Variable Refresh Rate (FreeSync / GSync) Flicker

[CMMChris]

Nothing of the VRR issues is fixed in 12.5 DEV Beta 1 as well. Looks like we won't see a fix within Monterey. Maybe CrapOS 13.

 

[CMMChris]

I am now using the first macOS 13 Ventura Beta and the goddamn VRR bugs are still not fixed. macOS still switches refresh rate settings after sleep, my Samsung screen still flickers with active Variable Refresh Rate and my HP screen still does not work at all with macOS's Variable Refresh Rate implementation. This is getting beyond hilarious.

 

[MissMindeeMayhem]

Nothing of the VRR issues is fixed in 12.5 DEV Beta 1 as well. Looks like we won't see a fix within Monterey. Maybe CrapOS 13.

Thanks for the status update

 

[dstyp]

I recently picked up a Dell G3223Q and while I haven't noticed the flickering I'm very annoyed due to the settings reset on reboot/sleep. This is due to the fact that default seems to be to have VRR enabled and this makes the entire screen go black for a few seconds every now and then when it (or macos/the MBP M1 Max) manages screen changes. Disabling VRR, running it fixed at 144hz alleviates the problem.

While not being a real fix (noticed fixed high rate draws more power and runs hotter which isn't ideal of course) - has anyone been able to make the settings stay through restarts etc?

 

[CMMChris]

has anyone been able to make the settings stay through restarts etc?

It behaves differently with different monitors. On my Samsung screen, it always switches to variable after sleep or reboot. On my HP screen, it stays on 60Hz when I set it to fixed. When I set it to variable, it always jumps back to fixed after sleep and reboot. This whole feature is totally screwed up and nothing has changed even in the first macOS Ventura beta.

 

[diego351]

Guys, I walked around it. It's dirty as hell but works.

Here's what's to do:

1. Install displayplacer utility

   brew tap jakehilborn/jakehilborn && brew install displayplacer

2. Manually set non adaptive-sync refresh rate you prefer in System Preferences
3. Call

   displayplacer list

   Remember your exteral monitor Presistent screen id. Look for arrow (<---) and remember mode index. In my case it was

   mode 253: res:3008x1692 hz:144 color_depth:7 scaling:on <-- current mode

4. Call

   crontab -e

5. Paste:

   */1 * * * * /opt/homebrew/bin/displayplacer "id:416B10C6-033A-010B-0857-D6964E3302DB mode:253"

   Use your monitor id and your mode index. For more info how to work with editor look for vim tutorial
6. Voila, test it. It'll flicker for up to 1 minute but should stop (blink, sorry)

 

[CMMChris]

Great you found a workaround. However, one shouldn't need to do this. The underlying issue should be trivial for Apple to fix. The fact they just ignore it since the pre-release betas of Monterey, ignore all bug reports with no feedback whatsoever and still haven't fixed it in the Ventura beta is beyond hilarious.

 

[jcscol]

Have you tried deleting the com.apple.windowserver.displays.plist file in /Library/Preferences (followed by a reboot)?

 

[CMMChris]

This has nothing to do with any leftover configuration files. It happens with freshly unboxed and set-up Macs or fresh macOS installations.

 

[jcscol]

This has nothing to do with any leftover configuration files.

I never suggested that it did (that's your erroneous assumption).

A setting that doesn't 'stick' across a reboot implies that there may be a problem with the appropriate preference file.

Have you checked the contents of com.apple.windowserver.displays.plist to see what is specified for each of your monitors?

 

[diego351]

Easy, easy!

If anyone has more elegant workaround I'm happy to review it, mine has some battery overhead

 

[kindof665]

Same issue here but my monitor doesn't have an OSD menu to disable free sync so I am forced to go into display settings and change the refresh rate to 60hz and it fixes the issue. Unfortunately it seems on reboot or disconnecting and reconnecting the monitor is reset to variable refresh rate resulting in the flickering returning. Interestingly the flickering is inconsistent and sometimes doesn't seem to happen at all and other times it is easily noticeable.

Hey is this issue resolved or still there?

 

[CMMChris]

All VRR related issues are not fixed both in the latest Monterey betas and the first macOS 13 beta.

 

[CMMChris]

Just installed macOS 13 Developer Beta 2. Still not fixed.

 

[rlf613]

Unbelievable. Apple are such a joke sometimes. It would be like 2 lines of code too likely. It's just a setting not persisting.

 

[CMMChris]

No it's not. Variable Refresh Rate doesn't work properly as well.

 

[rlf613]

No it's not. Variable Refresh Rate doesn't work properly as well.

Sorry yes of course but at least allow us to disable it properly!

I don't use my screen for any video/gaming so it's not important to me just frustrating I can't even disable it.

 

[jcscol]

Sorry yes of course but at least allow us to disable it properly!

I don't use my screen for any video/gaming so it's not important to me just frustrating I can't even disable it.

If you want to set the refresh rate to fixed but it keeps going back to variable after a reboot, then try deleting the preference file(s):

1) Delete /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.displays.plist

2) Delete /Users/[username]/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.windowserver.displays.[UDID].plist (if this file is present)

3) Reboot

4) Set the display to desired refresh rate in System Preferences -> Displays

This has fixed the problem for some.

 

[Penderworth]

I've found that, for me, the issue here was actually due to the monitor having HDR turned on. I'm using a Dell S2721QS and it's connected via DisplayPort (though I've also tried HDMI). If I turn on smart HDR on the monitor, whether with the Desktop or Gaming setting, the flickering starts. Variable refresh rate adds to the mess, but doesn't seem to cause it as badly as HDR being on.

Thought I'd share in case that's helpful! At this point I'm looking at a different monitor because this one apparently has a known issue with M1 Macs.

 

[msfdc]

I've found that, for me, the issue here was actually due to the monitor having HDR turned on. I'm using a Dell S2721QS and it's connected via DisplayPort (though I've also tried HDMI). If I turn on smart HDR on the monitor, whether with the Desktop or Gaming setting, the flickering starts. Variable refresh rate adds to the mess, but doesn't seem to cause it as badly as HDR being on.

Thought I'd share in case that's helpful! At this point I'm looking at a different monitor because this one apparently has a known issue with M1 Macs.

I have the same monitor with a M1 Mac mini but I never see the variable refresh rate in macOS settings. I use the HDMI cable comes with the monitor(I also tried a cheap type-c to DisplayPort cable).

 

[CMMChris]

macOS does not support variable refresh rates over HDMI at the moment. Dunno why it didn't work with a DisplayPort cable as well. You do use Monterey, right?

 

[msfdc]

macOS does not support variable refresh rates over HDMI at the moment. Dunno why it didn't work with a DisplayPort cable as well. You do use Monterey, right?

Yes, I am using macOS 12.4. I just tried the same DP cable again and get the variable option now. Maybe I missed that one before.
And I also found the color format is set to RGB by default now.

 

[diego351]

If you want to set the refresh rate to fixed but it keeps going back to variable after a reboot, then try deleting the preference file(s):

1) Delete /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.displays.plist

2) Delete /Users/[username]/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.windowserver.displays.[UDID].plist (if this file is present)

3) Reboot

4) Set the display to desired refresh rate in System Preferences -> Displays

This has fixed the problem for some.

Just tried out this one, no luck

 

[Jogge]

Guys, I walked around it. It's dirty as hell but works.

Here's what's to do:

1. Install displayplacer utility

   brew tap jakehilborn/jakehilborn && brew install displayplacer

2. Manually set non adaptive-sync refresh rate you prefer in System Preferences
3. Call

   displayplacer list

   Remember your exteral monitor Presistent screen id. Look for arrow (<---) and remember mode index. In my case it was

   mode 253: res:3008x1692 hz:144 color_depth:7 scaling:on <-- current mode

4. Call

   crontab -e

5. Paste:

   */1 * * * * /opt/homebrew/bin/displayplacer "id:416B10C6-033A-010B-0857-D6964E3302DB mode:253"

   Use your monitor id and your mode index. For more info how to work with editor look for vim tutorial
6. Voila, test it. It'll flicker for up to 1 minute but should stop (blink, sorry)

WOW, this actually fixed it for me! Thanks a lot dude!

The sheer inability on the side of apple to make things like VRR working WHILE THEN having your system setup this way that a bugged setting is set as a standard which keeps resetting itself every time you reboot or wake up your screen, really wraps up the current state of the OS and the way apple handles things.

I had to get BetterDisplay and work my way into VIM editing and watching tutorials to simply set my 2k Ultra Widescreen to 100Hz with a HiDPI setting so I can scale up my UI to a size that isn't giving me migraines.

I'm usually not the guy to bloat around and become enraged about technical problems but I get such an insane frustration of the constant developing and the supposedly improvements that are pumped out by apple while dragging behind a mountain of bugs and technical incompatibility that dates back to the previous generation of the OS or even before that WHILE implementing stuff that nobody really needs and just looks good on their homepage via a perfectly edited and advertised OS makeup that sells good with a new mac generation and suggests a feeling of improvement and technical advantage.

I'm constantly fixing stuff and need to find workarounds for the most basic ****.

 

[Huocp]

Did anyone have the privilege to try a M2 macbook on this issue?