"Only 5% of Adaptive-Sync Monitors made the cut" says Nvidia

Back in March, Nvidia revealed that they would be introducing “G-Sync compatible” monitors to the market to help make it easier for users to experience the smoothness of G-Sync without all the extra bells and whistles. By providing a more streamlined approach, users would have more options for better monitors and smoother gameplay altogether. Now, though, Nvidia has revealed that “only 5% of Adaptive-Sync monitors made the cut”, as they’ve been testing each monitor that’s released before giving it that “G-Sync Compatible” seal of approval.

This number is exceptionally low. According to the report shared by Nvidia this weekend, 503 Variable Refresh Rate monitors have passed through the Nvidia labs. Of this 503, only 48 of the monitors have received the G-Sync Compatible seal. This means that of the 503 monitors, 475 of them failed to meet the standards set by Nvidia before this all began.

This infographic from Nvidia breaks down the results of their first phase of testing for G-Sync Compatible monitors.

Nvidia continues the report by breaking down why many of the monitors failed. According to the company, 273 of the VRR monitors failed for lacking a VRR range of at least 2.4:1, which they define as 60Hz-144Hz. This meant that users were unlikely to receive any of the benefits of VRR as the framerate offered by those monitors wouldn’t be within the tight range that is supposed to be offered. Nvidia also stated that while many of the monitors had a sufficient enough VRR range, 202 of the monitors failed due to their image quality. Issues included blanking, flickering, and other issues with the monitors themselves. Another 33 of the monitors put through the phase 1 testing were unable to be properly tested, as the company couldn’t get their hands on the monitors due to them no longer being manufactured.

You can check out the full post on the Nvidia website for all the details from the testing. Since G-Sync was created in 2013, Nvidia has tried to offer premium monitors for gamers and enthusiasts to make use of. By testing out the other available VRR monitors, they have given users looking for that smooth experience a few more avenues to explore. Of course, it appears that G-Sync monitors themselves are still the best option, so long as you can afford the price that comes with them.