Quick summary.
Variable refresh rate = vsync that keeps your screen buttery smooth when your FPS drops, without instantly halfing the rate. This is good stuff, eliminates tearing and provides a smooth viewing experience.
GSync = nVidia's variable refresh rate tech.
FreeSync = the free open source version AMD use.
This has led to a price premium on GSync compatible monitors, as nVidia charge companies to use it. Why? Because nVidia are evil, and can get away with it.
Until now, if you bought a cheaper FreeSync monitor that didn't have a GSync module, you couldn't make use of the variable refresh tech whilst using an nVidia graphics card. nVidia stopped their cards working with FreeSync. This wasn't for technical reasons, nVidia are just evil. They want you to buy their cards AND their GSync modules. Evil. There's a theme emerging here.
https://www.anandtech.com/show/13797/nvidia-to-support-vesa-adaptive-sync-with-gsync-compatible-branding
Seems now, nVidia are finally going to start supporting FreeSync. Those of us who purchased a cheaper monitor (often identical panels just lacking the GSync module) but use nVidia cards (evil, but they make good GPUs) will soon be able to use our monitors variable refresh rate tech. This is good news!
If you've owned an AMD card all of this time, you can already use FreeSync, and have been able to for ages! Now at least we don't have to pay extra for a GSync module we don't need. The tech works just fine between monitor and graphics card. Hopefully this soon brings the price down on monitors. At the moment GSync adds a good £150 or so to the cost. With nVidia supporting FreeSync, this becomes unnecessary.
Hopefully we end up with ONLY FreeSync, supported by all cards and monitors regardless of who made what. This sort of simplification and cross brand support is great for the consumer, so let's hope it pans out this way.
Good news sports fans. Rejoice! :yahoo:
Not only that, but the latest LG 34" UW panels sport GSync and Freesync - the GSync variant has reduced Hz (144 down to 120) AND reduced colour gamut (basically no HDR) because LG went with the original GSync module for the panel rather than the GSync2 version which would have required adding fans to the monitor as there's a lot more heat and the price differential would be a lot lot more than the £150 it currently is.
So I thoroughly support this move. Still, nVidia are evil, even if they are now the Diet Coke of evil.
LG should have just offered FreeSync and left GSync out rather than including an old and somewhat crippled version of it, that's hilarious!
Most panels support one or the other though, but I'm seeing an increasing number of FreeSync panels and this news is great for these options.
Tech 'insiders' have suggested GSync would die for a while now, but I don't think anyone expected news like this so soon. I'm still cautious, as nVidia could still turn around and stick it to us in another way - they're losing a fair chunk of money if manufacturers start to ignore their GSync modules, after all.
Fingers crossed this is just a panic move in response to suggestions team red's new Navi based GPUs are going to be fantastic. nVidia really need some serious competition, they are indeed 'Coke' without it.
Driver drops January 15th
Nice, I can test it out when I get home. Cheers.