Workaround: FreeSync on nVidia GPUs

chrcoluk · 26 Sep 2018 at 13:48

Gregster bear in mind you need a chip with an onboard GPU, so if you own a chip that doesnt have one it means buying one or going without, I dont think AMD will be too bothered, as it also requires you to use extra cables and stuff as well.

Nasher · 26 Sep 2018 at 13:51

Gsync is going to die at some point since it was always obsolete tech. It was created for Nvidia's benefit, not the customer's.

When there is a free alternative people will always lean towards that. Everyone except Nvidia is going to be using adaptivesync. How long are monitor makers going to care about making special monitors just for geforce user?

Gibbo · 26 Sep 2018 at 14:08

So would say just adding an RX 550 to the system work?

If so its like PhysX all over again, just this time you throw an AMD card in (cheap one) to make FREESYNC work on NVIDIA GPU.

Maybe time for 1080Ti + RX 550 bundle.

Gregster · 26 Sep 2018 at 14:12

chrcoluk said:
Gregster bear in mind you need a chip with an onboard GPU, so if you own a chip that doesnt have one it means buying one or going without, I dont think AMD will be too bothered, as it also requires you to use extra cables and stuff as well.

Yer bud and a good option for those looking to upgrade their CPU. Get a decent APU and you can get free or G sync tech. I see this as a good thing for us consumers.

melmac · 26 Sep 2018 at 14:20

Gregster said:
I would be pretty peeved if I was running AMD. Like Martin said, it is a huge selling point and Freesync is far cheaper than G-Sync screens, so a main selling point is now gone.

Pretty bizarre statement Greg, why would they be peeved? Anybody at any time can use adaptive sync, that's the nature of open source. I would take this as a success for AMD, that Nvidia users are using Freesync monitors. Increasing AMD's mindshare while at the same time reducing the number of people buying Gsync monitors.

Gregster · 26 Sep 2018 at 14:24

melmac said:
Pretty bizarre statement Greg, why would they be peeved? Anybody at any time can use adaptive sync, that's the nature of open source. I would take this as a success for AMD, that Nvidia users are using Freesync monitors. Increasing AMD's mindshare while at the same time reducing the number of people buying Gsync monitors.

I see it as a good selling point for AMD. The cards are not always cheaper but if someone wants to go VRR, then they can, so long as they have an APU.

melmac · 26 Sep 2018 at 14:45

Gregster said:
I see it as a good selling point for AMD. The cards are not always cheaper but if someone wants to go VRR, then they can, so long as they have an APU.

Well, If you think about it a bit more you would see that more people using Freesync monitors is better for AMD, even if they don't have an AMD GPU. At the moment Nvidia have the lions share of the market, if those people want to use sync technology they have to buy a Gsync monitor. When they buy the Gsync monitor that locks them into the Nvidia ecosystem, their next video card will more than likely be a Nvidia card. Whereas if there is a hack that lets them use their cards on a Freesync monitor, well they save some money and they might consider an AMD GPU next time around because they have a Freesync monitor.

It's a win win for AMD.

Gregster · 26 Sep 2018 at 14:51

melmac said:
Well, If you think about it a bit more you would see that more people using Freesync monitors is better for AMD, even if they don't have an AMD GPU. At the moment Nvidia have the lions share of the market, if those people want to use sync technology they have to buy a Gsync monitor. When they buy the Gsync monitor that locks them into the Nvidia ecosystem, their next video card will more than likely be a Nvidia card. Whereas if there is a hack that lets them use their cards on a Freesync monitor, well they save some money and they might consider an AMD GPU next time around because they have a Freesync monitor.

It's a win win for AMD.

That was my point? Whilst Freesync has been a great selling point for AMD, what is to stop someone with a freesync screen and an APU going NVidia? It is a strong selling point that AMD have now not so strong. G-Sync means you are pretty much tied into NVidia. Freesync means you can go AMD or NVidia.....

shankly1985 · 26 Sep 2018 at 15:23

Gregster said:
I would be pretty peeved if I was running AMD. Like Martin said, it is a huge selling point and Freesync is far cheaper than G-Sync screens, so a main selling point is now gone.

I also feel AMD don't have the resources to push tech as much as NVidia and hence they put it open source.

Why?
I already knew the focus for what Amd was bringing with Freesync aka Adaptive-Sync.

Rezident · 26 Sep 2018 at 16:37

LoadsaMoney said:
...

I can hear Jen doing an Eli, when yer get stuck in the teleporter in HL2, SHUT IT DOWN!, SHUT IT DOWN!

I remember that!

Gregster · 26 Sep 2018 at 17:28

shankly1985 said:
Why?
I already knew the focus for what Amd was bringing with Freesync aka Adaptive-Sync.

I did explain it in simple terms, so not sure what you couldn't understand?

Martini1991 · 26 Sep 2018 at 17:29

I'm not peeved. It makes no odds to me, however it would have lost AMD a sale had I been able to just use a 1080 with an Intel IGP. I'm probably not the only one. I'm not sure how that's good for AMD.

Having a freesync monitor for all intents and purposes locks me into using AMD GPU's if I want to utilise freesync as it stands. If I no longer have to, it just loses AMD sales.

Martini1991 · 26 Sep 2018 at 17:31

shankly1985 said:
Why?
I already knew the focus for what Amd was bringing with Freesync aka Adaptive-Sync.

Freesync isn't adaptive sync. This is like day one stuff.
Freesync is a proprietary solution which utilises adaptive sync (Which sure, AMD can take credit for getting it added into the optional DP spec)

Saying freesync = adaptive sync isn't accurate though.

Martini1991 · 26 Sep 2018 at 17:33

chrcoluk said:
Gregster bear in mind you need a chip with an onboard GPU, so if you own a chip that doesnt have one it means buying one or going without, I dont think AMD will be too bothered, as it also requires you to use extra cables and stuff as well.

Doesn't require anything extra if you see Linus video.

shankly1985 · 26 Sep 2018 at 17:48

Gregster said:
I did explain it in simple terms, so not sure what you couldn't understand?

Amd had no chance of locking down something they didn't create, it was always going to be open. We knew this right from the start.
They helped push it to market and create a driver for the hardware.
I don't buy amd for freesync anyway nor does letting all PC users use this great tech bother me. If anything it makes me happy.
I have always been very firm why I dislike Nvidia and the closed nature of that business is just a massive negative towards pc gaming.

Even the RTX demos reak disgrace.

Martini1991 said:
I'm not peeved. It makes no odds to me, however it would have lost AMD a sale had I been able to just use a 1080 with an Intel IGP. I'm probably not the only one. I'm not sure how that's good for AMD.

Having a freesync monitor for all intents and purposes locks me into using AMD GPU's if I want to utilise freesync as it stands. If I no longer have to, it just loses AMD sales.

Then Amd will be forced to make that sale some other way. Simple really.

Martini1991 said:
Freesync isn't adaptive sync. This is like day one stuff.
Freesync is a proprietary solution which utilises adaptive sync (Which sure, AMD can take credit for getting it added into the optional DP spec)

Saying freesync = adaptive sync isn't accurate though.

Freesync is just a name for the software! That uses Adaptive-Sync. Without the software they will not be Adaptive-Sync.

Rroff · 26 Sep 2018 at 18:00

Gibbo said:
So would say just adding an RX 550 to the system work?

If so its like PhysX all over again, just this time you throw an AMD card in (cheap one) to make FREESYNC work on NVIDIA GPU.

Maybe time for 1080Ti + RX 550 bundle.

Yes and no - with an add-in card like the RX550 it depends on the game supporting being able to render on one GPU and output on another and/or someone writing 3rd party software to force it. With an integrated GPU/APU (i.e. if you have a AMD 2400G CPU) and Windows 10 you get the options natively in the OS (which don't appear normally) due to the power saving system which sees the iGPU as a possible low power device and that works in a lot of cases even if the game/application itself isn't multi adaptor aware.

Martini1991 · 26 Sep 2018 at 18:00

shankly1985 said:
Then Amd will be forced to make that sale some other way. Simple really.

Like produce better GPU's? Should be a basic business requirement really.

Nasher · 26 Sep 2018 at 18:01

Also having it pass through another card in the middle will cause some latency, so it won't be as responsive as just plugging the monitor directly in to the AMD card.

But yea, freesync IS adaptivesync. You can buy a monitor without the freesync branding on it (but supports adaptivesync) and you can still use freesync on it. It's part of the displayport 1.2a+ standard, but Nvidia cards physically lack the hardware to use it as they intentionally stick an old DP version on their cards to stop you.

Rroff · 26 Sep 2018 at 18:03

Nasher said:
Also having it pass through another card in the middle will cause some latency, so it won't be as responsive as just plugging the monitor directly in to the AMD card.

Yeah it isn't an ideal solution - I think the most potential for it is if people already have the parts and it is useful as a stopgap before they upgrade fully, etc.

shankly1985 · 26 Sep 2018 at 18:04

Martini1991 said:
Like produce better GPU's? Should be a basic business requirement really.

Not strictly no!
I prefer AMD business practices and I also very much prefer AMD Radeon Settings.