120 Hz TV vs 50 Hz

[paulyg123 135]

I have a 40" UHDTV as a main monitor for MSFS. It looks pretty good.  Itis at 60 Hz refresh rate. I have a 4090 card and an Intel 13900 CPU and get around 120fps mot of the times.  Would I notice a difference if I buy a 50" UHDTV that operates at 120 Hz.   Does the refresh rate really make a difference for MSFS???

[virtuali 4,441]

More than being able to support 120 hz, I think the thing to look for in a TV used for MSFS, is support for VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), which is part of the HDMI 2.1 standard and it's normally available on most recent TVs.

It's like gsync for TVs, so you'll always get a smooth image, even if the frame rate in the sim is not exactly 60 or 120 fps, so the TV will sync at any fps, making the image stutter free and with no tearing.

Edited November 3, 2023 by virtuali

[Rogen 1,098]

Modern TVs also have build in frame rate enhancements.

For example, on my TV if I force an input refresh rate of 50 Hz, the TV will enhance a BluRay playback fps and bring it up to 50 fps instead of the std. BluRay frame rate of 23.976 fps.

And thus the playback is very smooth.

Cheers

[virtuali 4,441]

34 minutes ago, Rogen said:

For example, on my TV if I force an input refresh rate of 50 Hz, the TV will enhance a BluRay playback fps and bring it up to 50 fps instead of the std. BluRay frame rate of 23.976 fps

With movies, it's the first effect I try to be sure it's turned off before playing.

Because it turns the nice 24 fps cinematography movie fans waited so long to get and it finally arrived with Bluray (before, you had the two equally bad choices of NTCS with pull-down to go up to 30 fps or PAL accelerated to 25 fps, including audio, with all musicals out of tune...). In addition to being HD, the other big innovation Bluray + HDMI got us, was being able to see movies at their native frame rate.

On games, of course, it's a completely different matter, but the frames added by the TV introduce more lag than what nVidia Frame Generation can do, which works at the driver level, and has anti-lag technologies such nVidia Reflex to keep it as low as possible, and it also has extra data the TV doesn't have access to, like motion vectors that are only known to the game engine so it's just not a matter of lag, but also quality.

So, for nVdia 4000-series owner, like the OP is, the TV own frame interpolation method should not be used. Of course, those without a Frame-generation capable video card, might take some benefit from it.

Edited November 3, 2023 by virtuali

[micstatic 4,340]

I used to have a 60hz 43" Samsung 4k tv.  It served me well.  But I replaced it with a 38 inch 3840x1600 144hz.  I run it actually at 120hz and HDR on.  But to me the biggest upgrade was true gsync.  Like virtuali mentioned.  The top end fps isn't really the most important thing.  It's a screen that can do gsync or VRR.  

[paulyg123 135]

8 hours ago, micstatic said:

I used to have a 60hz 43" Samsung 4k tv.  It served me well.  But I replaced it with a 38 inch 3840x1600 144hz.  I run it actually at 120hz and HDR on.  But to me the biggest upgrade was true gsync.  Like virtuali mentioned.  The top end fps isn't really the most important thing.  It's a screen that can do gsync or VRR.  

micstatic:

thanks for your response, it is what I am looking for  but you are talking way above my tech abilities.  

If I do buy a 120 Hz tv strictly for MSFS, using a 4090 card. 

1: how do I do vsync or VRR.  It that a TV option? or a setting in MSFS???

2:  did the 144Hz help make a big difference for you?  what brand tv did you get??

I am tech savvy, so I trust you all for tis advice- - tanks.

[micstatic 4,340]

15 hours ago, paulyg123 said:

micstatic:

thanks for your response, it is what I am looking for  but you are talking way above my tech abilities.  

If I do buy a 120 Hz tv strictly for MSFS, using a 4090 card. 

1: how do I do vsync or VRR.  It that a TV option? or a setting in MSFS???

2:  did the 144Hz help make a big difference for you?  what brand tv did you get??

I am tech savvy, so I trust you all for tis advice- - tanks.

The overall point I was trying to make was get a tv that supports VRR.  You should be able to look up specific models on a site like rtings.com.  But at this point I'd recommend going with a monitor vs a tv.  2nd question harder to answer.  For years I locked at 30hz and was fine with it.  However that is less than ideal for things like panning.  What I like about combining higher frame rates with gsync is that I can enjoy the higher frame count when able, but gsync will kick in and prevent stutters.  If you have the 4090, matching gsync and frame generation (Already supported by msfs and your card), then I'd simply be searching for monitors that are gsync or even better gsync ultimate.  I would avoid ones that are simply listed as gsync compatible.  But that's just my opinion.  

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-gsync-monitor-glossary-definition-explained,6008.html

[brucewtb 250]

I have a 9900KF/4090 and a 49 inch 60 hz 4K TV that does not have VRR.  But I have found that with vsync enabled in the NCP along with a 60FPS frame cap (and vsync disbabled in sim) plus FG I get very smooth performance that rarely drops below 60 FPS.  I had planned to upgrade my TV but I am now thinking I don't need to.

Bruce