I find the lack of G-Sync Monitors, Disturbing

[G550]

On the Gsync going away because it is a "proprietary tech": proprietary means nobody else can use that technology and as Acer, Dell, Asus and others make Gsync monitors that is not obviously true.

Thats not what proprietary means in this instance. Nvidia developed and own Gsync technology/brand/rights.
Monitor manufacturers must pay Nvidia for the use of the Gsync module in their monitors. Only Nvidia can legally manufacture and supply to monitor manufacturers (or have others manufacture on their behalf) the Gsync module.

The actual cost of the module itself will be minimal in comparison to the premium Nvidia ask for its use by monitor manufacturers.
It represents a great profit margin for Nvidia, which is why they are unlikely to implement Vesa variable refresh rate support unless AMD GPUs become a more compelling purchase over Nvidia than they have been to date.

For now, enough people are willing to pay the extra ~£150 over a freesync monitor/GPU combination to make it worthwhile Nvidia keep going with Gsync, even though the only real advantage over Freesync in most cases is Gsync's lower supported minimum sync rate.

 

[Doobedoo]

.It represents a great profit margin for Nvidia, which is why they are unlikely to implement Vesa variable refresh rate support unless AMD GPUs become a more compelling purchase over Nvidia than they have been to date.

They may not have a choice when HDMI 2.1 becomes available. https://overclock3d.net/news/gpu_displays/the_hdmi_2_1_specification_has_been_officially_released/1

For gamers, one of the biggest upgrades here will be the addition of Variable refresh rates (VRR), which is designed to reduce or eliminate lag while also preventing stutter or tearing while playing games, offering the same features as AMD FreeSync. At this time it is unknown how similar this technology is to AMD FreeSync over HDMI.

This new standard is also likely to make waves within the PC industry, as HDMI's new standard will likely be adopted by both Nvidia and AMD, forcing Nvidia to support a variable refresh technology outside of their proprietary G-Sync solution. This change should also help to make variable refresh rate displays more widely available in the future.

 

[d_brennen]

Good

 

[Doobedoo]

Good

Absolutely. I for one will happily buy a decent VRR monitor but only if it's for a reasonable price. G-sync is just too much and I'm not paying it.

 

[andybird123]

Its not compulsory. Its been known for a while that freesync was coming to hdmi, this doesnt really change anything for the time being.

 

[Rroff]

HDMI 2.1 could certainly change things as AFAIK it isn't an optional part of the spec unlike DP.

 

[andybird123]

HDMI 2.1 could certainly change things as AFAIK it isn't an optional part of the spec unlike DP.

From the Q&A on the hdmi release;

Q: Can products have a combination of these features?
A: Yes, but it depends on each manufacturer’s implementation, so it is necessary to carefully check their specifications and marketing materials.

Q: Are these features backwards compatible or do all the components have to be HDMI 2.1 enabled?
A: The devices have to be 2.1 enabled and also have the same feature capabilities enabled on both the source and display.

Devices dont have to support VRR to claim 2.1 cert.

 

[Doobedoo]

Oh dear! So Nvidia will block the use of a free technology in order to force the customer to spend an extra £200 for a G-sync monitor. Surely that's not a good thing.

I can see more people pushed away from pc's and more into consoles that will no doubt be supporting this. I think I'll take a small performance hit and go with AMD for my next gpu.

 

[Panos]

Oh dear! So Nvidia will block the use of a free technology in order to force the customer to spend an extra £200 for a G-sync monitor. Surely that's not a good thing.

I can see more people pushed away from pc's and more into consoles that will no doubt be supporting this. I think I'll take a small performance hit and go with AMD for my next gpu.

Yeah.

Which is the reason NV boasts DP 1.4/1.3 on their cards without adaptive sync support on driver level. (on hardware level the support is there).
Also NV is using the adaptive sync on the laptops, and those laptops are advertised as "gsync", but there is no gsync module in there......

But, given how many TV manufacturers would want to sell Freesync TV to the XBoneX owners, is inevitable that there will be a snowball effect, and either NV accepts defeat, or slowly going to be marginalized out.

And that can be seen today. Look how many Freesync monitors exist, and how many Gsync ones. And their quality is pants. I am looking for new monitor, with gsync, and there are nothing that I would buy without having to send it back few times until I get a good one. Or inheriting issues that appear.

Eg Z35P and it's sibling the AOC one. On OCNET are many with the Gsync module failing to even work on those monitors. Everyone has issues with colours and things that appeared in later date.

IPS monitors, hit or miss with a lot of returns. eg X34A
And all these are £800+ monitors for heaven sake.

While on Freesync, someone could buy right now anything at any res and be happy. (assuming they can keep up with the minimums).

Even the 75hz AOC looks good, at £199.99!!!!

 

[hornetstinger]

Don't the new consoles support freesync?

No G-Sync?

 

[ljt]

Don't the new consoles support freesync?

No G-Sync?

Xbox One X supports freesync over hdmi.

 

[andybird123]

IPS monitors, hit or miss with a lot of returns. eg X34A
And all these are £800+ monitors for heaven sake.

While on Freesync, someone could buy right now anything at any res and be happy. (assuming they can keep up with the minimums).

Even the 75hz AOC looks good, at £199.99!!!!

Erm, a quick look on retailers that have product reviews this isnt really true. Even your worst case x34a has around 18% 1 or 2 star reviews, and a quick look at a few freesync monitors and its around 12-15% 1 or 2 star reviews. Granted 18% as a returns figure would be awful, but 15% isnt exactly "anything at any res and be happy" either. (Of course its not a returns figure as people are far more likely to leave bad feedback than good.)

But lets not let actual statistics get in the way of a good old rant.

 

[Doobedoo]

So Intel will be supporting VRR with their integrated graphics, AMD already are and both the Xbox and PS4 use AMD graphics.

Looks like G-sync will be quite a small minority going forward so it's easy to see why they may well struggle to attract customers willing to pay a £200 premium for VRR. Expect that 6-1 ratio to increase.

 

[hornetstinger]

So Intel will be supporting VRR with their integrated graphics, AMD already are and both the Xbox and PS4 use AMD graphics.

Looks like G-sync will be quite a small minority going forward so it's easy to see why they may well struggle to attract customers willing to pay a £200 premium for VRR. Expect that 6-1 ratio to increase.

I think once TV standards have a certain sync tech it would be the end of the other one. My guess freesync will become the standard.

 

[klaxhu]

I feel you! But then I looked closely at what freesync monitors you can get and for a really good one, you pay close to what you pay for a gsync. That is the first problem!

Second: you need a Vega which are crap cards! Run hot and with quite a few issues with them.has this space become such a bad quality playground?

I've got a predator 4k now and I am disappointing so its going back.
Just a TN non gsync maybe?

I wish I stayed on my gtx 970 and my dell with 5 ms response now
Lots of money spent and I am not happier on 4k gaming

 

[opethdisciple]

The thing is Gsync IS the better of the two.

With Gsync you get everything you expect with any panel that supports it. And most importantly it's the full 30-144Hz range.

Freesync cant boast that. It's up to the discretion of the manufacturer implementing it and I don't think there is a single Freesync panel that can do 30-144Hz?

Freesync 2 was meant to address this (not the 30-144hz range) but I don't think it has.

 

[klaxhu]

The thing is Gsync IS the better of the two.

With Gsync you get everything you expect with any panel that supports it. And most importantly it's the full 30-144Hz range.

Freesync cant boast that. It's up to the discretion of the manufacturer implementing it and I don't think there is a single Freesync panel that can do 30-144Hz?

Freesync 2 was meant to address this (not the 30-144hz range) but it doesn't seem to have.

ok so definitely worth trying out 144 hz 2k before I drop gsync completely?

 

[opethdisciple]

ok so definitely worth trying out 144 hz 2k before I drop gsync completely?

I bought a G-sync S2716DG back in August. I like it. But I came from a terrible 2008 tear happy 1920x1200p monitor.

 

[JediFragger]

But I came from a terrible 2008 tear happy 1920x1200p monitor.

I sure don't miss tearing!! Never again!!!!!!!!!

 

[Caracus2k]

My last two monitors have been gsync ones.... The original swift and a pg348q neither were cheap but both at the time of purchase were pretty much at the top of high end performance for gaming and had the edge if their free sync comparable cousins albeit with a circa £200 premium. However given the lack of high end Gpu's from AMD for some time there was not really a choice if you wanted to drive a fast refresh high resolution monitor.

G sync is a superior tech results wise because it uses dedicated hardware in the monitor unlike freesync. Freesync is obviously not going anywhere with mainstream support and wider compatibility but AMD still not being competitive at the top end and G sync technical edge means IMO that we will still have G sync for a few more years with just a smaller selection of monitors available to choose from