Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology — G-Sync on Nvidia, FreeSync on AMD — synchronizes your monitor's refresh rate to the game's FPS, eliminating screen tearing without the input lag penalty of traditional VSync. But most players configure VRR wrong in PoE2, often leaving FPS uncapped and wondering why they still see tearing. Here is the correct configuration for 0.5.0.
Quick setup: Use our Config Generator with your monitor's refresh rate to set the correct FPS limit automatically.
The Correct VRR Formula
The golden rule for VRR: VSync ON in control panel, OFF in-game, FPS capped 3 below your refresh rate. Here is why:
- VSync ON in NVCP/AMD → Enables G-Sync/FreeSync to engage. Without it, VRR doesn't activate.
- VSync OFF in-game → Prevents the game's VSync from fighting the driver's VSync, which would add an extra frame of latency.
- FPS cap at refresh rate − 3 → Keeps you within the VRR range. At 144 Hz, cap at 141. If FPS exceeds the refresh rate, VRR disengages and VSync takes over — adding input lag.
Nvidia G-Sync Setup (Step by Step)
- Nvidia Control Panel → Display → Set up G-Sync → Enable G-Sync for full-screen and windowed mode.
- Manage 3D Settings → Program Settings → PoE2:
- Monitor Technology → G-Sync Compatible
- Vertical Sync → On (this enables G-Sync)
- Low Latency Mode → On (not Ultra — Ultra conflicts with G-Sync's frame pacing on some drivers)
- Power Management → Prefer Maximum Performance
- In PoE2 → Options → Graphics: VSync → OFF. FPS Limit → 141 (for 144 Hz) or 117 (for 120 Hz).
AMD FreeSync Setup
- AMD Software → Display → FreeSync → ON.
- AMD Software → Gaming → PoE2:
- Wait for Vertical Refresh → Always On (this enables FreeSync)
- Radeon Anti-Lag → On
- Radeon Enhanced Sync → Off (redundant with FreeSync)
- In PoE2 → Options → Graphics: VSync → OFF. FPS Limit → 141 or 117.
Dual Monitor & G-Sync
If you use a second monitor and experience stutter in PoE2 with G-Sync enabled:
- Set the second monitor to 60 Hz (or match its native) rather than leaving it at a different refresh rate.
- Disable hardware acceleration in Discord and Chrome on the second monitor — they can trigger G-Sync deactivation.
- In Nvidia Control Panel, set "Vertical Sync → On" globally, not just for PoE2, to keep G-Sync active across both displays.
Triple Buffering: The G-Sync Mistake
Many guides tell you to enable Triple Buffering with G-Sync. Don't. Triple Buffering adds a frame of latency that directly contradicts VRR's purpose. Keep it OFF in Nvidia Control Panel. The only exception is if you play with VSync ON without G-Sync — then triple buffering helps. But with G-Sync, it hurts.
For the complete FPS optimization guide including in-game settings, see our Ultimate 0.5.0 Performance Guide.