How do you manage without G-Sync on a laptop?

I honestly don't think I can go back. I'd love to buy a Razer Blade 17 or MSI GS75, but the lack of G-Sync on these new machines is an absolute deal breaker for me.

I currently use an MSI GT62VR-6RE.
I didn't realise just how great 60hz G-Sync was until I bought an external 144hz Samsung monitor and found immense tearing in Battlefield V at 90-100 fps and Assassins Creed Odyssey at 80-100 fps.

Even running them at low and reaching closer to 144hz was still frustrating. I was immeasurably happier playing at a locked 57 fps on my laptop screen (G-Sync ON, V-Sync ON in NVCP and RTSS limiting display to 57 fps).

Since then, I bought a Dell 144hz G-Sync monitor and am happy once again.

The problem is, I don't always have access to an external monitor. How on earth do you guys put up with the lack of G-Sync? Is everyone just running V-Sync? Or am I particularly sensitive to tearing?

 

Limit FPS if the game is bad with tearing. Otherwise I just crank up the AA until I am below 120hz (which doesnt take much)

 

I've a Gsync monitor on my Area 51m and I keep it OFF all the time. I play a lot of competitive games like CSGO and Quake Champions and it runs above 200fps+ at all times anyways. Although I don't get such frame rates in Metro Exodus, Far Cry 5 and Modded Skyrim, but I haven't noticed any tearing anywhere and I'm running at 144Hz all the time. I've never ever turned on gsync since I bought the damn thing.

I don't understand this fuss about Gync, I was under the impression that it creates input lags in games...isn't it so?
Can you convince me to use Gsync?

Sent from a Galaxy S9+

 

I've never had a problem using V Sync since I don't play anything competitive that requires low input lag. The main thing is to avoid getting FPS drops, since that is very noticeable with V Sync, whereas G Sync will smooth them out and you will not notice as much.

 

Tearing occurs when over OR under the limit. To avoid tearing, you have to maintain a constant fps as close as possible to the refresh rate.

Nope. G-sync syncs your monitors refresh rate with your game fps. For instance, if you can only create 125 fps with your hardware, but you have a 144hz monitor, then a G-sync monitor will run at 125hz.

Yeah, agreed that V-sync isn't too bad. I certainly prefer it to tearing. But G-sync monitors basically give the best of both worlds.

 

I don't get tearing and I'm quite senstivitive to it and anything delaying frame times and/or input lag. Occasionally I run into a title where tearing occurs regardless of what I do, those titles I'll use vsync

 

My preference is 4k > refresh rate, so I'm happy with a 4k monitor at a locked 60fps. I honestly find 60fps smooth still and can't go lower than 4k any more.

 

Different strokes for different folks

 

@vegetaeater I agree with you that G-Sync is worthwhile. I wouldn't buy a laptop (or external monitor) for gaming that didn't have it. A downside with the technology is that it forces the Nvidia GPU to be active at all times, so your battery life suffers. (Some laptops have a switch that disables the Nvidia GPU, but it requires a restart.)

It's surprising some high-end laptops like the MSI GE75 Raider don't have G-Sync. I'd really like to see it in more budget gaming laptops, though. When the fps dips under 60, G-Sync really helps smooth things out.

Charles

 

I use a an external freesync monitor

 

By never trying it in the first-place. Once you've seen it, you can't unsee.

 

I'm glad you posted this. I've been thinking I'm the only one who believes G-Sync should be almost mandatory for such expensive machines. You might be reaching close to 144 fps in your chosen game this year - but how about next year?
I completely understand that Optimus is a thing - especially for the new thin-bezel ultrabook-eque 15" laptops we've seen this year - but for anything 17", removing G-sync feels like a huge mistake. Every 17" should have switchable graphics.

In the end, it's a real shame there are so few options for G-Sync fans this generation. My GT62VR has been an exceptional machine. Powerful. Great cooling. Quiet fans. Comfortable wrist rest (with a wonderful rounded edge). Seems mad that I can't find a similar machine this gen. Only the Lenovo Y740 models seems remotely close.

 

I believe there is a somewhat drastic difference in power usage/battery between a laptop with G-SYNC, or one without using Optimus. It may come down to certain laptops only fit 52-60Wh batteries (or smaller) and if you enable a G-SYNC monitor on battery while also using the dGPU you will get something like 45 minutes of play time. That's just my theory. Visually it is more appealing but I imagine it is very difficult for the manufacturer to balance everything while still making it an obtainable price point for the end user.

 

I've done g-sync and I liked it, but usually it was when running lower FPS. Nowadays I try to run 100+ so for my use it just doesn't add anything. It was more annoying ot have to disable for certain apps or games that didn't play well with it.