Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) is a term used in the world of digital displays including television screens, computer monitors, and handheld device screens. As a technology, VRR enhances the overall viewing experience by delivering enhanced graphics, ensuring a smoother motion portrayal, and limiting issues such as screen tearing, stuttering, or juddering.
VRR does this by allowing the display's refresh rate to sync dynamically with the frame rate of the outputting device, primarily a video game console or a computer's graphic processing unit (GPU). By synchronizing the frame rate (the rate at which a device can output images) with the monitor's refresh rate (how often the display refreshes with a new image), VRR allows the images to match precisely without any discrepancy. This eliminates the issue of screen tearing, a graphical distortion that occurs when the display shows parts of two or more screen images at the same time.
The traditional and most common refresh rate found in most screens is 60 hertz (Hz), which means the screen is refreshed 60 times per second. However, the problem arises when the frame rate outputted by your game or GPU does not match with the monitor's refresh rate. The refresh rate and frame rate might be constant, but that does not mean they always sync up perfectly. This mismatch is often the cause for screen tearing and other visual anomalies.
VRR technology is a solution to this problem, ensuring that the display adjusts to match your GPU's output. Variable refresh rates allow screens to operate at any frequency, providing flexibility to adapt to the performance of the hardware it is connected to. This means frame rates can vary, ensuring a clean, smooth picture at all times, even during complex or fast-moving scenes.
VRR technology comes in multiple standards including NVIDIA's G-Sync and AMD's FreeSync. Both these technologies, though having slight differences, work on the same fundamental principle of matching the refresh rate with the output frame rate for smooth and clean picture quality.
In conclusion, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) is an imperative technology for any display that wants to provide viewers with the smoothest and cleanest images possible. Whether it's used for video game graphics or just watching high-definition video, VRR technology can greatly enhance the viewing experience by eliminating common visual distortions.