I'm playing mostly single-player games on a laptop with a 120Hz monitor and no FreeSync or G-Sync. I want smooth frametimes and no screen tearing, and input latency isn't a major concern. Should I enable V-Sync in the NVIDIA driver and also cap the game at 120 FPS, or is it better to use only one of those options?
2 Answers
V-Sync already limits the frame rate to your display’s refresh rate, so adding a second cap at exactly 120 FPS usually doesn’t accomplish much. If you prioritize eliminating tearing and don’t mind a little extra latency, V-Sync alone is the straightforward choice. If you want the lowest latency, use an FPS cap without V-Sync, but you may see tearing.
For the smoothest result, you can use both, but set the cap slightly below the refresh rate rather than exactly at it. On a 120Hz display, try around 117 FPS. That gives the game a little headroom and can produce steadier frametimes while V-Sync prevents tearing. If the laptop cannot hold that rate consistently, cap lower—such as 90 or 60 FPS—to improve consistency.
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