Why a frame tears in the first place
Tearing happens when the GPU hands the display a new frame partway through a refresh: the top of the image is one frame, the bottom is the next, with a horizontal seam between them. On a fixed 60/144/240 Hz panel with no sync, this shows up essentially any time your FPS doesn't line up with the refresh rate. VRR fixes it differently than old V-Sync: instead of making a finished frame wait, the monitor changes its own refresh rate in real time to match the GPU's pace.
Where VRR starts adding latency
VRR has a working range — a lower bound set by the panel (often somewhere around 40-48 Hz, it varies by model) and the panel's maximum on top. Below the lower bound, modern G-SYNC and FreeSync usually don't shut off; they repeat frames (Low Framerate Compensation) so VRR keeps working. The real trouble is the upper ceiling: the moment your FPS hits the monitor's maximum and pushes past it, VRR stops helping, and you fall back to either tearing or V-Sync with its queued frames and added input lag. The classic 'G-SYNC on, V-Sync on, no FPS cap' setup is exactly what produces the mushy feel people then blame on G-SYNC itself.
Binding the three settings correctly
The setup that works in most games: G-SYNC/FreeSync enabled, V-Sync enabled in the driver control panel (not in the game), and an FPS cap set a few frames below your refresh rate — for example around 141 on a 144 Hz panel (faster panels like 240 Hz sometimes want a slightly bigger margin). Here V-Sync isn't slowing the image down; it's a safety net against blowing past the top of the VRR range, while the FPS cap keeps you from reaching that edge at all. If a game has Reflex or its own built-in limiter, it's often more precise than the driver cap and will hold FPS below the ceiling on its own — lean on that instead of stacking caps.
Confirming it's actually bound right
Pull up an overlay showing both your frame rate and the monitor's refresh rate; many displays can also show their current Hz natively. If the monitor's Hz tracks your FPS smoothly and doesn't pin itself to the maximum, VRR is alive and doing its job. If the refresh sticks at the panel's ceiling and the controls feel sluggish, your FPS cap either isn't applied or is set too high.
Verdict
VRR removes tearing with practically no added latency — but only while your FPS stays inside the monitor's range, which is what the frame cap plus V-Sync safety net are there to guarantee. Set a limiter a few frames under your refresh rate and use an overlay to confirm VRR is tracking the game. In competitive shooters where you chase the lowest possible latency and can live with some tearing, VRR with a cap is still a sensible middle ground.