Overwatch was one of the games announced as compatible with this NVIDIA Reflex technology, but initially the concrete support of its sub-technologies (Reflex Low Latency Mode, Low Latency Boost, Low Latency Mode UI, In-Game Latency Stats and Reflex Latency Analyzer Flash Indicator) remained to be defined.
NVIDIA Reflex in Overwatch, is it worth it?
Today (and even for many years), Blizzard is one of the most popular game developers, and to get there they always need to be “up to date” with the implementation of new improvements and technologies. That the implementation of NVIDIA Reflex was almost mandatory. This technology aims to reduce system latency by combining NVIDIA GPUs with G-Sync technology monitors and specifically certified peripherals, all available on the company’s website.
NVIDIA Reflex dynamically reduces system latency by combining both GPU and in-game optimizations developers had to implement, meaning it doesn’t work in all games; the player gets a much more responsive experience in exchange for a very specific system, which translates into a competitive advantage.
Today we can see how much this new technology is helping Overwatch, Blizzard’s first esports-like game.
As you can see in the graphic above, Blizzard tested three NVIDIA graphics cards from three different ranges and generations: an RTX 3080, an RTX 2060, and a GTX 1660 Super. The three GPUs cover different segments, so they’re a good indication of what to expect in the game.
Starting with the GTX 1660 Super, system latency (measured in milliseconds) was reduced by over 50% with NVIDIA Reflex, while with the mid-range RTX 2060 the improvement is virtually the same (not literally 50% but almost). With the high-end RTX 3080 the gain is smaller, and yet you also see a noticeable reduction in latency reaching the lowest latency of any GPU tested.
What’s the benefit of lower latency in games?
When we talk about NVIDIA Reflex technology and we refer to the system latency, it means the time it takes between you perform an action (send a command) such as shooting by clicking the mouse and that is reflected on the screen. This order, say, is generated in the mouse, from the mouse it goes to the USB port of the PC, it goes through the motherboard, then to the processor, the processor sends the processed order to the GPU and the GPU to the monitor. With Reflex, the mouse is connected directly to the monitor and the latency is reduced because we have eliminated all the intermediate steps.
This means that, especially in FPS type games where you want to hit a moving target, the accuracy increases a lot because from the moment you point and shoot until the action is reflected on the screen. , in the milliseconds that have exceeded the target. has already moved and may mean you’re missing your shot, outright.
