Adaptive sync causes flickering when mouse is moved

Help
1

This happens on a Fresh Fedora 38 and Fresh Arch linux install.
GPU = AMD RX 7900 XT
Display is an ASUS ultrawide with FreeSync Premium
Plugged in using Display port 2.1
KDE Plasma (Wayland)

I am trying to set Adaptive Sync to “Always”, but in this mode the screen sort of flickers when the mouse moves. To be more precise the screen brightens a bit while the mouse in moving, but when the mouse is stopped it returns to the previous, slightly dimmer state.

There are no errors about it so don’t know where to look.

Possibly related issue. I’m running a single monitor for now, but when I try to use 2 monitors things just start failing (white screen, no display update, system lock up). I’ll explore this when I have a fix for the Adaptive sync issue but sharing in case it is related.

2

You did not state if you are using Wayland or X-11. Did you test using both? Could you please add that?

3

Sorry, using Wayland. I tried X11 but it didn’t have an option to use adaptive sync in the settings.

4

I asked, because I had the same issues with nVidia on a FreeSync MSI monitor. Without FreeSync, I still can’t quite use Wayland yet. Mouse issues on translucent windows and random freezes. It has come a long way recently, but it is still not quite there. Wayland is perfect on my intel only laptop though. The progress they are making is amazing and I don’t think we will be waiting much longer.

5

I can still replicate this on my device.:

OS: EndeavourOS Linux
KERNEL: 6.18.6-arch1-1
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 8-Core
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (radeonsi, gfx1201, LLVM 21.1.6, DRM 3.64, 6.18.6-arch1-1)
GPU DRIVER: 4.6 Mesa 25.3.4-arch1.1
RAM: 128 GB

KWin version: 6.5.5
Qt Version: 6.10.1
Qt compile version: 6.10.1
XCB compile version: 1.17.0

interface: ‘wp_linux_drm_syncobj_manager_v1’, version: 1, name: 59
interface: ‘xdg_wm_base’, version: 6, name: 61
interface: ‘zwlr_layer_shell_v1’, version: 5, name: 62
interface: ‘kde_output_device_v2’, version: 16, name: 64
interface: ‘kde_output_device_v2’, version: 16, name: 65

interface: ‘wl_output’, version: 4, name: 66
name: DP-1
description: AOC AG273QS3R4
physical_width: 597 mm, physical_height: 336 mm,
make: ‘AOC’, model: ‘AG273QS3R4’,
subpixel_orientation: unknown, output_transform: normal,
width: 2560 px, height: 1440 px, refresh: 165.000 Hz,

interface: ‘wl_output’, version: 4, name: 67
name: DP-2
description: AOC AG273QS3R4
make: ‘AOC’, model: ‘AG273QS3R4’,
width: 2560 px, height: 1440 px, refresh: 165.000 Hz

VK_KHR_synchronization2 : extension revision 1
synchronization2 = true

GLX_MESA_swap_control, GLX_NV_float_buffer, GLX_OML_sync_control,
GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_SGI_video_sync
GLX_OML_sync_control, GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig,
GLX_SGI_video_sync
GL_ARB_stencil_texturing, GL_ARB_sync, GL_ARB_tessellation_shader,
GL_EXT_EGL_sync, GL_EXT_abgr, GL_EXT_blend_equation_separate,
GL_ARB_spirv_extensions, GL_ARB_stencil_texturing, GL_ARB_sync,
GL_EXT_EGL_image_storage_compression, GL_EXT_EGL_sync, GL_EXT_abgr,
GL_APPLE_sync, GL_APPLE_texture_max_level, GL_EXT_EGL_image_storage,
GL_OES_EGL_image_external_essl3, GL_OES_EGL_sync,

EDID Structure Version & Revision: 1.4
Vendor & Product Identification:
Manufacturer: AOC
Model: 10032
Serial Number: 64 (0x00000040)
Made in: week 51 of 2020
Basic Display Parameters & Features:
Digital display
Bits per primary color channel: 10
DisplayPort interface
Maximum image size: 60 cm x 34 cm
Gamma: 2.20
DPMS levels: Off
Supported color formats: RGB 4:4:4, YCrCb 4:4:4, YCrCb 4:2:2
Default (sRGB) color space is primary color space
First detailed timing includes the native pixel format and preferred refresh rate
Display supports continuous frequencies
Color Characteristics:
Red : 0.6767, 0.3144
Green: 0.2783, 0.6494
Blue : 0.1513, 0.0722
White: 0.3134, 0.3291
Established Timings I & II:
IBM : 720x400 70.081663 Hz 9:5 31.467 kHz 28.320000 MHz
DMT 0x04: 640x480 59.940476 Hz 4:3 31.469 kHz 25.175000 MHz
Apple : 640x480 66.666667 Hz 4:3 35.000 kHz 30.240000 MHz
DMT 0x05: 640x480 72.808802 Hz 4:3 37.861 kHz 31.500000 MHz
DMT 0x06: 640x480 75.000000 Hz 4:3 37.500 kHz 31.500000 MHz
DMT 0x08: 800x600 56.250000 Hz 4:3 35.156 kHz 36.000000 MHz
DMT 0x09: 800x600 60.316541 Hz 4:3 37.879 kHz 40.000000 MHz
DMT 0x0a: 800x600 72.187572 Hz 4:3 48.077 kHz 50.000000 MHz
DMT 0x0b: 800x600 75.000000 Hz 4:3 46.875 kHz 49.500000 MHz
Apple : 832x624 74.551266 Hz 4:3 49.726 kHz 57.284000 MHz
DMT 0x10: 1024x768 60.003840 Hz 4:3 48.363 kHz 65.000000 MHz
DMT 0x11: 1024x768 70.069359 Hz 4:3 56.476 kHz 75.000000 MHz
DMT 0x12: 1024x768 75.028582 Hz 4:3 60.023 kHz 78.750000 MHz
DMT 0x24: 1280x1024 75.024675 Hz 5:4 79.976 kHz 135.000000 MHz
Standard Timings:
DMT 0x52: 1920x1080 60.000000 Hz 16:9 67.500 kHz 148.500000 MHz
DMT 0x23: 1280x1024 60.019740 Hz 5:4 63.981 kHz 108.000000 MHz
GTF : 640x480 99.999537 Hz 4:3 50.900 kHz 43.163000 MHz
GTF : 640x480 119.999084 Hz 4:3 61.800 kHz 52.406000 MHz
GTF : 800x600 99.999707 Hz 4:3 63.600 kHz 68.179000 MHz
GTF : 800x600 119.999886 Hz 4:3 77.160 kHz 83.950000 MHz
GTF : 1024x768 100.000177 Hz 4:3 81.400 kHz 113.309000 MHz
GTF : 1024x768 119.999931 Hz 4:3 98.760 kHz 139.054000 MHz
Detailed Timing Descriptors:
DTD 1: 2560x1440 59.950550 Hz 16:9 88.787 kHz 241.500000 MHz (597 mm x 336 mm)
Hfront 48 Hsync 32 Hback 80 Hpol P
Vfront 3 Vsync 5 Vback 33 Vpol P
DTD 2: 2560x1440 165.000434 Hz 16:9 242.551 kHz 646.640000 MHz (597 mm x 336 mm)
Hfront 8 Hsync 32 Hback 66 Hpol P
Vfront 3 Vsync 5 Vback 22 Vpol N
Display Product Name: ‘AG273QS3R4’
Display Range Limits:
Monitor ranges (Range Limits Only): 48-165 Hz V, 250-250 kHz H, max dotclock 660 MHz

6

note: I have switch adaptive sync from Always to Automatic and it fix the mouse screen flickering

system spec

CPU : 7800x3d

Ram 32gig ddr5

GPU RX 9070xt

OS: arch linux

Kernel: Linux 6.19.6-arch1-1

DE: KDE Plasma 6.6.2

2 monitor 3440x1440 45” 240hz, 1440x2560 31” 165hz

capture card

7

It only “fixes” it because it turns Freesync off (effectively).
That is a band-aid not a solution.