RetroArch 1.7.4 – Sync To Exact Content Frame Rate – Ideal for G-Sync/FreeSync users!

Libretro Team


Blog post written by Tatsuya79

RetroArch 1.7.4 has a new feature that will be especially advantageous to users of variable sync display technologies, such as G-Sync/FreeSync. We call it “Sync to Exact Content Framerate”.

This option is the equivalent of forcing x1 speed while still allowing fast forward.
There will be no deviation from the core requested refresh rate alongside sound Dynamic Rate Control (the default RetroArch behaviour outside of this setting).
It should adapt to any refresh supported by your screen and provide smooth scrolling.

Steps to take for it to be effective:

  • Have G-Sync/FreeSync active in your video driver control panel and monitor menu
  • In RetroArch, set “Video” -> “Vertical Refresh Rate” to your monitor frequency
    (you can use “set display reported refresh rate” as it should give you your desktop refresh rate)
  • Activate “Frame Throttle”-> “Sync to Exact Content Framerate (G-Sync, FreeSync)”

Keep V-Sync active in Settings -> “Video”, it won’t work with it disabled.

Core-specific hints

  • MAME needs “Enable Throttle” in its core options to give the exact game timing.
  • Genesis Plus GX needs “System Region” set to “PAL” in its core options to switch to 50Hz. It doesn’t seem to be able to do it automatically.

    • This setting is not a silver bullet though, and it relies on the core to have proper frame timing. As a result, currently this setting can’t fix the frame pacing issues some cores suffer from (mGBA and Reicast have some at the moment).

    RetroArch 1.7.4 – Details on Discord integration

    Libretro Team


    Blog post written by Winneon

    RetroArch 1.7.4 now has extended Discord RPC integration! Previously before 1.7.4, RetroArch would act as any other game in Discord: as a simple “Playing” status that said you had RetroArch open. It wasn’t very descriptive or helpful other than displaying the name “RetroArch”. With the 1.7.4 update, RetroArch will display more information beyond a simple “Playing” status! Below is the full list of new features this new extended integration brings.

    • A new “In-Menu” and “In-Game” status that displays whether you’re in the standard RetroArch menu, or playing a game in a libretro core.
    • Playing & paused indicators displaying whether or not the currently running core is paused or not.
    • Sleek icons based on the Monochrome XMB theme that display what platform your game is running as. This is dependent on the core, not the individual game/content, so there will be case scenarios where it may be wrong (i.e. showing a GameCube icon when you’re playing Super Mario Galaxy in Dolphin).
    • A text indicator that displays what platform & core you’re playing under when hovering over the platform icon.
    • A text indicator that display what game/content you’re playing. If you chose your game/content from a playlist, it will use the playlist entry’s name instead of the content filename.
    • A counter/stopwatch that shows your current session’s playtime when you’re playing a game/content in a libretro core. The counter will pause when the game/content also pauses along with the new playing/paused indicators.

    How to use it?

    The extended Discord RPC integration requires updated core information files for most cores currently available. You can update your core info files by following the instructions below:

    1. Start RetroArch.
    2. Go to Online Updater.
    3. Select “Update Core Info Files”.

    Afterwards, to enable the Discord integration, following the remaining instructions.

    1. Start RetroArch.
    2. Go to Settings -> Privacy.
    3. Change “Enable Discord” from “OFF” to “ON”.

    Other than that, make sure you are running Discord on the same PC as your RetroArch client, and you have “Display currently running game as a status message” enabled in your Discord settings. Sadly, the Discord RPC API does not support remote connections.