Report: VESA Accepts AMD FreeSync, the G-Sync Alternative

Back in January, AMD was showing off its alternative to Nvidia's G-Sync – FreeSync. This alternative was built on open standards; it worked on panels with VESA's variable VBLANK support, which is occasionally found in laptops. While panels in desktop monitors could theoretically support the technology, the connectivity means didn't, making it rather difficult to implement. Only embedded-DisplayPort had support.

AMD could simply use its own protocol and hope that a number of display manufacturers would implement this technology, but it would probably end up being a rather fruitless effort. The idea AMD has always had with FreeSync was to have it widely implemented, and this would only really be possible if it is adopted in standards.

For that we have VESA. A report on the French website Hardware.fr states that AMD has approached VESA and suggested implementing the technology in the specifications for the DisplayPort 1.2a standard. The report also states that the proposal has been accepted.

That said, do note that it will still be optional for manufacturers to implement the technology themselves. Nvidia, who invested a lot of dough into its proprietary G-Sync, might probably prefer not to adopt it, though it might be forced to do so in the long run as we'd imagine few display manufacturers will implement G-Sync if there is a free and open standard available.

FreeSync, as well as G-Sync, are technologies aimed at eliminating tearing in games.

Hardware.fr’s source remains unknown, so be sure to treat this like a rumor – it is always possible that the above never happened. All things considered though, it doesn't seem all that unlikely.

Niels Broekhuijsen

Niels Broekhuijsen is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He reviews cases, water cooling and pc builds.

  • rolandzhang3
    Sweet, a little competition never hurts :D
    Reply
  • Someone Somewhere
    Yup, this is what I predicted.

    Standards FTW.
    Reply
  • doomtomb
    Read about this two days ago. Can always count on Tom's if I want a flashback to the week that was.
    Reply
  • David Dewis
    Its funny, Alot of people are saying directx 12 will kill mantle, but had it not been for mantle pushing for lower level APIs, DX12 may never have happened as it is. I can see this being a similar situation. If Freesync is widely adopted and standardized, it could kill G-Sync, but if G-sync hadn't been announced, then chances are AMD never would have pushed FreeSync. I love this type of competition, bouncing off each other to further the technology, often leading to the best and simplest solution.
    Reply
  • knowom
    Eye for a eye?

    Mantle more or less got countered in a variety of different ways I guess it's only natural that G-sync would as well more or less.
    Reply
  • shogunofharlom
    A rare win for the consumer and a nod to AMD once again keeping the big guys in check.
    Reply
  • Mathos
    Its funny, Alot of people are saying directx 12 will kill mantle, but had it not been for mantle pushing for lower level APIs, DX12 may never have happened as it is. I can see this being a similar situation. If Freesync is widely adopted and standardized, it could kill G-Sync, but if G-sync hadn't been announced, then chances are AMD never would have pushed FreeSync. I love this type of competition, bouncing off each other to further the technology, often leading to the best and simplest solution.

    The big problem with Dx12 is, M$ will probably pull another DX10 where you have to have Windows8 or Windows9 to use it. They did that with Dx10 where you had to have Vista or better to take advantage of it, because of the driver model change. OpenGL's biggest problem on the PC is, limited adoption or use due to Windows using Dx10+. I applaud AMD, they seem to be doing a good job at acting as a catalyst to get things moving forward again.
    Reply
  • ocilfa
    @Mathos: Ah, "catalyst"! I see what you did there.
    Reply
  • David Dewis
    13077066 said:
    Its funny, Alot of people are saying directx 12 will kill mantle, but had it not been for mantle pushing for lower level APIs, DX12 may never have happened as it is. I can see this being a similar situation. If Freesync is widely adopted and standardized, it could kill G-Sync, but if G-sync hadn't been announced, then chances are AMD never would have pushed FreeSync. I love this type of competition, bouncing off each other to further the technology, often leading to the best and simplest solution.

    The big problem with Dx12 is, M$ will probably pull another DX10 where you have to have Windows8 or Windows9 to use it. They did that with Dx10 where you had to have Vista or better to take advantage of it, because of the driver model change. OpenGL's biggest problem on the PC is, limited adoption or use due to Windows using Dx10+. I applaud AMD, they seem to be doing a good job at acting as a catalyst to get things moving forward again.

    I'm already on windows 8.1 and would never go back. Once you adapt to it, its by far the best OS i've ever used. It uses so little resources and runs smoother than any other OS i have ever used. I dont miss the start bar at all, and if you do, its returning soon anyway. The recent Update fixed nearly all the issues i had with windows 8.1 and update 2 is said to top off the final issues. I can't wait to see what Windows 9 offers.
    Reply
  • Zepid
    Its funny, Alot of people are saying directx 12 will kill mantle, but had it not been for mantle pushing for lower level APIs, DX12 may never have happened as it is. I can see this being a similar situation. If Freesync is widely adopted and standardized, it could kill G-Sync, but if G-sync hadn't been announced, then chances are AMD never would have pushed FreeSync. I love this type of competition, bouncing off each other to further the technology, often leading to the best and simplest solution.

    The big problem with Dx12 is, M$ will probably pull another DX10 where you have to have Windows8 or Windows9 to use it. They did that with Dx10 where you had to have Vista or better to take advantage of it, because of the driver model change. OpenGL's biggest problem on the PC is, limited adoption or use due to Windows using Dx10+. I applaud AMD, they seem to be doing a good job at acting as a catalyst to get things moving forward again.

    Considering the date for feature support for Windows 7 ends is Fall of 2015, it is more than reasonable for Microsoft to restrict this to Windows 8 and newer. Also DX12 is all about scaling to multiple cores (rather than just one) which is something 8 does infinitely better than 7 on a basic level. What with aggressive core parking and terrible scaling in Windows 7 - it is a wonder why any gamer would ever intentionally gimp themselves by not upgrading.

    Especially when the upgrade was only 40USD.

    But apparently gamers are afraid to minor cosmetic changes that take 20ms to adjust to, and would rather run on an inferior platform and lock themselves out of performance - I mean Activision still manages to sell COD. I guess the bank on stubborn people terrified of change.
    Reply