If you think screen stutters are crazy, you’ve probably never experienced screen tears. Just imagine you’re midway through a Sirsana yoga pose tutorial when your screen gets stuck and divides into multiple segments. A real vibe killer is what that is.
The problem is that screen tearing is a consistent headache that doesn’t leave you as easily as stutters do. You need a foolproof solution that ensures that your GPU and monitor stay synchronised at all times. Luckily enough, you don’t have to invest in any paid tools or a subscription because G-Sync and FreeSync get the job done.
These two technologies will give you buttery-smooth visuals by synchronizing your frame rates and refresh rates. But how? That’s what this blog is about, so scroll below and check it out.
What is Screen Tearing?
Screen tearing occurs when the display image appears to snap or crack from different locations horizontally. It’s almost like a stutter, but more chaotic, where the contents on the monitor appear torn with the motion stuck. Most often, the audio will also be chopped during a tear, ruining the entire experience for you.
Screen tearing doesn’t usually happen due to a hardware malfunction, so there’s no need to consider an early Christmas present. Its most obvious reason is a disturbed rhythm between the graphics card and the monitor display. This happens when your GPU supplies more or fewer frames than the frame frequency.
Proper synchronization between FPS and Hz is crucial for smooth visuals. Therefore, if your normal GPU output is 60 FPS, the display should also refresh at 60 Hz. If it's not so, be ready to face the consequences, which are screen tearing, stuttering, and, as a bonus, input lag.
Difference Between Screen Tearing and Stuttering
Features | Screen Tearing | Screen Stuttering |
Appearance | Disorientation of the image with one or more horizontal lines fractioning the screen. | Motion images feature momentary lapse or skipped frames, resulting in stutter-like freezes. |
Reason | GPU frame rates and display rates are not the same amount; FPS is high or low. | FPS is low; this is possible due to overheating or low memory bandwidth. |
FPS Issue | A new frame usually arrives in between display refreshes, which disrupts the flow. | New frame arrives after the display refresh has been done (in 1 Hz), causing lag. |
Visual Effects | Mild flickering with rare screen blackouts. | Mild flickering with the display flashing. |
Noticeable When | Most noticeable in motion content like videos and games. | Most noticeable during still or slow-motion scenes. Also visible during rapid frame transitions. |
What G-Sync Does?
Released in October 2013, G-Sync is a type of VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) technology. Since it was developed by NVIDIA, it is exclusive and only works with NVIDIA GPUs or certified hardware - major con. The purpose of G-Sync is to strictly prevent and stop screen tearing and stuttering caused by inconsistent frame rates. But ironically, this technology doesn’t tackle the FPS; instead, it regulates the display frequency.
Doesn’t matter if your FPS is 15 or 60; G-Sync will ensure there is no mismatch and no tearing. Its Low Framerate Compensation (LFC) feature ensures doubled frames even when FPS drops to 30 or below. This causes minimal overhead, using the system’s power and resources. But it is so minimal that most users won’t even notice any change. Also, since it makes up for any time loss, optic stress, and frustration, it is worth it, especially for professionals and gamers.
What FreeSync Does?
Launched in March 2015, FreeSync is an affordable substitute for G-Sync. It’s practically the same VRR technology that regulates the display refresh rates so that they align with the frame rates.
It slows down or speeds up your display refresh rates to match the GPU FPS, no matter what the margin between the two is. Hence, your laptop stays tear-free, stutter-free, and there’s barely going to be any lagging.
Unlike G-Sync, FreeSync is available to a wider audience with AMD as well as NVIDIA GPUs. It’s quite standardized at this point, and you’ll find it in many budget-friendly laptops.
However, the budget-friendly options lack LFC and may not support low frame rates. The premium versions of AMD GPUs do have LFC and are in tight competition with G-Sync. Also, flickers and flashes are a common part of this technology, but the power consumption is moderate, so that seems even.
How to Prevent Screen Tearing?
The straightforward way to prevent screen tears is to use G-Sync and Free-Sync. But there are some routine practices that’ll help you avoid all kinds of display jitters.
Limit the FPS
Set a cap for your FPS so that it does not go above the frame frequency. This won’t guarantee no screen tear because the FPS can go lower than the refresh rate. You can use tools like NVIDIA Frame Rate Cap and such limiters.
Change Graphic Settings
In case your GPU has gone wild while you’re gaming, pause and change your settings. You can lower the shadows, resolution, and lighting as it will sort of stabilize the FPS. It's helpful when you’ve already applied an FPS cap, but there’s still some tearing.
Update GPU Drivers
An outdated GPU driver is another cause of regular display tears because the chip cannot perform its function properly. Update your drivers using NVIDIA GeForce and AMD software, as it can lead to crisp and smooth visuals.
Enable Performance Mode
The FPS spikes are common in gaming laptops mainly due to unstable game optimization and thermal throttling. By enabling Performance Mode or Game Mode (in some cases), you can reduce the chances of frame delay.
Close All Tabs
Cut down all the background din to allow the GPU to focus on one task at a time. By closing unnecessary tabs and applications, the chance of inconsistent frames will also be reduced, though not eliminated.
Final Word
GPU frame spikes can cause chaos. It’s like your screen and GPU are battling over who goes first, leaving you stranded. But no longer will that happen as long as you have Free-Sync or G-sync. These smart synchronization technologies will make your life easier, and a living heaven if you’re a gamer.
By keeping both figures in touch with each other, there’s no way you’ll experience janky visuals, not for a while at least. Yes, one’s pricey and the other’s not the most satisfying, but hey, something is better than nothing. So, for your next tech purchase, add these screen-tearing solutions to the checklist.
