Glossary
VRR
Variable Refresh Rate — a display feature that lets the panel's refresh rate match the source's framerate moment-by-moment, eliminating screen tearing and reducing stutter.
Without VRR, a 60 fps game on a 60 Hz display will tear if frames arrive between refresh cycles. With VRR, the display waits for the next frame and refreshes when it arrives — keeping motion smooth even when framerate fluctuates.
VRR variants
- G-Sync (NVIDIA) — original implementation, requires NVIDIA-certified panel.
- FreeSync (AMD) — open, royalty-free; widely supported.
- HDMI 2.1 VRR — the console-friendly standard.
- VESA Adaptive-Sync — the DisplayPort standard that underlies most "FreeSync" monitors.
Range matters
A monitor advertised as 48–144 Hz VRR will not stay smooth below 48 fps (it falls back to fixed refresh). Look for LFC (Low Framerate Compensation) which multiplies the displayed frames below the panel's minimum.
Where this matters
Categories that use vrr
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