AMD: FAQ for Project FreeSync is up

[Warsam71]

Hello everyone,

Click here to view the Project FreeSync FAQ. I hope you'll find the information helpful.

In addition, please post any questions you’d like answered here and we’ll update the FAQ accordingly. Thank you!

 

[Ayahuasca]

So not really freesync then as most will need a new monitor

 

[shankly1985]

"There are three key advantages Project FreeSync holds over G-Sync: no licensing fees for adoption, no expensive or proprietary hardware modules, and no communication overhead.
The last benefit is essential to gamers, as Project FreeSync does not need to poll or wait on the display in order to determine when it’s safe to send the next frame to the monitor.
Project FreeSync uses industry-standard DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync protocols to pre-negotiate supported min/max refresh rates during plug’n’play, which means frame presentation to the user will never be delayed or impaired by time-consuming two-way handshakes."


This will be interesting, maybe this will help with Input lag? Seen Gsync you must lower Frame rate to keep the Input lag down.

Really hope this the case, I want input lag, like using no sync for the best performance possible.

"What is the supported range of refresh rates with FreeSync and DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync?
​AMD Radeon™​ graphics cards will support a wide variety of dynamic refresh ranges with Project FreeSync. Using DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync, the graphics card can detect and set an appropriate maximum and minimum refresh rate based on the capabilities reported by the display. Potential ranges include 36-240Hz, 21-144Hz, 17-120Hz and 9-60Hz."

Another interesting plus, Doesn't Gsync only perform better when the frate rate is about 40fps?
Freesync seem to be able to go lower.

 

[Gerard]

So not really freesync then as most will need a new monitor

Well unless you happen to know of a magic wand that you can wave to upgrade all current monitors to be able to support it, I think it was a given that new monitors would be needed, and something that's been known from the get go.

 

[shankly1985]

So not really freesync then as most will need a new monitor

The "FREE" comes from that it cost nothing to add to the monitors.

no licensing fees for adoption, no expensive or proprietary hardware modules, and no communication overhead.

Its not called Freesync because there just going to start giving it away for free lol

 

[Ayahuasca]

Well the 4k gsync monitor costs no more than the regular 4k monitors.

Also for the dynamic refresh rates during gaming you need a new series card.

So potentially for people wanting to use it with their current monitor or card it's going to be expensive.

 

[whyscotty]

Another interesting plus, Doesn't Gsync only perform better when the frate rate is about 40fps?
Freesync seem to be able to go lower.

Goes down to 30

 

[Martini1991]

Well unless you happen to know of a magic wand that you can wave to upgrade all current monitors to be able to support it, I think it was a given that new monitors would be needed, and something that's been known from the get go.

Some monitors could support it, but they likely won't.

 

[Jarrastafari]

Great read, thanks!

 

[elmuzzy66.]

red font just killed my eyes.

 

[Gerard]

Some monitors could support it, but they likely won't.

They have it running on a monitor now via a bios update but afaik it doesn't support the full range of rates that they want it to.

 

[Martini1991]

They have it running on a monitor now via a bios update but afaik it doesn't support the full range of rates that they want it to.

It'd be a firmware change I think, rather than BIOS? Or am I being pendant?

Either way, even if they can't get the ranges they want, the ranges they've listed are much more than G-Sync, even if one couldn't get the full range, implementing it into monitors that could work with it is far better than not doing so.

Arguably giving people a taste and them needing to buy a new monitor to get the full effect is probably far better than people buying new monitors from the off.

As people may jump quicker to get the full thing.

 

[Gregster]

When will we see the first Freesync monitors and support for it? What partners have signed up for it?

 

[shankly1985]

When will we see the first Freesync monitors and support for it? What partners have signed up for it?

From what I understand they won't be a selected partner, because it's open standard so by tight every manufacturer should just be able to release it.

 

[Martini1991]

From what I understand they won't be a selected partner, because it's open standard so by tight every manufacturer should just be able to release it.

As it stands right now, in 1.2A it's an optional part, so really, if AMD want to push Freesync, then we could have them earlier (Realistically, since conception it's been over 6 months, so yeah....)

I can see it being next year we start to see some.

 

[Stanners]

Does anything need doing to the drivers or is it already in them?

 

[Martini1991]

Does anything need doing to the drivers or is it already in them?

Knowing AMD, it'll need a driver too.

 

[James J]

All AMD Radeon™ graphics cards in the AMD Radeon™ HD 7000, HD 8000, R7 or R9 Series will support Project FreeSync for video playback and power-saving purposes. The AMD Radeon™ R9 295X2, 290X, R9 290, R7 260X and R7 260 GPUs additionally feature updated display controllers that will support dynamic refresh rates during gaming.

So 7000 series owners need to upgrade to game using freesync?

 

[Martini1991]

So 7000 series owners need to upgrade to game using freesync?

Indeed, and not the first time it's been mentioned.

 

[Stas823]

I feel like I'm the only person that doesn't need any kind of sync, just can't see the tearing or stutter.