Screen tearing? Is it bad?

[qubit]

Why use vsync to reduce fps, crank up quality settings instead. If the game doesn't go high enough, then add control panel settings to crank up aa or whatever. You'll never see tearing, that's the whole point! And the graphics rock!

hmmm... If you haven't understood what vsync is all about by reading this thread, then I doubt that you'll understand any further explanation.

 

[Mussels]

Vsync on can save you lots of power, heat and noise, and even lengthen the lifespan of your hardware since its not being pushed so hard.

edit: robal said that right above me, but i'll say it anyway to repeat it.

 

[Bjorn_Of_Iceland]

Vsync on can save you lots of power, heat and noise, and even lengthen the lifespan of your hardware since its not being pushed so hard.

edit: robal said that right above me, but i'll say it anyway to repeat it.

Say that I switch to a 120hz monitor, will that make my rig consume more power?

 

[Mussels]

Say that I switch to a 120hz monitor, will that make my rig consume more power?

yes. but still less than if it were running at 300FPS with Vsync off. the power savings only kick in if you get FPS that is higher than your refresh rate, with Vsync on.


a good example is how i can get 300+FPS in the menus of starcraft II, but dip to 30 in the game. in that case, running in the menus stresses my system far more, and could build up a lot of completely unnecessary heat.

 

[qubit]

Say that I switch to a 120hz monitor, will that make my rig consume more power?

Yes, but the difference will be tiny and insignificant. Letting a high end graphics card freewheel at 1000fps however, will use much more power and over time, damage the card.

 

[Mussels]

Yes, but the difference will be tiny and insignificant. Letting a high end graphics card freewheel at 1000fps however, will use much more power and over time, damage the card.

not insignificant, it depends on the cards. if he's using 20% of his GPU for 60FPS in an old game and 40% for 120, then thats doubled the cards (not the systems!) power consumption. that might be an extra 40W or something depending on the card (or double that, if in crossfire/SLI)


regardless, Vsync on is still the best option to do. why run your hardware to 100% when its not needed?

 

[qubit]

not insignificant, it depends on the cards. if he's using 20% of his GPU for 60FPS in an old game and 40% for 120, then thats doubled the cards (not the systems!) power consumption. that might be an extra 40W or something depending on the card (or double that, if in crossfire/SLI)

I still have a feeling the difference will be pretty small, but I see where you're coming from with your explanation. I think it would be interesting to measure it, rather than just speculating. Then we'd know properly.

regardless, Vsync on is still the best option to do. why run your hardware to 100% when its not needed?

Well, duh! Of course. Why do some people find this so hard to understand and sit there all stupidly happy with their graphics card freewheeling unsyncronized, with all the drawbacks that has? :shadedshu

This is just the same as the clueless users at work, who insist on running their LCD monitors at non-native resolutions and will fight you tooth and nail to set it properly for them. These people are so fail.