Eliminate Screen Tearing on Laptop with Nvidia Optimus

The best method to eliminate screen tearing on laptop with nvidia optimus using Windows 10, still not perfect, unfortunately..

UPDATE : please read the Personal Notes

Introduction

Dead Space uses vsync that locked your framerate to 30 fps + input lag, it's almost make this game unplayable to me. Without vsync, you will get screen tearing + gpu usage will be about 95%, which translate to high temperature for your laptop. Unfortunately, for laptop using nvidia optimus, you can't force vsync through control panel (at least on my case, with Acer Swift 3)

I have tried many solutions to force vsync :

• Nvidia Control Panel : not working
  
• Nvidia Profile Inspector : not working
  
• D3DOverrider : only worked for a day, after that nil
  
• Windowed (Borderless) : it works, no screen tearing, but heavy gpu usage (95%), high fps (can be problematic due to bug), high temperature
  
• Capping the framerate : In fullscreen mode, there are still screen tearings, in windowed (borderless) there will be stuttering

System Configuration

• Game : Dead Space
  
• OS tested : Windows 10 64 bit 1809
  
• VGA : Nvidia optimus (Intel UHD 620 + MX150)
  
• Screen : 60 Hz
  
• Driver : 417.71 (Nvidia)

Method

After so many tries, I've finally found a solution to eliminate this problem. This method uses 3rd party app like Windowed Borderless Gaming + RTSS

1. Rivatuner Statistics Server (RTSS)

• Download RTSS[www.guru3d.com]
  
• Extract and then install it
  
• Run the program
  
• Click add, and then browse dead space folder location, and choose dead space.exe
  
• On Scanline Sync, you can enter -60 (other numbers should work, although I haven't tried much)
  
• After that, you can minimize the program

2. Borderless Fullscreen

• Download Windowed Borderless Gaming[westechsolutions.net]
  
• Extract it and run the program.. you can check the program in your right taskbar
  
• Set Dead Space to windowed mode, and don't forget to turn off vsync
  
• Press F3 (Default Key)
  
• Dead Space will run on borderless fullscreen mode

Testings

Fullscreen mode with vsync, GPU usage the lowest, around 30-40%, no screen tearing, locked 30 FPS



Fullscreen mode with no vsync, GPU Usage more than 90%, screen tearing when you move your camera, unlocked fps. I can't capture the screen tearing, perhaps a gif will be a much better representative



Windowed no vysnc, almost the same with fullscreen mode, except with no screen tearing. There is already throttling by CPU to reduce the temperature



Windowed (Borderless) no vsync + RTSS scanline sync, GPU Usage around 60%, no screen tearing, performance smooth 60 fps

Results

• Using RTSS 7.20 with scanline sync + borderless fullscreen, Dead Space will run smooth 60 fps without stuttering
  
• GPU usage will be low compared without using RTSS scanline (around 60% vs 90% on my laptop)
  
• Temperature also will be low

Minus

• Input lag!!
  Using this method will create input lag, you can test it by yourself, by comparing windowed (borderless) with fullscreen mode, with fullscreen mode feels so responsive. It's not as bad as ingame vsync, but still noticeable
  
• RTSS Scanline sync needs low gpu usage, so if your gpu usage already high from playing dead space, this method might not effective

Personal Notes

• This method is pretty much obsolete now
  
• There is a simpler way; just download DXVK [github.com], extract and copy d3d9.dll from x32 folder to the main game folder
  
• It will automatically caps the fps to 60, with vsync enabled by default.
  
• That's it, no longer screen tearing.
  
• You can manually change the fps or disabled vsync too if you want. Just create dxvk.conf from text editor, and add these 2 lines
  d3d9.presentInterval = 1 (1 is enabled. Change to 0 if you want to disable vsync)
  d3d9.maxFrameRate = 60 (you can change it to higher number, such as 120 for higher fps)

[Luksis]

I finally fixed it. THANK YOUU!! I almost gave up but your tutorial helped. Keep it up man :))

[RJX3029]

They did a real shit job with porting this to pc. Having to do all this crap to fix it after buying a product that SHOULD work and be fun to play. Not have to fix it fking first. Thanks for the info.