AMD Crossfire Freesync Update: Delayed
by Ryan Smith on April 30, 2015 6:45 PM EST
When AMD launched Freesync back in March, one of the limitations of the initial launch version was that only single-GPU configurations were supported. Multi-GPU Crossfire systems could not be used with Freesync, requiring users to trade-off between Crossfire and Freesync. At the time AMD claimed that Crossfire Freesync support would be coming in April, however as April comes to a close it has become clear that such a release isn’t going to happen.
To that end, AMD has posted a short update on the status of Crossfire Freesync over on their forums. In the update, AMD states that after QA testing they believe that Crossfire Freesync is “is not quite ready for release” and that they will be holding it back as a result. Unfortunately AMD is not committing to a new release date for the feature, but given the fact that it’s more important to get this right than to get it out quickly, this is likely for the best.
Source: AMD
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foxalopex - Monday, May 4, 2015 - link
What makes you so sure Nvidia is willing to sell their G-Sync scheme to their competitors huh? In theory all Nvidia needs to do is to sell their FPGA module to display makers. But in order to use G-Sync you also need to BUY A LICENSE from Nvidia as well. AMD on the other hand has provided the specifications which means as long as you know what you're doing you are free to support it as you see fit. If anything this is Nvidia's play it my way or you're not allowed. I mean just look at PhysX. If you have an Nvidia card and AMD (formerly ATI) card in your system, Nvidia purposely disables PhysX. What if in the future Intel's graphics division grows and they decide, "Hey let's disable certain CPU functions if we detect anything but our own graphics card."The whole adaptive sync scheme sadly is only being used with the most high end gamers on the market. Speak to your average joe on the street and no one will really know what it is even. I suspect Intel will adopt FreeSync because well it's free. Monitor makers will likely pick up Freesync faster than G-Sync because it doesn't cost them nearly as much to adopt the standard and in time Nvidia will change their minds and add it to their system as well because well they don't need to pay AMD anything to do it. The only folks who might be burned are the early adopters of G-Sync.
chizow - Monday, May 4, 2015 - link
Who said I was sure Nvidia would sell or license their solution to the competition? LOL. I made no such claims, nor do I care. Nvidia (and AMD for that matter) have made no secret that their G-Sync solution is proprietary, and Nvidia has also made it clear in this case and others, that they have no interest in doing the work for everyone. What's wrong with proprietary if it gets the job done and drives innovation in the marketplace? Would you have preferred Nvidia never invent the implementation of VRR and wait for some standards board to maybe invent it some X years later?It's a mentality I strongly agree with, Nvidia unapologetically spends their resources to create new and innovative technologies that improve the gaming ecosystem for users that BUY IN to their technology. They are in no way obligated to improve the situation for everyone, least of all their competitors, but there have been times in the past they have introduced new technologies that improve gaming for everyone, like GameWorks.
You keep parroting the nonsense that G-Sync requires a licensing fee paid to Nvidia, but there's simply no proof of that. What you do have is an expensive, proprietary G-Sync FPGA module, local DRAM, and all necessary TCONs to replace a monitor's scaler logic. AMD repeatedly made claims that this module wasn't necessary, but as we are seeing now, that is CLEARLY not the case and the G-Sync module and local DRAM buffer were doing quite a bit of work to address the deficiencies we see in AMD's FreeSync solution.
Most notably:
1) the ability to repeat frames on the low-end using the local DRAM as a lookaside buffer.
2) the ability to take over the overdrive function at a variable rate to give the panel similar anti-ghosting characteristics as other panels on the market.
But yes, I see you are also buying into the popular FUD that while this is a niche market (I agree), Intel will be AMD's savior in adopting FreeSync bc well, it's free (this part is nonsense). Sorry to burst your bubble, but aside from the fact Intel has shown no interest whatsoever in FreeSync, FreeSync is actually trademarked by AMD and it is unlikely that they would license it to one of their competitors. Plus, there's the question whether or not Intel iGPUs are even capable of implementing VRR, given the fact even many of AMD's own recent, relevant GPUs cannot. Do you honestly think an Intel IGP has more advanced display controllers, than say, the 7970 Tahiti? Because that part amongst all other GCN 1.0 cards actually can't support FreeSync. Just sayin.
akamateau - Friday, May 1, 2015 - link
Free-sync with Crossfire right NOW is almost irrelevant.With DX12 AMD single dGPU's will deliver something close to 18 MILLION draw calls. More than enough for 4K gaming.
AMD Radeon 3xx series will likely be over 20 million draw calls; more than adequate for 4k games. Running dualie dGPU Radeon cards will likely produce and AP overhead of 30-40 million draws calls. Hardly necessary.
How many gamers NOW are using two Radeon dGPU cards and are going to run out and buy a new flat screen display? Not too many.
chizow - Saturday, May 2, 2015 - link
lol and these replies are a good example of AMD's BS leading to typical misinformation that dies hard.gnuliver - Saturday, May 2, 2015 - link
And yet the 290X doesn't outperform equivalent Nvidia cards in Mantle games on all but low end CPUs, despite Mantle being capable of making "more draw calls."akamateau - Friday, May 1, 2015 - link
WHaaaaa...somebody call the whammmmbulance for this whining nvidia fanboyo whaaaaaa whaaaaaaAMD is late with a Dual dGPU driver. BIG eFFFFing deal. IT's FREE SYNC.
What that means is this, IT"S FREE.
And way better than nVidia.
gnuliver - Saturday, May 2, 2015 - link
I don't think Nvidia fanboys are whining. After all, Nvidia has had no compromises VRR for pretty much as long as VRR technology has existed.akamateau - Friday, May 1, 2015 - link
WHaaaaa...somebody call the whammmmbulance for this whining nvidia fanboyo whaaaaaa whaaaaaaAMD is late with a Dual dGPU driver. BIG eFFFFing deal. IT's FREE SYNC.
What that means is this, IT"S FREE.
And way better than nVidia.
Oxford Guy - Sunday, May 3, 2015 - link
Providing a firm release date and then reneging on that is bad enough but not even providing another target date is basically unacceptable.Nvidia and AMD both need to have more respect for their customers and investors.
1) No more rebadging. If you want to make a minor update, then add "Rev. X" to the card's name, where X is the series number. That way people will know what the GPU chip actually is but also know how it fits into the current lineup (the series). Simple rebadging is pretty close to fraud.
2) No more selling different GPUs under the same name. I particularly recall lower-end Nvidia cards that had very different specs and yet had the same name. There are quite a few instances.
3) Absolutely no scamming people by baiting them with better specs and selling them something with lower specs (GTX 970). And, if you really want people to believe your "We didn't know because we're incompetent" claim, then back it up with a real remedy.
4) If you can't deliver the product within close proximity of the time you announced it would be available then don't announce the date in the first place. Tell people the timing is TBA. If you give an estimate, make sure people know it's highly changeable.
dotpex - Monday, May 4, 2015 - link
chizow is an nvidia bot, his real name is Jason Chowhere is a picture of him: https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/2917202787/85...