Month: April 2025

What is FreeSync, why do you need it, and how to use it for a better gaming experience

If you’re shopping for one of thebest gaming monitorson the market, at some point you’ll have asked yourself, ‘What is FreeSync?’ as you’ve shopped around for a new display.

This increasingly common feature on many of the latest monitors isn’t really well explained on product packages, but it’s a vital monitor function that pairs with thebest graphics cardson the market to provide a better gaming experience.

The short answer is that FreeSync is chipmakerAMD’s answer to screen tearing, which makes it every gamer’s best friend.

What exactlyisscreen tearing? It’s a common phenomenon that happens when your monitor’s refresh rate and your GPU’s frame rate don’t match. This can cause different frames to appear on your display at the same time, breaking up in-game elements and creating a very distracting effect. Annoying as it is, it can happen even on thebest monitors.

AMD FreeSync aims to fix the problem by syncing your display’s refresh rate with the frame rate of your GPU. The goal is to achieve smooth, tear-free visuals without any wonky elements or annoying screen tearing.

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What is FreeSync?

AMD FreeSync is a variable refresh rate (VRR) technology built into monitors that helps keep your computer and your display in sync.

It lets your graphics card or integrated GPU control your monitor’s refresh rate, allowing the GPU to adjust the refresh rate of the monitor to match the frame rate output by your GPU.

How does FreeSync work?

If your GPU and your monitor’s refresh rate aren’t in sync, two kinds of problems can occur, and FreeSync works to address both.

Firstly, if your GPU puts out more frames than your monitor’s refresh rate can handle (which can often happen if you own a high-end GPU like one of thebest 4K graphics cards), you might run into screen tearing where the monitor displays parts of multiple frames at once due to the GPU outputting frames faster than the monitor can refresh the onscreen image.

Conversely, if you have an outstanding display, like one of thebest high-refresh rate monitors,your GPU might not be powerful enough to deliver the full frame saturation your monitor is capable of. This can lead to your monitor refreshing the screen during the frame update process after a new frame reaches the monitor from the GPU.

Without a VRR solution like FreeSync, this mismatch can result in stuttering, screen tearing, and other visual unpleasantness, as frames arrive out of sync with your monitor’s refresh cycle.

This isn’t the only benefit, however. When your display and GPU are in sync, FreeSync also reduces input latency, making sure your display reacts to your clicks and button presses as quickly and smoothly as possible.

To get your GPU and monitor to work in sync, many monitors use FreeSync to help manage the coordination between the two. When FreeSync is enabled and you’re running compatible hardware, your monitor will scale its refresh rate up or down to match your GPU’s frame rate, eliminating the visual artifacts that come with unsynced frames.

When your game’s frame rate drops particularly low, it can dip under your monitor’s FreeSync range—in this case, your monitor will refresh even though the GPU doesn’t have the next frame ready yet. FreeSync’s low frame rate compensation (LFC) feature combats this by duplicating frames and displaying them multiple times, so your gameplay still appears smooth during FPS drops.

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(Image credit: GIGABYTE)

What products support FreeSync technology?

If you want to use FreeSync, you’ll need a compatible display and a compatible graphics card or processor with integrated graphics. The good news is, there are thousands of certified displays available, including about 4,000 monitors and about 1,500 TVs,according to AMD.

On the GPU side, all of thebest AMD graphics cardslaunched since 2013 are FreeSync compatible, along with products usingGCN 2.0 architectureor later. Xbox One X and Xbox One S players can use it too, while PCs and laptops with integrated Radeon graphics built into their Ryzen processor can use FreeSync if their device has a FreeSync display or DisplayPort or HDMI output to a compatible external monitor.

Even some non-AMD cards can take advantage of FreeSync, like Nvidia GeForce 10 series cards and newer, but for Nvidia cards, you will almost always be better off using aG-Sync monitorinstead.

Make sure to read up on the differentNvidia G-Sync vs AMD FreeSynctechnologies if you have an Nvidia GPU and are shopping for a new monitor, since Nvidia doesn’t guarantee that every FreeSync monitor will be G-Sync compatible.

There are alsocertified laptop models with AMD graphics that have FreeSync built right into the display. If your laptop doesn’t have a FreeSync-compatible display, you can still access the technology on any laptop with AMD Radeon RX 500 series or newer graphics, or AMD Ryzen processors with integrated graphics, by connecting it to a compatible external display through a DisplayPort or HDMI cable.

(Image credit: Acer)
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What are the different FreeSync tiers?

There are currently three different FreeSync tiers, and every certified display falls into one of these tiers.

The original FreeSync includes support for tear-free gameplay with a maximum refresh rate of at least 144Hz for resolutions under 3440 pixels. LFC (Low-framerate compensation, where your GPU’s frame rate drops below the refresh rate of the monitor, and so the monitor needs to fill in the missing frames with duplicates) is possible, but not guaranteed.

The next tier, FreeSync Premium, requires a maximum refresh rate of at least 200Hz on displays with a horizontal resolution under 3440 pixels. For displays with a higher horizontal resolution, like thebest 4K monitors, the minimum refresh rate is 120Hz. Support for LFC is required for a monitor to qualify for this tier.

The final tier, FreeSync Premium Pro, keeps the same refresh rates as Premium but adds support for AMD FreeSync HDR. This differs from conventional HDR because data is shared between the display and your PC more efficiently, reducing the usual input latency that can come with HDR. It also has higher baseline requirements than HDR 400, guaranteeing a higher quality result.

To benefit from FreeSync HDR, however, you need to be playing a supported game as well as using a compatible display.

How do you enable FreeSync?

Once you have your FreeSync-compatible PC or laptop set up with a certified display, you’ll need todownload the latest AMD graphics driver from the AMD websiteor by usingAMD Software: Adrenalin Edition. Check out our ‘How to update AMD GPU drivers’page for more specific instructions, if needed.

Once your drivers are updated, you can then open AMD’s Adrenaline software tool, select Display, and activate the Radeon FreeSync toggle to turn FreeSync on.

What’s the difference between FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync?

Nvidia’s G-Sync technology does the same job as AMD FreeSync, but Nvidia’s version requires licensing fees and proprietary hardware.

This means G-Sync is available on fewer displays compared to FreeSync, and those displays tend to be more expensive.

The good news is that many modern Nvidia GPUs support G-Sync compatible monitors that are primarily FreeSync, so that opens up your options when choosing a new monitor.

It will not kill tracking cookies and will not roll out user boxes to opt out of them.

hapabapa via Getty Images

Google will not make any to changes to how third-party cookies work on the Chrome browser at all. Anthony Chavez, Google VP for Privacy Sandbox, has announced that the company has “made the decision to maintain [its] current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome.” It will also “not be rolling out a new standalone prompt for third-party cookies” that would have allowed users to opt out of being tracked by advertisers. Google has made the announced a few days after a federal judge ruled that it has anillegal monopoly on online advertising.

The company originallyannouncedthat it was going to phase out third-party tracking cookies in 2022 as part of its Privacy Sandbox initiative, which aims to make the web more secure and private to use. But due to a series of delays and regulatory hurdles — the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and theUS Department of Justiceboth looked into Google’s initiative out of concerns that it could harm smaller advertisers — the planned deprecation got delayed to 2024 and then again to 2025.

Last year, Google ultimately decided that itwasn’t going to kill third-partycookies and will instead introduce “a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing.” That new experience isn’t coming. In his new announcement, Chavez said that a lot has changed since the Privacy Sandbox initiative debuted, and Google has taken new developments in privacy-enhancing technologies that secure people’s browsing into consideration when it made its decision.

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Despite killing all its plans to remove third-party cookies from Chrome, Google will keep the Privacy Sandbox initiative alive. Chavez said it will continue enhancing tracking protections in Chrome’s incognito mode, such as launching IP Protection later this year, and will continue working on features like Safe Browsing, Safety Check and built-in password protections.

Sadly the past console generations’ startup sounds won’t be joining them.

Sony

The PlayStation 5 is getting a software update that brings back the looks of yesteryear. After fans applauded the move to applythe appearances of past Sony generationsto their consoles’ home screens during the PlayStation 30th anniversary last year, the companysaidit was working on making those permanent aesthetic options. That promised return of the four retro UI looks is the highlight of the upcoming PS5update.

Unfortunately, the start-up audio chimes that accompanied each generation are not coming back. But the visual part can be changed at will under the Appearance tab of the Settings menu.

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The other big component of the upcoming software update is a feature called Audio Focus that can help increase immersion during a play session while using headphones or headsets. With these presets, players can choose to boost the voice, the low pitch sounds, the high pitch sounds or the quiet sounds. You can also set whether the amount of amplification is weak, medium or strong.

The PS5 update will begin its global rollout on April 24.

What is Resizable Bar, when and why you should use it, and more.

Whether you’re on the hunt for thebest graphics cardon the market or already have a recent GPU and have been tweaking your settings, you’ve likely come across a feature called Resizable BAR (Base Address Register), also known as Resize BAR or ReBAR (or forAMDcards, the equivalent Smart Memory Access, or SAM). Oftentimes, however, there’s not much explanation given in your system settings about what it is or does, prompting a lot of questions from readers like ‘What is Resizable BAR?’ and ‘Will Resizable BAR improve my gaming performance?’

Originallydeveloped as a way to improve how CPUs access GPU memory, Resizable BAR can provide meaningful performance improvements in certain cases, typically boosting frame rates in games, reducing load times, and creating a smoother gaming experience overall.

For users who’ve invested in high-end GPUs, such as thebest Nvidia graphics cards, Resizable BAR might unlock your GPU’s untapped potential. You’ll also absolutely need to use it if you want to get acceptable performance from any ofIntel’s latest Arc graphics cards.

However, like many performance tweaks, enabling Resizable BAR isn’t always straightforward, and it might not always be beneficial. Understanding what it does, when to use it, and how to set it up properly can make all the difference in terms of your PCs performance.

So, with all that said, I’m here to break down everything you need to know about Resizable BAR and answer common questions about the feature to help you better decide whether to enable it on your PC.

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What is Resizable BAR?

Resizable BAR is a BIOS-level system setting that changes the way CPUs are able to access a graphics card’s physical memory, or VRAM.

Without Resizable BAR, CPUs can only access a limited portion (256MB) of VRAM at a time, requiringmultiple access operations to read or modify large files in VRAM, such as textures.

Resizable BAR allows the CPU to access the entire GPU memory buffer simultaneously, facilitating more efficient data transfers. This can lead to improved performance in applications that benefit from rapid data exchange between the CPU and GPU, most notably PC games.

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What is Resizable BAR good for?

Resizable BAR is especially helpful in PC gaming, where large assets like textures and shaders are frequently transferred between the CPU and GPU, particularly at higher resolutions where these files can be much larger.

By enabling the CPU to access the full GPU memory, Resizable BAR can reduce the number of data operations a CPU and GPU need to perform to generate a frame, potentially stabilizing and speeding up framerates as well as reducing loading times.

However, the extent of performance improvement varies depending on the game and system configuration, so these benefits aren’t guaranteed in all cases.

(Image credit: Zoomik / Shutterstock)
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Can Resizable BAR cause issues?

While Resizable BAR is effectively free frames in PC games, it can also introduce issues in some rare cases:

System Instability:Some users have reported system instabilityorcrashesafter enabling Resizable BAR.

Performance Degradation: In certain games,enabling Resizable BAR may lead to reduced performanceor increased stuttering.

Compatibility Issues:Not all hardware configurations support Resizable BAR, and enabling it on unsupported systems can cause problems.

If you plan on enabling Resizable BAR, your system components (CPU, GPU, motherboard)must support Resizable BAR in the first place, and you should ensure that all firmware and drivers are up to date for these components before attempting to enable the feature.

(Image credit: DisobeyArt / Shutterstock)

Should Resizable BAR be turned on?

Before we go any further,your PC hardware (CPU, GPU, and motherboard) needs to support Resizable BAR and all of your drivers, BIOS, and firmware need to be up to date before attempting to enable Resizable BAR. Assuming all of this is true, Resizable BAR can offer performance gains in many games, especially those that are optimized by their developers to utilize it.

However, the benefits are not universal. Some games may see negligible improvements, and in rare cases, performance could decrease.

Generally, you’ll want to test specific games and monitor performance to determine if enabling Resizable BAR is a good move, though you can always disable it if it causes issues with a particular title or application and enable it in other circumstances.

Does Resizable BAR increase FPS?

The impact of Resizable BAR on a game’s framerate (FPS) varies. Some games may experience noticeable FPS increases, while others show minimal or no improvement.

The effectiveness of Resizable BAR is determined by factors such as each game’s optimization for this feature, overall system configuration, and in some cases, GPU architecture.

Google agrees Privacy Sandbox isn’t working

(Image credit: Pixabay)

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• RIP: Privacy Sandbox, 2019-2025 – Google confirms it won’t go ahead with plans
• Third-party cookies continue, but Incognito mode offers enhanced protection
• Some tech, like Topics API, will continue to be used

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Googleis scaling back its Privacy Sandbox project, which was originally aimed at phasing out third-party cookies, after six years of hard work and its fair share of delays.

Launched in 2019 to address privacy concerns and to meet regulatory standards without impacting advertisers’ abilities to target specific users, we now know that Google will not phase out third-party cookies.

In ablog postconfirming Privacy Sandbox’s demise, Google’s Anthony Chavez blamed publishers, developers, regulators and the ads industry for resistance, as well as a changing landscape and increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies.

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Google has pulled the plug on Privacy Sandbox

“Taking all of these factors into consideration, we’ve made the decision to maintain our current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome, and will not be rolling out a new standalone prompt for third-party cookies,” Chavez confirmed.

Although Google will continue to support cookies in Chrome, the company has promised to “enhance tracking protections” in Incognito mode, which already blocks third-party cookies.

Some tech remains in development or use, though, including IP address protection in Incognito mode, which is planned for Q3 2025, and Topics API, which allows interest-based advertising without sharing full browsing history.

Google is now committed to working with the industry to gather feedback in order to inform an updated roadmap for the technologies it’s already been developing. “In light of this update, we understand that the Privacy Sandbox APIs may have a different role to play in supporting the ecosystem,” Chavez said.

Privacy advocates have argued that Google undermined its own privacy claims, noting that privacy came second to surveillance, with many users seeking to switch to alternativebrowserslike Firefox.

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Movement for an Open Web also hailed the announcement as the end of Google’s attempt to monopolize digital advertising standards.