I don't think my FreeSync is actually working

[nails666]

Hi, I'm trying to definitively work out if FreeSync is actually active on my system.
In theory it should be, all my components support it (295x2, BenQ XL2730Z, 15.10 drivers) and my monitor shows FreeSync and CCC detects a FreeSync capable monitor being connected. When actually playing games though I'm just not seeing much effect. I've tried switching it on and off, enabling and disabling Xfire etc I can't see much difference.
I've also just downloaded the AMD Windmill demo specifically to show off FreeSync and sure enough, it reports a FreeSync compatible display but it shows FreeSync turned off and won't let me turn it on.

I know a lot of people rave about how great Free/GSync look and how it transforms the smoothness of games but I've never really thought much of it and I'm wondering now if that's because it not actually running.

Is there any other definitive way to confirm or deny that it's active and working or is the Windmill demo saying it's off proof that it's not working?

If so then any ideas what I can do to get it working?

On a side note has anyone else run that demo with XFire enabled and disabled on a 295x2, for me it looks pretty rubbish with XFire enabled, not very smooth and suprisingly blurry but when I create a profile for it and disable Xfire it becomes much clearer?

Thanks for any help.

 

[nails666]

Yeah I've got it set to 144Hz and I can see at the desktop that it's noticeably smoother when dragging windows around than on my other 60Hz screen so I'm happy that is working fine.

I've been trying to do just that actually Shankly, switch it on and off in games and try to spot any tearing etc. With Witcher 3 I can get the frame rate to fluctuate a fair bit but that game is a bit stuttery on xfire anyway so it's hard to tell. I'm also using MSI Afterburner to cap my fps at 120 so I don't go over the top of the FreeSync range and in Civ 5 Beyond Earth I definitely still get tearing when scrolling around the map when in the FreeSync range.

 

[nails666]

Well that's one of my problems, the windmill demo shows the FreeSync switch as disabled and won't let me enable it.
As I've got a 295x2 rather than 2 separate cards I don't get a global option to disable xfire, I have to set a profile for an application and disable it there which I have done for the windmill but it makes no difference to the FreeSync switch although it does run smoother with much less blurring.

 

[nails666]

Thanks for the responses guys, I'll give that pendulum demo a go and I'll try turning of MSI Afterburner as well.

Yup I've got blur reduction mode turned off on the monitor Jupiter, as expected if I turn it on then the Freesync option in CCC disappears and when I turn it back off then the option returns.

Out of interest has anyone else with a 295x2 run that windmill demo and been able to toggle the Freesync option in there?

 

[nails666]

just tried the pendulum demo myself, WOW how did I ever game with vsync lol. Man I love Freesync

Fingers crossed I have the same reaction when I try it

 

[nails666]

Yeah there is something not quite right in my system somewhere as I have an outstanding issue with Frame Pacing causing odd clock behaviour as well.

I might try another full clear out of drivers. What's the best 'Nuke them from orbit' approach, uninstall via Catalyst Install manager and then DDU in safe mode or just go straight to DDU?

 

[nails666]

Ok, that's what I use each time I change drivers anyway then.

 

[nails666]

Right, thanks for all the suggestions everybody.

I've now run both the windmill and pendulum demos a stupid amount of times trying every possible combination of FreeSync On/Off, Frame Pacing On/Off, Vsync On/Off and XFire On/Off (by using a profile in CCC and setting XFire to disabled).

The short version is that in both of these demos Freesync is definately not working with XFire enabled for me. With XFire On the performance in both is very poor, massive stuttering and screen flickering with VSync On and stuttering and tearing with VSync Off, Frame Pacing being on makes it even worse. The fact that there is tearing and even just different behaviour for VSync On/Off shows Freesync isn't working as within the Freesync range there should be no difference.

Now by using a profile to disable XFire it's a whole different matter. Now as expected changing the VSync setting makes no difference when inside the FreeSync range and both demos run buttery smooth with no stuttering and no tearing. It really does look good and I can finally see why everyone raves about adaptive sync.

So my problem now is how do I get it working with XFire enabled on a 295x2? First step will be to do another full driver uninstall and re-install but which driver version do we think is the best one to try?

Other than that is there anything else I can try. I did try turning MSI Afterburner off as suggested above but that made no difference.

If I can't get it sorted I'm tempted to just sell this 295x2 on and get a single 390 to tide me over until the next gen cards are out

 

[nails666]

shankly didn't you do a demo in BF4 of Freesync working?
nails do you have BF4 that you could test it in?

I believe that Freesync only works in DirectX 10 and higher (or Mantle?) games, so if you're playing something that's using DX9 or OpenGL then that might explain why Freesync isn't working.
As Matt said, the windmill demo doesn't support Freesync (or at least the one we have access to doesn't).

I haven't got BF4 unfortunately so can't test that one out.

Since the OP hasn't stated what drivers or cable he is using I think it's worth mentioning again that Freesync will only work with DP 1.2 and an appropriate driver version.

It's possible the cable being used is not of acceptable quality even if it is a display port cable. Try another one and also make sure you are using the latest 15.11 beta drivers. Also try setting up Windows 7 and see if that solves the problem.

I've tried 2 different DP cables including the one supplied with the monitor now with no difference in behaviour.
Software wise I'm running Win 7 64bit and I've tried all the drivers from 15.7 up to 15.10 (not had a chance to try 15.11 yet) and they all behave the same.

I only had a little time over the weekend to get on the computer (having a 4 year old child and 7 week old baby is remarkably time consuming ) but when I did I tried setting up a CCC profile for WoW disabling XFire and sure enough FreeSync was then working perfectly. It felt much smoother running at ~50 fps on a single gpu with FreeSync than it does at ~80 fps with XFire. Rather annoying given how much more the 295x2 cost over a single card.
Hopefully one evening this week I'll get a chance to do another driver un-install and go for the 15.11s see if they improve things.

I presume other people with a 295x2 have definitely got FreeSync working in XFire mode?

 

[nails666]

Ok well I'm out of ideas now. I've just tried a full driver clear out and re-install with the latest 15.11 betas and still the same. Xfire enabled, no FreeSync and horrible stuttering, Xfire disabled and it's smooth as butter.
I've also just tried all of the following: -

Connected my monitor to every single port on the 295x2 just in case I had a faulty one.
Disabling my second monitor completely.
Disabling VSR.
Changing the repfresh rate down from 144Hz to 120Hz.
Turning off MSI Afterburner completely.

All had no effect, still no FreeSync with XFire.

I have a young baby at the moment so my free time is extremely limited and at the moment I'm spending all of it trying to fix problems so I think I'm just going to sell on the 295x2 and grab a single second hand 290 to tide me over for the moment so I can actually just sit down and play without hassle