Variable Frame Rate (VFR) gaming refers to a display technology that allows your monitor's refresh rate to dynamically adjust in real-time to match the frame rate output by your graphics card.
Understanding Variable Frame Rate in Gaming
In traditional gaming setups, monitors refresh at a fixed rate (e.g., 60Hz, 120Hz). When the game's frame rate doesn't perfectly align with this fixed refresh rate, it can lead to visual issues like screen tearing (where parts of multiple frames are displayed simultaneously) or stuttering (where the display waits for the next frame).
Variable Frame Rate (VFR) in gaming, often implemented through technologies like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), solves this by enabling the display to refresh exactly when a new frame is ready from the graphics card.
How VFR Works in Gaming (VRR/Adaptive Sync)
Instead of the display refreshing at a constant interval, a VFR-compatible display waits for the graphics card to signal that a new frame is complete. Once the signal is received, the display refreshes to show that new frame immediately.
- Key Technologies:
- HDMI 2.1 VRR: An industry-standard VRR feature supported over the HDMI 2.1 interface.
- AMD FreeSync™: AMD's adaptive synchronization technology, typically working over DisplayPort and HDMI.
- NVIDIA G-SYNC®: NVIDIA's adaptive synchronization technology, primarily over DisplayPort, with G-SYNC Compatible versions working over DisplayPort and HDMI.
Benefits of VFR in Gaming
Utilizing VFR technology can significantly enhance the gaming experience.
- Smoother Visuals: By eliminating tearing and stuttering, gameplay appears noticeably smoother, especially when frame rates fluctuate.
- Reduced Screen Tearing: This is one of the primary benefits, ensuring that frames are displayed whole and in order.
- Lower Input Lag: In some cases, synchronizing the display directly with the GPU can slightly reduce the delay between user input and the action appearing on screen compared to using VSync (a traditional method to combat tearing that often adds lag).
Considerations
To benefit from VFR in gaming, you need compatible hardware:
- A graphics card (GPU) that supports the specific VFR technology (e.g., FreeSync or G-SYNC/VRR).
- A monitor or display device (TV) that also supports the same VFR technology.
Variable Frame Rate in Video Compression
It's important to note that the term Variable Frame Rate (VFR) also has a meaning in the context of video compression. According to the provided reference:
- Variable frame rate (or VFR) is a term in video compression for a feature supported by some container formats which allows for the frame rate to change actively during video playback, or to drop the idea of frame rate completely and set an individual timecode for each frame.
This application of VFR in video is different from its use in gaming. In video, VFR is about making the video file more efficient by using fewer frames during static scenes or varying the frame rate based on content complexity. Each frame might be stamped with a unique timecode, providing flexibility in playback timing.
Relating VFR in Gaming and Video
While the underlying concept of a non-fixed frame rate is common, VFR in video compression and VFR in gaming serve different purposes:
- Video VFR: A technique used during video encoding and playback to optimize file size and streaming by varying the frame rate based on the video content itself.
- Gaming VFR: A display technology (VRR/Adaptive Sync) used during real-time rendering and display to synchronize the monitor's refresh cycles with the graphics card's frame output for smoother visuals.
Both concepts involve dynamically adjusting timing related to frames, but one applies to pre-recorded video data, while the other applies to live, interactive graphics rendering.
