Summary

• Most modern graphics cards support adaptive sync tech like FreeSync or G-sync for smooth gaming experience.
• Nvidia introduced software G-sync for FreeSync monitors, making most FreeSync monitors compatible with Nvidia GPUs.
• Make sure your Nvidia GPU is GTX 10 series or newer, and monitor supports FreeSync before enabling it in Nvidia Control Panel.

The best graphics cards these days have much more to offer than just pure performance. Features like ray tracing and DLSS have taken the PC gaming scene by storm, but it's the simple stuff like adaptive sync that's more important. Screen tearing is a major issue when your monitor's refresh rate and in-game frame rate are not synchronized. Fortunately, many of the best gaming monitors use AMD's FreeSync or Nvidia's G-sync to combat this problem. While FreeSync and G-sync will work with both AMD and Nvidia GPUs, there are a couple of caveats.

G-sync compatible vs. Native G-sync

A subtle difference most people aren't familiar with

Here's the deal. Back in 2019, Nvidia extended support for G-sync by revealing a software version of the adaptive sync technology for many FreeSync monitors. However, this is different from a native G-sync display that uses a dedicated hardware module built into the monitor. While one is a software technique and the other is a hardware module, both are surprisingly equal in their effectiveness. These days, most FreeSync monitors are G-sync compatible, meaning they work with Nvidia GPUs to prevent screen tearing almost flawlessly.

It also works the other way around. Only a couple of monitors out there exclusively use the G-sync module without support for FreeSync or Adaptive Sync. This means that AMD graphics cards will work with most G-sync monitors while using the FreeSync mode. With that said, there are a few limitations that you need to be aware of.

Limitations of using an Nvidia card with FreeSync

Not all monitors are created equal

While Nvidia's support for FreeSync significantly broadens the hardware options for gamers, there are a few considerations:

• Not every monitor is compatible: Nvidia tests and certifies monitors for their "G-SYNC Compatible" program, ensuring they meet a quality standard for the adaptive sync experience. Monitors not certified or monitors that are certified FreeSync can still work, but their actual performance may vary.
• Range of adaptive sync: FreeSync monitors have a specific range within which adaptive sync is effective. On monitors like the ROG Swift PG27AQDM, this range is between 48 and 240 Hz. Screen tearing is more of an issue with higher refresh rates, so this is perfectly fine. Still, make sure the adaptive sync range matches your gaming needs.
• Software support: Some games may not like adaptive sync. Keep your games and drivers updated for the best experience, and be sure to turn it off if you face any issues.

Of course, some of these limitations apply even if you have an AMD GPU too.

How to Enable FreeSync on Nvidia GPUs

There are a few requirements that you need to meet first

To use FreeSync with an Nvidia graphics card, you need to ensure that both your GPU and monitor support the feature. You'll need to make sure you meet the following requirements to use it.

1. Check compatibility: Verify that your Nvidia GPU is a GTX 10 series or newer. Your monitor should also support FreeSync.
2. Update drivers: Ensure your Nvidia drivers are up to date. Nvidia added FreeSync support in driver version 417.71 and newer, which was released in 2019.
3. Enable G-Sync compatible mode: Go to the Nvidia Control Panel, navigate to Display on the left-hand side, and select Set up G-SYNC in the list. Make sure the Enable G-SYNC, G-SYNC Compatible option is enabled. Apply the settings to enable adaptive sync.
4. Configure monitor settings: Some monitors may require you to enable FreeSync through the on-screen display (OSD) menu.

Once you've completed all of these steps, you should be ready to go. Make sure to check out the baseline requirement for a 10 series card, which was released back in 2016. Since the most popular GPU pre-dating 2016 was the Nvidia GeForce GTX 970, with only 0.52% of remaining users in the Steam Hardware Survey, we suspect that most people by this point have upgraded from those older cards though.

G-sync or FreeSync support is not a big issue these days

As most new monitors these days will support both FreeSync and G-sync, it's not the major issue that it used to be. As long as you have a relatively recent graphics card and a monitor that has hardware G-sync or G-sync compatibility through software, your Nvidia GPU will pair with it nicely. When choosing a monitor, you're much better off worrying about image quality, panel type, and screen size in today's day and age.