I’ve seen here and there that there is still some discussion as to which mode is better, fullscreen or borderless windowed mode, particularly now that borderless windowed mode has gotten some popularity in recent times because of it’s easy of use.
I’m here to tell you however that you shouldn’t use it.
Borderless windowed mode adds input lag, for some more than others. Input lag is a perceived delay between using your input (mouse or keyboard, but mouse is much more noticeable) and seeing the effect happen on screen. Admittedly, the effect from borderless window mode isn’t that large but it is there. In borderless windowed mode the game gets a lower priority than in fullscreen mode, thus causing the input lag.
Even if your FPS is fine in both modes, the input lag is still there because it’s not FPS lag. Your FPS can be 200+ and you can still have input lag. If you want to experience what input lag is like, try the difference between using Vsync and not using it. With Vsync enabled you should experience considerable input lag, unless you have FreeSync/Gsync/something similar.
So TL:DR; Fullscreen is better than borderless windowed mode if you want the best, snappiest mouse movement.
I can confirm this, borderless is very bad with this game, I was using it for a while and had frame pacing issues (I had locked 60 fps, but it really looked like 50-45), fullscreen is more fluid.
One question though, I have a regular 60 hz monitor, I cannot get my framerate over 100, I get screen tearing when vsync is disabled. Should I use it or not (am I at a massive disadvantage in multiplayer because of vsync) ??
I would never recommend using Vsync, the input lag is bad (a lot bigger effect than what borderless windowed does) so it’s a no-brainer. Screen tearing is something you have to accept, unless you have a Freesync or Gsync monitor.
Screen tearing is progressively worse as your FPS gets further away from your monitor refresh rate; some games allow you to lock your FPS without using Vsync and that helps in some cases. In other cases it also introduces input lag so you’d have to try it.
I also have a 60 hz monitor and what I usually do is set my graphics setting in a way that I average around 80 FPS. Enough to have 60 FPS constantly but not so high that I get a lot of screen tearing. Having 150+ FPS doesn’t help if your monitor can only display 60 per second.
Then you must have dodgy hardware, because I NEVER had input lag in borderless, which I am kinda forced to use because of dodgy coding and custom Nvidia colors for monitor. It`s even worse for BF1, as it actually has significantly worse performance than borderless, up to dips from 60 to 35 FPS, where borderless is just smooth.
The ONLY time you are right is in GTA 5, where, for some reason, VSync wont apply correctly in borderless and you have "jerky" movement, or some form of minimal tearing. Even there you dont get this mythical input lag…just worse Vsync.
Yes - some games have perf. problems when using fullscreen or when using borderless windowed mode. That’s not what this topic is about. On the side, I have no drops whatsoever on fullscreen so that likely has a different cause for you.
And the fact that you cannot feel this input lag doesn’t mean it’s not there. It’s not mythical. Check this video by Battlenonsense where he proves it:
Also, Vsync is the prime suspect if you have input lag. Not the other way around.
No, its not there. Its the same movement in CS:GO as it is in this game. It is mythical to me. Others might have it, I am not questioning it, but I never had it.
And it is the other way around, btw… NOT having V-Sync can cause strange behaviour, like Euro Truck Simulator 2. Also, DISABLING V-Sync can improve game and reduce input lag, even if monitor is capped at 60, if we are to test in Arma 3 - funny enough it doesnt exhibit tearing.
AT the end of the day, I think its based on game engine and specific hardware combos. I might just be one of the lucky ones that never had this input lag youre talking about. But it is NOT a general rule, not by a long shot.
If you check Battlenonsense’s video you can see for Overwatch it adds about 30 ms of delay. I don’t have any data nor equipment like him to test it for Battlefield 1 but at the very least, having borderless windowed mode wo’nt improve/lessen your button-to-pixel time. I’m one of those guys that wants to minimize any delay/discrepancy anyway, whether I feel a noticeable effect or not - after all, all the little bits count.
Some games, dependent on engine as you say, can indeed behave strangely when Vsync is off but the comparison with ETS2 is a bit moot. We are talking about a AAA game here, not one made by small developers so no Vsync should not have any detrimental effects except for the logical tearing.
For a fact, Vsync on always introduces input lag, in some games more than others. In most that I’ve seen, it’s like 100 + ms which is very noticeable.
