G-Sync's 1ms Polling Rate: My Findings & Questions

Talk about NVIDIA G-SYNC, a variable refresh rate (VRR) technology. G-SYNC eliminates stutters, tearing, and reduces input lag. List of G-SYNC Monitors.
sekta
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Re: G-Sync's 1ms Polling Rate: My Findings & Questions

Post by sekta » 22 Nov 2016, 02:49

I have noticed this for a while in CS:GO. Even at 165 Hz, I have to cap the FPS at 125 in order to remove ALL screen tearing at the bottom of the screen. 144, 150, 155, 160, 165 Hz, it's all the same. On the workshop map "training_aim_csgo2", the tearing is very obvious with the black and green menu.

I noticed this again when I was watching videos in Media Player .NET (MPDN) with VSYNC forced off in the Nvidia Control Panel. It was screen tearing half way through the screen and was fixed with 125 FPS limit, even though the refresh rate was synced to 24 FPS or whatever the video was at.

Haste
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Re: G-Sync's 1ms Polling Rate: My Findings & Questions

Post by Haste » 28 Nov 2016, 06:32

Someone linked your G-Sync 101 thread on reddit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/c ... h=31183392
Monitor: Gigabyte M27Q X

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jorimt
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Re: G-Sync's 1ms Polling Rate: My Findings & Questions

Post by jorimt » 28 Nov 2016, 10:56

Haste wrote:Someone linked your G-Sync 101 thread on reddit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/c ... h=31183392
Thanks for the heads up! Glad to see a few of them found it useful.

In the process of adding more information, including input latency tests. No ETA yet, stay tuned...
(jorimt: /jor-uhm-tee/)
Author: Blur Busters "G-SYNC 101" Series

Displays: ASUS PG27AQN, LG 48CX VR: Beyond, Quest 3, Reverb G2, Index OS: Windows 11 Pro Case: Fractal Design Torrent PSU: Seasonic PRIME TX-1000 MB: ASUS Z790 Hero CPU: Intel i9-13900k w/Noctua NH-U12A GPU: GIGABYTE RTX 4090 GAMING OC RAM: 32GB G.SKILL Trident Z5 DDR5 6400MHz CL32 SSDs: 2TB WD_BLACK SN850 (OS), 4TB WD_BLACK SN850X (Games) Keyboards: Wooting 60HE, Logitech G915 TKL Mice: Razer Viper Mini SE, Razer Viper 8kHz Sound: Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 (speakers/amp/DAC), AFUL Performer 8 (IEMs)

kandor1978
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Re: G-Sync's 1ms Polling Rate: My Findings & Questions

Post by kandor1978 » 30 Nov 2016, 08:08

Hi guys and gals

I have a weird one
I was having issues with hitting things in games Battlefield series and CSGO

Also was having tearing on my 200hz screen when vsync was off and gsync on even at 160fps
I enabled gaming mode on my Acer Z35 screen yesterday, even though everyone said gaming mode is just some color preset
Anyway I decided to try it

And all tearing is gone even up to 195 fps in csgo, I tried to eyeball this and no tearing, before it was very obvious if I was running at any fps, I think I needed to be under 120 for it to be tear free

Also I started to get hits regged one after another

Basically I dont think what this mode does is only colors, I think its related to screen lagging on what it shows
I mean I played drastically different, I tried several hours yesterday and today
Same results all the time, I simply play alot better all for a sudden

Could anyone else with a Acer Predator monitor confirm if they see same thing
Maybe not only the z35 but any predator model and tell me if they see any difference in anything

Best,
Kandor

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jorimt
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Re: G-Sync's 1ms Polling Rate: My Findings & Questions

Post by jorimt » 30 Nov 2016, 11:38

kandor1978 wrote:Hi guys and gals

I have a weird one
I was having issues with hitting things in games Battlefield series and CSGO

Also was having tearing on my 200hz screen when vsync was off and gsync on even at 160fps
I enabled gaming mode on my Acer Z35 screen yesterday, even though everyone said gaming mode is just some color preset
Anyway I decided to try it

And all tearing is gone even up to 195 fps in csgo, I tried to eyeball this and no tearing, before it was very obvious if I was running at any fps, I think I needed to be under 120 for it to be tear free

Also I started to get hits regged one after another

Basically I dont think what this mode does is only colors, I think its related to screen lagging on what it shows
I mean I played drastically different, I tried several hours yesterday and today
Same results all the time, I simply play alot better all for a sudden

Could anyone else with a Acer Predator monitor confirm if they see same thing
Maybe not only the z35 but any predator model and tell me if they see any difference in anything

Best,
Kandor
Long story short, no one knows exactly why G-Sync + V-Sync off exhibits tearing in a small part of the upper fps range in certain circumstances. Thus far, it appears to be a possible issue with the 1ms polling range, and some frames missing their frametime target, causing said frames not fully complete their scan. However, this can happen below the minimum refresh range as well.

G-Sync + V-Sync on seems to compensate for this by suspending the affect frames long enough to eliminate the tearing. I've said as much in my guide on the other thread. The fps limits for removing tearing with G-Sync + V-Sync off are speculative on my part and may vary by monitor model and the given game.

Bottom line, G-Sync + V-Sync on was the way G-Sync was originally intended to function, and G-Sync + V-Sync off is simply inferior at this point. Avoid it.

My research is ongoing, and I will soon begin conducting a variety of input latency tests. When I have updates, I will post them on the other thread.

As for "gaming mode," I own the Acer Predator XB271HU; I enabled it, and nothing changed tearing or input-latency-wise. Game Mode, at least on my model, is simply an option for saving and loading custom monitor setting presets.
(jorimt: /jor-uhm-tee/)
Author: Blur Busters "G-SYNC 101" Series

Displays: ASUS PG27AQN, LG 48CX VR: Beyond, Quest 3, Reverb G2, Index OS: Windows 11 Pro Case: Fractal Design Torrent PSU: Seasonic PRIME TX-1000 MB: ASUS Z790 Hero CPU: Intel i9-13900k w/Noctua NH-U12A GPU: GIGABYTE RTX 4090 GAMING OC RAM: 32GB G.SKILL Trident Z5 DDR5 6400MHz CL32 SSDs: 2TB WD_BLACK SN850 (OS), 4TB WD_BLACK SN850X (Games) Keyboards: Wooting 60HE, Logitech G915 TKL Mice: Razer Viper Mini SE, Razer Viper 8kHz Sound: Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 (speakers/amp/DAC), AFUL Performer 8 (IEMs)

kandor1978
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Re: G-Sync's 1ms Polling Rate: My Findings & Questions

Post by kandor1978 » 30 Nov 2016, 13:18

thanks for checking that out

I find it very strange that there is no info about different settings.
I was thinking maybe this was placebo effect as well. not the tearing part but that there would be less lag in whats displayed
So I did some test by disabling gaming mode again and I was missing shot after shot in battlefield 1
I mean stuff that clearly should have been hits
Then I enabled it again, and I started to get hits easy, I did not even restart the game, just changed while playing
I was at 1 kill and 8 deaths (not scientific I know) then I changed back to gaming mode and finished the round at 10 kills 11 deaths

So I really noticed a big difference at least in my hit accuracy
Did you actually make such test or you looked only at screen colors and such?
Because I did not notice any difference either, and yes I also see the profiles that you can save to, but its very strange as I see this happening now several days in a row since I enabled it

Anyway maybe it is still placebo just that I feel more confident when its on and play better

Best,
Kandor

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jorimt
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Re: G-Sync's 1ms Polling Rate: My Findings & Questions

Post by jorimt » 30 Nov 2016, 13:28

kandor1978 wrote:Did you actually make such test or you looked only at screen colors and such?
The colors change, because if you haven't manually set up and saved your own Game Mode preset profile, the starting profile has the color temperature set at default.

And yes, I did test it. I turned Game Mode on, allowed my monitor to restart, launched Overwatch training mode with G-Sync + V-Sync off + 142 in-game fps cap, and I was still getting tearing at the bottom of the screen. I didn't noticed a reduction in input latency either.
(jorimt: /jor-uhm-tee/)
Author: Blur Busters "G-SYNC 101" Series

Displays: ASUS PG27AQN, LG 48CX VR: Beyond, Quest 3, Reverb G2, Index OS: Windows 11 Pro Case: Fractal Design Torrent PSU: Seasonic PRIME TX-1000 MB: ASUS Z790 Hero CPU: Intel i9-13900k w/Noctua NH-U12A GPU: GIGABYTE RTX 4090 GAMING OC RAM: 32GB G.SKILL Trident Z5 DDR5 6400MHz CL32 SSDs: 2TB WD_BLACK SN850 (OS), 4TB WD_BLACK SN850X (Games) Keyboards: Wooting 60HE, Logitech G915 TKL Mice: Razer Viper Mini SE, Razer Viper 8kHz Sound: Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 (speakers/amp/DAC), AFUL Performer 8 (IEMs)

kandor1978
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Re: G-Sync's 1ms Polling Rate: My Findings & Questions

Post by kandor1978 » 30 Nov 2016, 14:55

Yea I know about that (about colors and stuff)

Anyway means probably that its placebo for me then
Thanks for taking the time to test it

Best,
Kandor

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jorimt
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Re: G-Sync's 1ms Polling Rate: My Findings & Questions

Post by jorimt » 30 Nov 2016, 15:23

kandor1978 wrote:Yea I know about that (about colors and stuff)

Anyway means probably that its placebo for me then
Thanks for taking the time to test it

Best,
Kandor
Not a problem Kandor. All research is good research ;)
(jorimt: /jor-uhm-tee/)
Author: Blur Busters "G-SYNC 101" Series

Displays: ASUS PG27AQN, LG 48CX VR: Beyond, Quest 3, Reverb G2, Index OS: Windows 11 Pro Case: Fractal Design Torrent PSU: Seasonic PRIME TX-1000 MB: ASUS Z790 Hero CPU: Intel i9-13900k w/Noctua NH-U12A GPU: GIGABYTE RTX 4090 GAMING OC RAM: 32GB G.SKILL Trident Z5 DDR5 6400MHz CL32 SSDs: 2TB WD_BLACK SN850 (OS), 4TB WD_BLACK SN850X (Games) Keyboards: Wooting 60HE, Logitech G915 TKL Mice: Razer Viper Mini SE, Razer Viper 8kHz Sound: Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 (speakers/amp/DAC), AFUL Performer 8 (IEMs)

kandor1978
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Joined: 09 Aug 2016, 20:02

Re: G-Sync's 1ms Polling Rate: My Findings & Questions

Post by kandor1978 » 01 Dec 2016, 16:18

Hi again,

Ok I have something interesting now :)

It seems when you have gsync on and vsync off, as long as you dont hit the limit of your screen there is no tearing
But if you use a frame limiter that limits it to anything that will be hit then you get tearing
I have tested this with Battlefield 1
I get terrible tearing now that I set the fps to 100
If I let it be free there is no tearing whatsoever at any fps
I can reach about 120-140 fps in game and my monitor as I mentioned before is a 200hz screen

If you could test this I would appreciate it
If you can not keep lower than the screen max refresh try to higher up settings or add dsr resolution and try to get the fps lower than screen max refresh that way

Best,
Kandor

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