The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) today announced that it has published the first major update to its Adaptive-Sync Display Compliance Test Specification (Adaptive-Sync Display CTS), which is the first publicly open standard for front-of-screen performance of variable refresh rate displays. The updated specification, Adaptive-Sync Display version 1.1, features more comprehensive and robust testing, including expanding gray to gray (G2G) testing from a 5x5 test matrix to a subset of the much larger 9x9 test matrix, which results in more than tripling the number of G2G test scenarios. It also replaces the fixed percentage overshoot and undershoot limits when overdrive is enabled with limits based on values of Perceptual Quantization (PQ), which is better aligned to represent human sensitivity to light. These changes provide for a far better representation of the display's variable refresh rate performance, including significantly reduced undershoot allowances.

Companies can begin certifying their display products under the new Adaptive-Sync Display spec today. In addition, VESA will continue to allow products to be certified under the previous Adaptive-Sync Display 1.0 specification through the end of August 2023 in order to allow for products already in development that have been designed to meet the original specification, which was published in May 2022. A complete list of Adaptive-Sync Display 1.0 and new 1.1 certified products can be found at this page.According to Roland Wooster, chairman of the VESA Display Performance Metrics Task Group responsible for the Adaptive-Sync Display CTS and the association's representative from Intel Corporation for HDR and Adaptive-Sync display technology, "VESA's Adaptive-Sync Display standard provides consumers with a clear and consistent set of metrics to easily compare variable refresh rate performance of displays supporting the VESA Adaptive-Sync protocol. VESA is always looking at ways to refine our specs based on industry feedback following their release, and the new G2G test requirements introduced with Adaptive-Sync Display version 1.1 result in an overall tighter specification, which will lead to better variable refresh rate performance in displays for consumers."

The Adaptive-Sync Display standard provides for a comprehensive and rigorous set of more than 50 test criteria, an automated testing methodology and performance mandates for PC monitors and laptops supporting VESA's Adaptive-Sync protocols. It also establishes a product compliance logo program comprising two performance tiers: AdaptiveSync Display, which is focused on gaming with significantly higher refresh rates and low latency; and MediaSync Display, which is designed for jitter-free media playback supporting all international broadcast video formats.

Added Wooster, "Since its introduction one year ago, the Adaptive-Sync Display logo program has proven to be wildly successful, with more than 75 certified displays to date. This is testament not only to the widespread acceptance of the Adaptive-Sync Display standard among display OEMs, but also to the momentum built from our DisplayHDR specification and logo program - VESA's most successful front-of-screen performance specification to date. DisplayHDR, the first fully open standard for HDR quality and performance, paved the way for the development and adoption of subsequent front-of-screen performance specifications, including Adaptive-Sync Display as well as VESA's ClearMR standard, which addresses motion blur performance.

VESA Adaptive-Sync Display and other Demos at Display Week
VESA will showcase product demonstrations of its latest video standards, including Adaptive-Sync Display, at the Display Week Symposium, Seminar & Exhibition, taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from May 21-26, 2023. These include the LG UltraGear OLED 240 Hz curved gaming monitor (45GR95QE) and the MSI Raider GE67 HX OLED 240 Hz QHD gaming laptop, both certified to the AdaptiveSync Display 240 performance tier.

Additional VESA product demos include multiple DisplayPort 2.1 certified products, including the new AMD Radeon PRO W7000 Series graphics card and the Dell Ultrasharp U3224KB 6K monitor in a professional workstation and creator configuration operating at the DisplayPort UHBR 13.5 link rate.