What is VRR and do you need it for gaming?

What is VRR and do you need it for gaming?


What is VRR and do you need it for gaming?

If you've ever wondered about the benefits of VRR and whether it's essential for an optimal gaming experience, you've come to the right place.

VRR is an increasingly prevalent feature found in gaming TVs, monitors, and various other types of displays. But what exactly is VRR, and how does it work its magic?

In this concise guide, we will explore the concept of VRR and its impact on your gaming experience.

What is VRR?

VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) is a technology that allows your monitor or TV to dynamically adjust its refresh rate based on the frame rate (fps) of the content being displayed.

Every monitor needs to refresh its image each second, and that’s the refresh rate (Hz). Similarly, movies, TV shows, and games each show a number of frames per second (fps). VRR adjusts on the fly to keep both rates in harmony, resulting in a smoother experience.

Variable Refresh Rate technology is commonly found in gaming monitors and supported by graphics cards, with various standards such as AMD FreeSync, NVIDIA G-SYNC and Adaptive-Sync providing compatibility and seamless integration.

Do you need VRR for gaming?

Yes, VRR is a must-have technology for gaming, as it improves the fluidity, responsiveness, and overall enjoyment of gameplay.

Ideally, you would want the refresh rate of your monitor to match the frame rate of the game at all times. When these rates are perfectly synchronized, the monitor updates its image exactly when a new frame is ready, resulting in smooth and fluid visuals.

With VRR enabled, your monitor and graphics card work in tandem to dynamically adjust the refresh rate to match the frame rate outputted by the game. By synchronizing the refresh rate and frame rate, VRR delivers a smoother, tear-free gaming experience.

Does VRR increase lag?

No, VRR technology does not inherently increase lag. In fact, VRR can actually help reduce input lag in certain scenarios.

However, it is important to note that the overall input lag in gaming is influenced by various factors, including the response time of the display, the processing speed of the graphics card, and other hardware components in the gaming setup.

In addition, if your TV or monitor does not support VRR but your console does, it is possible to experience lag. So ensure that your TV or gaming monitor supports VRR.

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