[SOLVED] Is G-Sync good enough to influence a GPU choice

[GorillaMonsoon]

I was kind of set on an RTX card, and even got a monitor with G-Sync in anticipation, but now wondering how much real world difference there would be. I'm tending to think it's more marketing, but be nice to hear actual experiences. A 6700xt seems like a better fit for my system than a 3060ti I have been set on (and waiting on for the last 18 months)

 

[punkncat]

I personally LOVE G-sync (compatible). If you get the "real" thing it's darned expensive, but it works so well. I also feel a quality Free-sync monitor is great with an AMD card. I think one aspect of that that I don't like is a LOT of lower end monitors claim to be Free-sync and the performance is not really any better than V-sync IMO.

 

[KyaraM]

I got a good G-Sync compatible monitor, it's really nice though in my case it wasn't the selling point for the monitor (the colors were, it's an allround monitor for both gaming and art and you really can see it). For the card, I love DLSS where it is available, eg Horizon Zero Dawn. The AMD equivalent isn't nearly as good and same goes for RT if you are into that.

 

[GorillaMonsoon]

Here's my monitor, ASUS VG27AQ

 

[WallysWorld]

I went from a 25" 1080p 60 Hz monitor to a 27" 1440p 144 Hz G-Sync monitor and it's been wonderful. Smoothness is way better even when fluctuating between 60 fps and 144 fps with the new monitor and the RTX 3080 Ti I now have which replaced a RTX 2070 Super. Would never go back to a non-sync monitor for sure.

By the way, my monitor is the cousin of your monitor, GorillaMonsoon. It's an Asus VG27BQ. I got the TN version because I really dislike the glow on the IPS version.

 

[Eximo]

I have the venerable PG279Q, second gen G-Sync, purchased for $800 at launch.

I wouldn't call it an influence, but once you have VRR Sync you don't really want to go back. Back in the day when 20-30FPS on a CRT was considered good, we didn't notice screen tearing (heck Voodoo SLI was interlaced, so every other line of pixels was a tear)

G-Sync Ultimate and FreeSync Premium are the things to have now. VRR with HDR, but G-Sync Compatible and regular FreeSync will get rid of screen tearing.

In general, actual G-Sync monitors have a much lower limit where VRR works, and they switch to V-Sync automatically when it makes sense. As far as I know, FreeSync doesn't do that. So once outside of the operational range, it shuts off.

 

[hotaru.hino]

To get the most out of G-Sync, you do need a monitor with a G-Sync module, otherwise it's no different than FreeSync. Also if you play on Fullscreen Borderless, the issue of screen tearing is moot anyway since Windows forces triple buffering + VSync on all windows. And having gone from an ASUS PG279Q (a monitor with a G-Sync module) to a Samsung Odyssey G7 (a FreeSync monitor), I haven't really noticed anything different.