Tuesday, June 4th 2019

Microsoft Extends Variable Refresh Rate to Games that Lack Native Support

Microsoft extended variable refresh-rate (VRR) to games that don't natively support it, through a new global setting under Graphics Settings. To access this setting, you must have the latest Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903), a display that supports NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync, or VESA Adaptive-Sync, and a graphics processor with a WDDM 2.6-compliant driver that supports these VRR technologies. For now, this setting only works with DirectX 11 games in exclusive-fullscreen mode. Microsoft clarified that this setting is not designed to override the VRR options presented by the control panels of your display driver provider (eg: NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Settings). The option is disabled by default, and isn't visible to users who don't meet both the hardware- and software-requirements of VRR.
Source: Microsoft DevBlogs
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9 Comments on Microsoft Extends Variable Refresh Rate to Games that Lack Native Support

#1
Metroid
I wonder, why it works only in fullscreen, compatibility?
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#2
Rahnak
I didn't know games had to support VRR. :confused:
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#3
Metroid
RahnakI didn't know games had to support VRR. :confused:
If they are treating vrr as freesync or gsync then I also have no idea because as far as i can understand that is both monitor and gpu related, both have to be synced. If a monitor has any of them active then any frame will be synced by the gpu. This makes no sense, it gets worse when they said fullscreen only, what the hell? There is probably a misunderstanding here.

This is frame based, not game based.

forums.geforce.com/default/topic/1118895/geforce-drivers/windows-10-1903-variable-refresh-rate-system-option-is-missing/

I think this setting is specifically for games that are on Microsoft's store that comes with disabled vrr on them. Probably when you start it , it overrides your system to disable vrr, it doesn't make any sense but that is the only explanation. Games can disable vrr if active or vice versa but for that vrr needs to be global active.
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#4
medi01
btarunrAMD FreeSync, or VESA Adaptive-Sync
"Or", sure sure.
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#5
HM_Actua1
I'm on 1903, running Gsync and do not see this option under graphics?
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#6
Metroid
Hitman_ActualI'm on 1903, running Gsync and do not see this option under graphics?
check the link i posted in the previous post.
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#7
danbert2000
MetroidI wonder, why it works only in fullscreen, compatibility?
Probably similar to the way that HDR is implemented in games. You need fullscreen exclusive mode to give the GPU the ability to directly output to the monitor. Otherwise, it goes through the Windows display compositor and gets flattened into whatever Windows wants to output. Borderless fullscreen gets automatic Vsync because of this, Windows receives the frames and then outputs it. When you switch to fullscreen exclusive, the GPU can control the output and not crush HDR or engage any outside frame manipulation. Presumably Windows itself will support VRR at some point, but until then you need a direct connection from the program to the GPU to the monitor.
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#8
Mussels
Freshwater Moderator
Only for windows store games apparently, so it doesnt mean a lot
Posted on Reply
#9
londiste
Windows Store games like GOW4 or Forzas have always been fine with VRR. This is some UWP specific thing where developers needed to jump through hoops for VRR, I suppose.
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