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TremorAcePV

Member

Registered: 2016-08-24

Posts: 22

Emulating Windows through Linux: Will Freesync work?

Hi,

TL;DR: If I emulate Windows using QEMU or something, since I can use the GPU hardware natively, will it support Freesync since it's likely being pushed through Xorg anyway? (I considered using Wayland, but I couldn't get a good windows manager working)

The long(ish) version:

I own a Freesync monitor. AMD's open source drivers on Linux do not support Freesync yet and won't for some time (I read kernel 4.9 is estimated time that feature will be added). I would really prefer not to use the closed source drivers, partly for FOSS, and partly because I have had horrible experiences making them work. Also, the open source supports my GPU pretty well in terms of performance.

I've considered emulating Windows for gaming purposes, but I'm pretty sure even if give the hardware directly over to the emulator, the display will be pushed through Xorg anyway (somehow, still haven't gotten into the actual "doing it" aspects), so using Windows won't matter unless it's not emulated.

I'd rather not dual boot, but if I can't get Freesync working I feel like I don't have much choice.

Thanks for reading,
Tremor.

Last edited by TremorAcePV (2016-09-07 15:41:59)

bart_vv

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2011-04-12

Posts: 51

Re: Emulating Windows through Linux: Will Freesync work?

, so using Windows won't matter unless it's not emulated.

So, why ask if you already know the answer?

I think it could work with gpu passthrough, but I doubt you have 2 gpus and 2 monitors...

TremorAcePV

Member

Registered: 2016-08-24

Posts: 22

Re: Emulating Windows through Linux: Will Freesync work?

, so using Windows won't matter unless it's not emulated.

So, why ask if you already know the answer?

I think it could work with gpu passthrough, but I doubt you have 2 gpus and 2 monitors...

I don't know the answer. It's an educated guess.

Hmm, you make a valid point. 5930k's don't have integrated GPUs.

Dual booting it is. Thanks. sigh

bart_vv

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2011-04-12

Posts: 51

Re: Emulating Windows through Linux: Will Freesync work?

Well, this must be a hard requirement then? As far as I understand freesync it is only a power-saving feature when you turn off v-sync like stuff, right? Been playing counter-strike for years and somehow survived without such features, no tearing, no problems. Or maybe I simply do not understand how freesync works and how beneficial it is...

TremorAcePV

Member

Registered: 2016-08-24

Posts: 22

Re: Emulating Windows through Linux: Will Freesync work?

Well, this must be a hard requirement then? As far as I understand freesync it is only a power-saving feature when you turn off v-sync like stuff, right? Been playing counter-strike for years and somehow survived without such features, no tearing, no problems. Or maybe I simply do not understand how freesync works and how beneficial it is...

So... the purpose of Freesync is that it is a dynamic V-Sync. The monitor *only* refreshes when the GPU pushes a frame to it. For V-Sync, you accomplish this by locking the Frame rate at 60 refreshes per second (usually, as an example) and then hope to maintain 60 FPS constantly in the game you are playing. However, normal V-Sync introduces input lag due to it's nature. Also, most normal monitors don't change refresh rate dynamically. They stick to 60hz or something similar (50 in PAL regions for example). If your FPS drops below 60 on a 60hz monitor using VSync, VSync is disabled. VSync only works if you can maintain FPS equal to the refresh rate of the monitor constantly, which is fairly easy in a game like CS:GO and especially in older CS games. It's much harder to do at higher resolutions on more graphically demanding games.

Freesync on the other hand, is as I mentioned, dynamic. I personally own a 144hz monitor with Freesync (this one particularly: https://www.buypixio.com/products/px277). Freesync has a range which it works at. For this particular monitor, it's 55hz to 144hz. So I won't experience screen tearing as long as I can get FPS in a game that is within that range because the monitor's refresh rate will match whatever the GPU can handle at any given point in time.

Here's a guide on VSync if you wish to read more: http://www.tweakguides.com/Graphics_9.html

And here's an example of what Freesync does differently from VSync: http://www.144hzmonitors.com/freesync/

Is it **necessary**? No. But I'd like to use the features of the things I own, and I can tell you Freesync is worth going the extra mile to use.

Last edited by TremorAcePV (2016-09-08 15:17:22)