frame rates and refresh rates

[edm]

ok, I just have a quick question about something I just read. It was an article from nvidia which states that "Displaying images faster than the refresh rate of the monitor results in wasted graphics computing power, as the monitor is unable to update it's[sic] phosphors (or display) that fast, essentially wasting frame rate beyond its refresh rate".

Now, I know this is the case with vsync on, but is this also the case with it off (as stated by nvidia)? I was always under the impression that with vsync off, your monitor would display frame rates past you monitors refresh rate.

 

[Squally Leonharty]

Some games handle vsync off much better than others. Halo, for example, works perfectly fine with vsync off, whereas Unreal Tournament will show tearing if the frame rate goes beyond the monitor's current refresh rate.

 

[edm]

Thanks. I do understand that. But I guess what I'm asking is... is a monitor physically capable of displaying frame rates beyond the monitors maximum refresh rate? which for myself is usually 120. Meaning, if I play a game at 150 fps, am I actually only seeing 120 fps? According to what nvida says, the answer is yes. is this correct?

anyway, I know it's a pretty useless question since anything over 100 frames is negligible anyway. but I got into a disagreement with someone about this when they pulled out the quote from nvidia

 

[Marsumane]

Originally posted by: edm
Thanks. I do understand that. But I guess what I'm asking is... is a monitor physically capable of displaying frame rates beyond the monitors maximum refresh rate? which for myself is usually 120. Meaning, if I play a game at 150 fps, am I actually only seeing 120 fps? According to what nvida says, the answer is yes. is this correct?

anyway, I know it's a pretty useless question since anything over 100 frames is negligible anyway. but I got into a disagreement with someone about this when they pulled out the quote from nvidia

Nvidia is correct. You cant see frames faster then your monitor can display, aka the refresh rate. Also, i dont consider it a useless question.

 

[VIAN]

Yes, no matter your choice of Vsync, your monitor will never be able to show any number of frames past it's refresh rate.

anyway, I know it's a pretty useless question since anything over 100 frames is negligible anyway.

This is a misconception. The true number is too high for us to test, probably near 1000.

 

[BFG10K]

is a monitor physically capable of displaying frame rates beyond the monitors maximum refresh rate?

Yes and no. The amount of full frames it can display is still determined by its refresh rate but with vsync off multiple (partial) frames can be displayed into each frame.