As we always say, there is no point in having a high-end gaming PC that gives you extraordinary performance if you don’t accompany it with a few matching peripherals, one of which of course is the monitor. G-Sync technology guarantees you smoother gameplay and not only because of the high refresh rate of monitors, but also because it is changeable and thus avoids the effects of tearing and stuttering, making the gaming experience the best. best possible. .
What is G-Sync technology?
Prior to the arrival of this technology in 2013 and when it was done by adding a physical module to monitors which is no longer required today, the effects of stuttering, flickering and tearing were very common (and unpleasant) in games. . G-Sync technology makes it possible to synchronize the refresh rate of the screen with the frame rate per second that the GPU is capable of generating, so that they work in unison to generate much smoother images.
These typical and common problems could only be solved by enabling vertical synchronization (V-Sync) in games, and that only if the GPU was able to generate as much FPS as Hz had the monitor at all times, because in the Right now if the values weren’t the same, we had the same problem again. G-Sync was the first real solution to the problem, but with the downside of having to add a physical module to monitors or laptops to synchronize FPS with screen Hz has skyrocketed the cost. .
Nowadays, things have changed and although monitors continue to use the physical module in some cases, the cost of it is not as high as it was when technology started. In addition, many monitors now support G-Sync even without this module and allow almost as good gaming experience. Lastly, finally, NVIDIA has added the Ultimate category to this technology for monitors that meet a series of requirements and standards set by the company and that they believe ensure the best possible gaming experience.
Differences between G-Sync, G-Sync Ultimate and G-Sync compatible
Next, we’ll reflect NVIDIA’s own definition of these three levels:
- G-Sync compatible: They do not use NVIDIA processors, but are brand validated to provide a good and easy variable refresh experience, as well as a gaming experience without image fragmentation or flickering.
- G-Sync: features an NVIDIA G-Sync processor to deliver a fantastic experience without image fragmentation, flickering or input lag. Both amateur and professional gamers can count on a wide range of Variable Refresh Rates (VRR) and Variable Overdrive for a crisp picture and exceptional gaming experience.
- G-Sync Ultimate: Includes best NVIDIA G-Sync processors for the best gaming experience; features HDR, stunning contrast, cinema-class color, and ultra-low latency gameplay.
Therefore, the main difference of G-Sync Compatible with the other two categories is precisely that the monitor does not integrate an NVIDIA hardware module to be able to offer the variable refresh rate, but despite everything these monitors have been validated by the brand and You will be able to enjoy VRR without any problem, even configuring it through the NVIDIA control panel since, as we said, they have been tested and validated by the brand.
On the other hand we have the “normal” G-Sync monitors, which have also been validated by NVIDIA but which in this case integrate the brand’s processor and, in addition, have been certified in more than 300 tests (tests which, all to be said, the brand has not revealed what they are).
Finally we have G-Sync Ultimate, the highest category of the brand and which for the moment is only reserved for the most high-end monitors. It incorporates the NVIDIA processor and they are of course guaranteed, validated and certified by the 300 tests of the previous category, and the difference is essentially that these monitors must also be HDR compatible.
Is it worth paying more for the Ultimate category?
According to NVIDIA, only G-Sync Ultimate certified monitors provide the best gaming experience, although it’s true that by their own standards the only difference is that they offer HDR. However, and this is more a matter of monitor manufacturers than NVIDIA, this certification seems to be reserved for high-end monitors only and not just because they incorporate HDR, but because they are the models with the highest resolution, the largest format and of course with higher refresh rates which today reach 360 Hz.
Therefore, it is not worth paying more for a monitor of the G-Sync Ultimate category, in reality you will not pay more for it but because its technical specifications are always higher than those integrated by the monitors. with a simple G-Sync certification. . For example, today you have a Dell S2721DGFA monitor that has 1440p resolution, Nano IPS panel, 165Hz refresh rate with 1ms response time and that has HDR10 with 400 nits of peak brightness, quite a high definition monitor. that it has a simple G-Sync category and not the Ultimate just because the manufacturer wanted it. With this we want to tell you that not because a monitor has G-Sync and HDR will have the certification, outright.