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Die Video Electronics Standards Association, kurz VESA, gab heute bekannt, dass der neue Displayport-Standard der Version 1.2a jetzt offiziell "Adaptive-Sync" enthält. Hinter diesem Begriff steckt die variable Display-Refreshrate, die Nvidia unter dem Namen G-Sync auf hardwaremäßig speziell dafür ausgerüstete Monitore und exklusiv für Geforce-Karten mit Kepler-GPUs erstmals vorgestellt hat. Die Technologie hinter G-Sync ist im mobilen Sektor als Teil des embedded Displayport-Standards (eDP) bereits länger im Einsatz, wo die variable Refreshrate in erster Linie zum Stromsparen genutzt wird. Für Gamer interessanter ist dagegen der Ansatz, durch die variable Refreshrate typische Artefakte wie Tearing zu bekämpfen, ohne VSync einzusetzen, das neue Probleme mit sich bringt.
Bereits kurz nach Nvidias Vorstellung hatte AMD für einen möglichen offenen Standard mit dem Titel "Free Sync" geworben, der die adaptive Refreshrate für alle hardwareseitig dazu fähigen Monitore und Grafikkarten ermöglichen sollte.
Mit der heutigen Ankündigung der VESA ist "Free Sync" alias "Adaptive Sync" nun Teil der offiziellen VESA DP Spezifikation, und kann daher von allen Monitor- und Grafikkartenherstellern eingesetzt werden. Wie bei G-Sync werden bei Monitoren dazu interne Änderungen an der Hardware (spezieller Scaler, der mit der variablen Refreshrate umgehen kann) nötig sein, daher ist zu erwarten, dass auch mit dem offiziellen Standard nur ausgewählte Monitore Adaptive Sync unterstützen werden. Adaptive Sync-fähige Monitore werden vermutlich mit einem entsprechenden Logo gekennzeichnet werden.
Quellen: VESA, Computerbase, PCGH
Update: Auf brightsideofnews.com findet sich ein Q&A mit AMD zum Thema Adaptive Sync / Free Sync.
Spoiler: gesamte Fragen und Antworten
Q:What is DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync?
A: DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync is a new addition to the DisplayPort™ 1.2a specification, ported from the embedded DisplayPort™ v1.0 specification. DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync provides an industry-standard mechanism that enables real-time adjustment of a monitor’s refresh rate of a display over a DisplayPort™ link.
Q: What is Project FreeSync?
A: Project FreeSync is an AMD effort to leverage industry standards, like DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync, to deliver dynamic refresh rates. Dynamic refresh rates synchronize the refresh rate of a compatible monitor to the framerate of a user’s AMD Radeon™ graphics to reduce or eliminate stuttering, juddering and/or tearing during gaming and video playback.
Q: How are DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync and Project FreeSync different?
A: DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync is an ingredient DisplayPort™ feature that enables real-time adjustment of monitor refresh rates required by technologies like Project FreeSync. Project FreeSync is a unique AMD hardware/software solution that utilizes DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync protocols to enable user-facing benefits: smooth, tearing-free and low-latency gameplay and video.
Q: Is DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync the industry-standard version of Project FreeSync?
A: The DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync specification was ported from the Embedded DisplayPort™ specification through a proposal to the VESA group by AMD. DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync is an ingredient feature of a DisplayPort™ link and an industry standard that enables technologies like Project FreeSync.
Q: What are the requirements to use FreeSync?
A: To take advantage of the benefits of Project FreeSync, users will require: a monitor compatible with DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync, a compatible AMD Radeon™ GPU with a DisplayPort™ connection, and a compatible AMD Catalyst™ graphics driver. AMD plans to release a compatible graphics driver to coincide with the introduction of the first DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync monitors.
Q: When can I buy a monitor compatible with Project FreeSync?
A: AMD has undertaken every necessary effort to enable Project FreeSync in the display ecosystem. Monitor vendors are now integrating the DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync specification and productizing compatible displays. AMD is working closely with these vendors to bring products to market, and we expect compatible monitors within 6-12 months.
Q: What AMD Radeon™ GPUs are compatible with Project FreeSync?
A: The first discrete GPUs compatible with Project FreeSync are the AMD Radeon™ R9 290X, R9 290, R7 260X and R7 260 graphics cards. Project FreeSync is also compatible with AMD APUs codenamed “Kabini,” “Temash,” “Beema,” and “Mullins.” All compatible products must be connected via DisplayPort™ to a display that supports DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync.
Q: How is Project Freesync different from NVIDIA G-Sync?
A: While both technologies have similar benefits, G-Sync uses expensive and proprietary hardware. In contrast, Project FreeSync utilizes the industry-standard DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync specification to promote wider adoption, lower cost of ownership, and a broad ecosystem of compatibility.
Q: Why should gamers purchase a system that utilizes Project FreeSync?
A: Project FreeSync’s ability to synchronize the refresh rate of a display to the framerate of a graphics card can eliminate visual artifacts that many gamers are especially sensitive to: screen tearing, input lag, and stuttering. Project FreeSync aims to accomplish this through an open ecosystem that does not require licensing fees from participants, which encourages broad adoption and low end-user costs.
Q: What is the supported range of refresh rates with FreeSync and DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync?
A: AMD Radeon™ graphics cards will support a wide variety of dynamic refresh ranges with Project FreeSync. Using DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync, the graphics card can detect and set an appropriate maximum and minimum refresh rate based on the capabilities reported by the display. Potential ranges include 36-240Hz, 21-144Hz, 17-120Hz and 9-60Hz.
A: DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync is a new addition to the DisplayPort™ 1.2a specification, ported from the embedded DisplayPort™ v1.0 specification. DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync provides an industry-standard mechanism that enables real-time adjustment of a monitor’s refresh rate of a display over a DisplayPort™ link.
Q: What is Project FreeSync?
A: Project FreeSync is an AMD effort to leverage industry standards, like DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync, to deliver dynamic refresh rates. Dynamic refresh rates synchronize the refresh rate of a compatible monitor to the framerate of a user’s AMD Radeon™ graphics to reduce or eliminate stuttering, juddering and/or tearing during gaming and video playback.
Q: How are DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync and Project FreeSync different?
A: DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync is an ingredient DisplayPort™ feature that enables real-time adjustment of monitor refresh rates required by technologies like Project FreeSync. Project FreeSync is a unique AMD hardware/software solution that utilizes DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync protocols to enable user-facing benefits: smooth, tearing-free and low-latency gameplay and video.
Q: Is DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync the industry-standard version of Project FreeSync?
A: The DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync specification was ported from the Embedded DisplayPort™ specification through a proposal to the VESA group by AMD. DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync is an ingredient feature of a DisplayPort™ link and an industry standard that enables technologies like Project FreeSync.
Q: What are the requirements to use FreeSync?
A: To take advantage of the benefits of Project FreeSync, users will require: a monitor compatible with DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync, a compatible AMD Radeon™ GPU with a DisplayPort™ connection, and a compatible AMD Catalyst™ graphics driver. AMD plans to release a compatible graphics driver to coincide with the introduction of the first DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync monitors.
Q: When can I buy a monitor compatible with Project FreeSync?
A: AMD has undertaken every necessary effort to enable Project FreeSync in the display ecosystem. Monitor vendors are now integrating the DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync specification and productizing compatible displays. AMD is working closely with these vendors to bring products to market, and we expect compatible monitors within 6-12 months.
Q: What AMD Radeon™ GPUs are compatible with Project FreeSync?
A: The first discrete GPUs compatible with Project FreeSync are the AMD Radeon™ R9 290X, R9 290, R7 260X and R7 260 graphics cards. Project FreeSync is also compatible with AMD APUs codenamed “Kabini,” “Temash,” “Beema,” and “Mullins.” All compatible products must be connected via DisplayPort™ to a display that supports DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync.
Q: How is Project Freesync different from NVIDIA G-Sync?
A: While both technologies have similar benefits, G-Sync uses expensive and proprietary hardware. In contrast, Project FreeSync utilizes the industry-standard DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync specification to promote wider adoption, lower cost of ownership, and a broad ecosystem of compatibility.
Q: Why should gamers purchase a system that utilizes Project FreeSync?
A: Project FreeSync’s ability to synchronize the refresh rate of a display to the framerate of a graphics card can eliminate visual artifacts that many gamers are especially sensitive to: screen tearing, input lag, and stuttering. Project FreeSync aims to accomplish this through an open ecosystem that does not require licensing fees from participants, which encourages broad adoption and low end-user costs.
Q: What is the supported range of refresh rates with FreeSync and DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync?
A: AMD Radeon™ graphics cards will support a wide variety of dynamic refresh ranges with Project FreeSync. Using DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync, the graphics card can detect and set an appropriate maximum and minimum refresh rate based on the capabilities reported by the display. Potential ranges include 36-240Hz, 21-144Hz, 17-120Hz and 9-60Hz.
Die interessantesten Informationen kurz zusammengefasst:
Wie oben bereits angedeutet, ist AMDs "Free Sync" die Implementation des VESA-Standards "Adaptive Sync" (ebenso kann G-Sync als Nvidias Implementation von Adaptive Sync bezeichnet werden). Adaptive Sync soll in der Lage sein, Refreshraten (je nach Fähigkeiten des Monitors) zb zwischen 36-240Hz, 21-144Hz, 17-120Hz und 9-60Hz dynamisch auszuwählen (G-Sync bietet aktuell 30-144 Hz). So kann je nach Anwendung eine ideale Refreshrate gewählt werden, zb. nur 10Hz für den ruhenden Desktop, um somit Strom zu sparen, oder aber "30-120+ Hz" für Gaming, um stehts flüssige und tearingfreie Bildausgabe zu gewährleisten.
Neben der zweifellos positiven Einführung eines industrieweiten Standards kommen in AMDs Antworten jedoch auch noch einige Pferdefüße zum Vorschein. So rechnet AMD frühestens in 6-12 Monaten mit Free Sync-fähigen Monitoren. Darüberhinaus spricht AMD davon, dass "zuerst" nur Grafikkarten der "GCN1.1"-Generation (inoffizielle Bezeichnung) zur Nutzung von Free Sync fähig sein werden - dies sind somit nur die R9 290(X), R7 260(X) und die integrierten Grafikkerne von Kabini, Temash, Mullins und Beema (auch die Grafinkeinheit von Kaveri sollte das gleiche Techlevel besitzen und damit zu den nutzbaren GPUs gehören; sie wird jedoch von AMD hier nicht erwähnt). Damit ist vorerst unklar, ob ältere GCN-Karten der HD7000-Serie oder gar noch ältere GPUs je mit Adaptive Sync / Free Sync funktionsfähig sein werden.

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