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3.2.2. So what's the difference between display and desktop refresh rate?

Actually I selected "g-sync fullscreen and windowed" and v-sync started to work, so I guess it's a borderless windowed label as fullscreen.
This game has its own refresh rate but doesn't use it, it also can't use "highest avaible" cause it's not a fullscreen, I guess it uses desktop's refresh rate: without fps limit I see 143 fps.

Abiak wrote:3.2.2. So what's the difference between display and desktop refresh rate?

The desktop refresh rate is the one you set in the resolution settings in the nvidia panel. That refresh rate is used for the desktop, and for games that run in windowed mode, or in borderless mode.

Exclusive fullscreen mode games on the other hand can use a refresh rate that is different from the desktop refresh rate. If they don't have a refresh rate option in their in-game settings, they usually try to either pick 60Hz, or use the desktop refresh rate. But the nvidia driver can try to force them to use the highest refresh rate possible if "preferred refresh rate" in the nvidia panel is set to "highest available."

Actually I selected "g-sync fullscreen and windowed" and v-sync started to work, so I guess it's a borderless windowed label as fullscreen.
This game has its own refresh rate but doesn't use it, it also can't use "highest avaible" cause it's not a fullscreen, I guess it uses desktop's refresh rate: without fps limit I see 143 fps.

Yeah, that sounds about right. Some games just use borderless mode when you set them to fullscreen. Usually games that use the Unity engine. WoW is another example.

And the display refresh rate?

Abiak wrote:And the display refresh rate?

You don't know what refresh rate your display is? I thought it's 144Hz.

If my desktop refresh rate is 120Hz, highest avaible will still use 144Hz (display refresh rate), right?

RealNC wrote:

Abiak wrote:And the display refresh rate?

You don't know what refresh rate your display is? I thought it's 144Hz.

At this point, I can only assume Abiak is using Google Translate, or he writes far better than he comprehends. It would explain why he understands almost nothing I have answered. If you don't answer him exactly how he has written it, he doesn't seem to get it at all.

Abiak wrote:If my desktop refresh rate is 120Hz, highest avaible will still use 144Hz (display refresh rate), right?

For fullscreen game, YES.

For borderless or windowed game, it will use desktop refresh rate.

"Highest Available" does not work with borderless or windowed. There is no "Highest Available" option for borderless or windowed.

Borderless and windowed games use desktop refresh rate only. (CORRECTED: unless the game has a refresh rate selector. Some games do have a refresh rate selector, some games do not have a refresh rate selector.)

Well jorimt, I found a game with the frefresh rate selector but it doesn't use it, desktop's refresh rate has priority.
You said "fullscreen and windowed" can cause problems in some apps, which kind of problems? I want to use it as default instead of fullscreen only.

Abiak wrote:You said "fullscreen and windowed" can cause problems in some apps, which kind of problems?

In apps that are not games it can cause problems. For games, "G-SYNC for windowed and full screen mode" works fine.

For instance, I use a virtual server program called "MAMP" (among others) for my work, and it slows down that window when it is open. That is why I personally use "G-SYNC for full screen mode" only. I switch to "G-SYNC for windowed and full screen mode" only when I need it.

You do not have to do the same. You can use "G-SYNC for windowed and full screen mode" all the time if you want.

Also, a correction: while answering you, I mistakenly stated that in-game refresh rate selectors work with borderless and windowed games, but they do not.

So, borderless or windowed games only use the desktop refresh rate, even if the game has a refresh rate selector.

In-game refresh rate selectors only work in fullscreen.

Clear now?

Clear, thank you, however I don't understand why devs added that option if it doesn't work but oh well it's still EA.

Last doubts.
1) If in the future they will add exclusive fullscreen, highest avaible should work, however there are rare situations where highest avaible doesn't work: in this case will it use the game's refresh rate or the desktop's one?
2) The priority is: highest avaible > game's refresh rate (if it is there and if the game has exclusive fullscreen) > desktop refresh rate, correct?
3) I asked these questions because in game I can choose between 143Hz and 144Hz, since windows say it's "143.9" which one should I use? Or doesn't matter (cause I'll block fps at 141)?
With the steam fps counter the max fps I can see in this game is 143 but in other games I can see 144 fps.
4) Well if highest avaible almost always works and the game's refresh rate only works with fullscreen then the game's one has no reason to be there unless it matters for non-nvidia graphics cards.