this post was submitted on 16 Feb 2024
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Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Other than games, what are the benefits of variable refresh rate?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Adjusting the refresh rate to the performance of the desktop is one.

I also heard it would make it easier to manage multiple monitors sporting different refresh rates, although I haven't had issues with that personally.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Adjusting the refresh rate to the performance of the desktop is one.

That's the definition, isn't it? Why is this better than a fixed refresh rate? Can the monitor scale the rate down to consume less power or something?

I also heard it would make it easier to manage multiple monitors sporting different refresh rates, although I haven't had issues with that personally.

I heard that too and got similarly confused. I work with two monitors with different refresh rates (75 and 60) on Mint and it seems fine. Is X downgrading my 75 Hz monitor to 60 silently? I don't know how to check that.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)
  1. To avoid having to skip frames to make the desktop look more fluid, thus matching the refresh rate of the monitor.

  2. I think the whole desktop runs at the higher refresh rate when you have mismatched monitors? Not sure. Wayland and X11 might differ as well on how they handle this.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

X11 runs the whole desktop on the lowest refresh rate and Wayland can run each monitor at a different refresh rate

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

Can the monitor scale the rate down to consume less power or something?

In theory, yes. However, I have never seen it used that way. The only widely used applications for VRR are games and video playback.

Would be interesting to do some power measurements though.

Is X downgrading my 75 Hz monitor to 60 silently?

Yes, X does not support different refresh rates. Wayland does.

[–] TheGrandNagus 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Maybe it could be integrated into other difficult to run 3D graphics workloads, like CAD or 3D design work?

But yeah pretty much just games tbh

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

I guess, but you're usually not rapidly rotating models while you're designing it. At least the workloads I'm familiar with, movements are much more deliberate and even a fixed 50 Hz laptop monitor can handle.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It's mainly for games of course.

It's also good for video, as it can play videos at the highest possible Hz multiple of the video's FPS. So for example 24 FPS video could be played back with 144 Hz, 25 FPS with 125 Hz etc. VRR isn't technically required for this as many non-VRR monitors support different video modes with different fixed Hz as well, but the transition between Hz is seamless (no need to change video mode).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

You lost me here now. Why would want to repeat the same frame four or five times in video? Is that to add post processing effects like motion blur between them?