Enabling 120Hz scrolling in Safari

[Wandersonsc]

Question to kvlq:​

- No settings change needed?
- Did you ever change the setting before in an earlier version of Safari / MacOS?
I ask because maybe an old settings change carried over.

In addition, if you can install Chrome or another browser and test TestUFO on an iPhone, then I can at least automatically prompt iPhone users to use Chrome if they need 120Hz TestUFO testing (At least until Apple allows 120Hz setting on iPhones).

Question to Wandersonsc:​

You are very welcome!
- What version of Mac OS do you have?
- You had to configure the settings?

I plan to begin automatically displaying a link to 120Hz Mac instructions everytime
IF (OS equals Mac) AND (Hz is 60 or less)


I also asked other people on other forums, as well as privately. I have two reports of this. Looks like 120Hz automagically works out-of-box on 120Hz MacBooks.

Currently Presumed Safari 120Hz Status​

- 120Hz MacBooks on current MacOS: Sometimes automatic / Sometimes configuring needed
- 120Hz iPads on current iOS: Possible but advanced settings configuring needed
- 120Hz iPhones on current iOS: Not currently possible?

From all sources, I now have at least 2-3 reports of each bullet, which suggests these statuses.

More Confirmations Needed​

Anybody getting behaviors different from above?
What about Google Chrome on iPhone?
What about iOS 17 Beta on iPhone?

I humbly appreciate additional confirms. I really want to whitelist Safari 120Hz as fully as feasible, since TestUFO is working otherwise.

Uh, well, I am on Ventura 13.5.
I just followed your structions to the latter.
First, I activate developer menubar in Advanced Preferences, then, in developer menubar, into Experimental Features, and furthermore I uncheck "Prefer Page Rendering Updates near 60fps. And voila!

 

[joevt]

macOS Monterey 12.6.7 (21G651)
GPU: Radeon Pro W5700.
display is 119.88Hz.

Safari Version 16.5.2 (17615.2.9.101.1, 17615 : 60 fps even with "Prefer Page Rendering Updates near 60fps" disabled.
Google Chrome Version 115.0.5790.114 (Official Build) (x86_64): 120 fps.

Actually, Safari now says 120 fps after I disabled a second attached display that was 60Hz using SwitchResX menu. But then the display automatically reenabled itself and Safari still says 120 fps. When I move the Safari window to the 60Hz display, it takes a second to show 60fps. I suppose for the "Prefer Page Rendering Updates near 60fps" change to take affect in the UFO Test, you may need to restart Safari or move the window to different display and move it back.

My display can also do 48-144Hz variable refresh. When I switch to that mode, the UFO test remains at 120fps in Safari and Chrome. I can drag the window to the other display to get 60Hz in UFO Test but dragging it back to the 144Hz display UFO Test maxes out at 120fps. The display's onscreen menu does show 144Hz. I also tried 144Hz fixed rate mode with the same affect as the VRR mode.

 

[Blur Busters]

My display can also do 48-144Hz variable refresh. When I switch to that mode, the UFO test remains at 120fps in Safari and Chrome. I can drag the window to the other display to get 60Hz in UFO Test but dragging it back to the 144Hz display UFO Test maxes out at 120fps. The display's onscreen menu does show 144Hz. I also tried 144Hz fixed rate mode with the same affect as the VRR mode.

Thanks.

Does it stutter (like 120fps on 144Hz) or did it auto-VRR with its ProMotion logic (smooth 120fps as if 120Hz)?

Does SwitchResX confirm the 144Hz display is in 144Hz mode? MacOS sometimes default to 120Hz on those unless explicitly forced to use a higher refresh rate (e.g. via SwitchResX application).

If so, is it the same 120fps capping behavior with 144Hz VRR=OFF and 144Hz VRR=ON?

 

[Blur Busters]

Uh, well, I am on Ventura 13.5.
I just followed your structions to the latter.

Thanks. Just wondered if it was out-of-box or an "instructions needed" situation.

My plan is to automatically display a link to instructions when detecting a "60Hz" MacOS visitor.

This is probably the best UX I can do; to make it easy for users to adjust TestUFO with additional custom steps are followed.

 

[Blur Busters]

To all 120Hz iPhone users willing to try something...​

Any 120Hz iPhone user here who managed to coax TestUFO to run at 120fps 120Hz with any major browser app?

(Safari, Chrome, FireFox)

I am hoping there is still some kind of workaround or easter egg, such as 3rd party browser apps even if they generally use the Safari engine. I also heard that alternate browser engines is now being allowed by Apple Store, but not sure if any browser users that engine yet. So if any 120+ Hz screen users is able to test all 3 major browser apps, I would love to know!

Currently Presumed Safari 120Hz Status

- 120Hz MacBooks on current MacOS: Sometimes automatic / Sometimes configuring needed
- 120Hz iPads on current iOS: Possible but advanced settings configuring needed
- 120Hz iPhones on current iOS: Not currently possible?

 

[joevt]

Does it stutter (like 120fps on 144Hz) or did it auto-VRR with its ProMotion logic (smooth 120fps as if 120Hz)?

While running in 48-144Hz VRR, I think the refresh remained at 144 all the time, according to the on screen refresh rate indicator of the display. To show a variable refresh rate, you need to run an app with VRR support. The Monterey Mac screen saver does that (maybe because it's full screen?). Safari does not show variable refresh rate even if I click the full screen button in the UFO Test.

Does SwitchResX confirm the 144Hz display is in 144Hz mode? MacOS sometimes default to 120Hz on those unless explicitly forced to use a higher refresh rate (e.g. via SwitchResX application).

Yes, the timing is 144Hz (592.00 MHz for 1440p). The 1440p 120Hz mode is 119.998Hz, 497.75 MHz.

If so, is it the same 120fps capping behavior with 144Hz VRR=OFF and 144Hz VRR=ON?

I think they are the same.
VRR seems to have no affect in Safari and Chrome Mac browsers. In either case, the UFO Test is capped at 120, and the display remains at 144. Does VRR have an affect in other OSs?

 

[Blur Busters]

Some good news updates for Mac.

1. All 120Hz iPhones, iPads and Macs now work in TestUFO at 120fps under Safari version 18, though you still have to toggle the flag

2. For MacOS, TestUFO is no longer capped at 120fps when running concurrently with laptop display.
(144+ only worked if you closed the MacBook lid; this is no longer necessary)

While I game as PCMR, I am happy to say that a used MacBook Pro M1 is now my primary TestUFO development machine, because Visual Studio Code runs 10x faster on it than Windows. I successfully tested running my MacBook Pro M1 concurrenty at 120Hz (internal) and 240Hz (external via USB-C cable) in multimonitor.

(Note, this is the beta TestUFO website which supports HDR and dark mode, so that's why it looks different)



Impressively, 240Hz also works in Parallels VM too:



Important: Regardless of Parallels VM or Safari or Chrome, rapidly circle the mouse arrow pointer because it jitters badly otherwise (power management). The CPU goes into a high-power state when the mouse arrow moves, and TestUFO suddenly runs smooth at 240fps 240Hz, as long as I quit all the background applications.