AMD claims that Nvidia G-Sync technology can negatively affect FPS
Shore up your homes everyone, it appears that another battle is about to be waged between AMD and Nvidia consumers. The resulting storm is going to be over AMD's FreeSync and Nvidia's G-Sync technologies. While AMD announced that four new monitors with FreeSync support are now available, it didn't stop there. The company went on to claim that Nvidia's G-Sync can negatively affect a game's FPS.
Simply put, both technologies allow graphics cards to synchronize the display of a video game's frame with the output of a video card. In addition, they both eliminate tearing and stuttering in games though AMD claims that, through internal studies, Nvidia's G-Sync can negatively affect a game's FPS by 1.14 percent (Alien: Isolation was the game used for the study). For the same study, the company claimed that FreeSync saw an improved affect of 0.16 percent FPS. Another issue that AMD pointed out is that consumers can disable FreeSync (or adaptive sync) off on FreeSync monitors while G-Sync monitors cannot turn off VSync which can reduce the mouse's latency.
The company didn't stop there as it pointed out some of the benefits of manufacturers using its technology compared to Nvidia's. AMD's FreeSync will not require a proprietary module, will have no licensing fees, is open source, use DisplayPort, be compatible with standard monitor features (audio, scaling, OSD), and have a refresh rate range of 9-240Hz. All of which would make the tech more appealing to manufacturers compared to Nvidia's G-Sync which AMD points out requires a proprietary module, charges a licensing fee, is not open source, and has a refresh rate range of 30-144Hz.
But while fanboys can argue to their hearts content about these differences, there are four new monitors that are currently available that supports AMD's FreeSync tech. The cheapest monitor will be the LG 29UM67 29-inch monitor that will start at $449 and feature 2560x1080 (21:9 ultrawide) resolution with 48-75Hz refresh rate. For $499, there is the Acer XG270HU 27-inch monitor with In-Plane Switching panel, 2560x1440 (16:9) resolution, and 40-144Hz refresh rate. Next is the BenQ XL2730Z 27-inch monitor with a TN Type Panel, 2560x1440 (16:9) resolution, and 40-144Hz refresh rate that will retail for $599. Finally, there is the LG 34Um67 34-inch monitor IPS with 2560x1080 (21:9 ultrawide) resolution and 48-75Hz refresh rate for a starting retail price of $649.
Additional monitors supporting FreeSync will be available soon.
We also introduce Maximum PC's new Associate Editor Alex Campbell
There has been a lot of PC news since the No BS podcast last convened and on episode 237, the crew gets busy tackling it. Topics on this week's show include Nvidia's new $999 Titan X GPU, Valve's revolutionary Vive VR system, GTC, GDC and more. We also introduce you to Maximum PC's newest cast member, Associate Editor Alex Campbell. And finally, we tackle some of your reader questions!
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March Madness is here, so you get a pass if you've been too busy filling out your bracket to research hardware components and go deal shopping. It's a good thing we bring the bargains to you, such as today's top deal for a Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 AM3+ Motherboard for $110 with $1 shipping (normally $120; additional $10 mail-in-rebate). It has dual UEFI BIOSes, onboard audio with a 108dB SNR, support for 45nm AMD AM3 CPUs, and more!
Some upgrade scenarios will require physical media
Microsoft dropped a bombshell yesterday when it revealed that even Windows pirates will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 at no cost, though we have a clarification on that, which we'll get to in a moment. The Redmond outfit also outlined how you'll be able to make the leap to Windows 10 when it becomes available later this year -- if you have a PC or tablet running Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 with all the latest updates, you'll be able to upgrade using the Windows Update service. The same goes for Windows Phone 8.1.
According to Microsoft's PowerPoint presentation, all Windows 7 and Windows 8.x versions (Windows 7 RTM, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 RTM) will require an ISO image, which you can have on a DVD or USB drive, VentureBeat reports. Here's a better look:
Windows 7 RTM: Media (ISO)
Windows 7 SP1: Media (ISO) or Windows Update
Windows 8: Media (ISO)
Windows 8.1 RTM: Media (ISO)
Windows 8.1 S14: Media (ISO) or Windows Update
Windows RT: N/A
Windows Phone 8.0: N/A
Windows Phone 8.1: Windows Update
That's a pretty wide range Microsoft is covering, so long as the minimum hardware requirements are met. They include:
Processor: 1GHz or faster
RAM: 1GB (32-bit) or 2GB (64-bit)
Free HDD: 16GB
Graphics card: DirectX 9 with WDDM driver
Microsoft account and Internet access
Clarification on Windows 10 Upgrade for Pirates
There's been a bit of confusion over Microsoft's revelation that it will allow users running non-genuine copies of Windows to upgrade to Windows 10 at no cost. At first it seemed as though the policy would only apply to users in China where software piracy is a particularly big problem, however a Microsoft spokesperson told Maximum PC in an email that it would apply to users worldwide.
That's still true, but there's a significant caveat that Microsoft revealed to Polygon. Short and to the point, the free upgrade won't changes the status of the non-genuine license. Here's the full statement:
"The consumer free upgrade offer for Windows 10 applies to qualified new and existing devices running Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1. Some editions are excluded from the consumer free upgrade — including Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise, and Windows RT/RT 8.1. Active Software Assurance customers in volume licensing have the benefit to upgrade to other Windows 10 enterprise offerings.
"We have always been committed to ensuring that customers have the best Windows experience possible. With Windows 10, although non-Genuine PCs may be able to upgrade to Windows 10, the upgrade will not change the genuine state of the license. Non-Genuine Windows is not published by Microsoft. It is not properly licensed, or supported by Microsoft or a trusted partner. If a device was considered non-genuine or mislicensed prior to the upgrade, that device will continue to be considered non-genuine or mislicensed after the upgrade. According to industry experts, use of pirated software, including Non-Genuine Windows, results in a higher risk of malware, fraud (identity theft, credit card theft, etc), public exposure of your personal information, and a higher risk for poor performance or feature malfunctions."
It's not clear what the ramifications will be, such as nag screens, intermittent reboots, etc. We're also not sure that this approach will do Microsoft much good -- if software pirates were interested in running a legit copy of Windows 10, they'd go out and buy one. It seems like a stretch that upgrading them to Windows 10 with a non-genuine license will be enough incentive to fork over for a proper license.
Acer later today will be adding a new configuration to its C910 line of Chromebooks, one that will sport an Intel Core i5 5200U processor. Equipped with the new chip, Acer says it feels confident claiming that it's the fastest performing commercial Chromebook on the market. At the same time, the C910 offers all-day battery life of up to 8 hours before needing to be recharged.
The Core i5 5200U is a fifth generation part based on Intel's 14nm Broadwell-U architecture. It has two cores and four threads clocked at 2.2GHz to 2.7GHz with 3MB of cache, Intel HD Graphics 5500 (300MHz to 900MHz), and a 15W TDP. The same chip is also found in some Ultrabook models.
"The new faster performing Acer C910 Chromebook with an Intel Core i5 processor is raising the bar for Chromebook performance," said Carlos Siqueiros, mobility business manager, Acer America. "The advanced technology will boost productivity and help our education and commercial customers get the most out of their Chromebook experience for collaboration on important projects and research."
Also unique to the C910 is its 15.6-inch display, the industry's first Chromebook to go that big. It's available with either a 1366x768 (HD) or 1920x1080 (Full HD 1080p) resolution. Both versions sport Acer's ComfyView with anti-glare properties to minimize reflection and eye strain.
Othe features include 4GB of RAM, 32GB SSD, 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO technology, full-sized upward facing speakers, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports (one each), HDMI output, and an SD memory card reader.
The Acer C910-54M1 with Core i5 5200 will be available next month starting at $500.
Pillars of Eternity launches next week on March 26th. As fans of the Infinity Engine RPGs of yesteryear ourselves, we're all very eager to give this new take on the golden age a playthrough. Today, we're happy to present to you an exclusive look at the classes you'll be able to choose from and party with when Pillars comes sliding into digital shelves.
Infographics paint a numbers picture of a game. In the latest infographic release, the Dying Light team shines the spotlight on some impressive numbers including over 3.2M players taking part in killing nearly 400M zombies and amassing over a trillion dollars. Check out more of these fun statistics in the image below.
While next to impossible to fully portray virtual reality in a video, the EVE: Valkyrie team has done a terrific job giving fans a look at just how the game will play during today's Fanfest 2015 opening ceremony. Head movements are clearly seen as the video progresses. Check it out and let us know what you think.
Nathan Richardsson has taken to the Warhammer 40k: Eternal Crusade blog to pen the latest State of the Crusade letter. In it, he announces that the Founders Access for Warhammer 40k: Eternal Crusade will begin in Fall 2015 with the Founders Beta set to begin at an indeterminate date.
Kotaku is reporting that a mobile version of Final Fantasy XI is set for a 2016 release, with beta testing ready to get underway later this spring. Set in Vana'diel, the mobile version is being co-developed by Square Enix and Nexon.
The Origins of Malu: Factions team has sent word that the early access release for the Battlegrounds segment of the game will be opening on March 20th. Once testing has been completed on abilities and skills as well as on network performance, the doors will slowly open for more and more users. Battlegrounds early access testing will begin at 10:00 am Pacific / 1:00 pm Eastern on Friday, March 20th.
Earlier this year I wrote an article about Jagex in which I gave my hopes that, following the shutdown of Transformers Universe, the company wouldn't be too eager to announce another new MMO. Just a month or so out of that closure, we learned through a job placement announcement that yet another MMO is in the oven.
The Sword Coast Legends team will be on Twitch.tv tomorrow to show off the game. The event will feature some new information about the campaign and introduce fans to some of the NPCs they will run across. The event is scheduled for Thursday, March 19th at 3:00 pm Eastern / Noon Pacific.
Aptly named indie developer Grimm Bros. have put together a take on the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood by the Grimm brothers with Dragon Fin Soup. In Dragon Fin Soup, you play as 'Red Robin', who is essentially the character of Little Red Riding Hood - if she were also a knife wielding, shotgun toting, raging alcoholic.
The WildStar site has been updated with new information about Contracts and how they will function when the Invasion: Nexus update goes live. Contracts, according to writer Joe Piepora, are ways for top level players to be able to progress to great gear through bite-sized, repeatable content.
One of the things that has been receiving a lot of attention both here and in the overall MMO space lately is the fact that there seems to be a lull in the "excitement" generated about MMORPGs these days.
The Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education conference has begun today. What makes it of note for MMO players is its connection to Second Life with the opening keynote being given by Ebbe Altberg, CEO of Linden Lab. There will be at least a couple of other panels being hosted by Second Lab developers.
I spent my weekend with the wonderful community team from Kingsisle Entertainment (they work on Wizard101 and Pirate101) as they slowly walked up and down the aisles of the SXSW Gaming Expo. It is a free event (a good offset to the astronomical ticket prices that SXSW can often ask) and allows indie or smaller games to hook up with potential players. It also shows off new technologies, trends and even hosted video game museums with hands-on consoles. It was a blast, to say the least.
The latest Darkfall: Unholy Wars update has been deployed which brings big changes to several combat systems in the game. New ultimates have been added as well as movement changes to make combat feel more responsive and fluid.
AMD claims that Nvidia G-Sync technology can negatively affect FPS
We also introduce Maximum PC's new Associate Editor Alex Campbell
Some upgrade scenarios will require physical media
Fastest commercial Chromebook around?
