I sent this to linux-bugs@nvidia.com about a week ago, but I’m not sure if anyone actually checks that inbox anymore. I apologize if it is still actively monitored.
Video of the issue at 60hz, look at the top UFO (epilepsy warning?)
The issue happens in all programs, and does not happen on Windows or with nouveau drivers. I believe the stutters happen for a single frame of the application’s framerate, rather than a single refresh cycle. So, the stutters are not perceptible on my 240hz monitor at very high framerates (>480 or so, although even at high framerates the image seems to ‘skip ahead’ a few times a minute when I’m experiencing the issue).
The issue does not seem to happen if the application’s framerate is exactly 1/2 of my refresh rate. If my monitor is set to 60hz, the issue will not happen at 30fps. If my monitor is set to 240hz, the issue does not occur at 120fps, but does occur at 60fps, oddly. I’m not sure if this is shown correctly in the video I sent though, I imagine the browser itself is still running at 240fps.
The issue is significantly less intense with locked memory clocks or Prefer Maximum Performance: rather than happening constantly, the stutters will happen in bursts almost exactly every 20 seconds. The effect still remains quite annoying though, and this is absolutely not a fix.
On my previous Arch Linux installation, I was able to completely fix the issue by opening nvidia-settings every time I started xorg, even with the Adaptive power plan. This does not work anymore, despite my settings being identical. I have also spent several hours going through and changing every possible setting over and over, which made no difference.
Although the issue doesn’t show up on frametime graphs, it does show up on MouseTester frequency/time plots, as frequent 10hz and 200hz spikes.
I have also tried:
Using a different (60hz) monitor which doesn’t support VRR
Using different DP ports
Using HDMI instead of DP
Downgrading Nvidia drivers to 525.60.11. I also tried a few even earlier versions, but xorg won’t start with them installed. I have also used every driver version in between this version and the latest one at some point.
Several different window managers (none of which are compositing)
Using KDE instead of just a window manager
Stock kernel with nvidia, and linux-tkg-bore with nvidia-dkms (issue is present on 6.0, 6.1, and 6.2. Haven’t tried any other kernel versions)
Re-flashing my BIOS (several times)
Using stock BIOS settings
Disabling all GPU-related power saving in BIOS
Locking graphics clocks
Reinstalling Arch (several times)
Re-flashing my GPU’s vBIOS
Toggling DRM
Toggling Allow Flipping
Installing Arch on both UEFI/GPT and CSM/MBR
Using a minimal, manually created xorg.conf
Using xorg configuration generated by nvidia-xconfig
Not using an xorg config file
Disabling VRR and Vsync through environment variables.
Setting the __GL_SYNC_DISPLAY_DEVICE environment variable
Disabling anything related to composition or VRR through xorg configuration options
Disabling ACPI in kernel parameters
Early loading of the driver’s modules
Disabling message signaled interrupts
None of which made any difference.
Here is the nvidia-bug-report log after booting up, starting xorg, opening nvidia-settings, then starting Chromium.
nvidia-bug-report.log.gz (1.1 MB)
My hardware:
i5 12500 (iGPU disabled)
Zotac Twin Edge OC RTX 3060 LHR
Asus TUF Z690 D4 with CSM (though I’m pretty sure disabling CSM made no difference)
BenQ XL2540
