VRR on ROG Ally
Hi all, I've just installed Bazzite and so far it's great. But I can't seem to get VRR to function, even though the option is available in the right hand menu. Games are obviously still stuttering just like you'd expect on a conventionally refreshed display.
Is there any fix for this? I tried to force compositing using the developer menu as I have seen suggested elsewhere and it doesn't seem to address the issue. Not a huge deal if it is broken at the moment but if there's a workaround I'd like to know.
123 Replies
Ok thanks
We will figure it out eventually
What framerates did you have issues on
I was using 120Hz and 60Hz output, with no frame-rate caps and 60fps/40fps caps
I think vrr is only on 120hz
Vrr also only works 48hz+
When you set it to 120hz and you have around 80hz does vrr work?
Let me check, that's a good point, I guess because there's no LFC it would be 48+
In Control at about 100Hz it doesn't work, there's quite a bit of frame-time inconsistency
take a pic of the frametime graph?
think the Ally and Ally X both have LFC actually. Mine's had some issues, but I'm just gonna keep an eye on it and try and record when I see it failiing to give to the guys here
It's questionable if the lfc works in Linux
Still needs more testing
Here's a shot
I'm also having some issues with input latency across a variety of games at the moment - any idea if there's any identified issue or fix there?
I may produce a video on Bazzite for Digital Foundry so it would be good to get some things ironed out
So far the experience of installing and using it has mostly been very positive
Yeah that looks broken
Unfortunately I will not get my unit until the end of this month, and we have limited access to vrr screens right now
@nickname has an Ally X unit but does not know either how vrr should look
So here's the jist of the issue right now
We are using a branch of gamescope that's very close to the master branch on GitHub and months ahead of what is on steamos stable
It is closer to what SteamOS beta is using right now
Unfortunately, that branch only gets tested on a Steam deck it seems, leaving us to pick up the pieces
Steam deck supports vrr on external displays sure, but that's a feature that's rarely tested
I can tell you that there were 4 solid months between December and March where it worked well
It also does not help that the steam deck OLED and Legion go displays use a protocol that looks a lot like vrr but is not
So fixes for those displays mess with vrr and vice versa
If you are on the original ally, I do have an image that you can try though
@matt_schwartz what's the current vrr status? Can you check it out?
Oh interesting, I'm on an OG Ally
It's the same display
It's not a prime issue for the piece if we do one, at the moment the input latency is more of a concern, perhaps I can provide some capture and statistics later today
A lot of gpd win mini owners post vrr issues too, same issue as well
Yeah makes sense
Oh really, can you expand on that?
That is something I can test as well
I haven't spent too much time with it but at the moment it looks like there's a lot of input lag, I'm noticing it in right stick camera movement across the games I've tested
Doom, Crysis 2, Persona 3 Reload and some others
I will download those games on my Deck just to cross reference
Thank you, do you have a way of quantifying latency I could use?
I have crysis 2 I will download that
Yeah I do, it will have to wait until later today as I am just in the middle of production on a video at the moment
Of course
But I can give you guys some more quantifiable data later
Great
Ha I think it's my bad there, I'm getting perceptually very similar input lag in those games on Deck, a lot of games feel pretty good
I will keep toying with Bazzite over the next few days and perhaps if a window opens up in the schedule I can take a look for a vid
We will also look into vrr since it seems it broke again
Ok thanks!
if you're ok with troubleshooting a bit, you can also try rebasing to older Bazzite images, and see if any of them solves your issue
bazzite-rollback-helper list to see available images. currently, due to a recent change, you can't rebase to anything older than around July 2nd or so.
bazzite-rollback-helper rebase image_name_here to rebase to an image
note that rebasing locks you to that image, so if you want to resume regular OS updates later, run:
bazzite-rollback-helper rebase stableI maintain an image with the old gamescope that works
Oh, DC edition?
Didn't know you were still maintaining it
I dont but the image is still there
I'm not the best person to check as I've had no experience of VRR screens before the Ally X, but it feels like the game I'm playing is smoother than it would be without on the current Bazzite build
does that mean VRR is working? who knows!
I'm playing Suicide Squad, and on the settings I'm using the performance is wildly variable - 30-60 fps - but with an unlocked framerate it feels pretty smooth, especially compared to outputting the same thing to an external screen
will this be available through the update button or will it be some time before it makes it there?
it will be, @Kyle Gospo knows the exact details
valve introduced the changes yesterday
Oh fantastic
Great stuff
Just working on a video on Bazzite at the moment. Is it correct that VRR is still broken on ROG Ally? I just checked it out on my device and it looks like it is, but I wanted to make sure I'm not missing something.
VRR should be 100% functional at this time, minus frame limiting
make sure you're on 3.15.4 via
rpm -qa gamescopeGitHub
Commits · ValveSoftware/gamescope
SteamOS session compositing window manager. Contribute to ValveSoftware/gamescope development by creating an account on GitHub.
Hopefully they fix the limiter here soon
This stuff was broken even on a docked steamdeck in steamOS main...
Ok I will give it another shot here
So my version of gamescope is 3.15.4-2 according to the terminal.
Looks like VRR is working, but without LFC so above 48 FPS? I think the gamescope FPS reading may be off a bit
As the FPS reading feels a bit high relative to what the game feels like, and I presume VRR is kicking in at 48
I'll have a better idea of that though after I do more performance testing
Is there a good place to share my findings with you guys once I have wrapped up writing for any comments? I will probably finish my testing and writing by tomorrow
Will be for Digital Foundry
Yep, let me make a channel
I'll ping you when ready
Appreciate your testing!
Ok thanks!
Pinged in channels
Just coming here to say that vrr only works on the 120hz setting
We're working on a patch for an arbitrary frame limiter but it won't be here for the next 3+weeks
It's very very experimental and based on on a config system Joshua from valve is working on
If you want to use other frame limits you need to use the mangohud command
So VRR isn't working properly all this time at below 48hz? 🫤
Below 48hz you are definitely better served by no VRR and a flat frame limit
the lower the framerate the more obvious a fluctuation is
instead, focus on a framerate you can hold stable at all times
I was just referring to the setting, can't comment on the 48hz part
yep, we'll see what Oliver found there
setting wise -- yea, for VRR keep the refresh rate option at the native maximum
Ie slider needs to be set to 120 for it to work
makes sense, that's almost a steam client UI issue
It is yes a valve limitation we're working on it
My ally x just got out of customs hopefully it will be here next week
Well the us ones
Hopefully it will not get stuck on eu ones too
So to make sure I need the following:
- Screen slider set to max 120hz?
- VRR toggle should be on?
- Desktop display adaptive sync setting should be Automatic or Always?
Desktop setting is irrelevant unless you want vrr in desktop
The other too yes
It's exciting while waiting for a new device.
Got it how about these?
- In game vsync on or off?
- in game frame limiter set or off?
Can't help that much with vrr until it arrives though
That includes game settings, I'm just relaying to you other users information
Hoping for your Ally X to arrive safely.
Thanks
The issue I'm mentioning the other day, I can't do it anymore or replicate no matter what I do lmao. It seems like a freesync/vrr malfunctions.
Freesync Premium works well now on Windows then VRR toggled on works without any issue at all. Sometimes things are so mysterious.
Anyway how would you even know if VRR is working on the naked eyes? Can't tell the difference or are there any sort of tools?
Usually the frame graph is a lot smoother with it on
With it off you can see frame time dithering due to missed frames
You mean using the built in monitoring tools?
This is on mangohud yes
On level 3 and 4 it has a frame time graph
That also has min and max values
Yes
got it will try if it will be lower.
oh shhht.
Here's off.
The here's on.
So you can really tell if it's working using a monitoring tools? AMAZING! Thanks antheas!!
Np, yeah that's how we usually test it
I'll try maxing out a game setting and see if it works below 40hz
Looks like nothing is changing?
This is off
Looks like it's off
this is on.
Weird those big spikes are a gamescope timing bug
not working then or maybe it's working?
I can't tell because the frame time graph is skewed
What I can say is that the spikes are a bug
With it of at below 40hz there are jag lines.
But when it's on, jag lines is reduced.
You should be able to see it by eye, just pan the camera
Mango hud can see it as per antheas
I don't have an eagle eye you know.
The spikes make it difficult though
Seems like it's not working though on the low hz
There are changes on the 2nd graph
With it off, the jag line is consistent.
The only change I can see is the huge spikes
If you remove those it's probably the same
with on, it's being flatten, look carefully.
Wait does the 2nd graph has any use?
I mean it's flatter
But
The scale is different
So you can't compare
Here's off.
Here's on.
I see.
Looks mostly the same and tbh quite stable anyway
So, is this will be forever, should I just let it be?
Below 30 fps yeah probably
30-48 maybe not if it's an issue now
Hmm how about on windows
How could I check it?
There's no mango hud there
Dunno have not used windows in years
LFC should work with the Ally in Windows
No changes in frame time when on or off at windows.
This is off
Frame time as measured by system level tools is not necessarily the right measurement
Look by eye for frame time inconsistencies
This is on.
The system level stuff is not going to capture stutter caused by vsync
But bazzite was able to capture if there are any changes?
Anyway based on he graph it's the same on Bazzite, the graph line has flatten at 31 fps.
The frame time graph on bazzite is connected to the display output code so it can get exact frametimes
The same behavior on the graph lines on Windows, it has become flatten with it turned on around 30-32fps.
Here's OFF.
Nobody said the game can do flatter frametimes even on vrr I guess
Then here's ON.
Oh there you go it works
So I believe it's doing something at lower frame rates right?
But second picture looks like bazzite anyway
Then it's working on Bazzite too like I sent earlier.
These are the frametimes spikes you get without vrr
You didn't get those on bazziye
So it's not like this?
Oh yeah
See told you!
So I guess it works?
So what's wrong with OP?
He said it doesn't work?
I have to install this MSI afterburner and RTSS just to see if it's not the same with working VRR on windows vs. Bazzite at lower framerates.
This is what the performance overlay panel looks like on steam deck, I believe that second line reflects the display output?
The first line is internal frametimes
Obviously not a VRR capable device
It didn't work when this issue was posted
I see, currently it's working on my end. Hoping OP could figure it out.
This issue was posted a month ago
It is fixed now
Thanks Antheas! Learning a lot from you.
LFC not sure but seems it works