Questions about vert sync and refresh rates.

[Octoman]

I know that many new cards cards can push high frame rates on today's computers. My question, however, is 300+ fps actually needed? I have my monitor set at 85Hz and I am running a stock GF3Ti200. Now while playing HalfLife I can usually sustain 85 fps and I know depending on the scene I can do better. In halfLife there is a setting for max fps, and I also have it set at 85. So, back to my question. I want to upgrade to a faster card, let say an Ati 9800 Pro. Now I know that card can surely keep the screen pegged at 85 fps and even higher. So if I enable vert sync does that allow the card to only render 85 fps? And if so will those 85 frames be better rendered than if I had vert sync off, allowing the card to render as many frames as it wanted? I mean to ask since my monitor is limited to only 85fps would the video card be better of rendering only 85 frames? Does it actually do this? Does the card say, I can only do 85fps, so lets make them great quality frames or does it not care and render 85 frames just as it would if it were rendering 300+ frames and only showing 85 of those 300+ frames?

Just to let you kow that I understand how benhmarking works, like Quake Demo, I understand that pushing 300+ frames at 1024*768 is gonna mean that if I increase resolution or turn on more eye candy that the frame rates will drop. But my question apllies to when the resolution and monitor settings are the limiting factors. I play at 1024*768 with my monitor set at 85Hz.

Thanks for the help.

 

[DaddyB]

No it won't make the images better quality, what turning on Vsync does do is stop "tearing". When the card is putting out more frames then the refresh rate can handle the monitor will sometimes draw half the screen, then the video card has rendered more frames so when it draws the second half it is a different frame. I like to have Vsync on but it's just a question of whether you dislike the tearing or not... after all your monitor is only displaying 85 FPS regardless of how many FPS your card is rendering.

Since you have your FPS limited (BTW CS is limited to 100FPS anyway) you might as wel enable Vsync for that game, limiting the FPS does not have the same effect as Vsync - the frames can still get out of sync if it is limited (causing tearing) but they will stay in sync if Vsync is on.

 

[Octoman]

Thanks, that is exactly the knid of information I was looking for.
Thanks again.