Vsync - On or Off?

[MambaJack]

I have read different things about the value of Vsync in video settings and would like the group's considered opinion on this.

I'll list my system below and say that the benchmarks I run are always much better without Vsync but games all seem to run OK either way, unless I'm missing something. The games I play most of the time are Comand & Conquer: Generals and Medieval: Total War.

System is AMD XP1900
Nvidia GeForce4 Ti200 64 MB
512 PC2700 Ram
2 Maxtor HD's - 90 GB
Win XP Pro OS
Sound - On Board Creative Labs (Gigabyte VR7XP MB)

 

[Schadenfroh]

off for performance, on for image quality assurance

 

[pelikan]

Try it out with your favorite games and see what works best on your system. You'll easily be able to see what looks better.
For me Vsync on is better by far. With it off I get screen tearing. Other people get better results with it off.

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
off for performance, on for image quality assurance

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
off for performance, on for image quality assurance

Unless your monitor supports high refresh rates; I run my monitor at 85Hz or higher, and I always have Vsync on. Running with it off too often results in image tearing. I don't have problems with "slow" framerates though, if you call 85fps slow. But most games, I run at resolutions with which my monitor will allow 100Hz or higher.

 

[Corporate Thug]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
off for performance, on for image quality assurance

 

[BFG10K]

I don't have problems with "slow" framerates though, if you call 85fps slow

85 FPS isn't slow but the problem is when the framerate hits 42.5 FPS, as will frequently happen when vsync is enabled.

 

[Holmecollie]

In CounterStrike I have 60fps with Vsync on and it's completely fluid, It stays @ 60 because of the Win 2K/Xp refresh rate bug.

Now if i turn off Vsync I get 99fps (max fps in CS) but the graphics look and seem like I've got som old software graphics card running 30fps,

SO I KEEP IT ON!

EDIT: I know there are refresh rate fixes but I haven't gotten around to doing anything about it. Actually I thought WinXp SP1 would fix the refresh bug - but it didn't!!

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: BFG10K

I don't have problems with "slow" framerates though, if you call 85fps slow

85 FPS isn't slow but the problem is when the framerate hits 42.5 FPS, as will frequently happen when vsync is enabled.

if you turn vsync to default off in the ati control planel and then on in the game settings themselves you should be able to get synced frames without haveing your framerate half like that. granted, nvidia cards do no have this issue.

oh and ya vsync is good to keep on, but if your performace is really suffering it can help to turn it off. also, you should never benchmark with vsync on as your monitors refresh rate will hold back the results.

 

[BFG10K]

if you turn vsync to default off in the ati control planel and then on in the game settings themselves you should be able to get synced frames without haveing your framerate half like that. granted, nvidia cards do no have this issue.

The only time the game can make a difference is if it automatically enables triple-buffering if vsync is turned on, which is something you don't want on anyway. Otherwise the combination of settings makes no difference; if it's on then it'll often halve your framerate.

And don't forget it also affects other things such as mouse smoothness and response too.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

automatically enables triple-buffering if vsync is turned on, which is something you don't want on anyway

Why?

 

[Kongzi]

I just leave it on all the time. If I have it off I notice quite a bit of screen tearing. Besides, 60 fps (though I think it should be 70 since my refresh rate is set to 70hz) looks damn smooth to me. I don't really notice an fps drop until about 45fps or so.

 

[BFG10K]

Why?

Because it introduces input lag/latency and it uses up VRAM that would otherwise be available for other things.

 

[CuteHamster]

BFG10k is the man.

 

[MambaJack]

Thanks for all the great input. I suppose that's the great value of these forums - to learn as much as you can.