Girish Mahajan (Editor)

FreeSync

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Original author(s)
  
AMD

Operating system
  
Cross-platform

Developer(s)
  
AMD

Website
  
AMD FreeSync

FreeSync is the brand name for an adaptive synchronization technology for LCD displays that support a dynamic refresh rate aimed at reducing screen tearing. FreeSync was initially developed by AMD in response to NVidia's G-Sync. FreeSync is royalty-free, free to use, and has no performance penalty.

Contents

Adaptive-Sync

In 2015, VESA announced Adaptive-Sync as an ingredient component of the DisplayPort 1.2a specification; FreeSync is a hardware/software solution that utilizes DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync protocols to enable smooth, tearing-free and low-latency gameplay. FreeSync has a dynamic refresh rate range of 9–240 Hz. FreeSync has also been implemented over HDMI.

Advantages

  • Helps improve battery life by reducing the refresh rate of the panel when the screen is static (meaning, the previous frame was the same as the current one).
  • Ensures that the transition between refresh rate is seamless and undetectable to the user.
  • Can be enabled by plug and play, making it transparent to the operating system and end user.
  • Reduces implementation complexity of the Timing Controller (TCON) and panel by keeping the GPU's pixel clock rate constant and varying blank parameters.
  • Dynamically adapts the display refresh rate to fixed video content frame rate for a power efficient and stutter-free video playback with anything over 30FPS.
  • Dynamically adapts the display refresh rate to variable gaming content render for low latency and a smooth, virtually stutter-free gaming experience.

    • Freesync 2

    In January 2017, AMD announced the second generation of Freesync. Requirements include removing the minimum frame rate, and setting a maximum on screen latency. Freesync 2 also doubles the color and brightness spaces, and communicating the screen's specifications to the driver, enabling automatic support for High dynamic range.

    References

    FreeSync Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA