AMD FreeSync is evolving
AMD has updated the minimum specs for FreeSync monitors and TVs.
First introduced in 2015, FreeSync technology has been through several changes. The company has proposed its technology as an alternative to NVIDIA G-Sync and VESA VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) for tier-free experience by synchronizing monitors refresh rate with the GPU capability. It has been updated to new tiers and even received a special tier for HDR monitors. But as gaming monitor technology is evolving, so does FreeSync.
Instead of releasing a new FreeSync spec, AMD is updating existing tiers now to require higher refresh rates. It is worth noting that FreeSync already had a second version, but AMD has restructured the naming schema to something more approachable and easier to understand for end users.
When the technology was first announced, monitors with 120 Hz refresh rate were a rarity, notes the company in the new blog post. Today, seeing 144 Hz refresh rate or higher is nothing extraordinary for a gaming panel. That said, the FreeSync specs had to be updated accordingly.
| AMD FreeSync Update | ||
|---|---|---|
| Notebooks | Monitors and TVs | |
| FreeSync™ | Max. Refresh Rate: 40-60 Hz | < 3440 Horizontal resolution: Max. Refresh Rate: ≥ 144 Hz |
| FreeSync™ Premium | Max. Refresh Rate: ≥ 120 Hz | < 3440 Horizontal resolution: Max. Refresh Rate: ≥ 200 Hz ≥ 3440 Horizontal resolution: Max. Refresh Rate: ≥ 120 Hz |
| FreeSync™ Premium Pro | AMD FreeSync HDR on top of FreeSync™ Premium requirements. | AMD FreeSync HDR on top of FreeSync™ Premium requirements. |
AMD is not changing the FreeSync specs for laptop panels, the new changes will only affect monitors and TVs. The update actually came to live in September 2023, but AMD is only reporting on it now. It looks like AMD has increased the minimum FreeSync specs for 1080p (listed as sub 3440) monitors to 144Hz. Previously, the basic tier did not have such requirement.
For FreeSync Premium, monitors with sub-3440 pixel width resolution will now need to offer at least 200 Hz and monitors with higher resolution (so mostly 4K panels) will be mandated to support 120 Hz max refresh rate. In both cases, it’s an increase from the minimum 120 Hz refresh rate, which was mandated for FHD+ resolution previously.
Source: AMD