GUIDE: How to use G-SYNC correctly in CS:GO!

[parry]

After literally months of research and testing plenty of different settings, I finally found the best ones for people using G-Sync with a 144Hz monitor or above!

Let me get straight to the point. The settings you want to change are the following 4:

• Enable G-Sync in the Nvidia Control Panel (obviously)
  
  
• In the same Nvidia Control Panel, navigate to 3D-Settings and set V-Sync to ON. You can do this either globally or for CS:GO only (don't be fooled by the common "V-Sync = bad" term. It will only cap the FPS to your monitors max refresh rate, and this will also remove pretty much every microstutter in game!)
  
  
• In CS:GO disable V-Sync in the video settings
  
  
• In CS:GO console type fps_max 140 (for 144 Hz monitors, if you have 165 Hz, use 160. Just make sure you set the number approx. 4-5 frames lower than your refresh-rate)

DONE! You have to use these specific settings in order to run it correctly. Make sure you set everything like listed above! Optional: add fps_max 140 to your autoexec.cfg to make sure that your game always caps the fps ingame at 140 fps.

---

IMPORTANT:
Before people start to complain about input lag caused by G-Sync, let me clear something right away.

If used correctly like in my guide, it will add 1-2 ms delay AT MOST! Blurbusters already made a very accurate test[imgur.com] over a year ago (check 300 no sync vs max_fps 120, this would apply to 140 fps aswell) and I'm pretty sure that by the time, Nvidia even improved G-Sync latency via the drivers to hit even lower numbers. But would even 1-2 ms more delay really matter? No, not for me at least. I can't tell any difference in delay between non-synced and my method anyways and I bet you can't too by testing it side by side. However... what I do notice A LOT, is the lack of microstutter. The game just feels and plays SO MUCH BETTER this way. My aim improved quite a lot to be honest and I dare you to try it.

If you used my settings correctly, I can garantee you, that you won't be dissapointed with the results!

ENJOY! :)

EDIT: Thanks so much for the overwhelming positive feedback and people adding me to confirm me how well it works and thank for this guide, I'm really happy to help!

[⛧ Emeritus ⛧]

u just coppied a reddit post xd

[Hamless Hog]

whats the point in disabling v sync, if your just going to cap the frames anyways?

[parry]

Originally posted by Emeritus:

u just coppied a reddit post xd

I highly doubt that since I wrote this guide. Better check dates.

[parry]

Originally posted by Hogarth:

whats the point in disabling v sync, if your just going to cap the frames anyways?

I know this sounds strange, but it needs to be disabled in CS:GO in order to get this working correctly. Leaving V-Sync enabled will give you noticable microstutter. However, you must enable it in the Nvidia Control Panel settings. Feel free to test it out, I can garantee you that you will get a less responsive experience if one of those two settings isn't set right as described above :)

[Hamless Hog]

Originally posted by P:

Originally posted by Hogarth:

whats the point in disabling v sync, if your just going to cap the frames anyways?

I know this sounds strange, but it needs to be disabled in CS:GO in order to get this working correctly. Leaving V-Sync enabled will give you noticable microstutter. However, you must enable it in the Nvidia Control Panel settings. Feel free to test it out, I can garantee you that you will get a less responsive experience if one of those two settings isn't set right as described above :)

If capping your frames cause micro stutter how would capping it lower help.

[Komrade]

This is the Discussions, not guides...

[parry]

Originally posted by Hogarth:

Originally posted by P:

I know this sounds strange, but it needs to be disabled in CS:GO in order to get this working correctly. Leaving V-Sync enabled will give you noticable microstutter. However, you must enable it in the Nvidia Control Panel settings. Feel free to test it out, I can garantee you that you will get a less responsive experience if one of those two settings isn't set right as described above :)

If capping your frames cause micro stutter how would capping it lower help.

Because if you hit your max refreshrate on a G-Sync monitor, it behaves like any normal monitor and V-Sync kicks in. A GPU simply can't output exactly 144 Hz for example, it will always vary by 1-3 frames when its capped, this gives a very small stutter effect. But if you get 140 fps, the cap wont kick in and the game will feel noticabley (at least for me) smoother, since G-Sync works as it should.

[Hamless Hog]

Originally posted by P:

Originally posted by Hogarth:

If capping your frames cause micro stutter how would capping it lower help.

Because if you hit your max refreshrate on a G-Sync monitor, it behaves like any normal monitor and V-Sync kicks in. A GPU simply can't output exactly 144 Hz for example, it will always vary by 1-3 frames when its capped, this gives a very small stutter effect. But if you get 140 fps, the cap wont kick in and the game will feel noticabley (at least for me) smoother, since G-Sync works as it should.

no thats not how that works. also i still dont see how less fps is smoother. do you even know the difference between gsync and vsync?

[parry]

Originally posted by Hogarth:

Originally posted by P:

Because if you hit your max refreshrate on a G-Sync monitor, it behaves like any normal monitor and V-Sync kicks in. A GPU simply can't output exactly 144 Hz for example, it will always vary by 1-3 frames when its capped, this gives a very small stutter effect. But if you get 140 fps, the cap wont kick in and the game will feel noticabley (at least for me) smoother, since G-Sync works as it should.

no thats not how that works. also i still dont see how less fps is smoother. do you even know the difference between gsync and vsync?

I literally spent hours of testing and comparing with literally a 240fps high speed camera. So yes, I know what I'm talking about and the footage can confirm the delay. There is even on YouTube a Video where someone covered almost the identical situalion I'm talking about here. You don't need to understand it if it's to complicated for you, but if you test the exact settings step by step as I described in this guide, you will 100% notice the difference. I know it sounds strange why V-Sync has to be deactivated in game, but force activated in the Nvidia Control Panel, but this is the only way to achive the smoothest, most responsive experience using G-Sync. So my advice, just give it a shot. You don't have to understand the technical aspect of this.

[Hamless Hog]

Originally posted by P:

Originally posted by Hogarth:

no thats not how that works. also i still dont see how less fps is smoother. do you even know the difference between gsync and vsync?

I literally spent hours of testing and comparing with literally a 240fps high speed camera. So yes, I know what I'm talking about and the footage can confirm the delay. There is even on YouTube a Video where someone covered almost the identical situalion I'm talking about here. You don't need to understand it if it's to complicated for you, but if you test the exact settings step by step as I described in this guide, you will 100% notice the difference. I know it sounds strange why V-Sync has to be deactivated in game, but force activated in the Nvidia Control Panel, but this is the only way to achive the smoothest, most responsive experience using G-Sync. So my advice, just give it a shot. You don't have to understand the technical aspect of this.

maybe just leave it to the people that know what they are talking about then.

[parry]

Originally posted by Hogarth:

Originally posted by P:

I literally spent hours of testing and comparing with literally a 240fps high speed camera. So yes, I know what I'm talking about and the footage can confirm the delay. There is even on YouTube a Video where someone covered almost the identical situalion I'm talking about here. You don't need to understand it if it's to complicated for you, but if you test the exact settings step by step as I described in this guide, you will 100% notice the difference. I know it sounds strange why V-Sync has to be deactivated in game, but force activated in the Nvidia Control Panel, but this is the only way to achive the smoothest, most responsive experience using G-Sync. So my advice, just give it a shot. You don't have to understand the technical aspect of this.

maybe just leave it to the people that know what they are talking about then.

Yeah exactly, so don't question my guide when you haven't even tested it ;)

[Hamless Hog]

Originally posted by P:

Originally posted by Hogarth:

maybe just leave it to the people that know what they are talking about then.

Yeah exactly, so don't question my guide when you haven't even tested it ;)

wait what...? whats wrong with questioning something you dont understand....?

[Hamless Hog]

Originally posted by P:

Originally posted by kennyS:

This is the Discussions, not guides...

I made this discussion before "Guides" were a thing in the Steam Community. Was not an option back in 2016.

thats not true.. the ability to make guides were available well before 2016

[parry]

Originally posted by Hogarth:

Originally posted by P:

Yeah exactly, so don't question my guide when you haven't even tested it ;)

wait what...? whats wrong with questioning something you dont understand....?

I explained it quite well and you said I don't understand how G-Sync even works... I literally use multiple G-Sync monitors for private use since they were first available. I don't mind if you don't make use of this guide, it's been proven working and I got a ton of feedback by friends and strangers I helped set up the game for their G-Sync monitor for optimal performance in CS:GO.

[parry]

Originally posted by TheDude:

A quick test didn't really change much except to lower FPS. I wasn't having any stuttering anyway though.

GTX 970 and Acer Predator IPS @165hz

Edit: Before one of my fans responds, yes, I saw the date of the post before I responded.

What "fans"?