AMD FreeSync to be enabled in driver update on 19th March

[HEXUS]

Graphics cards, APUs, displays and users wait patiently for the software update.

Read more.

[Chuzz]

Its a lot cheaper than Nvidia G-Sync

[CustardInc]

AMD's newest GPU, Tonga (i.e. R9 285), doesn't fully support FreeSync?

[hairyonion]

Its a lot cheaper than Nvidia G-Sync

The monitors in the UK I have seen aren't that much cheaper. I have even seen gsync monitors cheaper although not a like for like comparision.

[tumbledragon]

Side by side gsync - FreeSync comparison please Hexus

[mudpie]

Side by side gsync - FreeSync comparison please Hexus

What this person said, +1!

[wingtit]

So its a waste of time getting a freesync monitor for my 7970 ghz?

[sykobee]

Yeah, I'd wait for your next GPU upgrade and then get the best monitor that supports the GPU's features at that time. I expect Freesync monitors to drop any premium over normal monitors over the course of this year as it's not any more hardware.

[shaithis]

Or save the money you would have spent on a *-Sync monitor and put it towards a GPU that can handle the refresh rate you want to run at......

[kalniel]

Or save the money you would have spent on a *-Sync monitor and put it towards a GPU that can handle the refresh rate you want to run at......

I thought there wasn't any saving as freesync doesn't cost anything extra.

[shaithis]

I thought there wasn't any saving as freesync doesn't cost anything extra.

Buying a new monitor for a feature your current monitor doesn't support, isn't free.

[maxp779]

AMD's newest GPU, Tonga (i.e. R9 285), doesn't fully support FreeSync?

No it does: "The Radeon R9 295X2, 290X, R9 290, R9 285, R7 260X and R7 260 GPUs and Kaveri, Kabini, Temash, Beema and Mullins APUs will enjoy dynamic refresh rates for gaming, video playback and power saving."

Seems the older cards dont support freesync for gaming though:

"AMD Radeon HD 7000, HD 8000, R7 or R9 Series will all support FreeSync for video playback and power saving."

[CustardInc]

No it does: "The Radeon R9 295X2, 290X, R9 290, R9 285, R7 260X and R7 260 GPUs and Kaveri, Kabini, Temash, Beema and Mullins APUs will enjoy dynamic refresh rates for gaming, video playback and power saving."

Seems the older cards dont support freesync for gaming though:

"AMD Radeon HD 7000, HD 8000, R7 or R9 Series will all support FreeSync for video playback and power saving."

Unless I'm going mad, I think it's been revised

[kalniel]

Unless I'm going mad, I think it's been revised

Current article from AMD states:

"The AMD Radeon™ R9 295X2, 290X, R9 290, R9 285, R7 260X and R7 260 GPUs additionally feature updated display controllers that will support dynamic refresh rates during gaming."

http://support.amd.com/en-us/search/faq/219

Buying a new monitor for a feature your current monitor doesn't support, isn't free.

But no additional cost over buying a monitor without freesync, hopefully.

[spl]

I thought there wasn't any saving as freesync doesn't cost anything extra.

I'm pretty sure additional scaler hardware has to be built in to the monitor? The only cost saving vs G-Sync then would be that cheap scalers could be used instead of proprietary hardware.

[DanceswithUnix]

I'm pretty sure additional scaler hardware has to be built in to the monitor? The only cost saving vs G-Sync then would be that cheap scalers could be used instead of proprietary hardware.

It seems that DisplayPort capable monitors are still expensive compared to VGA/DVI/HDMI monitors. Looks like it will be a while before it becomes properly cheap.