Vsync

[Prior22]

Just purchased a Rog aly and when emulating games and playing them on a tv I noticed annoying flickering lines briefly pop up.

After doing some research it seems turning on vsync for the emulators solved the problem. I’m curious if there are any downsides to using vsync, since this solved an issue that otherwise made games unplayable. Also wondering why this wouldn’t be a recommended option to turn on for emulators.

Also are there monitors that include this option that are specifically designed for this sort of issue that you guys would recommend? Would be used specifically for gaming from several feet away, so I would prefer 32 inches or so.

 

[Scarlet]

Very basic understanding from myself, but I think V Sync basically just forces the framerate to sync with the framerate of your monitor. The reason you probably didn’t notice it on the Ally screen is that it supports variable refresh rate (VRR). In monitors you need to look for FreeSync or GSync compatibility, with GSync being specific to Nvidia stuff.

VRR basically just means your monitor’s refresh rate adjusts to match what is being output, avoiding the screen tearing in a different way.

VSync is generally fine for most things though. I think it can introduce some input lag, but it’s never been something I’ve noticed.

Hopefully somebody can come in with some more in depth knowledge, but I think I’ve got the basics right at least lol

 

[Prior22]

Very basic understanding from myself, but I think V Sync basically just forces the framerate to sync with the framerate of your monitor. The reason you probably didn’t notice it on the Ally screen is that it supports variable refresh rate (VRR). In monitors you need to look for FreeSync or GSync compatibility, with GSync being specific to Nvidia stuff.

VRR basically just means your monitor’s refresh rate adjusts to match what is being output, avoiding the screen tearing in a different way.

VSync is generally fine for most things though. I think it can introduce some input lag, but it’s never been something I’ve noticed.

Hopefully somebody can come in with some more in depth knowledge, but I think I’ve got the basics right at least lol

Will do some research into monitors with that feature. I’m really glad I discovered vsync as the solution. I’d heard of the term before but never used it.

Is there an advantage to have vsync within the monitor, as opposed to the emulator?

 

[Armadillo]

GSync compatibility, with GSync being specific to Nvidia stuff.

Only proper G-sync (hardware module in the monitor) is Nvidia only, but only for the older V1 module.

"G-sync compatible" is just Nvidia's name for Vesa adaptive sync which is what AMDs "Freesync" is as well and works with both. Whole VRR nonsense is just a mess.

There is:

Proper G-sync (hardware module). V1 works with Nvidia only, V2 supports AMD as Nvidia starting opening it up in 2019 or so https://tftcentral.co.uk/news/nvidi...esync-for-future-native-g-sync-module-screens.

G-sync Compatible. This is just Nvidia's implementation of Vesa adaptive sync and branding for monitors that have been tested and meet Nvidia's standards. Freesync is just AMDs implementation of Vesa adaptive sync, so this works fine on both. Same as "freesync" only monitors will work on Nvidia as long as you connect via display port.

Freesync over HDMI. AMDs custom implementation of variable refresh over hdmi. Only for AMD.

HDMI-VRR. Oh god it just keeps going. Part of the HDMI 2.1 spec developed by hdmi forum. Anyone can use with compatible hardware.

HDMI-VRR and Freesync over hdmi are especially annoying as people confuse the two easily and they aren't compatible with each other. You can support both (hdmi-vrr and freesync over hdmi, xbox does), but they aren't the same. A freesync over hdmi only monitor won't give you variable refresh with an hdmi-vrr only device.

It's a mess and I've still probably missed something.

 

[Prior22]

Only proper G-sync (hardware module in the monitor) is Nvidia only, but only for the older V1 module.

"G-sync compatible" is just Nvidia's name for Vesa adaptive sync which is what AMDs "Freesync" is as well and works with both. Whole VRR nonsense is just a mess.

There is:

Proper G-sync (hardware module). V1 works with Nvidia only, V2 supports AMD as Nvidia starting opening it up in 2019 or so https://tftcentral.co.uk/news/nvidi...esync-for-future-native-g-sync-module-screens.

G-sync Compatible. This is just Nvidia's implementation of Vesa adaptive sync and branding for monitors that have been tested and meet Nvidia's standards. Freesync is just AMDs implementation of Vesa adaptive sync, so this works fine on both. Same as "freesync" only monitors will work on Nvidia as long as you connect via display port.

Freesync over HDMI. AMDs custom implementation of variable refresh over hdmi. Only for AMD.

HDMI-VRR. Oh god it just keeps going. Part of the HDMI 2.1 spec developed by hdmi forum. Anyone can use with compatible hardware.

HDMI-VRR and Freesync over hdmi are especially annoying as people confuse the two easily and they aren't compatible with each other. You can support both (hdmi-vrr and freesync over hdmi, xbox does), but they aren't the same. A freesync over hdmi only monitor won't give you variable refresh with an hdmi-vrr only device.

It's a mess and I've still probably missed something.

Are any of these the clear cut superior option?

 

[Armadillo]

Technically G-sync with a module is the best because it's the only one that has proper variable pixel overdrive, but it's generally not a big enough deal that most people will care/notice it. The others are all much the same and any differences between them will come down to the implementation of the monitor.

Rog Ally is Freesync premium (premium is just branding to say the display meets X specs, although it would just be freesync today as Amd updated the brandings after ally launched).

Looking at the rog ally reddit, it seems getting vrr working on an external display depends on the dock and most success seems to be had doing it over display port.

So a Freesync branded monitor with displayport and at least 144hz refresh is your best bet. 144 to make sure it's got lfc (low framerate compensation, will double the refresh at low fps to you can still use vrr). Under the new labeling anything "freesync" should be 144 and have it, but older monitors could still be labeled "freesync" and lack the refresh range to have it.

Although before you go out and buy a new monitor, I would ask do you need it?

The benefits of any VRR tech instead of Vsync to stop tearing are:

Lower input latency (Vsync causes input lag).
No judder at arbitrary framerates. No VRR means judder if the fps isn't at a multiple of the refresh of the monitor.

Not everyone notices those, so if you're happy with the experience of just switching on standard Vsync when you are on a tv, then maybe just stick with it and turn on vsync when you are the tv.

 

[RedColoredStars]

otherwise made games unplayable

That's quite the over-exaggeration.

 

[Kraken_X]

Back in the day, when I had underpowered hardware and none of this VRR stuff existed, turning on vsync would kill your frame rate. I'm talking 60fps dropping to an unstable 20fps. It would also cap the fps at 60, which is generally fine since that's what the monitor/TV displayed, but if you wanted it to run faster or if you were running a benchmark, it was a no-go. I did have issues with lag too. So I would always turn it off and just got used to the flicker.

Now I have a 120hz TV with VRR and a powerful gfx card, so I tend to leave it on as long as I'm able to hit 60/120fps. But, I'm not sure that it works at all the same as it did in the era before VRR and high refresh rate monitors. I'd still guess that there is still some performance impact, but if you have powerful hardware you might not notice.

Edit: I did a bit more research and it looks like VRR technologies like @Armadillo mentioned do alleviate most of the issues traditional vsync had. So the reduced studder, input lag, and performance impact aren't just because my gfx card can hit 60/120fps more easily now. Here is an article with a bit more detail about it: https://www.makeuseof.com/what-is-vsync-vertical-sync-impact-games/

 

[Armadillo]

Now I have a 120hz TV with VRR and a powerful gfx card, so I tend to leave it on as long as I'm able to hit 60/120fps. But, I'm not sure that it works at all the same as it did in the era before VRR and high refresh rate monitors.

It doesn't work the same as without vrr. On a VRR monitor Vsync basically controls what happens when you go out of the variable refresh range of whatever monitor or tv you have.

Vsync on & out of vrr range=standard vsync with all it's downsides.
Vsync off & out of vrr range=no vsync so tearing.

It's why on pc with it's recommended to cap 3 or so below max refresh to keep in vrr range and keep it engaged rather than it dropping back to standard vsync on/off.