G-Sync Pulsar Monitors are getting a worthy upgrade courtesy of NVIDIA's new G-Sync Pulsar 1.1.10 firmware update. The 1.1.10 firmware improves Motion Picture Response Time (MPRT), lowering it to below 1.0ms (0.97ms, to be exact) in 240Hz mode with Pulse Width set to 50. According to the NVIDIA changelog, this translates to motion clarity that's equivalent to a 1,000Hz monitor.
At maximum brightness (480 nits) on supported monitors, the sharpness for moving images at 240Hz and 360Hz now matches the sharpness you get from 60Hz ULMB2 mode. If you now run a G-Sync Pulsar monitor at 360Hz at 480 nits of brightness, you also get an MPRT improvement from 1.64ms to 1.14ms. It's possible that NVIDIA might get the 360Hz mode under the same 1ms response time as the 240Hz mode, but that's just speculation right now.
For those unfamiliar, G-Sync Pulsar pairs variable refresh rate (VRR) with dynamic backlight strobing to reduce screen tearing and motion blur. These monitors pulse the backlight in sync with frame refreshes and variable refresh rates, providing better motion clarity while still combating screen tearing.
At the time of writing, these are the only monitors that feature G-Sync Pulsar:
- Acer Predator XB273U F5
- AOC AGON PRO AG276QSG2
- ASUS ROG STRIX Pulsar XG27AQNGV
- MSI MPG 272QRF X36
All of them are 1440p displays, and they are quite expensive considering the specs. Similarly equipped monitors without G-Sync Pulsar are often under $300. In comparison, the ASUS ROG STRIX Pulsar XG27AQNGV costs $520.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which G-Sync Pulsar monitors are supported by firmware 1.1.10 right now?
How does G-Sync Pulsar combine VRR and backlight strobing to reduce motion blur and tearing?
Are the Acer Predator XB273U F5, AOC AGON PRO AG276QSG2, ASUS ROG STRIX Pulsar XG27AQNGV, and MSI MPG 272QRF X36 the only G-Sync Pulsar monitors available so far?
What kinds of games were causing G-Sync Pulsar to switch on or off unexpectedly before the 1.1.10 reliability fix?
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Pulsar version 1.1.10 also improves overall reliability. There were some cases with certain demanding games where Pulsar would turn itself on or off out of the blue to prevent artifacts. This is obviously a cutting-edge technology right now, and NVIDIA still appears to be ironing out the kinks. For now, with the current update, you get better Pulsar reliability, improved image sharpness, and motion clarity.
