As long as your GPU syncs with your monitor, FreeSync technology is worth it, and if you spend a lot of time in front of your monitor, you should go for it. This technology minimizes screen tearing and stuttering, which is essential for outstanding gaming or design experience.
It's probably fair to say that most people don't know what FreeSync is. It's a monitor technology that allows your graphics card and monitor to communicate with each other. It eliminates screen tearing, which happens when the monitor updates itself faster than the game code can send information to it. This causes a horizontal split across your screen in some games, which disrupts gameplay and overall experience greatly. The same thing also happens in movies, when things like lightning strike through the scene - you won't notice anything when watching TV shows or movies with this technology, though. For gamers with fast-paced games (which these days are most of them), FreeSync is one of the best options out there right now. Using GSYNC technology, it is even better than normal V-Sync tech - that used by NVIDIA, for example.
FreeSync monitors are usually significantly cheaper than their GSYNC counterparts because they don't have any extra hardware to support the technology. All they need is a Displayport and you're good to go! There aren't really any downsides of this tech, and while there were some reports of ghosting on screens using FreeSync tech, AMD responded pretty fast and fixed the problems with new drivers. If your GPU supports this feature (which you can check in the control panel), all you need is a compatible monitor and everything else will be taken care of automatically.
FreeSync is a standard feature with VESA technology, so the monitor manufacturers don’t charge an extra price. As mentioned earlier, if you have a compatible graphic card, FreeSync can cut screen tearing and stuttering altogether.
Let's talk about the Technical
A compatible graphics card can help your FreeSync monitor's refresh rate synchronize with your GPU's frame rate. So, we get a variable refresh rate (VRR) as a result of this synchronization.
This VRR, while being in the monitor's dynamic range, can lower down the input lag up to 1ms approximately. This, in turn, lowers down screen tearing and juddering.
Most AMD & NVIDIA cards also tend to support FreeSync technology. But some FreeSync monitors are still unable to operate well with some NVIDIA cards. There is a list of all FreeSync monitors, prepared and published by NVIDIA, compatible with NVIDIA cards. All these monitors are termed as G-SYNC Compatible.
Some monitors which are not there in the list may also work with NVIDIA cards, but they are not very reliable. It is also observed that specific certified models may prompt some issues with NVIDIA cards, whereas uncertified ones work perfectly well.
FreeSync vs. G-SYNC
G-SYNC support works only with an additional modulation installation. It also adds to the expense. But once it is there in the system, it improves your experience by an extra lowering of input lag. It also guarantees a more comprehensive VRR range and variable overdrive.
FreeSync Features:
There are a few features included in FreeSync technology, namely:
- LFC or Low Frame Compensation is an option that decreases the input lag to nearly nothing. So, even if your monitor's refresh rate isn't synced with the GPU's frame rate, you still get good performance levels without any stutters or tearing.
- Overdrive helps in getting rid of ghosting effects which happen due to high FPS rates (anything over 60 fps). This technology reduces the pixel response times and thus makes it easier for them to change colors. It also eliminates image smearing.
- Freesync 2 is another upcoming feature of this technology. It will allow multiple GPUs on multi-GPU setups to work along with each other.
In this case, it is important to have compatible GPUs from both AMD and NVIDIA.
G-SYNC Features:
- G SYNC is an additional module that requires the installation of the NVIDIA driver. This further adds to the cost of your monitor, but it also includes some extra benefits.
- Some major ones are 4k UHD support with GSYNC v II and support for HDR images using DisplayPort 1.4a. It also has a unique feature called ULMB or Ultra Low Motion Blur which decreases motion blur to near-zero levels - leading to more comfortable viewing experiences.
VRR Range in FreeSync
FreeSync VRR range is approximately 48Hz to 144Hz, whereas the G-SYNC module widens this range by 18Hz approximately, i.e., 30Hz to 144Hz. In order to maintain a smooth performance, the monitor screen multiplies VRR if FPS falls behind the lower limit of the VRR range.
Low Framerate Compensation (LFC), i.e., the feature to adjust FPS, is not included in FreeSync monitors, with a lower VRR range like 90Hz to 144Hz.
Also, LFC only works if the upper limit of the VRR range is twice that of the lower. For example, it will work for a monitor whose VRR range is 50Hz to 100 Hz but not for the one with 51Hz to 100Hz. G-SYNC monitors, on the other hand, can framerate multiplication under 30Hz.
FreeSync and Motion Blur Reduction
G-SYNC monitors with NVIDIA cards also include the feature of ULMB (Ultra Low Motion Blur).
This could be instrumental in the activation of backlight strobing to improve motion clarity. But it can work only with some fixed refresh rates and not simultaneously with G-SYNC.
In FreeSync monitors, the ULMB feature is absent. But FreeSync monitors can work with a backlight strobing feature if they pair up with Lightboost compatible GPUs from NVIDIA.
There are a few more features G-SYNC adds to your monitor setup.
These include:
- A unique feature called Ultra Low Motion Blur (ULMB) decreases motion blur to near-zero levels - leading to more comfortable viewing experiences
- NVIDIA Adaptive-Sync - If you have an NVIDIA GPU then this will definitely be a big plus point in favor of G-SYNC. Rather than having to comply with a range of 48Hz to 144Hz like what you get on FreeSync displays, G-SYNC screens will
FreeSync and Variable Overdrive
Variable overdrive is another essential feature that allows G-SYNC monitors to synchronize response time and refresh rate. FreeSync monitors' response time overdrive remains unaffected. Overall, G-SYNC variable overdrive gives you the best experience. When you play games at high FPS, the G-SYNC monitor's overdrive reduces ghosting and streaking to a great extent. But this also results in increased motion blurring along with some noticeable darkening of the image. When FPS falls below 48fps or varies between 48 and 144 fps (VRR range), there is hardly any noticeable difference in overdrive quality because of an insignificant change in frame time. However, it does not reach zero levels as ULMB did (a strobed backlight) did for NVIDIA cards while gaming under 30 FPS. On the other hand, FreeSync has no way to counter this issue since it doesn't offer variable overdrive features at all.
G-SYNC monitors also support HDR through DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.0b, so upcoming HDR-ready titles will be compatible with G-SYNC displays to provide a better visual experience for gamers.
FreeSync monitors currently lack the ability to support newer HDR standards but this is expected to change in the near future as more FreeSync updates are planned by AMD/Samsung.
G-SYNC also works with Adaptive Sync which is actually a part of DisplayPort standard whereas FreeSync uses an alternative DisplayPort protocol known as "Adaptive-Sync".
As a result, compatibility issues arise only when you use a combination of an NVIDIA GPU and a TV or monitor that supports Adaptive-Sync over HDMI or DP while trying to pair up with a FreeSync enabled graphics card or vice versa.
Ports for FreeSync
FreeSync can work with both DP and HDMI cables, but G-SYNC is only compatible with DP only. VRR with AMD cards is also achievable with Adaptive-Sync over DP on G-SYNCs. And to get VRR on an NVIDIA card, you need to buy a display with G-SYNC.
AMD FreeSync displays are much cheaper when compared to their G-SYNC counterparts. It is currently priced at 150 USD for 1080p monitors while the minimum price for entry into the 165Hz club is around 500 USD. The cheapest 1440p monitors retail for 250USD.
G-SYNC vs FreeSync Summary
So, G-SYNC monitors offer better support for VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) than any FreeSync monitor out there, giving you the smoothest gaming experience with low input latency and no tearing or stuttering. The feature of framerate multiplication under 30Hz is also an added advantage to NVIDIA gamers.
However, since FreeSync adds nothing but what G-SYNC already offers along with the ability to work without an NVIDIA GPU, it remains just a cheaper option that surely lacks some high-end specs including HDR compatibility and variable overdrive technology that only G-SYNC monitors offer at present. With upcoming changes in Frees 2 which include low frame rate compensation, FreeSync would also benefit from this feature that G-SYNC gained through an actual VESA standard.
G-SYNC monitors are better when it comes to performance and should be your choice if you're an NVIDIA user. But since FreeSync adds nothing but what G-SYNC offers along with the ability to work without an NVIDIA GPU, it remains just a cheaper option that surely lacks some high-end specs including HDR compatibility and variable overdrive technology (for AMD cards) while offering low input latency and no tearing or stuttering for both Nvidia and AMD users alike. With upcoming changes in Freesync 2 which include low frame rate compensation, FreeSync would also benefit from this feature that G-SYNC gained through an actual VESA standard.
Conclusion
An AMD card FreeSync monitor and a compatible graphics card are worth it if you want to stay on a low budget and use it for a longer time.