Nvidia Drivers Add Support for RTX 2060, G-Sync Compatible Monitors

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Nvidia has released new GeForce Game Ready 417.71 WHQL drivers with support for GeForce RTX 2060 graphics cards and monitors recently tested and approved to support G-Sync.

The RTX 2060 is a mid-tier option for people who want some of the features introduced with Nvidia’s latest GPUs, like ray tracing, but who don’t want to drop $1,000 on a higher-end card like the RTX 2080. Nvidia is set to release the RTX 2060 Founders Edition today, January 15, so it’s not surprising that the company released accompanying drivers as well.

The other feature introduced with the GeForce Game Ready 417.71 WHQL drivers is support for "G-Sync Compatible Monitors." With the new drivers installed, both RTX 20-series and GTX 10-series graphics cards will be able to enable G-Sync for monitors that weren’t specifically built for the variable refresh rate (VRR) utility. But there are some caveats to this support. Nvidia tested 400 monitors and confirmed that 12 of them would automatically support G-Sync when connected to one of its graphics cards, it announced during the CES 2019 trade show in Las Vegas last week. For the many other FreeSync monitors, Nvidia said it might be possible to enable G-Sync via the Nvidia Control Panel. But the company didn’t exactly inspire confidence, saying, “it may work, it may work partly, or it may not work at all.”

Of course, Nvidia still thinks people would be better off buying true G-Sync monitors. Note that expanding G-Sync support to FreeSync monitors doesn’t mean Nvidia no longer cares about how well monitors designed specifically for use with its GPUs perform. This is Nvidia extending an olive branch, not waving a white flag.

Yet, it’s not hard to imagine many people who own Nvidia-powered graphics cards buying FreeSync monitors now that they support G-Sync at least a little bit. G-Sync monitors typically cost a lot more than their FreeSync counterparts, and for people who don’t care about anything other than VRR, it makes sense to save money by purchasing a so-called G-Sync Compatible Monitor.

The GeForce Game Ready 417.71 WHQL drivers are available now via Nvidia’s website and the GeForce experience app.

Nathaniel Mott
Nathaniel Mott
Freelance News & Features Writer

Nathaniel Mott is a freelance news and features writer for Tom's Hardware US, covering breaking news, security, and the silliest aspects of the tech industry.

13 Comments Comment from the forums
  • siman0
    should just call it async, you know the vesa standard...
    Reply
  • ps2guides
    Seems I lucked out. Just bought a an AGON AG241QX monitor yesterday, and already have a GSync option in nvidia control panel after driver update today. TBH never cared about GSync / Freesync, just having a high refresh rate makes tearing barely noticeable, but it's always nice to have options.
    Reply
  • TechyInAZ
    I tested my Acer ED347CKR bmidphzx (which is not a certified display) with freesync on the new drivers today with my 1080, and it worked flawlessly.
    Reply
  • ubercake
    21680977 said:
    I tested my Acer ED347CKR bmidphzx (which is not a certified display) with freesync on the new drivers today with my 1080, and it worked flawlessly.

    This is great news. I've grown tired of the $200-300 premium on the G-sync monitors. G-sync was great and worth the premium when G-sync was the only game in town and when freesync ranges were much tighter, but now that freesync monitor refresh ranges are so much greater than before, I may be going out to find a wide-format freesync option.

    Does anyone know if there is any negative (published or otherwise) to running the Nvidia card with a freesync monitor?
    Reply
  • TechyInAZ
    21681125 said:
    This is great news. I've grown tired of the $200-300 premium on the G-sync monitors. G-sync was great and worth the premium when G-sync was the only game in town and when freesync ranges were much tighter, but now that freesync monitor refresh ranges are so much greater than before, I may be going out to find a wide-format freesync option.

    Does anyone know if there is any negative (published or otherwise) to running the Nvidia card with a freesync monitor?

    I agree.

    Yes there are still negatives to running Freesync (G-SYNC Compatible) on any video card (not just geforce). Minimum refresh rate compatibility for freesync is usually 40-48hz, and not all displays that come with FreeSync work well out of the box.

    Where as with G-SYNC (now called G-SYNC Ultimate), the extra chip that the monitors have give them a much wider range for adaptive refresh to work like 1hz-maximum refresh rate. But it is more expensive.

    However, I think the main problem with FreeSync is with testing. ALL G-SYNC (ultimate) panels go thru extensive testing to insure they are reliable. Where as Freesync displays are not required to run thru extensive tests which is where all the issues arise from.


    Reply
  • TJ Hooker
    21681182 said:
    Yes there are still negatives to running Freesync (G-SYNC Compatible) on any video card (not just geforce). Minimum refresh rate compatibility for freesync is usually 40-48hz, and not all displays that come with FreeSync work well out of the box.

    Where as with G-SYNC (now called G-SYNC Ultimate), the extra chip that the monitors have give them a much wider range for adaptive refresh to work like 1hz-maximum refresh rate. But it is more expensive.
    Maintaining variable refresh rate below ~40-48 fps just requires LFC (low framerate compensation), which any freesync monitor that has max freesync limit >= 2.5x min freesync limit should support.
    Reply
  • dimar
    When I change the volume while playing Shadow of Tomb Raider, the screen goes off for a moment, when it would display the volume OSD. Samsung CHG70 screen. I tried "enable for windowed and full screen" setting too. Otherwise it works well.
    Reply
  • TechyInAZ
    21681368 said:
    21681182 said:
    Yes there are still negatives to running Freesync (G-SYNC Compatible) on any video card (not just geforce). Minimum refresh rate compatibility for freesync is usually 40-48hz, and not all displays that come with FreeSync work well out of the box.

    Where as with G-SYNC (now called G-SYNC Ultimate), the extra chip that the monitors have give them a much wider range for adaptive refresh to work like 1hz-maximum refresh rate. But it is more expensive.
    Maintaining variable refresh rate below ~40-48 fps just requires LFC (low framerate compensation), which any freesync monitor that has max freesync limit >= 2.5x min freesync limit should support.

    I thought that was a G-SYNC (Ultimate) only feature. Cool that it works with freesync panels too.
    Reply
  • TechyInAZ
    21681531 said:
    When I change the volume while playing Shadow of Tomb Raider, the screen goes off for a moment, when it would display the volume OSD. Samsung CHG70 screen. I tried "enable for windowed and full screen" setting too. Otherwise it works well.

    I don't get black screen like you do, but I just tried changing my volume (in windows where OSD shows up), in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and it makes G-SYNC hiccup and sometimes not work for me.
    Reply
  • TechyInAZ
    Whoop, Got a problem with G-SYNC


    Getting backlight flickering issues in World of Warships, but looks fine in Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
    Reply