Is there a difference between FreeSync & G-Sync monitors when using an NVIDIA GPU card?

[oc-co]

Hi, everyone!

I wanted to ask about whether using an NVIDIA GPU card would have any drawbacks when utilizing the FreeSync technology compared to using the same card on a GSync monitor?

What I'm curious about is whether or not there would be some input latency (or any type of issue) or something similar when using the FreeSync technology with an NVIDIA card instead of using it with the GSync monitor. And in this case, let's assume that both monitors have the same specifications, (resolution, refresh rate, response time, etc.), the only difference being that one has FreeSync, and the other GSync.

Have there been any comparisons on whether or not FreeSync or GSync is better? And are there any differences when using FreeSync with NVIDIA's GPU card compared to using GSync with the same card?

If there is a difference, how big is it? Is it negligible, or is it quite noticeable?

The monitor that I use is Asus MG279Q, a FreeSync monitor, and my GPU is GTX 980 Ti, which cannot utilize my monitor's FreeSync feature as that's only available from RTX 10xx (or newer) cards. However, I do plan to upgrade soon to a 30xx (or even 40xx) RTX card.

Now, I'm curious, but with all this info, would it be worth it to sell my monitor and go with a G-Sync monitor, or should I save myself the money and just enjoy my monitor as is (which I'm very pleased with)?

 

[OpenSource Ghost]

The great difference is that the lowest AMD FreeSync framerate synchonization is about 48Hz/FPS and the lowest G-Sync framerate synchronization is about 35Hz/FPS.

There are some other minor differences that show NVidia's G-Sync is overall superior to AMD's FreeSync when it comes to synchronization, but such differences are basically imperceptible.

 

[kasakka]

The great difference is that the lowest AMD FreeSync framerate synchonization is about 48Hz/FPS and the lowest G-Sync framerate synchronization is about 35Hz/FPS.

There are some other minor differences that show NVidia's G-Sync is overall superior to AMD's FreeSync when it comes to synchronization, but such differences are basically imperceptible.

Afaik this varies, there are now displays that support lower framerates than 48 fps even on Freesync.

The G-Sync module on a display is mainly better for its variable overdrive tech that helps it behave better when the refresh rate is lower - less overshoot and so on. Freesync displays are usually tuned for their native refresh rate (e.g 144 Hz) and then 60 or 120 Hz might perform worse. I don't feel it's a big enough differentiator these days, especially when G-Sync displays have a dated set of ports (no HDMI 2.1), fans on the higher end models and so on.

OP, I would not worry about Freesync vs G-Sync too much. Get the new GPU and use it with your current monitor.

 

[XoR_]

Biggest difference I saw is that when having low framerate then monitors own framerate counter will say nonsense eg. show 90 fps when in reality game is running at 45 fps. G-Sync module always reported framerate correctly.
Of course this counter is useful mainly to quickly verify VRR is working. Then again when working correctly and within monitors capabilities can be used as FPS counter, why not.

At the beginning of Freesync tech when framerate was lower than supported minimum then VRR would not work anymore and GPU would fall back on V-Sync or tearing. These days we have low framerate compensation and GPU will by itself issue frames in the same way GSync monitors would duplicate them in hardware. That is why this advantage is reduced to FPS counter and not real advantage of GSync over Freesync.

Other thing is variable overdrive strength to mitigate overshoot artifacts. Not specific to GSync as some Freesync monitors have this too. Mitigate as in not remove completely but just adjust strength to be lower as framerate decrease.
If that is an issue or not really depends on panel and overdrive it uses.
If overdrive is already an issue at native refresh rate then lowering it without adjusting might go overboard and be an issue.
If however overdrive at native refresh is ok-ish then at lower framerates it might still remain acceptable.