Nvidia G-Sync Monitor: Is the Display HDMI compatible?

Sieeka Khan, Tech Times 19 January 2021, 04:01 am

As the CES 2021 comes to a close, a lot of tech enthusiasts have questions about the new products displayed during the convention. One of them is the Nvidia G-Sync. So what is it and why is there a hype around it?

Nvidia G-Sync is a type of display technology that is used in certain PC monitors, TVs and laptops to fight screen stuttering, tearing and juddering especially when you play fast-paced games or if you play fast-paced video.

G-Sync only works when the screen or display is connected to a system that is using a compatible Nvidia graphics card, that includes third-party systems. If you do not have a compatible card yet, you can check out the graphics card buying guide posted by resellers such as Best Buy, Target and Walmart.

The G-Sync may sound new to you, but it has been around since 2013. Its biggest rival is AMD FreeSync. Now, Nvidia is adamant in pushing the G-Sync technology and has even added three tiers: G-Sync, G-Sync Ultimate and G-Sync Compatible.

What is G-Sync?

Screen tearing happens due to a video game's framerate, or the rate at which the image frames display, do not match the monitor's refresh rate, or the frequency at which a display's image redraws.

Also Read: 'Cyberpunk 2077' Benchmark: NVIDIA RTX vs AMD Radeon GPU Performance Results

G-Sync displays have different refresh rates, they are also known as VRR or a dynamic refresh rate, and they can sync its minimum and maximum refresh rates with the framerate of the Nvidia graphics card of the system. That refresh rate range can go as far as the maximum refresh rate of the monitor.

In this way, you can see images right when they are shown and while also preventing input lag or delays between when you move your mouse and when the cursor actually moves.

G-Sync vs. FreeSync

The competitor of G-Sync is FreeSync. FreeSync is AMD's answer to Nvidia's G-Sync and both of them uses VESA's Adaptive-Sync protocol. You will need an AMD graphics card in order to use FreeSync.

There are differences that you need to take note of. One of the standouts is that FreeSync work over DisplayPort and HDMI but G-Sync only works with DisplayPort, unless you are using a TV that is compatible with G-Sync. However, Nvidia stated that they are currently working on changing this in order for their consumers to have more options.

As for the performance, experts have tested the device and it showed that there is a minute difference between the two. While both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync are based on Adaptive-Sync, the G-Sync and the G-Sync Ultimate also needs usage of a proprietary Nvidia chip.

Monitor vendors are required to purchase this chip in place of the scaler that they would usually purchase if they want their display certified for G-Sync or for G-Sync Ultimate.

Meanwhile, FreeSync is an open standard, and FreeSync monitors are also cheaper than G-Sync or G-Sync Ultimate. But G-Sync compatible monitors do not need the Nvidia chip and most of the FreeSync monitors are also G-Sync compatible.