ALIENWARE AW2518HF UFOs | AMD (freesync) vs NVIDIA (g-sync compatible) GPUs
Posted: 08 Apr 2020, 10:27
Images below compare how differently AW2518HF (freesync monitor)(and probably on some other monitors too) behaves on AMD vs NVIDIA GPUs.
Many people on Internet reported they have corona/white trail artifact with AW2518HF but my experience was very different and better. I figured researching this might be helpful for potential unsecure G-SYNC Compatible buyers. So I did it and this is how you can fix it by using settings from best result ufos:
AMD GPU: (tested myself with RX 580 and RX 460)
Over drive modes didn't do anything for me. "Normal", "Fast" and "Super fast" modes looked the same, no changes whatsoever, thats why only "Super fast" is included. But what did remove the ufo trailing dramaticaly is lower contrast. Reducing it removes trailing completely but the overall motion blur still felt the same with either improved or default osd settings.
The thing is, with this specific monitor contrast acts the same as brightness so you can change it as much as you want and you wouldn't be able to tell whether the brightness or contrast is changed.
NVIDIA GPU: (ufos from The Solid Lad, unknown nvidia 10se gpu)
Default OD mode for the AW2518HF is "normal" and it looks the same as improved contrast settings on amd gpu. When u change from "Normal" to "Fast" or "Super fast" it introduces corona/white trailing behind ufos. I don't know if reducing contrast fixes this artifact but I believe it does not.
NON-SUPPORTED ADAPTIVE SYNC GPU: (tested myself with R7 370)
The corona on "Normal" mode is slightly visible but noticeable. "Fast" is very present (same as nvidia gpu "Fast") and "Super Fast" is extremely distracting and unusable (worse than on nvidia gpu "Super fast"). But this time over drive modes felt slightly less blurry in games wich means response times are reduced unlike with rx 580 od modes. Reducing contrast also did not change the corona artifact.
I do not know how monitor behaves on non-supported AS nvidia gpus, probably the same.
AW2518HF @240Hz | ufo speed 960px/s (24,5" 1080p)
Many people on Internet reported they have corona/white trail artifact with AW2518HF but my experience was very different and better. I figured researching this might be helpful for potential unsecure G-SYNC Compatible buyers. So I did it and this is how you can fix it by using settings from best result ufos:
AMD GPU: (tested myself with RX 580 and RX 460)
Over drive modes didn't do anything for me. "Normal", "Fast" and "Super fast" modes looked the same, no changes whatsoever, thats why only "Super fast" is included. But what did remove the ufo trailing dramaticaly is lower contrast. Reducing it removes trailing completely but the overall motion blur still felt the same with either improved or default osd settings.
The thing is, with this specific monitor contrast acts the same as brightness so you can change it as much as you want and you wouldn't be able to tell whether the brightness or contrast is changed.
NVIDIA GPU: (ufos from The Solid Lad, unknown nvidia 10se gpu)
Default OD mode for the AW2518HF is "normal" and it looks the same as improved contrast settings on amd gpu. When u change from "Normal" to "Fast" or "Super fast" it introduces corona/white trailing behind ufos. I don't know if reducing contrast fixes this artifact but I believe it does not.
NON-SUPPORTED ADAPTIVE SYNC GPU: (tested myself with R7 370)
The corona on "Normal" mode is slightly visible but noticeable. "Fast" is very present (same as nvidia gpu "Fast") and "Super Fast" is extremely distracting and unusable (worse than on nvidia gpu "Super fast"). But this time over drive modes felt slightly less blurry in games wich means response times are reduced unlike with rx 580 od modes. Reducing contrast also did not change the corona artifact.
I do not know how monitor behaves on non-supported AS nvidia gpus, probably the same.
AW2518HF @240Hz | ufo speed 960px/s (24,5" 1080p)