most part I just get very noticeable input lag and a more consistent picture. With V-Sync off, I get a constant 300fps, which means that any time I look to the left or the right, the picture is torn in 5+ places consistently, so consistently in fact that it feels like I'm looking at 5 different streams of video at once all at a slightly different pace, and it makes me sick to look at.

I have always heard that when you upgrade from 60hz to 144hz that you can just turn off V-Sync and never worry about screen tearing, but I have never seen that verified, and I have never heard anything about V-Sync on at that high of a framerate. Do you get less input lag when you turn V-Sync on at 144 than you would at 60? What is preferable?

Right now when I'm playing old fps I have to make the decision between obscene tearing and obscene lag, and it is so bad in either direction that most games are unplayable to me, and G-Sync is still in its infancy so I'm not looking to buy one of those.

 

[JUICEhunter]

I just upgraded from a 60hz to the AOC G-sync 24'. On 60hz I always used v-sync and made sure my fps never dipped below 60 (which probably isn't an issue for Portal I'm guessing). I haven't tried the high hz without G-sync but even games locked @ 60hz look smoother than they did before but games like BF4 and Metro:LL felt like a new game with a new GPU to go with it.

The input lag isn't a huge difference but without it the game feels faster and more responsive, not a huge difference but I was able to tell right away what I've been missing out on.