Given how useful u/ryanrudolf 's refresh rate unlocker is on the LCD steam deck [allowing 30-70hz refresh rates on most LCD decks] and that I seem to have received an OLED steam deck before they did, I figured I would do a bit of display testing to see how far the OLED panel in my unit can be pushed. Here are my results:
Maximum timings (pclk method): 147.223 800 818 822 858 1280 1288 1290 1320 +HSync +VSync
Minimum timings (pclk method): 56.628 800 818 822 858 1280 1288 1290 1320 +HSync +VSync
Minimum timings (vblank from max pclk): 147.223 800 818 822 858 1280 1288 1290 5320 +HSync +VSync
Minimum timings (vblank from stock pclk): 102 800 818 822 858 1280 1288 1290 5320 +HSync +VSync
Maximum refresh rate (pclk): ~130hz
Minimum refresh rate (pclk): ~50hz
Minimum refresh rate (vblank from max pclk): ~32hz
Minimum refresh rate (vblank from stock pclk): ~22hz
VRR: Untested, but given vblank results, may be possible to force enable using an EDID override
Colours/gamma curves/brightness appear directly related to pixel clock / refresh rate, higher rates appear washed out, lower ones appear too dark.
Like with LCD models, flickering appears at low refresh rates
While I did not notice any negative side effects during or after my testing, operating electronics outside of their rated parameters may reduce lifespan or cause damage to said device, if anyone wants to test further, you do so at your own risk.
I may test if VRR works myself eventually if nobody else does so over these next coming days/weeks.
This is extremely promising, I believe I’ve got a Samsung panel, but I’d be worried about hurting my baby. Also, if you can, see if you can get Windows to recognize the Deck as HDR. Apparently that’s “impossible” but so was VRR, and now that’s a possibility.
So could this be added officially via a software update in the future?
240HZ WQHD 0.3ms When? I demand it with SteamOS 3.6
We’ll Queue His Demand.
Did you test the 90+ Hz modes for frameskipping?
If you get any frame skipping, then display overclocking is useless.
Has there been no one to test out the Samsung panel?
Don’t care for more than 90hz on this device (for now), but VRR would be godsend.
What is the benefit of VRR?
It mostly does what it says - allows the display to adjust its refresh rate to exactly match the incoming frame rate from a game.
A 90hz display can’t actually display 60fps content smoothly. It ends up displaying 60fps content at a mix of 45hz and 90hz. (45hz is just displaying the same frame twice). A VRR display can display 60fps content perfectly smooth.
A 90hz display can’t actually display 60fps content smoothly. It ends up displaying 60fps content at a mix of 45hz and 90hz. (45hz is just displaying the same frame twice). A VRR display can display 60fps content perfectly smooth.
Sure, but the Deck can run its display at 60Hz. Constant FPS isn’t a problem, it’s varying FPS.
Thanks for the explanation! I didn’t really think about the refresh not displaying lower FPS correctly.
Based on the Linus video review he was told my Valve that they didn’t use a display hardware part that makes VRR necessary as they would have to source the display from a more expensive source. So there’s a hardware piece missing, so I’m not sure if VRR is possible at all.
I can see a bit of a purpose for 120hz. Lower latency and the fact 120hz and below covers every possible framerate with the lowest latency. I don’t know if it’s worth it for the loss of colour accuracy and vibrancy, but it’d be cool like when the Quest 2 got updated to 120hz.
120hz can cut down into 60(½), 40(⅓), 30(¼) with 50 being covered by 100hz. This won’t cut down latency nearly as much as the 90hz did from 60hz has but it will lower it down to make up for gamescopes added latency imo.
This will probably increase power usage by a little bit and it will mess with the display’s colour and brightness. But if it didn’t mess with the display to have 120hz it would definitely be worth updating to. The decreased latency for easier to run games would be a big deal. Plus with VRR this would make 120hz-65hz unbelievably awesome!
Going to try to get another Limited Edition with a clean BOE panel
Slow down. More testing is needed 😀
The ship has already sailed, no stopping it now.
VRR is implemented on the eDP standard whereas the Steam Deck uses the MIPI standard with custom drivers so no VRR.
Except if somebody patched the driver to add support for it? There seems to be an approach to implement VRR over MIPI: https://www.tdcommons.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3835&context=dpubs_series
Even if the panel itself can run with VRR, that would not be really possible because the steam deck uses a MIDI interface to communicate with the screen
VRR does not do anything special that has not been possible since the 1980s if not earlier, if a display signal can be fed over a line than that signal can be made VRR too. What would be difficult is coaxing a GPU/Driver to generate that signal to feed to said display.
I really hope the second Deck will have VRR and OLED at launch, would be so cool.
I’m not sure that’s wise.
Great work looking into this! While higher refresh rates (if safe), notably up to 120hz would be appreciated, the biggest advantage would be related to implementing VRR, assuming it could be done safely and at a significant range of frequencies. I admit that full FreeSync VRR support was the one feature that I hoped would be officially supported on the Deck OLED to accompany its upgrade to 90hz and HDR capability. Given that VRR/FreeSync has more universally applicable benefits than either of the above, it seemed strange not to make a priority; don’t get me wrong I think the other upgrades are worthwhile and I’m glad they’re present, but VRR/FreeSync/VESA ActiveSync seems a notable absence.
If your work proves fruitful, perhaps it will encourage Valve to see if they could write something to officially enable an “experimental” VRR mode and/or 120hz refresh. In the last few years we’ve seen VRR come to mobile displays, even 120hz mobile displays and of course monitors/TVs have had such capability much longer. The LG OLED series since around 2020 have been 120hz and VRR capable with both FreeSync(Premium Pro/HDR) and Gsync (HDR) certifications, for instance. While I would have preferred an officially certified display for Deck OLED, if you can show that parity VRR functionality can be safely enabled, perhaps it will inspire Valve to look into it for a future update. Thanks again.
If it works, I expect the functional ranges, at least on my deck’s BOE panel, to be ~25-90hz, ~30-120hz, or ~35-130hz.
For now it looks like I will likely need to patch GPU drivers to enable VRR, because it still has not become available after using the older technique which typically works to enable it. That will unfortunately take a bit of time to do, maybe someone else can do so before I get time to do it.
Great Post! It‘s fantastic to already see people digging into their OLEDs! I have a 512GB Model with the Samsung Panel and I‘d be willing to test a few things with it, if it helps you and the community. But I need a bit of information on the needed tests/settings. To try and get a similar/comparable results.
You can buy an open box ally for cheap and you can overclock the panel to have 175 Hz and VRR.
My 512 OLED is on the way and I will happily help testing this. Thanks to this sub I increased refresh rate on my LCD deck yesterday to 70hz. Keep up the good work guys. Many thanks for all the effort to make this device even better.