Question about VSync and Windowed Mode in games

[varulv]

Hello!

My card is an Asus GTX 295 and i have noticed that whenever i run a game in windowed(full) mode or Full Screen but with Vsync 'disabled' my card then runs way hotter.Can someone please explain this to me?There's zero downtime when alt-tabbing in windowed mode, and it feels awesomely smooth.. but i don't like my card running +10-15C* hotter either.

 

[Confused Stu]

Hello!

My card is an Asus GTX 295 and i have noticed that whenever i run a game in windowed(full) mode or Full Screen but with Vsync 'disabled' my card then runs way hotter.Can someone please explain this to me?There's zero downtime when alt-tabbing in windowed mode, and it feels awesomely smooth.. but i don't like my card running +10-15C* hotter either.

I could be completely wrong, but switching vsync "on" will limit your card to 60FPS on most games (or an exact divisor of it - so 30FPS, 20FPS, 15FPS, etc). For your GTX295 I am guessing that it is powerful enough to run most games way above 60FPS, so by switching vsync on, you are letting your graphics card not work so hard, and so it won't get as hot as a result? For example, if your card running without vsync will produce 120FPS on a game, but limiting it to 60FPS your card will only be working at 50%, so will produce way less heat as a result.

Might be wrong, but that makes sense to me!

 

[salvilla]

I would have to agree with you. I have to 5870 in crossfire. When I run games with Vsync on they do not work as hard. I actually run games with v-sync on because I get lower temps and therefor less noise.

 

[varulv]

I could be completely wrong, but switching vsync "on" will limit your card to 60FPS on most games (or an exact divisor of it - so 30FPS, 20FPS, 15FPS, etc). For your GTX295 I am guessing that it is powerful enough to run most games way above 60FPS, so by switching vsync on, you are letting your graphics card not work so hard, and so it won't get as hot as a result? For example, if your card running without vsync will produce 120FPS on a game, but limiting it to 60FPS your card will only be working at 50%, so will produce way less heat as a result.

Might be wrong, but that makes sense to me!

Guess that explains it, now i need to decide if it's wort it playing in windowed mode(mmorpgs only).Thanks!

 

[varulv]

Best answer selected by varulv.