New Nvidia G-Sync monitors won’t need a separate module anymore

Monitors with Nvidia’s G-Sync technology, which syncs full frames between the graphics card and display panel to prevent tearing, are more expensive than their AMD FreeSync counterparts. That’s because full G-Sync capabilities require an extra electronics board inside the display.

But according to a recent press release, new G-Sync gaming monitors from Acer, AOC, and Asus won’t need that extra board.

The new “G-Sync Pulsar” standard is made in cooperation with chip designer MediaTek and allows the motion-smoothing tech to be integrated into a monitor’s existing primary electronics board instead of breaking it out into a separate module.

That means simpler manufacturing at a lower cost, and the end result will be cheaper G-Sync monitors… or, at least cheaper than they might otherwise be. All three of the new models announced at Gamescom are 27-inch 1440p designs with 360Hz refresh rates, which probably won’t be bargains when they release later this year.

These new G-Sync monitors shouldn’t be confused with “G-Sync compatible” monitors, which are monitors that can do some basic motion-smoothing, frame-matching work without being “G-Sync Certified.”

The “compatible” label is a way for Nvidia to offer some anti-tearing functionality with its graphics cards on cheaper displays, competing more effectively with the wide-open FreeSync. (AMD recently tightened up some of its own standards, too.)

But the full suite of G-Sync features — sometimes labeled “G-Sync Ultimate” — still has specific hardware requirements for monitors, including those separate components. So, even with this G-Sync Pulsar partnership condensing those capabilities into fewer chips, those features will still be limited to very specific screens. We’re just hoping those screens might not cost quite as much.

Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld