Digital Foundry: Microsoft Xbox One X & S supports Freesync 2 [2017-04-11]

Scorpio is hdmi 2.1. Supports freesync.

 

Loosely related to the current discussion:
Project Scorpio support FreeSync and Variable refresh ate via next-gen HDMI:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2017-project-scorpio-supports-freesync-and-hdmi-vrr

 

This will come in handy a few years down the road when Scorpio's successor is released and Scorpio becomes its "Xbox One". VRR will be helpful in helping futur "xbox 5" games run smoothly on Scorpio. Game devs won't have to pull their hair out if the game's fps can't be perfectly locked on Scoprio etc..

 

It almost feels like a gimmick given industry support, but I guess it must have been a free/easy feature. Or something.

From the sounds of it, devs don't have to do anything already, and it's just a matter of display support.

Don't get me wrong, it's a cute feature for PC enthusiasts for the time-being, but far into the future (when folks upgrade their television sets) vs now is kinda eh.

 

I'm actually considering hooking scorpio up to a monitor instead of a tv, if I get it. It really depends on whether a monitor comes along with all of the features I want, or if an affordable tv comes first. Nice to have the option.

 

It really isn't a gimmick, anything that goes above 40 fps will benefit from that, although I don't think MS will end supporting up to 144hz monitors with that feature. Maybe future TVs will have native support.

 

Support for XBO native and XB360 titles once again, nice confirm on their behalf.
Overall very excited for Scorpio, looking into tossing my PC setup LOL and get me a freesync monitor while I wait for a adaptive refresh 4K TV

 

How big an update is it to TV's to enable this?

It sounds nice for the x360 & x1 bc games but aren't they all vsynced already due to the over head afforded by Scorpio.
If that's the case 90% of those games won't benefit from freesync at all.

It is a really good forward facing feature though, guess for some games if your running on freesync display you could tell it to run at max quaility, and benefit with unlocked frame rate, and have smooth framerate.

Usual DF, new video and article for this one bit of information, it's like pulling teeth sometimes.

 

it's a clear games first statement that is refreshing to hear, and hopefully one that drives industry adoption. I do not have gsync but I have yet to hear of an unhappy customer even with the high cost of entry. Why should consoles miss out, especially when they are such a tightly controlled system, this sort of functionality seems a given.

 

Yeah, on the surface it seems kind of odd, but a good marketing point.

On PC, variable refresh makes sense as there as gamer's make up a significantly large buying block and they'll often pay a premium for a display suitable to gaming.

For TVs, however, console gaming isn't as much of a focus when a family is out buying a TV.

So it makes sense that, for example, Samsung offers adaptive sync across a wide variety of computer displays but will they have the incentive to offer it across a wide range of TVs?

One factor that could play into it is whether there will be a relatively miniscule cost different between TV scalers with and without adaptive sync support as there is for computer display scalers. It could just end up being something TV manufacturers throw in just because, why not?

And then, of course, it also relies on people upgrading their TV. Something that is done far less frequently than computer displays. Speaking for myself, my average TV gets upgraded every ~8-12 years whereas my average computer display gets an upgrade in half that time.

Either way, it's still good for people that want a smooth presentation. I used to be really hyped for variable refresh until I actually got to try it. While the presentation is much better, the variable display rate is still easy to feel when playing games, and for me, I don't like it. Just like I can't stand 30 FPS gaming (so horrible for controls and presentation) I can't stand frame rates that vary between say 30-60. VFR makes the presentation better, but does nothing for precise and consistent controls.

The only time I've found VFR to be of an overall benefit (for me) is when the game is locked to 60 say 95% of the time and VFR makes the dips below 60 less visually noticeable.

Regards,
SB

 

Not terribly interesting, I doubt many TV sets support freesync.
Maybe a feature for pro gamers.

 

Currently not a single TV does. But all TV sets with HDMI 2.1 in less than a year could..
http://www.hdmi.org/manufacturer/hdmi_2_1/index.aspx

 

VRR is optional feature.

 

VRR is a part of the specification of HDMI 2.1 and one that HDMI Forum highlights as a feature. I imagine it will be mostly dynamic HDR and 4K@120 hz that will drive 2.1 adoption in the TV space. But if most TV manufacturers were sensitive to the complaints about latency introduce by their initial HDR solutions when gaming, I don't think it's a stretch to believe that they will be supportive of VRR.

Most TV review sites readily include a gaming component regarding latency, so if gaming seems to matter to most reviewers I doubt TV manufacturers consider gaming to be relatively irrelevant space that can generally be ignored especially since most tv manufacturers include a game mode on their TVs.

 

New DF video, Scorpio to support Freesync! Works for One and 360 games too!

 

Ethernet via HDMI is a part of HDMI 1.4. http://www.hdmi.org/manufacturer/hdmi_1_4/index.aspx It is 1st in highlights.

 

Very nice news, although support seems very very limited at first. It is only over HDMI 2.1, which apparently only a few PC monitors currently have.

Personally I do not care too much about these techs as I'm not a super frame rate sensitive type. But no doubt the idea of it may be more powerful than the reality.

 

VRR support is a differentiating feature in a market where manufacturers are struggling for ways to make their products stand out. It will definitely see some support and will be a feature that I specifically look for when I do my ultimate no-compromises TV upgrade.