We all want to see great visuals while gaming or doing anything on our computers. The display quality, refresh rate, pixel density, etc are very important when we talk about a great gaming experience. But, a good synchronization between your system and the display device is one of the most important things as well. In fact, you should choose an FHD monitor as per your GPU or the overall system performance so that you get what you are looking for. So, in this article, we are going to know about both the popular type of monitor synchronization technologies. The first one is FreeSync and the second one is G-Sync monitors.
Both these technologies are very popular in the gaming peripherals industry. Both of them are equally popular and widely used by monitor manufacturers to offer great features to their customers.
However, this kind of monitor is widely preferred by gamers or other high-end users. These monitors are generally expensive as well.
It’s important to compare G-Sync and FreeSync when buying a gaming monitor. Both technologies improve display performance by matching the display performance to the graphics card. Each has its strengths and weaknesses.
G-Sync offers great performance at a high price, while FreeSync is sensitive to ghost-like screen images. So, what is the difference between G-Sync and FreeSync?
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which one is best for you (use the guide below). Click here to learn more about the ViewSonic Professional Monitor. In the past, monitor manufacturers relied on the V-Sync standard to make it easier for consumers and businesses to use their monitors when connecting to high-performance computers.
With the acceleration of technology, new standards have been created. We are going to know everything about these technologies. So, make sure to read the article till the end.
What is FreeSync on a monitor (Adaptive OLED Display)?
FreeSync was released in 2015. This is a standard developed by AMD, similar to G-Sync, an adaptive synchronization technology for LCD monitors. The goal is to reduce page breaks and stutters because the page content is out of sync with the frame rate.
This technology uses the adaptive synchronization standard built into DisplayPort 1.2A, so any monitor with this input is compatible with FreeSync. For this reason, FreeSync is not compatible with older connections such as VGA and DVI. FreeSync’s “free” is based on open standards.
FreeSync is a standard developed by high-performance computing ecosystem, so most modern GPUs support this technology.
Various electronics manufacturers also support this technology, and if you have the right knowledge, you can also run FreeSync on NVIDIA devices. FreeSync is a significant improvement over the V-Sync standard, but it is not an ideal technology.
Shadows are the most notable part of FreeSync. This happens when the object is slightly behind the position of the previous image, forming a shaded image. Poor power management is a major cause of shadows on FreeSync devices.
If there are not enough pixels placed, the image will be displayed in slow motion. On the other hand, using too much energy will create a shadow.
What is G-Sync and how does it work?
G-Sync was released to the public in 2013. Developed by NVIDIA, this technology synchronizes the user’s screen with the device’s graphics card output to improve performance, especially when gaming. G-Sync is becoming more and more popular in the electronics industry because the page refresh rate is always better than the GPU’s data generation capabilities. This leads to major performance issues.
G-Sync ensures that the graphics card adjusts the output speed if the GPU speed doesn’t match the monitor’s refresh rate. For example, if your graphics card is running at 50 fps (frames per second), the monitor speed will change.
The most notable feature of G-Sync technology is that it eliminates screen tearing and other common performance issues associated with V-Sync devices. To do this, the G-Sync device manages the vertical screen spacing (VBI).
VBI specifies the time interval between the end of the monitor at which the current image is drawn and the transition to the next image.
When G-Sync is enabled, the graphics card detects the difference and speeds up the transfer of additional information to avoid framing issues.
What’s better FreeSync or G-Sync Monitors?
There are certain pros and cons which you will get with both types of monitors. The difference might be there in both price and offerings. However, it’s all up to you and your requirements that what sort of monitor you want and what are the applications.
Both the terms may sound similar and this is why you may find it hard to make the best decision between them both.
The main difference between the G-Sync and FreeSync is that the G-Sync is capable of producing an excellent performance while having a huge price tag. The G-Sync monitors are mostly more expensive than the FreeSync monitors.
The FreeSync monitors may have certain issues like screen ghosting when run with high-end GPUs. However, you can buy these monitors at comparatively affordable prices.
But, the final decision is all up to your requirements and budgets. If you have a good budget and an NVIDIA GPU, you should definitely go for G-Sync. Otherwise, FreeSync is a good option to go with.
Can I use FreeSync on a G-Sync Monitors (How to Run)?
The short answer is no. But, because both FreeSync and G-Sync are coming from VESA technology. So, in some cases, this may work. It is all up to your monitor model and GPU configurations whether or not you will be able to get this done. It is always advised to pick between the G-Sync and FreeSync properly after checking your GPU.
However, it is worth trying to test this thing out. In some cases, these combinations may work. You may end up using G-Sync on a FreeSync Monitor or vice-versa. However, do not expect it to happen to you.
There is no way to check the compatibility and you can’t say anything without actually connecting your monitor to the system.
So, make sure to test this thing but don’t get 100% sure because the combination may work sometimes but it may get failed as well.
Note: If your monitor has a DisplayPort configuration, you may be able to use the FreeSync Technology with the NVIDIA GPUs as well. But, this thing may apply to some monitors.
What is the difference between FreeSync and G-sync monitors?
In order to make use of FreeSync, you will have to have an AMD Graphics card on your laptop or desktop rig. If you are looking to use any gaming console, the same concept applies there as well. With having an AMD graphics card, you will never be able to use the features of your FreeSync monitor.
On the other hand, if you have a G-Sync monitor, you should have an NVIDIA graphics card in your laptop or desktop CPU. Other features may vary depending on the model and the price of your monitor. But, this is the basic difference between both these technologies.
Don’t expect a G-Sync monitor to offer all its offerings with an AMD graphics card. Also, if you have a Free-Sync monitor, don’t expect it to give you all its features with an NVIDIA graphics card.
Basically, these both are visual technologies that are compatible with different types of system configurations. So, make your decision wisely before investing in any of these.
What happens if you use FreeSync with GPU?
Well, if your monitor is from AMD, your FreeSync monitor is going to give you all its features that were highlighted by the manufacturer. However, if it’s an NVIDIA monitor, you can do nothing but see your monitor working like any other general monitor without any FreeSync technology.
However, if your monitor has the DisplayPort connectivity, you can try to connect it with the NVIDIA GPU as well because these GPUs are not compatible with the FreeSync as well.
But, this may not happen in some cases. So, you shouldn’t fully trust this functionality.
However, if you have a FreeSync monitor and you will have to make a decision on a GPU, just go with the AMD.
Similarly, if your system is working with an AMD GPU, just go with a FreeSync monitor over a G-Sync monitor. This is all you have to do in order to make the most out of this technology.
What will be the best decision between these both?
We have discussed the main features of both these technologies above. But, this is the time to clearly tell you the truth. So, if you are looking for the lowest input lag but have nothing to do with the tearing, just go for the FreeSync monitor.
Also, keep a thing in mind that you should have an AMD GPU in this case. But, if you are well and good with a little bit higher input lag but you are eagerly looking for smooth graphics without any tearing, your choice should be G-Sync.
This was all about the final decision. Now, before picking any product, make sure to read the specifications properly and match them with your system configurations.
This will be the best way to pick the right monitor for the right purpose.
Final Verdict
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