So, new 144hz monitor is not running under Freesync. Am I actually missing anything?

[NeilF]

Up until this weekend I was running my games (NVidia 4070 OC) on a 5yr old Asus 27" 1440p PB278QV @75hz (5ms GtG?), running through an Aten CS1822 4k HDMI KVM switch.

Most games seem to run silky smooth. eg: Left 4 Dead 2 and HellDivers 2 on VSync. I did notice though Call of Duty DMZ, I could never seem to get it quite smooth (like Hell Divers 2 for example). Not with is set with VSync, and not with it instead set with a frame limited to 120 or even 144hz.


BUT, I now have an MSI 27" 1440p MAG 274QRF. Now I was hoping I'd pick up Freesync/GSync, but apparently it only offers it over DP

HOWEVER, I've set my Windows refresh rate to 120hz (could try 144hz if I wanted), and set CoD DMZ to VSync, and with it running basically at what seems to be 120fps it's like night and day in comparison to the old monitor. It's all now silky smooth!


My question is, would a Freesync/GSync connection actually offer me anything tangibly/noticably superior?


ps: The new monitor also has noticably punchier colours too.

 

[NeilF]

Well, a review suggests it's (sadly) DP only. And at the very least though my setup I don't get the GSync option pop up in NVidia Control panel. Even taking the KVM out of the equation (eg: direct HDMI lead from PC to monitor).


But given everything seems to be running very smoothly now, with Cod DMZ running insanely more smoothly than my previous 75hz monitor, I'm hoping I'm not missing out on anything truly significant?

 

[NeilF]

for 180Hz it would have to be DP, because of bandwidth.

Have you switched on adaptive sync in the monitor menu? mine was off by default and I also had no option for G-sync until I did that. As I said I have the same monitor so I'm going to dig out a HDMI cable and try if you cant get yours to work as I'd like to know for the future if i can do g-sync over hdmi

Yes, Adaptive Sync is on

By all means please do try an HDMI lead to see if I'm talking nonsense or not


As it stands though the performance is looooads better even without Freesync/GSync, so I'm simply hoping that at 120 or 144hz (non Freesync/GSync) we're only talking about a minor difference if any.

 

[NeilF]

Going through the HDMI KVM makes that a little impractical

You can really notice a different between gsync and 120hz/144hz vsync?

 

[NeilF]

The difference between V-Sync and adaptive sync tech (G-Sync/Freesync/etc) is latency. The frames you're seeing are simply slightly older than they should be and some of them may be duplicated (i.e. you're not seeing the actual number of 'fps' as shown in monitoring software).

The latency is not always relevant or noticeable, depending on certain factors (the type of game, your reaction time, personal subjectivity), but the duplicate (i.e. lower fps) frames means you're wasting performance.

Since you already have the monitor, all you need is the Displayport cable and you have gained performance and even smoother visuals. Which should be worth the price of a DP cable

I use a KVM as the monitor is in use on two machines. It is an HDMI KVM as only HDMI KVMs offer EDID simulation.


I'll flick the monitor between my KVM'd HDMI lead at 120/144 vsync, and a DP lead Gsync'd at 120/144+hz, and see if I can really notice any difference. And then if that difference is worth the hassle of manually switching the monitor source instead of the KVM doing it properly.

 

[NeilF]

Interesting...

So I switched between:-
HDMI at 144hz
DP at 180hz (gysnc'd)

And on my little test using Hell Divers 2 which was running at maxish details (1440p) at around 140-144fps, I could see precious little difference. Maybe - possibly just imagining it - the DP was a tad smoother, but if it was, it was precious little, and probably just me imagining it?

Imagine quality wise I assume HDMI and DP will be the same?



EDIT:-

I'll have to have a play with the config to see if I can leave the monitor plugged for convenience over HDMI, and also have it plugged in over DP. Then set in windows - to mirror/share my desktop over that HDMI and DP connection tothe MSI monitor, while NOT affecting a 3rd little 7" monitor I have connected on another DP cable (showing system stats/temps). ie: I'll want the taskbar and all desktop shared on the HDMI & DP to the MSI monitor, but NOT to the 7" monitor on another DP cable. I believe you can enter a more sophisticated multi-monitor setup in Windows which I'll look into.

If this is possible and works OK, then if I'm doing any serious gaming I have the option to simply flick the monitor manually from HDMI --> DP and then hopefully the PC will seemlessly work on the same monitor over DP with 180hz gsync

If it doesn't work nicely, I'll revert cabling entirely to 144hz HDMI non-Gsync.

 

[NeilF]

Right three experiments, using CoD DMZ and Hell Divers 2 as tests. Both of these run at about 120-150fps on my system:-
1) Connect via only HDMI (thru KVM of course). Windows set to 144hz and play games at VSync.
2) Connect via only DP (not using KVM of course). Windows set to 180hz and GSync enabled.

I think, the DP connection looked a bit smoother and felt a bit more responsive. But it was soooooo close I might be imagining it.


3) Connecting the monitor with both (1) & (2) at the same time and setting the two connections (monitors) in windows to mirror each other. Idea being I could KVM onto the pc easily over HDMI and if I want to game, flick the monitor over to DP manually. HOWEVER, the HDMI connection allowed me to only select 180hz, because the HMDI and DP got confused being connected to the same monitor. DP gameplay was fine, but HDMI felt slightly stuttery as if it was confused. So this option is a NOT GO.


I'll play around between (1) and (2) and see if HDMI gives a good enough experience that not using DP isn't missing out on much.

 

[NeilF]

Thanks for that - I'm running at 1440p hence me able to run at 144fps HDMI, and more (180fps) on DP.

If there's no different in image quality between HDMI and DP - I don't believe there is (ie: DSE not used etc) - and HDMI (vsync'd) is almost as good as DP (gsync'd) smoothness wise - which seems to be the case from my experiments - then I'll stick with HDMI for the practicality and easy of use via my HDMI KVM.