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VRR displays really are the secret to unlocking a good experience on next-gen consoles, huh?

Kacho

Gold Member
Getting hyped for Shadows so I hooked up the Series X to my PC monitor to play Valhalla. This shit is legit transformative. Truly impressive. On my 4K TV the game tears constantly, framerate judders, just a truly nasty experience for anyone used to playing on a PC. On my monitor it's smooth as butter.

Two questions:

What games benefit from this feature the most? I know Space Marine 2 and Avatar Frontiers. Any others?

What games run so poorly that VRR is incapable of saving the experience?
 

Mister Wolf

Member
Getting hyped for Shadows so I hooked up the Series X to my PC monitor to play Valhalla. This shit is legit transformative. Truly impressive. On my 4K TV the game tears constantly, framerate judders, just a truly nasty experience for anyone used to playing on a PC. On my monitor it's smooth as butter.

Two questions:

What games benefit from this feature the most? I know Space Marine 2 and Avatar Frontiers. Any others?

What games run so poorly that VRR is incapable of saving the experience?

Dragon's Dogma 2 and Tales Of Arise come to mind.
 

intbal

Member
What games run so poorly that VRR is incapable of saving the experience?
Just going to address your last question here.

There's a special case that's not so much game-related as it is monitor-related.
On Xbox, LFC kicks in below 40hz. Some monitors might show a slight hitch in performance when this transition occurs, but it's usually not noticeable.
However, if a game is constantly jumping above and below 40hz, it can cause a very visible stutter for monitors which don't make this transition smoothly.
I think there was a Pixio monitor from a few years ago that had this problem. It's not a common thing. And, obviously, the game would have to have the very specific performance characteristics to cause this problem.
 

Kataploom

Gold Member
I played Hellblade 2 at 48 fps and VRR was a blessing, I could push IQ more on PC and it felt very fluid. I was testing it because I definitely won't play a game at 30 fps unless it's a Nintendo exclusive I can't do anything about. My screen is 144Hz BTW, so 48 is it devided by 3, which is correct.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
Just going to address your last question here.

There's a special case that's not so much game-related as it is monitor-related.
On Xbox, LFC kicks in below 40hz. Some monitors might show a slight hitch in performance when this transition occurs, but it's usually not noticeable.
However, if a game is constantly jumping above and below 40hz, it can cause a very visible stutter for monitors which don't make this transition smoothly.
I think there was a Pixio monitor from a few years ago that had this problem. It's not a common thing. And, obviously, the game would have to have the very specific performance characteristics to cause this problem.
Very informative. Thanks.
 

dreamstation

Gold Member
Is it something the game has to support or so long as your TV supports it you're good to go for every game? My main TV in the lounge is pre-120/VRR but if the difference is huge for my PS5 gaming then maybe I will upgrade soon.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
So few people have it on TVs. I'm so glad I upgraded.
Not surprised. It's a tough sell on it's own, especially after most people upgraded to 4K TVs somewhat recently. We're still in the cool off period.

I can't lie though, I'm feeling the itch to upgrade now. This is a game changer for my console. If Switch 2 supports this I'm defo upgrading.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Dragon's Dogma 2 and Tales Of Arise come to mind.

Add Visions of Mana. Xbox version in Quality mode with VRR was just as good as Tales of Arise in its Quality mode. Any game with a 60fps mode that drops 5~10 FPS is an excellent use-case for VRR displays in general.

You can look up most recent DF videos and in pretty much all of them, they mention that VRR display owners will benefit. Space Marine, Hunt Showdown etc etc

What games run so poorly that VRR is incapable of saving the experience?

I think there are some cases where VRR is broken, like I don't think Cyberpunk worked properly with VRR, I recall still seeing tearing when I played it a couple of years ago. And DMC 5's 120hz mode is another example where the VRR specifically did not work on the Xbox version, but that was a few years ago. Not sure if it has been addressed since then.
 
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bundylove

Member
Not surprised. It's a tough sell on it's own, especially after most people upgraded to 4K TVs somewhat recently. We're still in the cool off period.

I can't lie though, I'm feeling the itch to upgrade now. This is a game changer for my console. If Switch 2 supports this I'm defo upgrading.
Doubt switch will support 120hz . There is no vrr witjout 120hz support to my knowledge but i am probably wrong
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Doubt switch will support 120hz . There is no vrr witjout 120hz support to my knowledge but i am probably wrong

120hz is needed for LFC, but VRR can work on 60hz too.

Is it something the game has to support or so long as your TV supports it you're good to go for every game? My main TV in the lounge is pre-120/VRR but if the difference is huge for my PS5 gaming then maybe I will upgrade soon.

Generally, it should work on all games unless there are specific issues preventing it from working (eg DMC 5's 120hz on Xbox where VRR doesn't work).
 
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RavageX

Member
Nah, good games are the secret.

I'm joking, but not really. I'm one of those weird folks that FPS, refresh rates and all that doesn't really matter to me.

It does seem like things like this are the main focus versus whether a game is actually good or not.

This may not be true but it certainly seems that way to me these days.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
Doubt switch will support 120hz . There is no vrr witjout 120hz support to my knowledge but i am probably wrong
It should support it at 60fps, but with Nintendo you never know. They're always 100 years behind the competition lol

Hard to justify a TV replacement for a single device that I rarely use, ya know? Just need one more device to push me over the edge.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
Nah, good games are the secret.

I'm joking, but not really. I'm one of those weird folks that FPS, refresh rates and all that doesn't really matter to me.

It does seem like things like this are the main focus versus whether a game is actually good or not.

This may not be true but it certainly seems that way to me these days.
To each their own. What games you consider good is entirely subjective. Having an objectively better experience is invaluable.
 

bundylove

Member
120hz is needed for LFC, but VRR can work on 60hz too.
You are right. Just looked it up though it says very few 60hz support it such tcl.

Well my recommendation is to splurge a bit and get a propper 120hz screen with vrr gsync and a good low input latency.

Hey since i got you here, tell me honestly, is scorn a good game? Its on sale right now and i know you were raving about it but how do you feel about it looking back?
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Hey since i got you here, tell me honestly, is scorn a good game? Its on sale right now and i know you were raving about it but how do you feel about it looking back?

I had the benefit of playing on GP so I didn't pay extra but I'm not sure if I would recommend it at anything more than $20 or so max. Visually, it's pretty unlike anything in the market in terms of art. It might be a little too gross, so it depends on how squeamish you can get. There's no real voice acting etc per say, it's one of those games where you get the narrative passively, not actively. it's like an adventure game of old where you're thrown into a world with little to nothing told about what to do and where to go.

I liked my time with it, if you are into walking sim style games, I'd say give it a shot.
 

bundylove

Member
It should support it at 60fps, but with Nintendo you never know. They're always 100 years behind the competition lol

Hard to justify a TV replacement for a single device that I rarely use, ya know? Just need one more device to push me over the edge.
Well to be frank a series x is a good alternative for you then. Vrr is much lower than on ps5 . 48 on ps5 and again i mihjt be wrong but think 40 on xbox.

If you are holding out for the switch 2 you will have to wait to see the specs and then plan ahead for a good deal.
 

bundylove

Member
I had the benefit of playing on GP so I didn't pay extra but I'm not sure if I would recommend it at anything more than $20 or so max. Visually, it's pretty unlike anything in the market in terms of art. It might be a little too gross, so it depends on how squeamish you can get. There's no real voice acting etc per say, it's one of those games where you get the narrative passively, not actively. it's like an adventure game of old where you're thrown into a world with little to nothing told about what to do and where to go.

I liked my time with it, if you are into walking sim style games, I'd say give it a shot.
Thanks.

I like the art style for sure. I guess i will give it a shot
 

Kacho

Gold Member
Is it something the game has to support or so long as your TV supports it you're good to go for every game? My main TV in the lounge is pre-120/VRR but if the difference is huge for my PS5 gaming then maybe I will upgrade soon.
Seems like it. Plug and play on my monitor. Tested Valhalla, Mirage and Zombie Army 4. All run noticeably better.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
I played Elden Ring in the SX. Some hipcups as VRR is not magic, but overall the best Souls experience I’ve had with a launch version ever. Performance wise, that’s it. The gaming experience is Hell as usual.
Pretty cool VRR was able to alleviate that to some degree. I had similar hiccups on PC when I played it at launch despite having better hardware and a VRR display. Good old From optimization™.

Btw here's me crying about Shadows having shitty performance like Valhalla (I play Ubi games on console because I despise the Ubi launcher)
Yeah, at what resolution and how much screen tearing this time?
Stoked I don't have worry about that now...

AxPKM5V.gif
 
Yes. Almost no console game is truly locked to 60 FPS. Cleaning up those sub-60 FPS drops does wonders for the fluidity.

Cerny said recently that only 10% of gamers use VRR display. Anyone not using them on PS5/Series is missing out a lot.
 

Radical_3d

Member
Pretty cool VRR was able to alleviate that to some degree. I had similar hiccups on PC when I played it at launch despite having better hardware and a VRR display. Good old From optimization™.
ER has stutter for shader compilations. No amount of VRR is going to save you from that.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
Cerny said recently that only 10% of gamers use VRR display. Anyone not using them on PS5/Series is missing out a lot.
Damn that's crazy low. But also kinda expected after 4K TV boom in 2016 or whatever. Back then it was all about making sure you didn't buy a faux HDR display.

Welcome to 2015.
Consoles supported VRR back in 2015? Damn son. I was missing out.
 
Damn that's crazy low. But also kinda expected after 4K TV boom in 2016 or whatever. Back then it was all about making sure you didn't buy a faux HDR display.


Consoles supported VRR back in 2015? Damn son. I was missing out.
A lot of people upgrade TVs every 10 years. Also, outside of US, people generally have smaller TVs, which in many case do not have VRR.

Either way, TVs with VRR + strong HDR make current games so much better.
 

Trogdor1123

Member
Vrr and 120 or more hz are pretty great. I got them just a few weeks ago and I love it. I thought 60 fps was all that I needed but now when I go back it’s pretty noticeable. I highly recommend
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Is there any confirmation that PS5 Pro will have LFC? (VRR below the current cap of I think 48 fps?)

Even the PS5 can have it, if Sony allows system-wide 120hz support like how Xbox does. It's just a matter of an OS Update allowing it, not a hardware limitation.

They eventually gave-in and allowed 1440p support after years of people demanding it, maybe they'll add this soon too.

Consistent frames >>> VRR.

In an ideal world every game released on console will be 100% locked. But we don't live in an ideal world 🤷‍♂️
 
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buenoblue

Member
Definitely glad I have a VRR 120hz screen but it does make the screen brightness dimmer, especially in HDR. Samsung OLED btw.

Also on PS5 40fps games run smoother with VRR off, because VRR doesn't kick in and judders the picture more.
 

Soodanim

Gold Member
A lot of people upgrade TVs every 10 years. Also, outside of US, people generally have smaller TVs, which in many case do not have VRR.

Either way, TVs with VRR + strong HDR make current games so much better.
A bigger factor than age or size is the model of TV people buy. Kids in their bedrooms aren't going to have LG C series tier displays, they're going to have basic/cheap models - ones that even when brand new 2024 models lack premium features like VRR and 120hz. Until that stuff becomes so cheap that it would be silly to not have them in everything, these features that make a difference are going to remain niche.
 
VRR is amazing for unlocked 60fps modes. Some people expect VRR to be a bandaid for games that drop below 50fps, but that isn't what VRR best use case is. In fact if your game is regularly hitting below 50fps in its performance mode then you are probably better off with a locked 40fps mode at 120hz.
 
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Bojji

Member
Getting hyped for Shadows so I hooked up the Series X to my PC monitor to play Valhalla. This shit is legit transformative. Truly impressive. On my 4K TV the game tears constantly, framerate judders, just a truly nasty experience for anyone used to playing on a PC. On my monitor it's smooth as butter.

Two questions:

What games benefit from this feature the most? I know Space Marine 2 and Avatar Frontiers. Any others?

What games run so poorly that VRR is incapable of saving the experience?

On Xbox only 30fps locked games don't benefit from VRR at all, for all unlocked games with even 35fps drops VRR will make them much smoother thanks to LFC in 120Hz mode:



Sony needs to fix their shit implementation or force developers to implement 120hz mode in every game.

Consoles supported VRR back in 2015? Damn son. I was missing out.

Xbox one X from 2017 is the first console with Freesync support.
 
On Xbox only 30fps locked games don't benefit from VRR at all, for all unlocked games with even 35fps drops VRR will make them much smoother thanks to LFC in 120Hz mode:



Sony needs to fix their shit implementation or force developers to implement 120hz mode in every game.



Xbox one X from 2017 is the first console with Freesync support.

Yes, for whatever reason Sony lags behind in their implementation, which is crazy to me. They make TVs... they should be the ones really pushing for this sort of support.
 

Kerotan

Member
Not surprised. It's a tough sell on it's own, especially after most people upgraded to 4K TVs somewhat recently. We're still in the cool off period.

I can't lie though, I'm feeling the itch to upgrade now. This is a game changer for my console. If Switch 2 supports this I'm defo upgrading.
Yeah I future prooed myself for the entire PS5/Pro gen by getting my VRR set years ago and maybe even the PS6 Gen too (if I don't care for 8k).
 

nkarafo

Member
What games run so poorly that VRR is incapable of saving the experience?
Every game on PC that has shader stutters like Scorn.

Or games that have stutters that don't have anything to do with screen syncing.

VRR helps with slowdowns, not bad coding.
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
Sony needs to fix their shit implementation or force developers to implement 120hz mode in every game.

No they don't. Most people would look at you blankly if you mentioned VRR to them, let alone try to describe the minutia of difference between the various standards of VRR.

Casual users just want a good experience "out of the box". They don't want to be spending time understanding/fiddling with settings on their consoles and displays.
 
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Bojji

Member
No they don't. Most people would look at you blankly if you mentioned VRR to them, let alone try to describe the minutia of difference between the various standards of VRR.

Casual users just want a good experience "out of the box". They don't want to be spending time understanding/fiddling with settings on their consoles and displays.

Fuck casual gamers.
 

Senua

Gold Member
No they don't. Most people would look at you blankly if you mentioned VRR to them, let alone try to describe the minutia of difference between the various standards of VRR.

Casual users just want a good experience "out of the box". They don't want to be spending time understanding/fiddling with settings on their consoles and displays.
Who cares? We're enthusiasts, we should want this great tech to be supported.
 
Sad but true. Even some 30 fps games benefit from at least 120 hz. Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a stuttering mess even on the PS5 but is smooth on the Series X because you can force 120 hz. Shouldn't be the case.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Thanks.

I like the art style for sure. I guess i will give it a shot

Let me know how it goes in the currently playing topic, genuinely curious as I think I was one of the 3 people who liked the game on GAF when it launched.

No they don't. Most people would look at you blankly if you mentioned VRR to them, let alone try to describe the minutia of difference between the various standards of VRR.

Casual users just want a good experience "out of the box". They don't want to be spending time understanding/fiddling with settings on their consoles and displays.


Most people would look at you with blank stares if you talk about 1440p support as well, but it had its share of a vocal crowd that was loud enough that Sony ultimately decided it was worth adding it in.

Adding system wide 120hz support is also not going to hurt anyone, only benefit people.
 
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Is it something the game has to support or so long as your TV supports it you're good to go for every game? My main TV in the lounge is pre-120/VRR but if the difference is huge for my PS5 gaming then maybe I will upgrade soon.
Don’t bother for PS5. I’ve had VRR/120 from the start and it’s near worthless for PS5. So few games use it, and the ones that do barely benefit thanks to Sony’s lack of LFC.

It’s a game changer on Xbox since their games don’t use vsync, 120 hz is system-wide, and it supports LFC.
 
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