If you are a thorough gamer, you may be familiar with the term freesync.
Freesync technology is an adaptive synchronization technology used in LCD displays.
In simple terms, Freesync enables the refresh rate and the frame rate of LCD displays to avoid tearing and reduce stuttering.
Freesync is an excellent technology introduced by AMD in 2015, with the goal to get rid of all the graphical problems faced during playing high demanding games
What are the Frame rates? Frame rates are the number of frames per second that your game is running on the monitor.
What does the refresh rate now mean?
Refresh rate means the maximum number of times in a second that a monitor draws frame data that is being sent.
It is measured in Hertz, usually, most monitors support 60 Hertz of refresh rate meaning 60 frames per second is displayed on the monitor.
However, your monitor should also be strong enough to bear the frame rate otherwise it can lead to screen tearing.
Screen tearing simply occurs when your refresh rate doesn’t match the frame rate, leading the screen to display various frames together causing disturbance and distortion to the gamer.
This was when V-sync came into the picture as a cure.
History Of FreeSync Technology
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Initially, the problem started when the LCD screens displayed more frames than the refresh rate of the monitor causing the split-up effect.
To solve this issue, a V-sync, the feature was introduced to tame the frame rate to the maximum refresh rate of the screen.
However, this caused the issue where multi GPUs sent frames at different times causing stuttering to occur.
The screen would freeze and the controls did not match the game movement. This created problems for pro games as it disturbed their graphics when the game mostly reached its peak.
This led to AMD releasing the freesync technology and G sync launched by Nvidia.
This freesync technology now worked better by affecting the monitor’s refresh rate i.e. modifying it to meet the frame rate of the monitor.
Advantages Of AMD FreeSync Technology
- One biggest advantage that we talked about was its ability to balance the refresh rate and the frame rate, and therefore reduce screen stuttering.
- Another advantage that freesync has over its rival G-Sync, is its cheapness. Most monitor manufacturers are distributed with free freesync, so it comes in build with the monitor. These monitors are cheaper and a better choice to buy.
- Another advantage is its ability to save battery by not constantly refreshing the screen even when not receiving images.
- Freesync can easily be delivered through DisplayPort & HDMI ports..
- Finally, all this leads to you being able to comfortably enjoy your gaming session without any screen tearing or screen stuttering.
Disadvantages Of AMD Freesync Technology
- One huge disadvantage is that free sync is only compatible with AMD graphics cards and monitors that have this technology.
- It supports adaptive sync with a specified frame rate change.
Is FreeSync Worth It?
Now that we know all about freesync and its basics, it is important to answer whether freesync is worth it or not? Does it perform what it claims to and is it worth the price?
There is no doubt that freesync is a technology that will be a game-changer for your gaming experience.
It reduces screen tearing and stuttering to a great extent to provide your monitor with smooth functioning.
Once you start using freesync, there is no going back. You’ll easily be able to see a great difference in your gaming.
However, you’ll need to make sure that your monitor supports AMD graphics. If you are a professional gamer, then freesync is a really great choice and is definitely worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Freesync worth it for gaming?
If you have an AMD graphic card and a monitor that supports it, then yes, freesync is definitely worth it.
It will greatly help in modifying the refresh rate to fit in the frame rate. Overall, for gaming, freesync reduces screen tearing and screen stuttering giving you a smooth experience.
Should I go for Freesync or G-sync?
Both are good technologies, while the freesync is introduced by AMD, g-sync is introduced by Nvidia.
Freesync is comparatively a cheaper option, however both help in achieving the same tasks. It all depends on what is compatible with the monitor that you’re using.
Is Freesync necessary?
Freesync is not necessary, if you are not a frequent gamer and play only small simple games.
It is not necessary if your GPU consistently outputs high frame rates. However, if you’re someone who is willing to be a pro gamer, then using freesync will improve your performance and experience. And once you use freesync, there’s definitely no going back!
What do I need to do to make Freesync work?
You will need a compatible AMD graphics card with a compatible monitor and an HDMI cable to be able to completely link up with freesync.