Sonoma broke 8k TV VRR

[Mac47]

EDIT (Nov 9, 2023): Samsung pushed an update to the firmware of the QN700B, and this solved the problem.

Ventura gave me a nice clean picture using variable refresh rate (VRR) in Samsung’s “game mode” on my 8k TV (Samsung QN700B) over HDMI 2.1. Sonoma, on the other hand, causes the bottom quarter or third of the screen to be garbled static while the rest is fine. This is frustrating because, although the problem goes away if I turn off VRR in the Mac’s settings and choose 60 hz (or 50 or 30) instead, the display then suffers from unpleasant dithering that affects solid colors. (Seen especially on the red, yellow, and green colored buttons for closing, minimizing, and maximizing windows.)

Hoping that an update brings a fix. (EDIT: It did, but by Samsung, not by Apple!) Frustrating that my screen was so beautiful under Ventura and that Sonoma has ruined it.

 

[Jaik]

I have exactly the same issue with the same TV. I'm glad to hear it's a software/firmware issue that could potentially be fixed, at least.

I've submitted a report to Apple using Feedback Assistant. I suggest you and everyone else with the issue does the same in the hopes of getting a fix.

 

[Mac47]

Will do.

I just downgraded to Ventura again to solve the problem until Sonoma is fixed.

 

[Jaik]

My TV just updated itself to a new firmware, 1602.2. This appears to have fixed the VRR issue under Sonoma.

 

[Mac47]

Thanks for letting me know! I am now back on Sonoma and absolutely delighted with how well my 33 million pixels are playing with Mac OS now.

 

[Mac47]

I’m also highly amused that the issue was fixed by a Samsung firmware update rather than an Apple update to Mac OS Sonoma.