1070 and Gsync 144hz monitor = flicker

mikeo · 11 Oct 2016 at 18:59

Not sure if this is Graphics card/monitor/DP cable issue!

GOOGLE seems to blame all, mainly drivers though.

Just installed an EVGA 1070 FTW graphics card. And on the desktop etc. I get a terrible flicker if it's set at 144hz! Monitor is a Gsync 1440p / 144hz.

A lot of folks seem to blame the latest Nvidia drivers, while others say it's been fixed in the latest (which I'm running).

Solution "appears" to be, set re-fresh rate in Nvidia control panel to 120hz. That sucks a bit.

Any feedback welcome.

Stanners · 11 Oct 2016 at 19:12

Have you tried a different cable?, easy one to rule out.

ShakeNBake · 11 Oct 2016 at 19:21

does it flicker at 120Hz?
+1 for try another cable, in my exp that is usually the issue in these situations, had similar issues myself in the past.

shankly1985 · 11 Oct 2016 at 19:28

Does it only happen when on desktop or does it happen when you have a game running in the background?

Gregster · 11 Oct 2016 at 19:39

Set your desktop to 120Hz and play games at 144Hz. Simples.

shankly1985 · 11 Oct 2016 at 20:00

Gregster said:
Set your desktop to 120Hz and play games at 144Hz. Simples.

Why? OK fair enough difference between 120hz and 144hz Hz is very little. But if I buy a monitor with 144hz I expect to use that every time.
What happens if someone buys the new 150hz or 200hz
You going to tell them just use 120hz also?
Not a fix is it :eek:

Stanners · 11 Oct 2016 at 20:19

shankly1985 said:
Why? OK fair enough difference between 120hz and 144hz Hz is very little. But if I buy a monitor with 144hz I expect to use that every time.
What happens if someone buys the new 150hz or 200hz
You going to tell them just use 120hz also?
Not a fix is it

But it gets it working while he finds a fix.

shankly1985 · 11 Oct 2016 at 20:21

Stanners said:
But it gets it working while he finds a fix.

Fair enough for short term then yeah.

Gregster · 11 Oct 2016 at 20:21

shankly1985 said:
Why? OK fair enough difference between 120hz and 144hz Hz is very little. But if I buy a monitor with 144hz I expect to use that every time.
What happens if someone buys the new 150hz or 200hz
You going to tell them just use 120hz also?
Not a fix is it

I have had mine set like that for months and months and works a treat. No fuss, no bother and if this fixes it for the OP, happy days.

I also don't expect you to understand but thankfully for you, you will never own NVIDIA.

shankly1985 · 11 Oct 2016 at 20:23

Worth pointing out not all games even let you set the refresh rate and it uses whatever your desktop is set too. So now you playing games in 120hz instead of 144hz.

Seems a pointless issue though? If you say you been using it like that for months? Why have nvidia not fixed this already?

And who knows what the future holds

Gregster · 11 Oct 2016 at 20:26

shankly1985 said:
Worth pointing out not all games even let you set the refresh rate and it uses whatever your desktop is set too. So now you playing games in 120hz instead of 144hz.

Well when I have G-Sync set, it tells me I am sitting at 144 fps if it hits the cap and if it is 120 fps, I can't tell the difference and I would be shocked if anyone can.

At least I have given the OP a way of getting around it but I completely understand where you are coming from

Stanners · 11 Oct 2016 at 20:28

shankly1985 said:
Worth pointing out not all games even let you set the refresh rate and it uses whatever your desktop is set too. So now you playing games in 120hz instead of 144hz.

Seems a pointless issue though? If you say you been using it like that for months? Why have nvidia not fixed this already?

As a fix to that you could then set a game specific profile within the NCP to 144Hz. But ultimately you would want to find a permanent fix for the issue.

Rroff · 11 Oct 2016 at 20:34

What do you have "Multi-display/mixed-GPU acceleration" and "Power management mode" set to in the nVidia control panel under Manage 3D Settings? also try 372.70 drivers.

tommybhoy · 11 Oct 2016 at 20:40

The size of my installed games list and clean installs on new drivers, that would send me looking for a hammer stanners.

Funnily enough it was 144hz 1440p flicker(duff monitor) on 290X's was the tipping point for me and made me move over to Nvidia kicking and screaming because of the premium, but I feel posher for it and living it up like a lottery winner now.

Surprised Nv haven't fixed it by now though, more surprised it's not a priority considering it's the users that throw the most cash at them, considering how long its been going on for, maybe they can't fix the 1440p 144hz flicker problem on current hardware.

Rroff · 11 Oct 2016 at 20:44

tommybhoy said:
Surprised Nv haven't fixed it by now though, more surprised it's not a priority considering it's the users that throw the most cash at them, considering how long its been going on for, maybe they can't fix the 1440p 144hz flicker problem on current hardware.

Completely not having the issues at all here myself - though I've not tried the combination of 1070 + Windows 10 but I've a variety of hardware running just about every other combination.

Stanners · 11 Oct 2016 at 20:45

tommybhoy said:
The size of my installed games list and clean installs on new drivers, that would send me looking for a hammer stanners.

Funnily enough it was 144hz 1440p flicker(duff monitor) on 290X's was the tipping point for me and made me move over to Nvidia kicking and screaming because of the premium, but I feel posher for it and living it up like a lottery winner now.

Surprised Nv haven't fixed it by now though, more surprised it's not a priority considering it's the users that throw the most cash at them, considering how long its been going on for, maybe they can't fix the 1440p 144hz flicker problem on current hardware.

It seems to be a random problem, I used to run my desktop at 120Hz due to the downclocking issue on maxwell(Not sure if they fixed that). But since I got my 1080 i can run it at 144Hz with no problems. Just to add I am on Windows 10, 1080 and using the Asus swift.

tommybhoy · 11 Oct 2016 at 21:03

Great to hear rroff & stanners that you don't have problems.

Whether every aib is using the exact same parts though is where I'm coming from, there could be alternative parts being used, a kind of Samsung/Micron vram scenario if you know what I mean?

On a side note I'm on the newest driver and it's been the first one in I don't know how long that doesn't tear 2/3rds down the screen when browsing and Steam, so hopefully their getting on top of it.

mikeo · 11 Oct 2016 at 21:20

Not got a different DP cable. Though after 20+ years building PC's, I think I have just about every other damn sort of cable (many times over). I'll order up a new one though, just to rule it out. Though the one I'm using came with my Dell monitor, so you would have thought it would be OK.

In answer to a couple of other suggestions etc:

- Monitor ran just fine with my previous G/card (an MSI 970 Gaming).
- Only appears to flicker (VERY badly at times) on the desktop (and browsing etc.). Games OK.
- Currently limited the monitor via the Nvidia control panel, to 120hz. And that appears fine.
- Only running one monitor. The Dell S2716DG in my sig. So that's 1440P 144hz Gsync.
- The new graphics card appears fine, other than this. Everything runs like a dream. Though whether £419 to get approx 60% performance increase over my previous card, is a good way to spend my cash... that's another story. Mind you, when ever has this hobby been a sane one?

Thanks for all the replies so far folks.

Short term, I'll cap it at 120hz. Things look OK like this.

PS. Windows 10 X64 environment.

Rroff · 11 Oct 2016 at 21:22

The DP cable that comes with the S2716DG seems to be fairly high quality so unlikely that though can't rule it out as being faulty.

What are your settings in the nVidia control panel for what I asked about above?

mikeo · 11 Oct 2016 at 21:24

Rroff said:
What do you have "Multi-display/mixed-GPU acceleration" and "Power management mode" set to in the nVidia control panel under Manage 3D Settings? also try 372.70 drivers.

Both set to default (I'm assuming):

"Multi-display/mixed-GPU acceleration" ... Multiple display performance mode

"Power management mode" ... Optimal power