Can someone explain DLSS 3 and refresh rate?

[Ol' Smithy]

Just tried the new DLSS 3 update however running into some issues.

If my monitor's refresh rate is set to 100hz, I get massive fps fluctuations and huge stuttering. When I set the refresh rate to 165hz, these issues are gone. With the higher refresh rate on, fps sits at around 110 and the game runs perfectly. If I understand correctly, DLSS 3 will only work if your fps is below your monitor's refresh rate? I have v-sync set to "on" and "g-sync compatible" under monitor technology in nvidia control panel if that helps.

Drivers up to date, hardware scheduling enabled, nvidia reflex enabled.

Any help would be appreciated.

EDIT - Just watched Daniel Owens youtube video about this, he recommended limiting fps in nvidia control panel to half of your refresh rate (50fps if you're running 100hz for example) but that just made the game run at 50fps for me. I limited it to 99fps and it now runs fine with DLSS 3 on so go figure

[Dravic]

How to set up your G-Sync (or G-Sync Compatible, same rule of thumb) with Frame Generation, if you have variable refresh rate screen:

Nvidia Control Panel - Global Vertical Sync ON

Nvidia Control Panel - G-Sync obviously ON

Then, as per usual in any game you play:
V-Sync in-game: OFF
Framerate limit in-game: OFF

I recommend using Rivatuner Statistics Server to framerate limit your games, or Nvidia Control Panel global framerate limiter if you don't want to bother with 3rd party limiter.

Limit the games to a few frames below your native refresh rate:

60Hz - 57fps limit
75Hz - 72fps limit
120Hz - 116fps limit
144Hz - 140fps limit
165Hz - 160fps limit
240Hz - 232fps limit

You want this exact setup & framerate limit for almost all your video games (as long as the game itself doesn't have other quirks). There's one exception!!! DLSS3.

In any game that you will be using Frame Generation (DLSS3) in, you want to disable the framerate limit in that specific game. Why? Because Reflex will cap your framerate for you if it detects Frame Generation ON + G-Sync ON + NVCP V-Sync ON.

That's just my few cents, this has been the recommendation for G-Sync monitors and the last bit about Frame Generation was also official guide from Nvidia, released in the patch notes of Miles Morales Game Ready Driver mid-November 2022 when they updated DLSS3 to work with V-Sync and G-Sync.

[Rodrigo]

The above is true, however some folks at tom's hw forums were reporting to have experiencing weird microstutters when operating wit G-sync + V sync when you are already always under the screen refresh rate.

e.g. your G-sync/compatible monitor max refresh is 165hz, but not matter what your game only runs at 70 - 100 tops, never ever reaching 165, so in this case, if there's any visual weirdness, you may try to disable V-sync in game and globaly on nvidia panel. V-sync shouldnt do anything if you're under your monitor's refresh rate, but oh well.

[Dravic]

Originally posted by Captein:

V-sync shouldnt do anything if you're under your monitor's refresh rate, but oh well.

That's wrong, as per the BlurBusters guide I linked and as per my own testing, V-Sync will eliminate screen tearing when coupled with G-Sync even if you never touch the max framerate.

NVCP V-Sync is simply not enabled by default when you have G-Sync turned ON, because Nvidia gives you control over your drivers in this sense and avoids people crying about not getting full framerate way past the refresh rate (at their own demise, of course), but you should ALWAYS use V-Sync if you have G-Sync + framerate cap a few FPS below the refresh rate.

Except DLSS3 FG will not work well if you have ANY sort of frame limiting. Especially Rivatuner or even in-game. Instead, let Nvidia Reflex cap it for you automatically when it detects NVCP V-Sync + G-Sync + FG.

[Rodrigo]

Originally posted by Dravic:

Originally posted by Captein:

V-sync shouldnt do anything if you're under your monitor's refresh rate, but oh well.

That's wrong, as per the BlurBusters guide I linked and as per my own testing, V-Sync will eliminate screen tearing when coupled with G-Sync even if you never touch the max framerate.

NVCP V-Sync is simply not enabled by default when you have G-Sync turned ON, because Nvidia gives you control over your drivers in this sense and avoids people crying about not getting full framerate way past the refresh rate (at their own demise, of course), but you should ALWAYS use V-Sync if you have G-Sync + framerate cap a few FPS below the refresh rate.

Except DLSS3 FG will not work well if you have ANY sort of frame limiting. Especially Rivatuner or even in-game. Instead, let Nvidia Reflex cap it for you automatically when it detects NVCP V-Sync + G-Sync + FG.

No its not wrong.

Everybody knows the blurblusters guide, and yes as a general rule G+V plus limit of 2-3 frames under the max refresh. Yet issues can arise from literally anything, all I'm telling is a related case that may or may have been cause by this combo, may be global v sync related or in game v sync related. I literally stated that V-sync wont do anything under the max refresh rate as G-sync is the one working here, v-sync should only kick in when frames are above the gsync range.

[Dravic]

Originally posted by Captein:

I literally stated that V-sync wont do anything under the max refresh rate as G-sync is the one working here, v-sync should only kick in when frames are above the gsync range.

And as I said:

Originally posted by Dravic:

That's wrong.

Because:

Originally posted by BlurBusters:

Q: Wait, why should I enable V-SYNC with G-SYNC again? And why am I still seeing tearing with G-SYNC enabled and V-SYNC disabled? Isn’t G-SYNC suppose to fix that?

A: The answer is frametime variances. [...]

And they go on to explain it in their FAQ on page 15.

[Nater]

Acording to Blurbusters law. You want G-Sync and V-Sync enabled and forced in NVCP. When using Frame gen Nvidia Reflex will turn on. Reflex will limited the frame rate below your max refresh rate ~59 FPS @60Hz, ~97 FPS @100Hz, ~116 FPS @120Hz, ~138 FPS @144Hz, ~224 FPS @240Hz, etc.

This article explains it pretty well https://blurbusters.com/gsync/gsync101-input-lag-tests-and-settings/14/

Also why are you lowering your displays refresh rate to 100 in the first place? You shouldn't be using any type of external frame limiter with Frame Gen.

[Ol' Smithy]

Originally posted by Nater:

Acording to Blurbusters law. You want G-Sync and V-Sync enabled and forced in NVCP. When using Frame gen Nvidia Reflex will turn on. Reflex will limited the frame rate below your max refresh rate ~59 FPS @60Hz, ~97 FPS @100Hz, ~116 FPS @120Hz, ~138 FPS @144Hz, ~224 FPS @240Hz, etc.

This article explains it pretty well https://blurbusters.com/gsync/gsync101-input-lag-tests-and-settings/14/

Also why are you lowering your displays refresh rate to 100 in the first place? You shouldn't be using any type of external frame limiter with Frame Gen.

My problem occurs when dlss generates frames above my monitors chosen refresh rate. Nvidia reflex doesn't limit my FPS to slightly below the refresh rate as you have said it should be doing.

[Dravic]

Originally posted by Ol' Smithy:

My problem occurs when dlss generates frames above my monitors chosen refresh rate. Nvidia reflex doesn't limit my FPS to slightly below the refresh rate as you have said it should be doing.

Let me take a wild guess:

You're using DLDSR or DSR and your desktop resolution is mismatched with the in-game one. Correct? Go back to native or switch desktop resolution to DLDSR/DSR of your choice before launching the game.

[Ol' Smithy]

Originally posted by Dravic:

Originally posted by Ol' Smithy:

My problem occurs when dlss generates frames above my monitors chosen refresh rate. Nvidia reflex doesn't limit my FPS to slightly below the refresh rate as you have said it should be doing.

Let me take a wild guess:

You're using DLDSR or DSR and your desktop resolution is mismatched with the in-game one. Correct? Go back to native or switch desktop resolution to DLDSR/DSR of your choice before launching the game.

Thanks for your reply - I thought you were onto something there for a second but DSR is off in nvidia control panel and the game/desktop are running the same resolution (3440x1440)

[PJ]

Originally posted by Dravic:

Nvidia Control Panel - Global Vertical Sync ON

Nvidia Control Panel - G-Sync obviously ON

Then, as per usual in any game you play:
V-Sync in-game: OFF
Framerate limit in-game: OFF

Okay I'm glad someone finally put it in ELI5 terms cause I've been confused about this ever since getting this gsync monitor and after reading your comment I think I may have accidentally been preventing the gsync from working this whole time. Computers are hard.

[Dravic]

Originally posted by Ol' Smithy:

Thanks for your reply - I thought you were onto something there for a second but DSR is off in nvidia control panel and the game/desktop are running the same resolution (3440x1440)

Is V-Sync ON in Nvidia Control Panel?

[Ol' Smithy]

Originally posted by Dravic:

Originally posted by Ol' Smithy:

Thanks for your reply - I thought you were onto something there for a second but DSR is off in nvidia control panel and the game/desktop are running the same resolution (3440x1440)

Is V-Sync ON in Nvidia Control Panel?

Yes, v-sync is on

[Dravic]

Originally posted by Ol' Smithy:

Originally posted by Dravic:

Is V-Sync ON in Nvidia Control Panel?

Yes, v-sync is on

You do have G-Sync Compatible display? Tell me what display model you got, I'll look it up. Is G-Sync turned on?

By default there's no possibility for framerate to cross beyond your native refresh rate with Nvidia Control Panel V-Sync turned ON and Reflex should cap it a few frames below when it detects G-Sync ON.

[Zeek]

I get extreme stuttering with frame generation on from 20s fps to 160s I have frame cap set to 165 in CP and 150 in game and still have this issue. I turn off frame rate cap in CP and the stuttering goes away. Frame generation seems to be very sensitive to frame rate caps. I also have no ability to turn on v-sync in game as it's grayed out when Frame Generation is active.

[Dravic]

Originally posted by Zeek:

I get extreme stuttering with frame generation on from 20s fps to 160s I have frame cap set to 165 in CP and 150 in game and still have this issue. I turn off frame rate cap in CP and the stuttering goes away. Frame generation seems to be very sensitive to frame rate caps. I also have no ability to turn on v-sync in game as it's grayed out when Frame Generation is active.

Use. Vertical Sync. In. Nvidia. Control. Panel.