Freesync or 144Hz?

Nate75

Nate75

Nate75

Soldato
Joined
21 Mar 2005
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13,039
Hi.

I'm really struggling re getting a 144Hz screen now for an Nvidia setup or getting a 60Hz screen with Freesync with a view to getting a 480/580 at year end.

Is Freesync that good...

If I can maintain 144 frames then this would be better with working vsync no?

Confused :confused:
 
I don't understand the question. FreeSync is far more useful with a 144 Hz screen than with a 60 Hz one. If you need FreeSync on a 60 Hz screen, i.e. you can't manage a constant 60 fps, then why are you considering a 144 Hz screen?
 
144Hz Freesync screens are really expensive.

144Hz screens are priced comparably with Freesync 60Hz screens but to have both is out of my price range at the moment.

So I figure if all Freesync is doing is kinda what vsync does then I will get the 144Hz monitor...


I do not know much about Freesync which is probably obvious - apologies!
 
FreeSync basically means you don't need to have your minimum FPS equalling your refresh rate for smooth gameplay any more and can avoid tearing at the same time. For example, let's say you're getting 70-90 FPS in a certain game. With a 60 Hz monitor you're going to see 60 FPS (assuming you're frame capping or using VSync) or 70-90 partial frames per second with tearing all over the place. With a 144 Hz monitor you're going to see 70-90 FPS but it won't be smooth because some frames will appear for one refresh, others for two.

Now imagine you have FreeSync. With a 144 Hz monitor you're going to see 70-90 FPS and perfect smoothness with no tearing. Every time a frame is rendered, it gets displayed immediately. With a 60 Hz monitor with FreeSync...you get no benefit since you can't get it displaying more than 60 FPS anyway.

Basically FreeSync is useless if your minimum FPS is already above your monitor's refresh rate. Going from 60 Hz to 60 Hz with FreeSync is only beneficial if you can't hit a constant 60 FPS, in which case you'll get smooth motion but obviously if your FPS is really low you're still going to notice judder.

Personally I wouldn't go 144 Hz without FreeSync but it depends how much you care about smooth motion in games. I'd prefer a smooth 60 FPS to a non-smooth 90 FPS, for example. Up to you though.
 
@Nate75:

1) FreeSync IS that good, you should definitely go for FreeSync (though my experience is only with 144Hz FreeSync)
2) FreeSync shouldn't pose a significant price premium, if any
3) It is the G-Sync that brings the price premium

Could you list some of the 144Hz monitors you've been comparing? If you're looking at something like
Acer GN246HLB
AOC G2460FQ
Acer Predator XB240H

then please remember that those are 24" and TN (!!). And they're practically the same price as the Acer XF240H, which IS FreeSync. So no price premiums!

Generally speaking, there are five major price premiums:
Resolution (2560x1440)
Refresh rate (144Hz)
Panel type (VA and IPS)
Size (27")
Variable refresh rate (G-Sync -- whereas FreeSync is practically premium-free)

I guess it kind of depends on what your budget is, and which features you value most.

For example, the Acer Predator XZ271 is pretty hard to beat: curved 27", 144Hz, FreeSync, VA, £300. Unfortunately, it's universally out-of-stock. Not sure if I've ever seen it on stock...? There's an almost identical alternative, Lenovo Y27f, but that's £340 (but can be found on stock -- not by OcUK, though).
 
Thanks both, that's crystal now.

I have been using a Del 22 inch UltraSharp 2209wa for what seems like forever now. Time for a change, it will make a nice second screen :)

Going to give it a little more consideration but will most likely grab that Acer XF240H...
 
Nate75 said:
Thanks both, that's crystal now.

I have been using a Del 22 inch UltraSharp 2209wa for what seems like forever now. Time for a change, it will make a nice second screen :)

Going to give it a little more consideration but will most likely grab that Acer XF240H...
Click to expand...

What about a IPS? I've only had TN and sort of think colour is a bit off.
 
See i'm not fully sold on the old freesync and gsync argument. I'm using a 120hz monitor at the moment and really have no issues at all, maybe it's because I've not seen what games look like under freesync.
 
shredgodxp said:
See i'm not fully sold on the old freesync and gsync argument. I'm using a 120hz monitor at the moment and really have no issues at all, maybe it's because I've not seen what games look like under freesync.
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yeah not sure, say if you have a 500hz monitor, and games outputting say 85fps then they'll be no judder or vsync tearing?
 
I switched to 144Hz G-Sync from standard 60Hz, I have to say the difference is amazing, it's always so smooth and never any tearing. Was running some 3dmark benches the other day and where frames were dropping to 30-40fps, it still seemed very smooth opposed to the judder and tearing I used to get. In games, it's a game changer too! No input lag or tearing or anything. 1440p/144Hz/G-Sync is an expensive avenue to go down, but I have never looked back.
 
andy_mk3 said:
I switched to 144Hz G-Sync from standard 60Hz, I have to say the difference is amazing, it's always so smooth and never any tearing. Was running some 3dmark benches the other day and where frames were dropping to 30-40fps, it still seemed very smooth opposed to the judder and tearing I used to get. In games, it's a game changer too! No input lag or tearing or anything. 1440p/144Hz/G-Sync is an expensive avenue to go down, but I have never looked back.
Click to expand...


What happens if you set desktop to 144hz, play games but don't use any v-sync or g-sync features? If you go above 144hz in the game (say very old game) the GPU will output >144fps thus get tearing.

But what happens when the game is say around 100fps?
 
hornetstinger said:
What happens if you set desktop to 144hz, play games but don't use any v-sync or g-sync features? If you go above 144hz in the game (say very old game) the GPU will output >144fps thus get tearing.

But what happens when the game is say around 100fps?
Click to expand...

It would work the same way as v-sync, capping at 144Hz which will stop any problems there. If you turned G-sync off and got >144Hz then I would only guess tearing issues would occur, whether it's the same/worse/better than on a standard 60Hz screen I have no idea :D

At 100fps your screen will be at 100hz. I think on 144, g-sync works from 30-144Hz. I guess you could say it's like having a constantly changing v-sync, so the screen is always matching what the GPU can deliver.
 
hornetstinger said:
yeah not sure, say if you have a 500hz monitor, and games outputting say 85fps then they'll be no judder or vsync tearing?
Click to expand...

I play all my games with the monitor set to 120hz and i'm often only getting 60-70fps (on a good day) and I don't really notice anything. But then again, it might be a case of i've never seen what it's like with freesync and it might be a total game changer. With the price of Freesync monitors now I think i'll pick one up when Vega comes out.
 
hornetstinger said:
What happens if you set desktop to 144hz, play games but don't use any v-sync or g-sync features? If you go above 144hz in the game (say very old game) the GPU will output >144fps thus get tearing.

But what happens when the game is say around 100fps?
Click to expand...
Don't know about GSync but according to AMD, FreeSync is designed to be used with VSync to prevent that from happening. The usual down-sides of using VSync will only appear if the FPS goes to >=144.
 
Yes FreeSync really is that good, I could not go back.

But I would recommend 144Hz - don't worry you do not need to be getting 144 FPS all the time! I'm usually gaming anywhere from 70-90 FPS and it is beautiful.
 
Rezident said:
Yes FreeSync really is that good, I could not go back.

But I would recommend 144Hz - don't worry you do not need to be getting 144 FPS all the time! I'm usually gaming anywhere from 70-90 FPS and it is beautiful.
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yeah I've seen the LG 29" freesync but it's only 50-75hz freesync, I do know my games fps go above that, like 80fps and that's in ultra settings...so even though it's ideal 29" ultra wide, 2500x1080, that really limited refresh/freesync is putting me off. Want to upgrade from a 60hz monitor and 75hz isn't a big jump
 
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