AMD FreeSync Update
by Jarred Walton on March 5, 2015 12:30 PM EST
There are plenty of users looking for FreeSync displays, and for those of us in the US we will have to wait a bit longer. However, AMD sends word today that FreeSync displays are now available in select regions in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa). We're still awaiting final information on pricing and we've asked AMD for details on which monitors are shipping.
While we can't come to any real conclusions without true hands on experience with testing FreeSync displays across a variety of games, this should hopefully be a pretty straightforward piece of hardware. At this time I'd argue that the panel technology is just as important as the adaptive VSYNC, as having to go with a TN panel to get higher refresh rates tends to be a case of one step forward, one step back. Thankfully, there should be IPS FreeSync displays (alongside TN models) available.
Of course having a FreeSync display won't do you much good without an appropriate FreeSync enabled driver, and AMD announced that they will have a publicly available FreeSync driver posted on their website on March 19. There's a corollary that's just as important, however: a driver with support for CrossFire configurations won't be available until the following month. If you're running an AMD GPU and have been looking forward to adaptive refresh rates, the wait is nearly over.
Update: In the UK at least, OverclockersUK has several FreeSync models available. The BenQ XL2730Z at £498, the LG Flatron 34UM67 for £500 and the Acer Predator XG277HU for £430 are listed with the BenQ listed in stock.
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zmeul - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
I was sure I read somewhere, quite a while back, that AMD has issues enabling FreeSync on CrossFire configurations, but could not remember the sourcethank you for bringing the info - looks like they're on track
Gunbuster - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
Dear AMD keep this up and you will steal the "Coming Soon™" crown from Microsoft's Windows Phone division.sonicmerlin - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
Two of the monitors you mentioned on overclockers.co.uk are 1440p. Reasonable prices I think. Definitely going to wait for a 4K freesync monitor though.JarredWalton - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
I only want 4K if it can do at least 100Hz. :-)DarkStryke - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
Have fun driving 4k @ 100FPS on a single card (to use freesync)sonicmerlin - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
You don't need to run everything at ultra settings. There really isn't that difference between medium and ultra.Nintendo Maniac 64 - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
The problem is bandwidth - with 8bpp and full 4:4:4 chroma, you would need DisplayPort 1.3 to do 4k @ 120hz over a single cable.Nintendo Maniac 64 - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
Derp, that's supposed to say "8bpc" (bits per channel).Also to clarify, DisplayPort 1.2 and 1.2a flat-out doesn't have the bandwidth to do 8bc + 4:4:4 chroma at 4k 100hz.
Nintendo Maniac 64 - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
Of for the love of... where's an edit button when you need one.*8bpc + 4:4:4
Nintendo Maniac 64 - Thursday, March 5, 2015 - link
...words, I have a loss for them.*Oh for