Sometimes it almost seems like every monitor in existence features FreeSync including your basic home or office screen. That’s exactly why AMD decided to clarify its variable refresh rate branding with two new designations.
The first new tier is FreeSync Premium, which is a certification only granted to display that maintain a 120Hz refresh rate at 1080p or higher. FreeSync Premium displays are also required to include low frame rate compensation (LFC) technology that ensures your frame rate remains smooth even if it peaks above the screen’s own native refresh rate. When you see a monitor labeled with FreeSync Premium you can be confident it was optimized and vetted for gaming.
The new highest-end version of FreeSync will be called Premium Pro and it only applies to gaming monitors that can output an HDR picture at least a Full HD resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. This new standard essentially replaces FreeSync 2 HDR.
Aside from computer monitors, AMD tells us it will also validate televisions for these new titles. Given that more than half of the new 4K TVs announced at CES 2020 support FreeSync, HDR, and feature high-refresh rate panels, we expect to see a lot of and FreeSync Premium Pro screens come to stores soon.
The regular FreeSync designation will still exist and be applied to any monitors that feature AMD’s variable refresh rate technology. But at least these new designations will make finding a FreeSync gaming monitor a little bit easier going forwards.
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Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
Source: IGN.com Here’s What You Need to Know about FreeSync Gaming Monitors in 2020