G-Sync is a proprietary adaptive sync technology developed by Nvidia aimed primarily at eliminating screen tearing and the need for software alternatives such as Vsync. G-Sync eliminates screen tearing by allowing a video display's refresh rate to adapt to the frame rate of the outputting device (graphics card/integrated graphics) rather than the outputting device adapting to the display, which could traditionally be refreshed halfway through the process of a frame being output by the device, resulting in screen tearing, or two or more frames being shown at once. In order for a device to use G-Sync, it must contain a proprietary G-Sync module sold by Nvidia. AMD has released a similar technology for displays, called FreeSync, which has the same function as G-Sync yet is royalty-free.
Nvidia built a special collision avoidance feature to avoid the eventuality of a new frame being ready while a duplicate is being drawn on screen (something that could generate lag and/or stutter) in which case the module anticipates the refresh and waits for the next frame to be completed. Overdriving pixels also becomes tricky in a non-fixed refresh scenario, and solutions predicting when the next refresh is going to happen and accordingly adjusting the overdrive value must be implemented and tuned for each panel in order to avoid ghosting.
Hardware
The module carries all the functional parts. It is based around an Altera Arria V GX family FPGA featuring 156K logic elements, 396 DSP blocks and 67 LVDS channels. It is produced on the TSMC 28LP process and paired with three DDR3L DRAM chips to attain a certain bandwidth, for an aggregate 768MB capacity. The employed FPGA also features a LVDS interface to drive the monitor panel. It is meant to replace common scalers and be easily integrated by monitor manufacturers, who only have to take care of the power delivery circuit board and input connections.
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost GPU or higher (G-Sync, G-Sync Ultimate) GeForce 10 series (Pascal) and above (G-Sync Compatible)
Driver: R340.52 or higher R417.71 or higher (G-Sync Compatible)
Operating system: Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 and 11 Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris
System requirement: Must support DisplayPort 1.2 directly from the GPU (Displayport 1.2a for G-Sync Compatible)
Monitor: G-Sync monitor connected natively via DisplayPort v1.2 or higher (1.2a for G-Sync Compatible)
Criticism G-Sync faces some criticism due to its proprietary nature and the fact that it is still being promoted when free alternatives exist, such as the VESA standard Adaptive-Sync which is an optional feature of DisplayPort version 1.2a. While AMD's FreeSync relies on the above-mentioned optional component of DisplayPort 1.2a, G-Sync requires an Nvidia-made module in place of the usual scaler in the display in order for it to function properly with select Nvidia GeForce graphics cards, such as the ones from the GeForce 10 series (Pascal). However, there do exist G-Sync compatible monitors that can also utilize AMD's FreeSync. The G-Sync module itself has also been criticized for drawing power when the monitor is switched off, while comparable technologies don't draw any power when the monitor is switched off.
List of G-Sync-enabled monitors Brand Model number Release year Resolution Size Refresh rate at native resolution Panel technologyAcer X34 Predator 2015 3440x1440 34 100 Hz IPS Acer XB270H 2014 1920x1080 27" 144 Hz TN Acer XB270HA 2014 1920x1080 27" 144 Hz TN Acer XB280HK 2014 3840x2160 28" 60 Hz TN Acer XB281HK 2015 3840x2160 28" 60 Hz TN Acer XB271HK 2016 3840x2160 27" 60 Hz IPS Acer XB321HK 2016 3840x2160 32" 60 Hz IPS Acer XB240HA 2015 1920x1080 24" 144 Hz TN Acer XB241H 2016 1920x1080 24" 144 Hz (180 Hz overclocked) TN Acer XB241YU 2016 2560x1440 23.8" 144 Hz (165 Hz overclocked) TN Acer XB252Q 2017 1920x1080 24.5" 240 Hz TN Acer XB270HU 2015 2560x1440 27" 144 Hz IPS (AHVA) Acer XB271HU 2016 2560x1440 27" 144 Hz (165 Hz overclocked) IPS (AHVA) Acer XB271HUA 2016 2560x1440 27" 144 Hz (165 Hz overclocked) TN Acer XB272 2017 1920x1080 27" 240 Hz TN Acer X34 2015 3440x1440 34" 60 Hz (100 Hz overclocked) IPS Acer Z271 2016 1920x1080 27" 144 Hz VA Acer Z301C 2016 2560x1080 29.5" 144 Hz (200 Hz overclocked) VA Acer Z35 2016 2560x1080 35" 144~200 Hz VA AOC G2460PG 2014 1920x1080 24" 144 Hz TN AOC AG271QG 2016 2560x1440 27" 165 Hz IPS (AHVA) AOC AG271UG 2017 3840x2160 27" 60 Hz IPS AOC AG352UCG 2017 3440x1440 35" 100 Hz VA Asus PG348Q 2016 3440x1440 34" 100 Hz IPS Asus PG278Q 2014 2560x1440 27" 144 Hz TN Asus PG278QR 2016 2560x1440 27" 165 Hz TN Asus PG279Q 2015 2560x1440 27" 144 Hz (165 Hz overclocked) IPS (AHVA) Asus PG27AQ 2015 3840x2160 27" 60 Hz IPS Asus PG27UQ 2018 3840x2160 27" 144 Hz IPS (HDR) Asus PG248Q 2016 1920x1080 24" 144 Hz (180 Hz overclocked) TN Asus PG258Q 2016 1920x1080 24.5" 240 Hz TN BenQ XL2420G 2015 1920x1080 24" 144 Hz TNDell AW2721D 2020 2560x1440 27" 240 Hz IPS Dell AW2725DM 2024 2560x1440 27" 165 Hz (180 Hz overclocked) IPS Dell AW3418DW 2017 3440x1440 34" 100 Hz (120 Hz overclocked) IPS Dell AW3418HW 2017 2560x1080 34" 144 Hz (160 Hz overclocked) IPS Dell S2716DG 2016 2560x1440 27" 144 Hz TN Dell S2417DG 2016 2560x1440 24" 144 Hz (165 Hz overclocked) TN Philips 272G5DYEB 2014 1920x1080 27" 144 Hz TN LG 32GK850G-B 2017 2560x1440 32" 144 Hz (165 Hz overclocked) VA LG 34UC89G-B 2017 2560x1080 34" 144 Hz (166 Hz overclocked) IPS ViewSonic XG2703-GS 2016 2560x1440 27" 144 Hz (165 Hz overclocked) IPS (AHVA) HP OMEN X Emperium 65 2019 3840x2160 64.5" 144 Hz VA Acer X35 2019 3440x1440 35" 180 Hz (200 Hz overclocked) VA
List of upcoming G-Sync-enabled monitors Brand Model number Resolution Size Refresh rate at native resolution HDR Panel technology Acer XB272-HDR 3840x2160 27" 144 Hz Yes IPS Acer Predator BFGD 3840×2160 65" 120 Hz overclocked Yes ? AOC AG273UG 3840x2160 27" 144 Hz Yes IPS AOC AG273QCG 2560x1440 27" 165 Hz No TN AOC AG353UCG 3440×1440 35" 200 Hz overclocked Yes VA Asus PG35VQ 3440x1440 35" 200 Hz Yes AMVA? Asus PG65 3840×2160 65" 120 Hz overclocked Yes ?
List of G-Sync enabled desktop GPUs Architecture Kepler Kepler (refresh) Maxwell Pascal Volta Turing AmpereAda LovelaceBlackwell GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost GeForce GTX 760 GeForce GTX 745 GeForce GT 1030 Titan V GeForce GTX 1650 GeForce RTX 3050GeForce RTX 4060GeForce RTX 5060 GeForce GTX 660 GeForce GTX 770 GeForce GTX 750 GeForce GTX 1050 GeForce GTX 1650 Super GeForce RTX 3060GeForce RTX 4060 TiGeForce RTX 5060 Ti GeForce GTX 660 Ti GeForce GTX 780 GeForce GTX 750 Ti GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GeForce GTX 1660 GeForce RTX 3060 TiGeForce RTX 4070GeForce RTX 5070GeForce GTX 670GeForce GTX 780 TiGeForce GTX 950GeForce GTX 1060GeForce GTX 1660 SuperGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4070 SuperGeForce RTX 5070 ti GeForce GTX 680 GeForce GTX Titan GeForce GTX 960 GeForce GTX 1070 GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GeForce RTX 5080 GeForce GTX 690 GeForce GTX Titan Black GeForce GTX 965M GeForce GTX 1070 Ti GeForce RTX 2060 GeForce RTX 3080GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super GeForce RTX 5090 GeForce GTX Titan Z GeForce GTX 970 GeForce GTX 1080 GeForce RTX 2060 Super GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GeForce RTX 4080 GeForce GTX 970M GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GeForce RTX 2070 GeForce RTX 3090 GeForce RTX 4080 Super GeForce GTX 980 Titan X GeForce RTX 2070 Super GeForce RTX 3090 Ti GeForce RTX 4090 GeForce GTX 980M Titan Xp GeForce RTX 2080 GeForce GTX 980 Ti GeForce RTX 2080 Super GeForce GTX Titan X GeForce RTX 2080 TiRTX Titan
G-Sync notebook Nvidia announced that G-Sync will be available to notebook manufacturers and that in this case, it would not require a special module since the GPU is directly connected to the display without a scaler in between. According to Nvidia, fine tuning is still possible given the fact that all notebooks of the same model will have the same LCD panel, variable overdrive will be calculated by shaders running on the GPU, and a form of frame collision avoidance will also be implemented.
"Big Format" gaming displays At CES 2018 Nvidia announced a line of large gaming monitors built by HP, Asus and Acer with 65-inch panels, 4K, HDR, as well as G-Sync support. The inclusion of G-Sync modules make the monitors among the first TV-sized displays to feature variable refresh-rates.
G-Sync Compatible displays At CES 2019, Nvidia announced that they will support variable refresh rate monitors with FreeSync technology under a new standard named G-Sync Compatible. All monitors under this new standard have been tested by Nvidia to meet their baseline requirements for variable refresh rate and will enable G-Sync automatically when used with an Nvidia GPU. However, users with any FreeSync monitor, including those that are not officially certified may choose to enable the G-Sync option in the Nvidia Control Panel. Unlike G-Sync, G-Sync Compatible displays are only compatible with the GTX 10-series and onwards.
References
External links Nvidia G-Sync overview