- Does the Steam Deck use PWM for the screen? Does the screen flicker?
- While gaming, is there some kind of screen tearing or is there some kind of VRR/Freesync being used? Otherwise, what settings do you use to avoid screen tearing (FPS locking, etc.)?
Thanks!
Not familiar with PWM. I know it’s some anti-flicker tech, but nothing else. I’ve never noticed flicker on Steam Deck’s screen [edit: but I’m not very sensitive to it].
Steam Deck does have an adjustable refresh rate screen which can be set to any refresh rate between 40 and 60 Hz. It does not support VRR (real time adjustment), but usually you play around to get best FPS you can, then you lock the refresh rate to the same frequency (unless your FPS is below 30, then you lock it to twice the rate).
However, if you connect the Steam Deck to an external screen that does support VRR, Steam Deck is compatible and will work. Just not with the inbuilt screen.
Steam Deck has VSync on by default to prevent tearing, and it’s applied on top, to all games. You can optionally disable VSync by toggling the ‘Allow Tearing’ option in the quick menu.
PWM = Pulse Width Modulation, a way of changing the power of a signal to ‘emulate’ a different voltage or amperage by rapidly varying the ‘width’ of the signal, at a high enough frequency that you shouldn’t notice it.
Basically, it ‘stutters’ the signal. That’s all well and good until it starts to get into the frequency that users are sensitive to (Which is different for everyone). At that point it can cause headaches, nausea, eye strain, migraines and possibly even increasing any epileptic effects.
The other issue is normally it’s fine, but maybe when the brightness is down really low, you might get a 120Hz ‘flicker’ sort of like an old Flourescent light fixture, as it turns off and on the LED backlighting slow enough that you start to actually experience it. For me, I’ve not noticed it even at very low brightnesses and dark rooms, but I’m not sensitive to it at all.