Is G-Sync still worth it or should I go FreeSync?

[RealNC]

I think, real G-Sync monitors will soon be dead as no one wants to lock into an NVIDIA ecosystem and if nvidia cards work just fine with freesync why would monitor manufacturers purchase the $200 module from nvidia and lower their profit margins

This assumes manufacturers of Freesync monitors get their act together and provide a working VRR-aware overdrive implementation. Because right now, freesync can be a blur-fest at lower frame rates. TN panels can get away with it due to their naturally faster pixel response. IPS and especially VA freesync displays on the other hand...

[lexebidar]

For me it's a matter of versatility.
Freesync montiors now work also with xbox and I bet they will work with ps5.
So getting a good freesync monitor now is cheaper, works with amd, nvidia and even consoles (for those who play on those too).
So with freesync, You are not locked into amd or nvidia now

[Chief Blur Buster]

Some FreeSync display do already have dynamic overdrive built-in. It just isn't prevalent in all of them.

Without proper dynamic overdrive, you can have coronas/ghosting that fades in/out worse during fluctuating framerates.

Do your homework more carefully with FreeSync monitors. The quality range is quite wide, but the quality venn diagram does overlap: The best FreeSync monitors can outperform the worst GSYNC monitors. The head spinner is that there are now over 200 FreeSync compatible monitors/televisions/displays, and that's a lot of homework. While GSYNC is a much easier stamp of approval, often includes good blur reduction (ULMB), and also can be worth the premium for many.

[RealNC]

Do your homework more carefully with FreeSync monitors.

No obvious way to do that. None of the display review sites test for pixel response or do motion tests in VRR mode. It's always fixed refresh.

Right now, only G-Sync is guaranteed to give you VRR overdrive. It's borderline impossible to find out if a freesync display has it or not.

[KKNDT]

I'm very curious about how dynamic overdrive is implemented on non-GSYNC displays. Actually, I haven't even found a single Freesync model behaves like GSYNC via TFTcentral's reviews.

The nVidia offical GSYNC compatible monitor list indicates that all these monitors without GSYNC modules don't support variable overdrive and have very limited LFC support.

The below contents is all my personal guesses:

That drive based LFC is just suitable (With perfect prediction) VBIs sent by the GPU to the scaler. Once the scaler can recognaize the varying VBIs and generate suitable signal to the TCON, the system may work well.
But for hardware (monitor side)VRR overdrive, I don't think the display can do realtime calculation without the GPU providing the information when the next frame can be prepared. The complete chain of a GSYNC(with GSYNC module) system is under the control of nVidia. They can add some nonstandard communication between the GPU and the display via DP AUX CH. While Freesync system is
toally based on the open VESA adaptive sync which makes AMD has little to no room makes such hardware modification like nVidia, unless AMD cooperate with the mainstream scaler manufacturer to integrate similar function into a standard scaler.

[Chief Blur Buster]

But for hardware (monitor side)VRR overdrive, I don't think the display can do realtime calculation without the GPU providing the information when the next frame can be prepared. The complete chain of a GSYNC(with GSYNC module) system is under the control of nVidia. They can add some nonstandard communication between the GPU and the display via DP AUX CH. While Freesync system is toally based on the open VESA adaptive sync which makes AMD has little to no room makes such hardware modification like nVidia, unless AMD cooperate with the mainstream scaler manufacturer to integrate similar function into a standard scaler.

A FreeSync display is indeed 100% unidirectional while GSYNC is a bidirectional protocol (which helps dynamic overdrive).

<Blur Busters Pandora Box>

Some FreeSync displays have dynamic overdrive. FreeSync displays have to predictively "guess" the next frametime. It is reliable if framerates are consistent or smoothly ramping up/down. And if it mis-guesses, readjust the dynamic overdrive in the opposite overshoot/undershoot direction to compensate for the mis-guess. Do it rapidly enough, and a brief ghosting-surge can compensate for the visibility of a brief corona-surge. Like wavelengths cancelling each other out.

Keep a history of realtime dynamic overdrive adjustments and guess if it was an overshoot/undershoot, and "bias" the next guess to compensate a bit, etc.

This is a lot of fun MATLAB playing for display engineers at some of the labs. There are up to 240 realtime overdrive adjustments per second on a 240Hz dynamic-overdrive VRR monitor.

Most don't bother, and just rely on fast TN response. But those who do dynamic overdrive well... It's a huge, deep rabbit hole. This is certifyable Pandora Box Rated by Blur Busters.

</Blur Busters Pandora Box>