AMD FreeSync Update
by Jarred Walton on March 5, 2015 12:30 PM EST
There are plenty of users looking for FreeSync displays, and for those of us in the US we will have to wait a bit longer. However, AMD sends word today that FreeSync displays are now available in select regions in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa). We're still awaiting final information on pricing and we've asked AMD for details on which monitors are shipping.
While we can't come to any real conclusions without true hands on experience with testing FreeSync displays across a variety of games, this should hopefully be a pretty straightforward piece of hardware. At this time I'd argue that the panel technology is just as important as the adaptive VSYNC, as having to go with a TN panel to get higher refresh rates tends to be a case of one step forward, one step back. Thankfully, there should be IPS FreeSync displays (alongside TN models) available.
Of course having a FreeSync display won't do you much good without an appropriate FreeSync enabled driver, and AMD announced that they will have a publicly available FreeSync driver posted on their website on March 19. There's a corollary that's just as important, however: a driver with support for CrossFire configurations won't be available until the following month. If you're running an AMD GPU and have been looking forward to adaptive refresh rates, the wait is nearly over.
Update: In the UK at least, OverclockersUK has several FreeSync models available. The BenQ XL2730Z at £498, the LG Flatron 34UM67 for £500 and the Acer Predator XG277HU for £430 are listed with the BenQ listed in stock.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
55 Comments
View All Comments
Harry Lloyd - Friday, March 6, 2015 - link
If you are saying that there is a bigger difference between 60 an 100 Hz, than between medium and ultra details, then you are an alien from another dimension in the future.SlyNine - Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - link
The difference between 60hz and 100hz is huge to everyone I've asked (blind tests with my monitors), ie normal people. Depending on the game the difference between medium and ultra varies.Midwayman - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
I'm hoping gaming orientated 4k will have a clean 1080p mode with simple pixel doubling.praeses - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
I would be pretty happy with somewhere between 32-42" 3840x1600 @ 96hz 8bpc 4:4:4 w/Freesync, that should be doable with display port 1.2. Maybe if more people share my interest and voice up, we might get such a monitor (hint hint).D. Lister - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
I look forward to a quality/usability comparison with G-Sync. Although I'm predicting that such an article would end with something like "[FreeSync] needs more work, but step in the right direction." Of course knowing AMD's track record with implementing promised features, that "more work" will never actually happen.medi03 - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
Are you at least paid for this crap?D. Lister - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
lol, nah, it is completely out of charity. How's that "Mantle" thing going, BTW? :PTheJian - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
I think he means Mantle was supposed to ship for everyone, but now it's dead. It was supposed to be open, not it's not (smart people always knew in never would be). etc.tuxRoller - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
Dead yet still living on in vulkan...D. Lister - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
... and by the will of our lord AMDhova, the holy FreeSync shall live on as well, maybe not as a variable refresh rate solution, but certainly in the smiles of young children everywhere. :D