Microsoft has introduced a new Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) option situated under the Graphics Settings in the Windows 10 version 1903. So what is the use of this OS-Level refresh rate on a PC Windows?
Accessible via a toggle switch, this system-level feature can be enabled or disabled as needed by the user. Microsoft says this feature will support Variable Refresh Rate technologies available with the Adapative-Sync VESA standard and NVIDIA G-SYNC.
When toggled ON, this setting will render games dependent on DirectX 11 to interact with Variable Refresh Rate even in full-screen mode. This works even for the titles not originally capable of working with VRR natively.
This new OS support is only to augment these experiences and does not replace them. You should continue to use G-SYNC / Adaptive-Sync normally. This toggle doesn’t override any of the settings you’ve already configured in the G-SYNC or Adaptive-Sync control panels.
This new toggle enables VRR support for DX11 full-screen games that did not support VRR natively, so these games can now benefit from your VRR hardware.
You won’t see the slider unless your system has all of the following. If any of these are missing, you will not see the toggle and the feature will not be enabled for you.
- Windows Version 1903 or later
- A G-SYNC or Adaptive-Sync capable monitor
- A GPU with WDDM 2.6 or above drivers, that supports G-SYNC / Adaptive-Sync and this new OS feature
Gaming has just got better on Windows 10 devices with VRR as frame rate remains constant during the rendering process, even if games don’t support it natively.
