KDE/X11 stuck at 60hz on 300hz laptop monitor. Tearing also

Hi, I am having an issue where kde (x11) wont display at higher that 60hz/60fps, even though I have 300hz selected in display. It also has noticeable tearing in some apps, like steam and looking-glass.

I have also tried putting MaxFPS = 300 and RefreshRate = 300 in ~/.config/kwinrc .

I have tried disabling compositing with shift + alt + f12. No difference.

when doing the above i usedrefresh rate test and aquarium.
never went above 60.

here is inxi

System:
  Kernel: 5.15.25-1-MANJARO x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.15-x86_64
    root=UUID=0cb72e0b-20e6-4030-aed1-ae98fec47659 rw amd_iommu=on quiet
    apparmor=1 nogpumanager i915.enable_gvt=1 acpi_osi=! acpi_osi=Linux
    "acpi_osi=Windows 2015" pcie_port_pm=off iommu=1 rd.driver.pre=vfio-pci
    intel_iommu=on pcie_acs_override=downstream,multifunction
    security=apparmor resume=UUID=2fefde43-44e6-4861-95a8-b8ece830084c
    udev.log_priority=3
  Console: pty pts/1 wm: kwin_x11 DM: SDDM Distro: Manjaro Linux
    base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Micro-Star product: GE75 Raider 10SFS v: REV:1.0
    serial: <filter> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <filter>
  Mobo: Micro-Star model: MS-17E9 v: REV:1.0 serial: <filter>
    UEFI: American Megatrends v: E17E9IMS.10D date: 11/17/2020
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 39.4 Wh (95.2%) condition: 41.4/53.4 Wh (77.6%)
    volts: 12.0 min: 10.9 model: MSI BIF0_9 type: Li-ion serial: N/A status: N/A
Memory:
  RAM: total: 31.17 GiB used: 5.11 GiB (16.4%)
  Array-1: capacity: 32 GiB slots: 2 EC: None max-module-size: 16 GiB
    note: est.
  Device-1: ChannelA-DIMM0 size: 16 GiB speed: spec: 3200 MT/s
    actual: 2933 MT/s type: DDR4 detail: synchronous bus-width: 64 bits
    total: 64 bits manufacturer: Crucial part-no: BL16G32C16S4B.M16FE1
    serial: <filter>
  Device-2: ChannelB-DIMM0 size: 16 GiB speed: spec: 3200 MT/s
    actual: 2933 MT/s type: DDR4 detail: synchronous bus-width: 64 bits
    total: 64 bits manufacturer: Crucial part-no: BL16G32C16S4B.M16FE1
    serial: <filter>
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i7-10750H socket: U3E1 bits: 64 type: MT MCP
    arch: Comet Lake family: 6 model-id: 0xA5 (165) stepping: 2 microcode: 0xEC
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 6 tpc: 2 threads: 12 smt: enabled cache:
    L1: 384 KiB desc: d-6x32 KiB; i-6x32 KiB L2: 1.5 MiB desc: 6x256 KiB
    L3: 12 MiB desc: 1x12 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 3860 high: 4254 min/max: 800/5000 base/boost: 2475/8300
    scaling: driver: intel_pstate governor: powersave volts: 0.8 V
    ext-clock: 100 MHz cores: 1: 3392 2: 3849 3: 3996 4: 3546 5: 4122 6: 4254
    7: 4185 8: 3793 9: 4039 10: 3846 11: 3784 12: 3516 bogomips: 62431
  Flags: 3dnowprefetch abm acpi adx aes aperfmperf apic arat
    arch_capabilities arch_perfmon art avx avx2 bmi1 bmi2 bts clflush clflushopt
    cmov constant_tsc cpuid cpuid_fault cx16 cx8 de ds_cpl dtes64 dtherm dts
    epb ept ept_ad erms est f16c flexpriority flush_l1d fma fpu fsgsbase fxsr
    ht hwp hwp_act_window hwp_epp hwp_notify ibpb ibrs ibrs_enhanced ida
    intel_pt invpcid invpcid_single lahf_lm lm mca mce md_clear mmx monitor
    movbe mpx msr mtrr nonstop_tsc nopl nx ospke pae pat pbe pcid pclmulqdq
    pdcm pdpe1gb pebs pge pku pln pni popcnt pse pse36 pts rdrand rdseed
    rdtscp rep_good sdbg sep smap smep ss ssbd sse sse2 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3
    stibp syscall tm tm2 tpr_shadow tsc tsc_adjust tsc_deadline_timer vme vmx
    vnmi vpid x2apic xgetbv1 xsave xsavec xsaveopt xsaves xtopology xtpr
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass
    mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl and seccomp
  Type: spectre_v1
    mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Enhanced IBRS, IBPB: conditional, RSB filling
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel CometLake-H GT2 [UHD Graphics] vendor: Micro-Star MSI
    driver: i915 v: kernel ports: active: eDP-1 empty: none bus-ID: 00:02.0
    chip-ID: 8086:9bc4 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: NVIDIA TU104M [GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER Mobile / Max-Q]
    vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: nvidia v: 510.54
    alternate: nouveau,nvidia_drm pcie: gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 16
    link-max: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s ports: active: none empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1
    bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:1e91 class-ID: 0300
  Device-3: Acer HD Webcam type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-13:5
    chip-ID: 5986:211c class-ID: 0e02
  Display: server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.3 compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting,nvidia gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.0x11.2")
    s-diag: 582mm (22.9")
  Monitor-1: eDP-1-1 mapped: eDP-1 model: AU Optronics built: 2019
    res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 128 gamma: 1.2 size: 382x215mm (15.0x8.5")
    diag: 438mm (17.3") ratio: 16:9 modes: 1920x1080
  OpenGL: renderer: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super/PCIe/SSE2
    v: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 510.54 direct render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Comet Lake PCH cAVS vendor: Micro-Star MSI
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel alternate: snd_soc_skl,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
    bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:06c8 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: NVIDIA TU104 HD Audio vendor: Micro-Star MSI
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16
    bus-ID: 01:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:10f8 class-ID: 0403
  Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.15.25-1-MANJARO running: yes
  Sound Server-2: JACK v: 1.9.20 running: no
  Sound Server-3: PulseAudio v: 15.0 running: yes
  Sound Server-4: PipeWire v: 0.3.47 running: yes
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Comet Lake PCH CNVi WiFi vendor: Rivet Networks
    driver: iwlwifi v: kernel bus-ID: 00:14.3 chip-ID: 8086:06f0 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlo1 state: up mac: <filter>
  IP v4: <filter> type: dynamic noprefixroute scope: global
    broadcast: <filter>
  IP v6: <filter> type: noprefixroute scope: link
  Device-2: Qualcomm Atheros Killer E2500 Gigabit Ethernet
    vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: alx v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s
    lanes: 1 port: 3000 bus-ID: 05:00.0 chip-ID: 1969:e0b1 class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp5s0 state: down mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-1: virbr0 state: down mac: <filter>
  IP v4: <filter> scope: global broadcast: <filter>
  WAN IP: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel AX201 Bluetooth type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8
    bus-ID: 1-14:6 chip-ID: 8087:0026 class-ID: e001
  Report: rfkill ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: see --recommends
Logical:
  Message: No logical block device data found.
RAID:
  Message: No RAID data found.
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 1.84 TiB used: 973.61 GiB (51.6%)
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:2 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 970 EVO 1TB
    size: 931.51 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s
    lanes: 4 type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 2B2QEXE7 temp: 37.9 C scheme: GPT
  SMART: yes health: PASSED on: 158d 5h cycles: 2,661
    read-units: 26,499,126 [13.5 TB] written-units: 63,480,996 [32.5 TB]
  ID-2: /dev/nvme1n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Western Digital
    model: PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00-1032 size: 953.87 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 type: SSD
    serial: <filter> rev: 11111000 temp: 44.9 C scheme: GPT
  SMART: yes health: PASSED on: 333d 3h cycles: 2,692
    read-units: 65,414,677 [33.4 TB] written-units: 173,876,211 [89.0 TB]
  Message: No optical or floppy data found.
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 896.92 GiB size: 881.84 GiB (98.32%)
    used: 629.58 GiB (71.4%) fs: ext4 block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2
    maj-min: 259:4 label: N/A uuid: 0cb72e0b-20e6-4030-aed1-ae98fec47659
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 300 MiB size: 299.4 MiB (99.80%)
    used: 148 KiB (0.0%) fs: vfat block-size: 512 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1
    maj-min: 259:3 label: NO_LABEL uuid: 3BA3-F087
  ID-3: /run/timeshift/backup raw-size: 953.86 GiB size: 937.82 GiB (98.32%)
    used: 344.03 GiB (36.7%) fs: ext4 block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/nvme1n1p1
    maj-min: 259:1 label: Games uuid: 11a1c88e-4c3b-4b81-8bc9-7f86eeeddd66
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 60 (default) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 34.29 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%)
    priority: -2 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p3 maj-min: 259:5 label: swap
    uuid: 2fefde43-44e6-4861-95a8-b8ece830084c
Unmounted:
  Message: No unmounted partitions found.
USB:
  Hub-1: 1-0:1 info: Hi-speed hub with single TT ports: 16 rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s chip-ID: 1d6b:0002 class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 1-2:2 info: [Maxxter] USB GAMING MOUSE type: Mouse,Keyboard
    driver: hid-generic,usbhid interfaces: 2 rev: 1.1 speed: 1.5 Mb/s
    power: 100mA chip-ID: 18f8:0fc0 class-ID: 0301
  Device-2: 1-7:3 info: Realtek RTS5129 Card Reader Controller
    type: <vendor specific> driver: rtsx_usb,rtsx_usb_ms,rtsx_usb_sdmmc
    interfaces: 1 rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s power: 500mA chip-ID: 0bda:0129
    class-ID: ff00 serial: <filter>
  Device-3: 1-9:4 info: SteelSeries ApS KLC type: HID
    driver: hid-generic,usbhid interfaces: 2 rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s
    power: 300mA chip-ID: 1038:1122 class-ID: 0300
  Device-4: 1-13:5 info: Acer HD Webcam type: Video driver: uvcvideo
    interfaces: 2 rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s power: 500mA chip-ID: 5986:211c
    class-ID: 0e02
  Device-5: 1-14:6 info: Intel AX201 Bluetooth type: Bluetooth driver: btusb
    interfaces: 2 rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s power: 100mA chip-ID: 8087:0026
    class-ID: e001
  Hub-2: 2-0:1 info: Super-speed hub ports: 8 rev: 3.1 speed: 10 Gb/s
    chip-ID: 1d6b:0003 class-ID: 0900
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 49.0 C pch: 39.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nvidia
    temp: 38 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:
  Processes: 348 Uptime: 2h 46m wakeups: 1 Init: systemd v: 250
  tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 11.2.0 clang: 13.0.1 Packages: 1455
  pacman: 1441 lib: 372 flatpak: 6 snap: 8 Shell: Zsh (sudo) v: 5.8.1
  default: Bash v: 5.1.16 running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.13

and xrandr

Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 1920 x 1080, maximum 32767 x 32767
HDMI-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
eDP-1-1 connected primary 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 382mm x 215mm
   1920x1080     60.05*+ 300.18    60.01    59.97    59.96    59.93  
   1680x1050     59.95    59.88  
   1400x1050     74.76    59.98  
   1600x900      59.99    59.94    59.95    59.82  
   1280x1024     85.02    75.02    60.02  
   1400x900      59.96    59.88  
   1280x960      85.00    60.00  
   1440x810      60.00    59.97  
   1368x768      59.88    59.85  
   1280x800      59.99    59.97    59.81    59.91  
   1152x864      75.00  
   1280x720      60.00    59.99    59.86    59.74  
   1024x768      85.00    75.05    60.04    85.00    75.03    70.07    60.00  
   1024x768i     86.96  
   960x720       85.00    75.00    60.00  
   928x696       75.00    60.05  
   896x672       75.05    60.01  
   1024x576      59.95    59.96    59.90    59.82  
   960x600       59.93    60.00  
   832x624       74.55  
   960x540       59.96    59.99    59.63    59.82  
   800x600       85.00    75.00    70.00    65.00    60.00    85.14    72.19    75.00    60.32    56.25  
   840x525       60.01    59.88  
   864x486       59.92    59.57  
   700x525       74.76    59.98  
   800x450       59.95    59.82  
   640x512       85.02    75.02    60.02  
   700x450       59.96    59.88  
   640x480       85.09    60.00    85.01    72.81    75.00    59.94  
   720x405       59.51    58.99  
   720x400       85.04  
   684x384       59.88    59.85  
   640x400       59.88    59.98    85.08  
   576x432       75.00  
   640x360       59.86    59.83    59.84    59.32  
   640x350       85.08  
   512x384       85.00    75.03    70.07    60.00  
   512x384i      87.06  
   512x288       60.00    59.92  
   416x312       74.66  
   480x270       59.63    59.82  
   400x300       85.27    72.19    75.12    60.32    56.34  
   432x243       59.92    59.57  
   320x240       85.18    72.81    75.00    60.05  
   360x202       59.51    59.13  
   360x200       85.04  
   320x200       85.27  
   320x180       59.84    59.32  
   320x175       85.27  

Please help in any way you can!

Xrandr shows you’re at 60hz.

xrandr -r 300

Use this command to set refresh rate to 300.

ran that command in terminal, screen flickered and then it still remains at 60hz.

xrandr says this now:

   1920x1080     60.05 + 300.18*   60.01    59.97    59.96    59.93  

so i assume that means it “worked” but its clearly still 60hz, even tests show this. and after a reboot xrandr outputs the same as in the first post.

OK, I figured out how to get this working - Its actually a known bug in the i915 intel gpu driver as seen here. It required to compile the linux kernel, which I did. I used this patch and this guide. Suffice to say, I am quite happy I got this working, and should anyone have this issue feel free to PM me and I’ll help anyway I can~!

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