Flickering in Loading Screens/While Playing with GSync/Freesync Enabled

Hi!

I recently got an AOC G2590FX 144Hz G-sync compatible monitor, and I’ve been noticing brightness flicker on loading screens, especially in WoW. I’ve been through Google so many times for any advice, and all that’s solved the issue for me is turning off the compatibility. To my knowledge, I have everything updated that I can possibly have updated, but I will provide a DxDiag in the event I missed something. Any help would be vastly appreciated.

UPDATE

So it appears that the FPS on loading screens plummets outside the G-sync compatibility’s lower range, which on my monitor is 30Hz, hence the flickering. Get the same deal on Diablo 3. Nothing else, as far as I’ve seen, has this issue – if I can refer to it as an issue at all.

Not that I’m asking for precious FPS for a loading screen, but kinda crazy that it dips into single digits (or that’s what RTSS is telling me) when loading, which drops below the range, thus the flickering.

I wonder if this is a driver problem with nVidia.

UPDATE (again)

Turns out if I enable G-sync compatibility and flip on vsync through NVCP, it’s fine – at least until I have to alt-tab. Then the loading screens start flickering. Is this your end, Blizz? Or nVidia’s?

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I just started noticing this today after the release of 8.2.5. I’m on a Nvidia 1080ti with a ASUS ROG PG279Q running at 2560x1440 at 144Hz with G-Sync enabled for “full screen mode” (I’m not sure if WoW counts as Full Screen now since it effectively runs full screen windowed mode). But today is literally the first time I’ve ever noticed this.

this is happening to me too! It started happening after the 8.2.5 update. I updated all my drivers but it still happens. The loading screen brightness keeps flickering and dimming.

Yeah, it’s still been a thing for me. I just learned to live with it, until nVidia or Blizz fix whatever is wrong. Though from what I’ve read through Google, if the FPS dips below the freesync (in my case, g-sync compatible) range, flickering should be expected. And this was before 8.2.5 for me. Maybe it’s something from 8.2.0.

Don’t know. I know that the latest nVidia drivers, however, do not play nice with my monitor, for whatever reason. :frowning:

I’d love to hear if anybody has found a fix for this yet.

You and me both.

Seems to be fixed now in today’s patch, at least I am no longer seeing it.

I’m still getting it here. Didn’t even notice that a patch went out.

Crosswinds,

Interesting report! I read your first post and taken in context of the other thread you just posted in, I’d also reach out to Nvidia to report the issue. I’m not 100% on whose shoulders this falls at the moment, but they’re the ones with the most experience with Gsync, and it helps to get traction from both ends. Our relationship with them is solid so if you send reports their way as well and we keep collecting them on our end, one of us should be able to figure out who needs to do what. If you’ve already sent a report their way, we appreciate it!

Just to add, Drakuloth, I did send information to nVidia. They ultimately told me that it is normal behavior for monitors with freesync/gsync tech to flicker on static images (loading screens) when the FPS drops below the freesync/gsync minimum refresh cap (in my case, is 30Hz).

I don’t buy that, to be honest. The rep seemed really dismissive with me.

Anyway, that aside, if I change from “GSYNC Compatible” to “Fixed Refresh,” the loading screens don’t flicker. Also, the last update I got on the Bnet launcher was on the 9th. I haven’t noticed any other patches.

What’s your game version number? The loading screen exclusive issues should be fixed in 8.2.5.32144 and later versions of WoW. Link to the main thread for reference. These were tied to having non default brightness/contrast/gamma settings. To test if you’re having the same issue we were investigating, set those settings back to default and see if it persists. If it does, this is a different flickering error.

Then it is a different flickering error. Just reset the monitor to its defaults, and I noticed the flickering when I switched the compatibility back on. I was hopeful for a second there! Ah, well, hope a solution is reached at some point. I’ve done my best to just not pay attention to it, but that darn OCD, y’know?

EDIT: Oh, sorry, yes! My game version is as you stated in your reply.

Sorry, I should have been more clear there! I meant the in game brightness/contrast/gamma. How about your game settings? I could never reproduce the original bug on my PC so I’m curious if we may not have gotten the underlying as fixed as we thought.

I don’t ever mess with those settings. They are at 50, 50, 1.0 (brightness, contrast, gamma). Just to be sure, I switched to defaults for the settings. The sliders didn’t budge.

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Thanks for testing nonetheless! In that case, let’s proceed as above - keep working with Nvidia and we’ll keep an eye out for more reports. I’ve renamed this topic to try to gather more reports here too. If anybody else is experiencing flickering in game which is fixed by disabling Gsync/Freesync on your monitors, please let us know! It’ll help to have this information:

Graphics Card:
Graphics Driver Version:
Monitor Make/Model:
Gsync or Freesync:

Please keep in mind that if your issue is NOT fixed by disabling these settings, then you’re looking at a different issue entirely. We’ll need you to post your own thread in that case, to keep this thread from becoming cluttered.

also have this issue with loading screens as well.
graphics: nvidia 965m gtx
pc- asus rog win 10 x64 bit
gsync, with v sync disabled

Same here.

MacBook Pro 15" w/ 560X. Using an eGPU with a Gigabyte 580RX. External display.

Screen totally changes brightness/gamma levels when you’re on loading screens. Super weird.

Drakuloth, I want to update you on goings-on with the loading screen flicker. With the newest driver, 441.12, from nVidia, I have noticed no flickering so far. I will continue to monitor and test, but I think nVidia finally corrected the issue.

EDIT

I jumped the gun. Flicker is still there, but it’s less noticeable – so far, at least.

I have the flicker issue as well with Gsync

Graphics Card: nVidia GTX 1080
Graphics Driver Version: 441.66
Monitor Make/Model: HP Omen 27
Gsync or Freesync: Gsync

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I just got a new monitor and I’m having this same issue.