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.
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HollyDOL - Saturday, March 7, 2015 - link
Thanks for info, I'll look into that a bit more, atm I don't understand how VFR could do just with container support - at least encoder needs to inspect frames and extend/drop those that have difference below some delta. Kind of extension of I/P/B frame philosophy.mikato - Friday, March 6, 2015 - link
WTF is EMEA and when did it become a thing? Is it next to Oceania? Do we live in CONUS or maybe NASA? I'll be vacationing in ANZAC this summer (their winter). Don't get me started on POTUS, SCOTUS, and .... COTUS? (almost COITUS there... Sheldon is that you?) What's the point of an acronym (duh shortening) if you purposely add in "of the United States" to make it longer. Because you sound cool and politico saying it? Give me a break. Politico, I hate that! But I still made it an adjective. And what happened to the A for America? POTUSA? Sounds like a Sanjay Gupta CNN special."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"
F*** TN.
Friday morning stream of consciousness hate! lol. Go FreeSync, there. Now give me some Carrizo.
geok1ng - Friday, March 6, 2015 - link
I do not get the part about IPS free sync without mention to VA free sync. Last gen VA panels reached faster gtG pixel transition times than competing IPS panels, and this without the use of overdrive.http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/philips_bdm406...
Oxford Guy - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Unfortunately you're also looking at moderate input lag.Will Robinson - Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - link
Of course the sweet spot is with IPS and FreeSync.All out gamers can grab the TN panels now for wicked fast response numbers but many users like me will wait for the rich color palette and plushness that a high end IPS display brings.
Good to see FreeSync is finally available,hope they do well and sell plenty.