Do higher refresh rates stress video cards?

Pegi

Limp Gawd
Joined
May 31, 2005
Messages
249
Just got an Acer Predator X34 (which is terrific). My video card is 2 years old (Titan X Maxwell), and although I initially had concerns over how it would perform, it's been working like a champ. Still, it's no longer top of the heap, and although it hasn't been necessary yet, I know at some point I may need to back down on game settings.

I was wondering--now that I've verified my X34 can overclock to 100 Hz, should I leave it at 100 Hz or will that put undue/unneeded stress on the video card?

HDSt4xq.jpg
 
The refresh rate doesn't hurt a video card, but the faster your refresh rate, the higher you want your FPS. That will be the only real effect you will see
 
It doesn't stress your graphics card any more than normal; however, it will allow you to actually perceive what your system can do if it renders more than 60 FPS.

Trust me, once you have a taste of higher refresh rates in the 90 Hz and up range in a game that can run that smoothly, you won't want to go back to 60 Hz. It's just not smooth enough any more.
 
Thanks for the replies and comments. Definitely set my mind at ease. Using a video card that is no longer cutting edge with this 3440x1444 resolution, it was just worrying me that I was putting more stress on the card that might in turn show up as hobbling the performance of the game. Like turning down settings in a game, I wondered if turning down refresh rate was also indicated. Sounds like a needless worry, though. Will keep it on 100 Hz. No scan lines! No coil whine!
 
Scan lines? Coil whine? Sounds like you're used to the effects of higher refresh rates on CRTs, heh.

Funny thing is, being used to top-tier CRTs (21"-24" FD Trinitrons) is why I couldn't move to LCD for a very long time - too much expense for too many additional tradeoffs. It's only recently that monitors like the X34 came about, and they're still too rich for my blood still, but I've seen one at the local Micro Center before. It's one heck of a monitor; I'd probably be content with it.
 
Scan lines? Coil whine? Sounds like you're used to the effects of higher refresh rates on CRTs, heh.

I mentioned scan lines and coil whine because there were a number of people who complained about that specifically regarding the X34 when it first came out...and probably for a time afterwards, too. There were also some problems with being able to overclock to 100 Hz. And complaints about the OSD. Just wanted to reassure folks who buy new now (I can't speak about refurbished models) that it appears these complaints have been addressed...except for the clunky OSD...guess we're stuck with that until the next X34P revision. But my monitor is truly lovely, and I'd say I'm more than content with it. It was expensive, yes, but I spend so much time in front of it, it was well worth it to me.
 
I mentioned scan lines and coil whine because there were a number of people who complained about that specifically regarding the X34 when it first came out...and probably for a time afterwards, too. There were also some problems with being able to overclock to 100 Hz. And complaints about the OSD. Just wanted to reassure folks who buy new now (I can't speak about refurbished models) that it appears these complaints have been addressed...except for the clunky OSD...guess we're stuck with that until the next X34P revision. But my monitor is truly lovely, and I'd say I'm more than content with it. It was expensive, yes, but I spend so much time in front of it, it was well worth it to me.
Wow, I didn't know that. Those are NOT side effects I would expect from an LCD, especially one with that kind of ludicrous price tag and feature set! At least yours isn't giving you issues, otherwise I'm sure you'd have returned it already.

Scan lines are something I'd only expect from a substandard T-CON board driving the panel, of which no G-SYNC board should qualify in the first place. Coil whine's just shoddy QC plaguing everything from monitors to graphics cards, though now that I think about it, while my GDM-5410's whiny, my GDM-FW900 never did when it worked.
 
I mentioned scan lines and coil whine because there were a number of people who complained about that specifically regarding the X34 when it first came out...and probably for a time afterwards, too. There were also some problems with being able to overclock to 100 Hz. And complaints about the OSD. Just wanted to reassure folks who buy new now (I can't speak about refurbished models) that it appears these complaints have been addressed...except for the clunky OSD...guess we're stuck with that until the next X34P revision. But my monitor is truly lovely, and I'd say I'm more than content with it. It was expensive, yes, but I spend so much time in front of it, it was well worth it to me.

100HZ, scan lines and the coil whine was an early panel / power supply issue. These issues were fixed a while ago. My X34 is a December 2016 and I have had zero issues. The PG348Q I had to test was a April 2016 and didn't have any of the issues either.

I agree the OSD is difficult but I rarely use it after the first config. The only thing I wish the panel had was auto source switching.

As you said the screen is great and totally worth the money IMO. Even with the small OSD issues.
 
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