Intel Smooth Sync Support Added To Linux Graphics Drivers, Great For Budget Gamers

Intel just announced Smooth Sync, a new dithering filter to assist in limiting screen tearing when using a display that does not offer Adaptive-Sync or V-Sync is not active, reports Michael Larabel of the website Phoronix. Readers will remember that Intel’s line of graphics cards supports the VESA Adaptive-Sync certification for Arc Graphics.

Intel Smooth Sync support added to Linux graphics driver to aid in limiting screen tearing

Over the last few months, Intel has advertised Smooth Sync for Windows support, helping to remove some of the tears that happen during gameplay or streaming content through a dithering filter. Intel instructed users to deactivate V-Sync to achieve increased frame rates in non-Adaptive-Sync displays. Regarding Linux compatibility, Intel had remained silent until today, when the company added initial patches for open-source support.

Intel Smooth Sync in action I’m currently also uploading a short video on YT.

More images here:https://t.co/NOeqD9U3i8#intel #arc #smoothsync #sync #a380 pic.twitter.com/AWmYzkdKRf

— Löschzwerg (@Loeschzwerg_3DC) July 21, 2022

Larabel of Phoronix reports that the “Linux patch confirms that Smooth Sync is a blending and dithering filter to smoothly transition from an old image to a new image over a programmable number of scan lines for use when running with async page-flipping/V-Sync disabled.”

Löschzwerg (@Loeschzwerg_3DC on Twitter) displays the difference between when Smooth Sync is active and when it is deactivated. The Tweet’s thread also explains that the Intel Smooth Sync is comparable to NVIDIA’s Fast Sync technology. Fast Sync is intended to improve V-sync. A best-case scenario is when the graphics card delivers more frames than a monitor can tolerate. NVIDIA’s Fast Sync offers lower input lag and is best used for first-person shooters or eSports games.

The new enablement of Smooth Sync for Linux adds almost one hundred lines of code to the current kernel, with six lines removed and ninety-seven lines added. It is anticipated that the upcoming Linux kernel will add the new Intel Smooth Sync Support to the forthcoming version 6.1 kernel unless testing arises of any further issues or incompatibility with the new dithering filter.

The Smooth Sync technology is also a bonus for budget builds, including compatibility with displays that do not offer Adaptive Sync. Users who game on laptops, cost-friendly builds, or slightly older systems will benefit from Intel’s newest technology.

The post Intel Smooth Sync Support Added To Linux Graphics Drivers, Great For Budget Gamers by Jason R. Wilson appeared first on Wccftech.