Freesync monitors to start releasing in November

[Fastx]

KITGURU-Freesync monitors to start releasing in November

October 16th, 2014 at 2:37 pm - Author Matthew Wilson
There is a rumor going around that AMD is planning to bring the FreeSync variable refresh rate standard to the market as soon as possible, more specifically, between November and Q1 2015. FreeSync is set to be an open standard, free of licensing costs, directly competing with Nvidia’s own G-Sync solution, which requires monitors to be built with a specific scaler to allow the GPU to control the refresh rate and is only compatible with Nvidia graphics cards.

FreeSync will use the industry standard Display Port adaptive sync protocols to set minimum and maximum refresh rates during games. This means frame presentation to the user will never be delayed or impaired by two way processes

Since AMD’s FreeSync solution comes with no licensing fees for vendors, it also comes with no expensive proprietary hardware or communication overhead, meaning that these monitors should end up being cheaper compared to Nvidia G-Sync solutions.

However, there are downsides to FreeSync, for a start it won’t be compatible with all video cards during games and not all games will support variable refresh rates. So far for games, you’ll need an R9 295 X2, R9 290x, R9 290, R9 285, R7 260X or R7 260 GPU in order to use FreeSync. Older 7000 series cards will be compatible for video playback.

Nvidia has previously announced that it will not be supporting FreeSync and will instead be focusing on its own proprietary technology.

AMD recently released an FAQ, answering quite a few questions surrounding FreeSync. You can read that, HERE.

http://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/...sync-monitors-to-start-releasing-in-november/

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FUDZILLA-FreeSync monitors to show up in November

Starting in Q4, expanding in Q1 2015

We have learned that part of AMD's strategy in the GPU wars is to bring the FreeSync standard to market as soon as possible and we expected to see the first monitors in Q1 2015 timeframe. AMD said that we should expect Project FreeSync compatible monitors in the 4Q14-1Q15 timeframe and we assumed that Q1 2015 will be the date.

Nvidia finally started shipping its first 4K G-sync monitors such as the Acer 4k2k XB280HK 28" G-Sync Gaming Widescreen LED Monitor and this will definitely put some pressure on AMD to get its FreeSync out as soon as possible.


FreeSync comes in November rather than 2015

Our sources are confirming that the first FreeSync monitors might hit the market as soon as next month, but we don’t have any better date than that. AMD preaches that FreeSync, contrary to G-Sync, comes with no licensing fees for adoption, no expensive or proprietary hardware modules, and no communication overhead.

According to AMD, FreeSync uses industry-standard DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync protocols to pre-negotiate supported min/max refresh rates during plug’n’play, which means frame presentation to the user will never be delayed or impaired by time-consuming two-way handshakes.

We saw G-Sync in action and it remains to be seen whether FreeSync can match it, but both technologies are supposed to sync the FPS output of your graphics card and the refresh frame rates of your monitor. This prevents annoying frame tears, something that is quite common and plagues many gamers, so it's nice to see that both companies are addressing this problem.

FreeSync should end up cheaper than G-Sync

Since FreeSync has no licensing fees for vendors, no expensive or proprietary hardware modules, and no communication overhead, FreeSync capable monitors should end up cheaper than G-Sync gear. Since there are lot of diehard AMD fans who will never defect to Nvidia, this is the perfect technology for them and people might be happy to know that many AMD cards will have FreeSync support.

AMD Radeon HD 7000, HD 8000, R7 or R9 Series will support Project FreeSync for video playback and power-saving purposes, while the AMD Radeon R9 295X2, 290X, R9 290, R9 285, R7 260X and R7 260 GPUs additionally feature updated display controllers that will support dynamic refresh rates during gaming.

http://www.fudzilla.com/home/item/3...ber?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

[Eric1987]

I thought it was just a firmware update to enable freesync? I thought that was the benefit over gsync?

 

[NTMBK]

Excellent. More variable refresh rate on the market can only be a good thing. Now we just need someone to bash everyone's heads together and get them to support one standard!

 

[RussianSensation]

If NV won't support open standard FreeSync and G-Sunc at the same time, they are effectively making FreeSync artificially vendor locked by stopping their cards from supporting this open standard feature. This is really bad news for consumers since that means even if you get a FreeSync monitor, you essentially become vendor locked to AMD. This is a scary development indeed. At the very least NV should have supported both standards because otherwise this is straight up market segregation forced by NV.

 

[NTMBK]

If NV won't support open standard FreeSync and G-Sunc at the same time, they are effectively making FreeSync artificially vendor locked by stopping their cards from supporting this open standard feature. This is really bad news for consumers since that means even if you get a FreeSync monitor, you essentially become vendor locked to AMD. This is a scary development indeed. At the very least NV should have supported both standards because otherwise this is straight up market segregation forced by NV.

Hey, there's always Intel. Hopefully they'll support it too.

 

[DarkKnightDude]

More competition is better.

 

[MTDEW]

If NV won't support open standard FreeSync and G-Sunc at the same time, they are effectively making FreeSync artificially vendor locked by stopping their cards from supporting this open standard feature. This is really bad news for consumers since that means even if you get a FreeSync monitor, you essentially become vendor locked to AMD. This is a scary development indeed. At the very least NV should have supported both standards because otherwise this is straight up market segregation forced by NV.

Agreed. :thumbsup:
It just plain sucks, because some of us aren't brand loyal and like to buy what we feel is considered the best bang per buck GPU we can afford when we feel it's time for a GPU upgrade regardless of brand.
Yet now we're stuck not being able to buy a monitor to take advantage of the new tech, simply because depending on whether I choose a gsync or freesync monitor, I'm then locked to an AMD or Nvidia GPU for all my future GPU upgrades....which is something I absolutely refuse to do to myself on purpose!

 

[ShintaiDK]

Hey, there's always Intel. Hopefully they'll support it too.

Skylake wont support apdative vsync. So it would have to be post Skylake, meaning mid 2016 or later.

 

[MTDEW]

Anyway, back OT.
If we're gonna see them as soon as Nov. then we should be seeing full demonstrations/reviews pretty darn soon!
So we can at least see how well freesync compares to gsync.
I'm assuming someone will bump this thread when actual "hands on" reviews of freesync monitors become available. :thumbsup:

I'm still looking forward to those comparisons, even though I personally will not actually buy either until I know my monitor choice won't dictate all my future GPU upgrades.

 

[know of fence]

If Freesync monitors have other inputs than display port, that already would be a great improvement even if VGA, HDMI and DVI don't support variable refresh.

 

[jackstar7]

If Freesync monitors have other inputs than display port, that already would be a great improvement even if VGA, HDMI and DVI don't support variable refresh.

And I'd rather see everything just move to displayport, as it's a license-free standard with lots of flexibility.

 

[monstercameron]

Excellent. More variable refresh rate on the market can only be a good thing. Now we just need someone to bash everyone's heads together and get them to support one standard!

there is a xkcd comic that comes to mind...http://xkcd.com/927/

 

[godihatework]

If NV won't support open standard FreeSync and G-Sunc at the same time, they are effectively making FreeSync artificially vendor locked by stopping their cards from supporting this open standard feature. This is really bad news for consumers since that means even if you get a FreeSync monitor, you essentially become vendor locked to AMD. This is a scary development indeed. At the very least NV should have supported both standards because otherwise this is straight up market segregation forced by NV.

What's the competitive advantage for Nvidia to adopt AMD's process?

If Freesync wins out in three generations i'm sure they will shift and adopt. If it doesn't i'm sure they'd be more than happy to license gsync to anyone who is willing to pay.

They aren't in the business of making their competition more competitive.

 

[3DVagabond]

And I'd rather see everything just move to displayport, as it's a license-free standard with lots of flexibility.

Well, Adaptive sync requires DP, so every Freesync monitor will have DP. They just won't eliminate the other connections.

 

[dn7309]

If NV won't support open standard FreeSync and G-Sunc at the same time, they are effectively making FreeSync artificially vendor locked by stopping their cards from supporting this open standard feature. This is really bad news for consumers since that means even if you get a FreeSync monitor, you essentially become vendor locked to AMD. This is a scary development indeed. At the very least NV should have supported both standards because otherwise this is straight up market segregation forced by NV.

Well in theory, since there's no licencing cost... free sync monitor should be cheaper and making it more affordable for consumer. I emphasize should because makers can just charge as much as they want because it got a newer input (much like TV makers charges a premium for HDMi early in HDTV era)and driving the cost close to NVIDIA.

 

[3DVagabond]

Well in theory, since there's no licencing cost... free sync monitor should be cheaper and making it more affordable for consumer. I emphasize should because makers can just charge as much as they want because it got a newer input (much like TV makers charges a premium for HDMi early in HDTV era)and driving the cost close to NVIDIA.

If it's $700 for a 24" 1080 TN panel with Adaptive sync I'll eat dirt.

 

[Subyman]

Anyone else read the " not all games will support variable refresh rates." Gsync works with all games right

 

[MarkLuvsCS]

"... However, there are downsides to FreeSync, for a start it won’t be compatible with all video cards during games and not all games will support variable refresh rates."

Does this implementation sound differ from G-sync to have same requirement of needing game support?

 

[bunnyfubbles]

did AMD ever explain how Freesync is going to work?

 

[Black Octagon]

Anyone else read the " not all games will support variable refresh rates." Gsync works with all games right

It most certainly does not

 

[Zanovar]

Some damn interesting times ahead.i have some reading to do^^

 

[BrightCandle]

Anyone else read the " not all games will support variable refresh rates." Gsync works with all games right

No not quite. It works with 99% of them but some games use forms of frame capping that are simply incompatible with having DirectX meter the frame rate. One of the few examples for a big game is Diablo 3.

Farming simulator had it turned off in the profile so I am guessing that is another game that doesn't support it. The way Nvidia deal with it is they produce a profile for the game turning if off where it doesn't work. There isn't anything they can do on their end to fix it, the game is breaking the DX API pre and post conditions so they just have to disable it when a game does it in a way that conflicts with gsync.

Its not common however but its certainly not 100% of all games.

 

[BrightCandle]

Not that I have seen. I assume we will find out November.

 

[Anarchist420]

I could've sworn I read that the GTX9x0 had full Adaptive sync compatibility. I guess I didnt read that though.

anyway, higher signal rates (native, of course) still matter more in my opinion but I confess i haven't used gsync.

 

[96Firebird]

If it's $700 for a 24" 1080 TN panel with Adaptive sync I'll eat dirt.

Cool, that is the first G-Sync monitor I've seen with more than just the DP input. :thumbsup: