Choose the right synchronization technology: v-sync, g-sync, ULMB, or others.
Choose the right synchronization technology: v-sync, g-sync, ULMB, or others.
Heya, I'm new to these forums but I'm not new to gaming, and I have a bit of a conundrum on my hands I am hoping perhaps I will be able to resolve or at least come to some sort of conclusion here, as at this point I have tried just about everything and researched as much as I could. My current Specs: Windows 10 Pro i9-9900k OCed 5.0ghz RTX 2080ti 32gbs DDR4 Monitor is an Asus ROG PG278QR My conundrum: Ideally what I am trying to do, is get the best of all worlds out of this computer and this monitor. I want to run ULMB (ultra low motion blur) , have no stuttering , no screen tearing , and no input lag . It seems however that these 4 things are impossible to do all together at the same time, and here's why: No V-Sync: No stutter, no input lag, can run ULMB but doesn't look quite smooth because you get screen tearing. V-Sync: Can run ULMB, insanely smooth, no stutters, no screen tearing, but of course plenty of input lag...it's quite minimal at 120hz which is what I have to run the monitor at to use ULMB in the first place, but in fast paced games it's definitely noticeable and has effected my performance in very fast paced shooters. Fast Sync + FPS cap: Can run ULMB, no screen tearing, negligible input lag, but of course, you get stutters because of how fast sync works, and your refresh rate not perfectly lining up to your FPS cap. At an FPS cap of 120 (monitor refresh at 120hz), it will be smooth for about a minute, then a few seconds of bad stuttering, then smooth again, etc repeat. I can do like, 121 FPS cap, but then every second or so there is a very slight jump/stutter as it looks to 'skip' a frame. I can try running double FPS at 240, but of course I won't be hitting this in all games, and it won't look smooth, even at like 180 or something, creates an almost 'ghosting' effect, defeating the whole point of ULMB. I've tested a lot of different ways of trying to smooth out fast sync, but it seems impossible unless you can control the 'tear line' of where your monitor refreshes...which leads me to the next one... Fast Sync + Scanline Sync (RTSS): RTSS (Riva Tuner Statistics Server) has a fancy little thing called Scanline Sync, letting you actually control where that tear line is on your monitor, so it does not move, which means pairing it with Fast Sync can achieve flawless results, no stutter, no tearing, can use ULMB, also quite negligible input lag...however the problem with Scanline Sync is that it isn't great for newer games, due to the way it works, if you aren't constantly hitting a solid 120 fps and dip below that slightly, Scanline Sync has to lock your monitor suddenly to half that at 60 FPS, which of course is incredibly noticeable during games. G-Sync: No stutter, negligible input lag, buttery smooth with no screen tearing, but of course with G-Sync, you cannot use ULMB...the one thing I really bought this monitor for. So you're stuck with the traditional monitor 'ghosting' effect that ULMB would otherwise eliminate. So yeah, I've been pulling my hair out over this for the last few days. What do you guys do? Or what would you choose? I wish ULMB could run at a higher refresh rate than 120 to help minimize input lag more, or maybe if fast-sync locked correctly to your monitors refresh rate (or would that just re-introduce v-sync type input lag?) or even traditional monitors not having ghosting without the need of ULMB...why can't ULMB work with G-Sync, etc. This stuff makes me want to go back to CRT monitors haha. I can't believe there isn't a better way at this point to get all 4 things at this point, ULMB, no stutter, no screen tearing, no input lag...the fact that we're still sacrificing 1 thing or the other is baffling with the technology we have today...you think there'd be an ultimate solution at this point. I realize for some people, certain things may not be an issue like screen tearing, maybe you don't notice it and you're not as sensitive, maybe the traditional 'ghosting' effect of LCD monitors don't bother you, maybe with v-sync you don't notice the input lag, etc, but I notice all of these and ideally I would love some sort of solution for all of the above if possible. Anyway, I rest my case, eager to hear responses to this. What do you guys choose? And is there an alternate way perhaps I haven't tried yet?
My monitor supports G-Sync but not ULMB simultaneously. Turning on G-Sync disables ULMB, and you must switch G-Sync off in the Nvidia settings if you want to use ULMB again.
Yes, you can't have all you want, but you can choose what matters. You must decide between two options, though this isn't always the same for everyone.
I understand now—pick the option that fits the situation, whether it's for the game or otherwise. I was aiming for a complete fix covering all the problems: screen tearing, input lag, stuttering, and motion blur. At this stage, it seems we shouldn't need to compromise on any one aspect.
The absence of motion blur requires a very quick panel—likely a premium TN 1ms or top-tier IPS 1ms display. Stuttering results from insufficient system capability and isn’t monitor-specific. It happens when your CPU or GPU can’t keep up, which shouldn’t be an issue here. Screen tearing occurs when you exceed the monitor’s refresh rate, causing it to flicker. To prevent this, opt for a high refresh rate screen or set fixed frames per second in games. Avoid V-sync as it adds noticeable input lag. However, if your monitor already handles 240fps smoothly, you probably won’t notice. Don’t stress about input lag—it’s a broad concept involving both display and system responsiveness. Generally, higher FPS correlates with reduced input lag. In short: Invest in a 144Hz or higher monitor with fast response (ideally 1ms) and G-Sync capability. Ensure the model is reliable; some suffer from poor response times despite high rates, leading to blurry or ghosted images.
I explored this on Amazon and found a listing for an ASUS monitor that supports both ELMB and G-Sync simultaneously. It seems possible to use them together, which could really help resolve some of my problems. Earlier I believed such a combination wasn't feasible.