Why no V-sync?

daninthemix · 3 Feb 2011 at 20:28

I notice on the GeForce site where they recommend settings for popular games across all cards, that V-sync is always off.

Why is this?

Coming from consoles I am very keen on the idea of never seeing another torn frame!

Duke · 3 Feb 2011 at 20:29

You don't get mouse lag but it will tear. I prefer vsync on.

hohum · 3 Feb 2011 at 20:31

I'd use it all the time if I could but it causes awful mouse lag, so have to leave it off.

Lyon85 · 3 Feb 2011 at 20:46

The mouse lag is pretty terrible in twitch games like first person shooters.

Also, if your frame rate drops below the desired frame rate it must drop to another defined number. I'm not sure what these thresholds are, but I'll guess that if your FPS drops below 60fps, even by one frame it must drop to something like 30fps. Instead of losing 1 frame per second, you lose 30. Not an issue if the game has a stable frame rate, pretty distracting if it ever drops though.

daninthemix · 3 Feb 2011 at 20:48

You mean I've been beating my 360 up for all these years for tearing when monster PCs do it too ???!

modo77 · 3 Feb 2011 at 20:50

Its only needed when you get tearing, so best advise is keep if off as you get a performance hit. Just turn it on if you get tearing in certain games.

daninthemix · 3 Feb 2011 at 20:52

What about triple buffering and D3Doverrider (read something about that, don't fully understand it)

Lyon85 · 3 Feb 2011 at 20:54

daninthemix said:
What about triple buffering and D3Doverrider (read something about that, don't fully understand it)

It's better, similar drawbacks though.

hohum · 3 Feb 2011 at 21:01

Triple buffering gets around the frame rate halving issue, but increases VRAM usage (due to having three buffers instead of the usual two). It also has the same mouse lag issues.

daninthemix · 3 Feb 2011 at 21:06

OK well I guess I'll leave v-sync off until unless I start to notice (and get annoyed by) tearing. Thanks

RedStarRiot · 3 Feb 2011 at 21:15

daninthemix said:
You mean I've been beating my 360 up for all these years for tearing when monster PCs do it too ???!

really? never had tearing on my 360. frame rates on consoles are always so low

daninthemix · 3 Feb 2011 at 21:20

Ever play Resi 5? I could swear 50% of the frames were torn.

daninthemix · 3 Feb 2011 at 21:20

Also I'm reading that D3Doverrider doesn't even work with DX11 and isn't developed anymore.

Is this true? If so, triple buffering isn't even an option an more.

RedStarRiot · 3 Feb 2011 at 21:22

daninthemix said:
Ever play Resi 5? I could swear 50% of the frames were torn.

yep, not on mine!

Lyon85 · 3 Feb 2011 at 21:24

daninthemix said:
Also I'm reading that D3Doverrider doesn't even work with DX11 and isn't developed anymore.

Is this true? If so, triple buffering isn't even an option an more.

Triple Buffering isn't widely supported, but it doesn't have to be forced by a third party app. Valve support it natively these days for instance.

Noxia · 3 Feb 2011 at 21:28

I have to have it on, screen tearing is the ultimate immersion breaker for me.

angela · 3 Feb 2011 at 22:43

I never had Vsync off...NOW (dunno why) in some games I turn it off : dead space 1/2 (because of mouse lag- only game I ever had this lag), crysis, dirt2...tried COD MW2 and tearing was bad, so back to vsync ON and all other games vsync on.

Ranked1_of_1 · 3 Feb 2011 at 22:50

I'm new to PC gaming as well and have always put v-synch on as I can't stand tearing. After reading this thread I tried BFBC2 with it off and the tearing is really bad, but the mouse lag seems worse with v-synch off to me.

gazzab · 3 Feb 2011 at 22:55

Noxia said:
I have to have it on, screen tearing is the ultimate immersion breaker for me.

Totally agree. I'd never seen it before I started gaming on a PC. It really bugs me how much mouse lag it causes in certain games and how many games don't even include the option (I had it 'always on' in ATi CCC but it never worked).

My 120hz monitor seemed to eliminate the problem for the most part, but it still happened now and again in certain games. There's really no excuse for it in this day & age, a blanket solution needs to be implemented

Lithon · 3 Feb 2011 at 23:11

I usually force v-sync on for all games, my card (gtx260) seems to tear with any game otherwise, instead it holds anything at 60 fps with v-sync on which is enough as long as it doesn't drop below that too much.