FreeSync monitors hit mass production, coming in Jan-Feb

Gregster · 9 Dec 2014 at 22:04

Among other things, AMD's Catalyst Omega driver announcement has given us an update of sorts on the status of FreeSync. AMD told us in August that the first FreeSync panels would be out in early 2015, and the company looks set to keep that schedule.

FreeSync displays have entered the mass production and validation stage, AMD tells us. The first commercial offerings are now scheduled for a launch in the January-February time frame. We'll still have to wait until March for Samsung's FreeSync-enabled UHD monitors, though.

AMD says that, from the point of view of display makers, there's "not much you need to do" to support FreeSync other than comply with the DisplayPort 1.2a standard's Adaptive-Sync specification. Nonetheless, the chipmaker mentioned some "secret sauce" that we'll learn more about in January or February. Hmm.

I'm guessing we'll have at least some fresh details early next month, since AMD and its partners plan to have FreeSync monitors on display at CES. Scott will be at the show, so stay tuned.

http://techreport.com/news/27484/freesync-monitors-hit-mass-production-coming-in-jan-feb

So Jan or Feb for the first Freesync monitors (not December) and Samsung releasing in March. Great news then and like I said a few months back, not long to wait

Goose · 9 Dec 2014 at 22:43

Good news. Hopefully the first wave will include 27" 1440p for £350ish.

Ian Evey · 9 Dec 2014 at 23:07

Goose said:
Good news. Hopefully the first wave will include 27" 1440p for £350ish.

Tbf a 120/144 hz 1440 monitor with or without amd sync would be nice, it remains to be seen whether there is an added price for amd sync.

Stas823 · 9 Dec 2014 at 23:09

Ian Evey said:
Tbf a 120/144 hz 1440 monitor with or without amd sync would be nice, it remains to be seen whether there is an added price for amd sync.

Lightboost would be a great addition too

shankly1985 · 9 Dec 2014 at 23:14

Not long now.. I do wonder what the first display will be.

tayto_0 · 9 Dec 2014 at 23:16

I really need to try one of these G-Sync/FreeSync monitors, tbh i've never seen one in person so still don't really get all the fuss.

gpuerrilla · 9 Dec 2014 at 23:16

Nice post Greg!

Gregster · 9 Dec 2014 at 23:22

tayto_0 said:
I really need to try one of these G-Sync/FreeSync monitors, tbh i've never seen one in person so still don't really get all the fuss.

For me, it was a strange one, as we seem to happily accept what we see and take it without question and it is only when you use G-Sync (and Freesync should be the same), you realise what you was seeing. I have put so many hours into games since owning the ROG Swift and I was close to selling up and getting a HTPC. You need to try it to see what is what really and if you are susceptible to stutter/tearing/input lag, you will really notice the difference.

Th0nt said:
Nice post Greg!

Thanks

Tonester0011 · 9 Dec 2014 at 23:31

I found out i was using Gsync without even knowing the other week, swapped out cards to a 780 and Gsync decided it would turn on as default.

Err, didn't notice any difference compared to normal gaming. I found out because of that little light that changes colours on the Swift, that and the fact my FPS wasn't moving from 120.

I seem to be the exception, most people notice a difference straight away. Hopefully you AMD guys will notice the difference.

tayto_0 · 9 Dec 2014 at 23:36

Yea i'll deffo give one a go soon the only problem for me is i tend to own AMD and Nvidia at the same time so which monitor is a tricky decision

Gregster said:
I was close to selling up and getting a HTPC.

Don't ever do that! :eek:

We need to get you back benching! what happened to "overclocking is a passion" ? I could have swore that was your sig for a while

Gregster · 9 Dec 2014 at 23:37

You are not alone Tone and others have said the same. I know instantly when G-Sync isn't on and I hate it.

tayto_0 said:
Don't ever do that! We need to get you back benching! what happened to "overclocking is a passion" ? I could have swore that was your sig for a while

My 3930K has degradation and I want to upgrade but her indoors has put the dampers on that. I should never have taken her on a Cruise, as that is what she is saving our spare cash for again (and secretly, I really enjoyed it as well) and no overtime at work and being a Granddad. I will be back but need that overtime to pay for it all.

Tonester0011 · 9 Dec 2014 at 23:42

That's alright then

Tear has never bothered me, learned to live with it, so much so i never notice it

Got the swift for 1440+120hz, ULMB was a cheeky bonus mind. One of the reasons i'll be sticking with Nvidia for the time being.

Curious what sort of price these freesync monitors will come in at.

Gregster · 9 Dec 2014 at 23:47

Tonester0011 said:
That's alright then
Tear has never bothered me, learned to live with it, so much so i never notice it

Got the swift for 1440+120hz, ULMB was a cheeky bonus mind. One of the reasons i'll be sticking with Nvidia for the time being.

Curious what sort of price these freesync monitors will come in at.

The current UD590 retails at about £430, so when it gets the Freesync love, we will see how much difference there is. I imagine the first monitors will have some gouging going on but hopefully not too much.

Martini1991 · 10 Dec 2014 at 07:53

Think it was kind of obvious we weren't seeing them in 2014.

Silent_Scone · 10 Dec 2014 at 08:09

Tonester0011 said:
I found out i was using Gsync without even knowing the other week, swapped out cards to a 780 and Gsync decided it would turn on as default.

Err, didn't notice any difference compared to normal gaming. I found out because of that little light that changes colours on the Swift, that and the fact my FPS wasn't moving from 120.

I seem to be the exception, most people notice a difference straight away. Hopefully you AMD guys will notice the difference.

Depends what games you play Tonester, if you play shooters then it's pretty obvious to the eye. Different users come from different monitors though.

If you've got someone coming from a 60hz IPS to the Swift you're seeing the benefits of the higher refresh rate and panel response all at the same time with G-Sync enabled. Users coming directly from a 120hz/144hz TN panel will maybe not be so quick to notice.

This is why IPS FreeSync panels could be interesting.

Orangey · 10 Dec 2014 at 09:00

Hmm, I hadn't even considered that, kind of a bummer.

Arcane · 10 Dec 2014 at 09:23

ULMB is superb, am I not right in thinking it's an nvidia tech though? I'd be interested in an IPS panel with Swift specs, though it would have to be spectacular for me to give the Swift up.

krooton · 10 Dec 2014 at 09:43

Gimme 1440p, G-sync and VA at an affordable price tag pls.

setter · 10 Dec 2014 at 10:22

krooton said:
Gimme 1440p, G-sync and VA at an affordable price tag pls.

Would be nice, but id say they will be very expensive. Take the swift for example, 600 quid Ono for a TN panel at this res, a VA model I suspect will be more. I also reckon 2560x1440 TN freesync models will be pretty high priced on release too.

drunkenmaster · 10 Dec 2014 at 10:36

Monitor pricing is laughable and yet the monitor industry doesn't seem to realise why so many people stopped upgrading at 1080p. They all but created 4k and pushed it to give people a reasonable jump in res to get them to buy more panels but that and everything in between they overprice so much sales are still slow.

So in terms of prices we have

23-24"
1080p 60hz from £100-170
1080 144hz from £180 to lets say £210(Lg 144hz with flicker free "tech")

1080p 144hz + 3dvision/lightboost £240-300 , higher cost has a few more inputs but is seemingly overpriced

1080p + everything inc gsync £320
1080p 240hz £320
4k 60hz £480

27-28"

1080p 60 hz £150-£230
1080p 144hz £240-300
1440p IPS 60hz £300-350
1080p 144hz + g-sync £350
4k 60hz £350-550

1440p + 144hz +g-sync £650....

wtf basically, the last screen is the next real step up from a 120-144hz 1080p screen. Higher res with the same refresh. This is one of the reasons g-sync/proprietary nonsense sucks, it locks people out and reduces competition. You can see that at any size going from 60hz to 144hz is really a £50 cost, moving from 24-27" is like a £50 increase, moving from 1080p to 1440p is £50-100, add them all onto a base £100 price and you have.... £650 apparently.

Realistically there should be at least 1 27" 1440p 144hz offering from each major monitor manufacturer and both with competition and product available they should be selling at easily sub £400, maybe more in the £300-350 price bracket.

The really absurd thing is the monitor industry has been crying about sales and lack of people upgrading from 1080p screens, but it took them years to offer 120hz, and the number of bigger res screens with higher refresh was non existent till recently even then the higher refresh screens are almost all 1080p at 27".. which is frankly a stupid resolution for that sized screen.

I suspect you'll have the issue with manufacturers seeing one model actually getting sales at £650, even though it's clearly worth no where near that in the slightest regardless of how good it is, that they might try and all come in say £50-100 cheaper as they try to milk the high prices.

Sub £400 and I'd likely buy, above that we're just being ripped off. The swift pricing is simply ridiculous and when consumers let companies get away with it by just paying anyway, it only encourages everyone else to try to sell at the same price point.