[AT]AMD Demonstrates "FreeSync", Free G-Sync Alternative, at CES 2014

[Nintendesert]

I like the idea of GSYNC and it's more elegant than what AMD's proposing if I'm reading it right. I don't like the idea of paying an early adopter tax for GSYNC though. Especially if it means I have to sell my relatively new eIPS triple-monitor setup. So I will keep playing wait and see.

Edit to add: I didn't catch this part until I looked closer: "The GPU’s display engine needs to support it, as do the panel and display hardware itself. If all of the components support this spec however, then you can get what appears to be the equivalent of G-Sync without any extra hardware."

If that's the case, this is NOT an answer to GSYNC as long as most panels don't support it. If a few mobile panels already support it, fine, but I don't game on mobile. So whether i go GSYNC or FreeSync, I'd have to upgrade my monitors. Ugh.

From Anandtech:

In the case of the Toshiba Satellite Click, the panel already supports variable VBLANK. AMD’s display engines have supported variable VBLANK for a couple of generations, and that extends all the way down to APUs. The Satellite Click in question uses AMD’s low cost Kabini APU, which already has the requisite hardware to support variable VBLANK and thus variable display refresh rates (Kaveri as well as AMD's latest GPUs should support it as well). AMD simply needed driver support for controlling VBLANK timing, which is present in the latest Catalyst drivers. AMD hasn’t yet exposed any of the controls to end users, but all of the pieces in this demo are ready and already available.

So without a FreeSync BS labeling EVERYTHING is already there. The panel supports the standard, the GPU does, even the drivers already do. Why this wasn't done earlier I have no idea, but I'd love to see some real numbers on which panels do and don't support the VBLANK control within the VESA standard. Do you have that information or was your claim just made up?

 

[moonbogg]

I like the idea of GSYNC and it's more elegant than what AMD's proposing if I'm reading it right. I don't like the idea of paying an early adopter tax for GSYNC though. Especially if it means I have to sell my relatively new eIPS triple-monitor setup. So I will keep playing wait and see.

Edit to add: I didn't catch this part until I looked closer: "The GPU’s display engine needs to support it, as do the panel and display hardware itself. If all of the components support this spec however, then you can get what appears to be the equivalent of G-Sync without any extra hardware."

If that's the case, this is NOT an answer to GSYNC as long as most panels don't support it. If a few mobile panels already support it, fine, but I don't game on mobile. So whether i go GSYNC or FreeSync, I'd have to upgrade my monitors. Ugh.

This is so ridiculous! (not you). This is like saying, "if we lived in a perfect world where everyone was rich, then we'd live in a perfect world where everyone was rich! So stop working in the mean time!"

LOL it so ridiculous to say that "if all monitors and all video cards did what Gsync did, then all monitors and all video cards would do what Gsync did, but for free!"

LOL:biggrin::biggrin:

 

[Enigmoid]

I like the idea of GSYNC and it's more elegant than what AMD's proposing if I'm reading it right. I don't like the idea of paying an early adopter tax for GSYNC though. Especially if it means I have to sell my relatively new eIPS triple-monitor setup. So I will keep playing wait and see.

Edit to add: I didn't catch this part until I looked closer: "The GPU’s display engine needs to support it, as do the panel and display hardware itself. If all of the components support this spec however, then you can get what appears to be the equivalent of G-Sync without any extra hardware."

If that's the case, this is NOT an answer to GSYNC as long as most panels don't support it. If a few mobile panels already support it, fine, but I don't game on mobile. So whether i go GSYNC or FreeSync, I'd have to upgrade my monitors. Ugh.

Isn't the bolded the exact same thing for GSYNC?

Works as long as GPU, Panel and display support it?

Personally I can't see any difference between the two.

 

[NTMBK]

AMD's past history of delivering is relevant. Sorry if that bothers you. I'd bet money that free-sync will never come to fruition. Hope they prove me wrong. But i'm almost sure that it will be like nearly everything AMD does. All talk and all marketing.

With g-sync , you know it's happening. It is real with monitor vendors making g-sync panels. Where the panel vendors for freesync? AMD has no plan to bring this to market. Hell, this was STATED in the article linked by the OP. What does that tell you? They have NO CONCRETE PLANS for this to come to market? How many monitor manufacturers have they convinced? I'd bet that number is between -1 and 0.

Don't get me wrong. If it happens, great. I just don't exactly have faith in AMD delivering. IMO, they just want people to have the perception that there is a g-sync alternative coming. When there probably isn't. Which is why the article states that AMD has talked to zero manufacturers and does not have a concrete plan to bring it to market.

The fact that they could literally grab an off the shelf laptop and get it working with only software gives me hope. Hopefully they will at least enable this in a future driver update and get it working on the (presumably few) displays that it already works on, and then start harassing manufacturers into supporting the standard.

(The key word there is obviously hopefully.)

 

[NTMBK]

Isn't the bolded the exact same thing for GSYNC?

Works as long as GPU, Panel and display support it?

Personally I can't see any difference between the two.

But there are already panels out there that support it, as shown by the fact that they got it working on a Toshiba off the shelf laptop.

 

[sontin]

Lol, reading into this, V-BLANK alone doesnt allow for a variable framerate.
Great alternative, really. Who doesnt want to adjust every second the hz of the monitor.

 

[moonbogg]

But there are already panels out there that support it, as shown by the fact that they got it working on a Toshiba off the shelf laptop.

So we can try to game with an off the shelf Toshiba laptop with no driver support for the free gsync, or we can pray to many gods that all manufacturs, in their infinite wisdom in trying to save a few watts on the desktop, implement this mobile feature into their desktop monitors and then all GPUs get proper driver support.
You can wait, lol. I'll buy a Gsync monitor in a few weeks if I want this feature.

AMD is trolling the whole EARTH with this ridiculous nonsense! Its so funny I can't contain myself!

 

[Nintendesert]

But there are already panels out there that support it, as shown by the fact that they got it working on a Toshiba off the shelf laptop.

There are some claims in the article's comment section that all panels could support this with a firmware update. How accurate that is, I don't know. I'd like to know who manufactures the Toshiba panel because I bet they manufacture a lot of other panels for a lot of other companies too.

I really want more from Anandtech on this.

 

[DarkKnightDude]

Competition at its finest.

 

[blackened23]

*cough* marketing at its finest you mean



There is no need for the thread crapping. Please stop.

-Rvenger

 

[Silverforce11]

Competition at its finest.

Maybe this might make NV charge less a premium for their GSync module... and even loyal NV gamers will benefit! Win win.

 

[monstercameron]

Competition at its finest.

very true.

 

[DarkKnightDude]

Maybe this might make NV charge less a premium for their GSync module... and even loyal NV gamers will benefit! Win win.

Exactly, and AMD will be forced to release this and make improvements to it. Win-win for sure for everyone. No complaints.

This also seems like something that would benefit AMD's APUs actually.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

You guys sure you aren't getting ahead of yourselves?

 

[NTMBK]

You guys sure you aren't getting ahead of yourselves?

There's this other guy who calls himself "Anand" who seems pretty positive about it too.

In our review I was pretty pleased with G-Sync. I’d be even more pleased if all panels/systems supported it. AMD’s “FreeSync” seems like a step in that direction (and a sensible one too that doesn’t require any additional hardware). If variable VBLANK control is indeed integrated into all modern AMD GPUs, that means the Xbox One and PS4 should also have support for this. Given G-Sync’s sweet spot at between 40 - 60 fps, I feel like “FreeSync” would be a big win for AMD’s APUs.

 

[bystander36]

There are definitely a lot of question marks at this point. It is potentially good.

 

[Paul98]

Cool, I will be waiting to hear specifics. Any links yet or will more be shown next few days during CES?

 

[taserbro]

But there are already panels out there that support it, as shown by the fact that they got it working on a Toshiba off the shelf laptop.

Why use a laptop for the demo and does it work on regular desktop lcd monitors that only have a dvi port?

I'm drooling hard at the potential prospect of getting g-sync without the expensive gear and cabling but if it's one of those things that only happened by luck to be mcgyvered on a laptop's lvds connection, then I'm getting my hopes up for nothing.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

There's this other guy who calls himself "Anand" who seems pretty positive about it too.

I'm not sure what your point is.

 

[blackened23]

There's this other guy who calls himself "Anand" who seems pretty positive about it too.

Are you sure? He said g-sync was more impressive. He also said that AMD has no plans to work with anyone to actually bring this to market. For once, I want to see AMD shut up and put their money where their mouth is. And actually deliver. Their track record on actually delivering on promises is rather pathetic.

I want to see the panel makers lined up for freesync.
I want a time for release.
etc.

Right now it's just a marketing stunt aimed at nvidia as far as I can tell. With no plans for actual products to market.

 

[NTMBK]

I'm not sure what your point is.

My point is that I don't understand the unbridled negativity that you and others are showing towards this. If it works out, it'll be getting us all a cool technology at a lower price and with greater availability. If not, then yeah, AMD screwed up. *shrug*

 

[3DVagabond]

Exactly, and AMD will be forced to release this and make improvements to it. Win-win for sure for everyone. No complaints.

This also seems like something that would benefit AMD's APUs actually.

Yes, it seems the improvement is for operating below the refresh rate which would help lower performing devices more.

 

[NTMBK]

Are you sure? He said g-sync was more impressive. He also said that AMD has no plans to work with anyone to actually bring this to market.

Yes, I'm sure. Did you read the quote?

 

[Nintendesert]

Are you sure? He said g-sync was more impressive. He also said that AMD has no plans to work with anyone to actually bring this to market.

Come on, that last portion is a straight up lie.

 

[Paul98]

My point is that I don't understand the unbridled negativity that you and others are showing towards this. If it works out, it'll be getting us all a cool technology at a lower price and with greater availability. If not, then yeah, AMD screwed up. *shrug*

If one company releases something they can only see the positive, if the other company releases something it is doomed to fail.

It's sad when you are looking for actual information on it.