Enabling G-sync has hidden impacts even when frame rate is uncapped?
Posted: 22 Jul 2020, 00:52
Not sure I am crazy or G-sync is crazy.
Recently I observed a weird behavior on using G-sync.
In the past month, I played a lot of Aimlab. I played it with G-sync off for a long time. One day, I turned on G-sync in the Nvidia control panel, and immediately my performance in Aimlab increased! I thought that must be an accident of performance variance.
(Because even though G-sync is enabled in the Nvidia control panel, my Aimlab runs at 900 fps uncap, which will automatically suspend the G-sync feature.)
But after switching between G-sync on and off, I kept getting the same feeling that enabling G-sync boosts my performance in Aimlab, even though I am 100% sure the G-sync is not affecting the refresh rate of my monitor.
(My monitor can display the current refresh rate, and if VRR is active, the displayed value will change dynamically. It shows 240Hz constantly, so the G-sync is not affecting refresh rate)
Finally, I started a serious experiment, and collected my score data after each round. To make an apple to apple comparison between G-sync on and off, I carefully performed this experiment.
(For example, having 5 rounds per each setting alternatively to avoid bias from variance of my body fatigue. And enabling G-sync will reduce the aggressiveness of the overdrive setting on my monitor, I also took care of this and equalized the effect of overdrive.)
After enough data collected, I can conclude that:
Enalbing G-sync, in Aimlab, with 900 fps, with my monitor AW2720HF, did boost my average score in motionshot ultimate mode, increased for 5%. And the occurrence of my peak scores, which is the "chance" of getting scores higher than 120k, increased for ~125%.
(Background information: I am currently at the rank 1st of motionshot, you can think of me playing Aimlab competitively, and my score is quite consistent.)
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Just enabling G-sync in the NV control panel would bring advantage in a frame rate uncapped game, looks crazy to me.
This result reminds me of one of Chris's input lag analysis, which disables G-sync on a G-sync compatible monitor introducing increased input lag.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L42nx6ubpfg&t=835s
I assume such advantage is brought by reduced input lag, but I don't have a high speed camera to measure it myself. Also I am not sure whether this is game related, or monitor related.
I also send this to the Chris (channel owner of Battlenonsense) requesting a new video regarding this, but I haven't seen him doing input lag analysis for a long time.
Meanwhile, I am still thinking something is crazy here, and I will continue doing my experiment and collecting more data in Aimlab.
Recently I observed a weird behavior on using G-sync.
In the past month, I played a lot of Aimlab. I played it with G-sync off for a long time. One day, I turned on G-sync in the Nvidia control panel, and immediately my performance in Aimlab increased! I thought that must be an accident of performance variance.
(Because even though G-sync is enabled in the Nvidia control panel, my Aimlab runs at 900 fps uncap, which will automatically suspend the G-sync feature.)
But after switching between G-sync on and off, I kept getting the same feeling that enabling G-sync boosts my performance in Aimlab, even though I am 100% sure the G-sync is not affecting the refresh rate of my monitor.
(My monitor can display the current refresh rate, and if VRR is active, the displayed value will change dynamically. It shows 240Hz constantly, so the G-sync is not affecting refresh rate)
Finally, I started a serious experiment, and collected my score data after each round. To make an apple to apple comparison between G-sync on and off, I carefully performed this experiment.
(For example, having 5 rounds per each setting alternatively to avoid bias from variance of my body fatigue. And enabling G-sync will reduce the aggressiveness of the overdrive setting on my monitor, I also took care of this and equalized the effect of overdrive.)
After enough data collected, I can conclude that:
Enalbing G-sync, in Aimlab, with 900 fps, with my monitor AW2720HF, did boost my average score in motionshot ultimate mode, increased for 5%. And the occurrence of my peak scores, which is the "chance" of getting scores higher than 120k, increased for ~125%.
(Background information: I am currently at the rank 1st of motionshot, you can think of me playing Aimlab competitively, and my score is quite consistent.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just enabling G-sync in the NV control panel would bring advantage in a frame rate uncapped game, looks crazy to me.
This result reminds me of one of Chris's input lag analysis, which disables G-sync on a G-sync compatible monitor introducing increased input lag.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L42nx6ubpfg&t=835s
I assume such advantage is brought by reduced input lag, but I don't have a high speed camera to measure it myself. Also I am not sure whether this is game related, or monitor related.
I also send this to the Chris (channel owner of Battlenonsense) requesting a new video regarding this, but I haven't seen him doing input lag analysis for a long time.
Meanwhile, I am still thinking something is crazy here, and I will continue doing my experiment and collecting more data in Aimlab.