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May Xbox One update adds 120Hz gaming and variable refresh rate
The May update for the Xbox One Microsoft is adding 120Hz support on select console models. The 120Hz capabilities should bring a bit smoother gameplay and faster reaction times towards gamers, of course, you're going to need a monitor and TV that that supports this refresh rate.
The 120Hz mode is, however, limited to 1440p and 1080p displays for now, also you'll need either an Xbox One S or Xbox One X. Of course, true 4K gaming at 120Hz on your Xbox One S or X is far and away of course due to graphics rendering power.
-- Microsoft -- Today the May Xbox One update arrives for gamers around the world. As part of our ongoing effort to continually improve the Xbox experience, we’ve got a feature-packed update that enables you to get even more out of your console with some exciting new features. Console owners already enjoy variable refresh rates, the option of 1440p resolution, and auto low latency mode. In this update, we’re adding support for additional panel refresh rates. Gamers using monitors and televisions that support a 120Hz refresh rate can now turn on 120Hz support for 1080p and 1440p output resolutions on Xbox One S and Xbox One X. This high refresh rate option means you can now take full advantage of displays with 120Hz capabilities. High refresh rate support can provide a smoother gaming experience and lower latency on some displays, and games may benefit from reduced tearing and stuttering via 120Hz output.
Gamers will also enjoy the newly introduced support for variable refresh rate output to AMD Radeon™ FreeSync and FreeSync 2 compatible displays. AMD Radeon™ FreeSync is a form of variable refresh rate which helps to reduce input latency and minimize display stuttering, delivering a buttery-smooth visual gameplay experience in your favorite games. The entire Xbox One family of devices will work with FreeSync-certified displays. Xbox One S and Xbox One X will also support high dynamic range with AMD Radeon™ FreeSync 2.
| Xbox model | One | One S | One X |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI | v1.4 | v2.0 | v2.0 |
| FreeSync | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 120 Hz refresh | - | Yes | Yes |
In addition, Xbox One X and Xbox One S now support output at 2560 x 1440 (1440p) resolution for games and media. With over a million and a half more pixels than 1080p, this resolution offers even more choice between Full HD and 4K displays. This feature should be especially appealing to Xbox One owners who use a 1440p display for PC gaming. Media apps can now add an option for 1440p output for on both Xbox One X and Xbox One S. Developers can also now enable games to run at a native 1440p resolution on Xbox One X.
You can enable all these video options from the Settings menu on your Xbox One. Just navigate to “Display & Sound,” then “Video Output.” Note that you’ll only be able to turn on these settings if your TV or monitor supports them.
RealNC
Senior Member
Posts: 3142
Joined: 2011-11-24
Senior Member
Posts: 3142
Joined: 2011-11-24
#5550608 Posted on: 05/27/2018 04:03 PM
Yes, it "just works." However, you can also optimize for it. Which isn't done right now. Power users don't have too much of an issue, since they know how to use a frame limiter and set up their systems correctly. However, there's still some things that would need to be done from the game's side for VRR to work even better. The major things being: do NOT lock your game to 60FPS or 30FPS, and do NOT stall rendering during loading screens or cut scene transitions. With VRR, the game drives the monitor, and dropping to 0FPS means you get issues that didn't exist with fixed Hz.
And for the average Clueless Joe, games should rely on a frame limiter rather than vsync when using VRR.
Game devs should become a bit more aware of VRR now that's it supported on the xbox.
I thought Xsync simply worked, and there was no need for devs to even care about it. Isn't it all done inside a monitor?
Yes, it "just works." However, you can also optimize for it. Which isn't done right now. Power users don't have too much of an issue, since they know how to use a frame limiter and set up their systems correctly. However, there's still some things that would need to be done from the game's side for VRR to work even better. The major things being: do NOT lock your game to 60FPS or 30FPS, and do NOT stall rendering during loading screens or cut scene transitions. With VRR, the game drives the monitor, and dropping to 0FPS means you get issues that didn't exist with fixed Hz.
And for the average Clueless Joe, games should rely on a frame limiter rather than vsync when using VRR.
Game devs should become a bit more aware of VRR now that's it supported on the xbox.
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Senior Member
Posts: 888
Joined: 2012-05-14
People fail to realize that freesync being available on consoles and making its way into TVs too, means that game developers will actually have the feature actively in their minds. Up until now, neither freesync nor g-sync were considered by game devs. It was designed to "just work", but no game developer has actively targeted it. And I've seen game devs state "g-sync and freesync are not supported" in their communications (release notes, patch notes, etc.)
This might change now and we might see games being actively optimized for VRR, like minimizing FPS stalls as much as possible (engine stalls produce severe stutter in VRR.)
I thought Xsync simply worked, and there was no need for devs to even care about it. Isn't it all done inside a monitor?