A good synchronisation system in a gamer's computer will guarantee a seamless playing experience without herky-jerky movements and stuttering action. Players can choose between AMD's FreeSynch and Nvidia's G-Sync. But make sure the card is right for you before investing.
German gaming magazine Gamestar confirms that good synchronisation can provide noticeably higher quality of play on a full-HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) screen with a 60-hertz frame refresh rate.
Breaks in the action, known as tearing, are minimised if everything works right.
Testers couldn't detect a major difference in quality between the two systems when trying out games like Battlefield 4, Far Cry 4, Batman: Arkham Origins and Total War: Rome 2.
Nvidia's G-Sync requires a screen including some proprietary technology and a compatible graphics card from the company. About eight such screens, costing about 400 euros (445 dollars), are currently offered on the German market.
Meanwhile, AMD has no specific hardware needs for its system.
To use it, players must have an AMD graphics card with the FreeSync function, a screen with the DisplayPort 1.2a specification and a compatible Scaler chip. Currently there are two compatible screens on sale, with six more on the way.
The AMD card only works properly with DisplayPort. An HDMI or DVI connection will not do the trick.
But not everyone should run out and buy one of the new systems. If your set-up is already fairly advanced, the synchronisation systems might not provide much of a boost.