Screen turns black intermittently during alt-tab actions at 10 bpc color depth
Screen turns black intermittently during alt-tab actions at 10 bpc color depth
I recently upgraded to a Lenovo Legion R25f-30 (240Hz) after testing multiple Philips monitors with noticeable backlight bleed. This model works well overall, though there’s a color depth concern. Setting the output color depth to 10 bpc in NVIDIA Control Center improves visibility. However, playing Counter-Strike 1.6 causes the screen to black briefly during alt+tab actions or when opening/closing the game. At 8 bpc it functions smoothly without flicker. It appears the GoldSrc engine struggles with 10-bit output, but I’d like to maintain 10 bpc for daily use and other titles. I’m exploring registry adjustments, driver tweaks, or per-app profiles to restrict this game to 8 bpc while letting Windows handle 10 bpc automatically. Alternatively, there might be a workaround for older DirectX/OpenGL games that address the flicker when using 10 bpc. Any advice or solutions would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.
It already functions at 8bpc, which is why the problem arises. The GPU/monitor need to change modes between 8 and 10 when entering or exiting the game. Consider using a windowed mode if possible, though it's unclear if borderless windowed works with such an old system.
Sure, running it in a window should give you the right resolution—1024 x 768 without any black bars or borders. You're considering third-party apps, but I'm unsure if Steam supports them, especially since some might use DLLs which could be an issue. Let me know if you need more help!
I thought it was caused by DSC. I think I encountered it with older hardware and a monitor, especially noticeable at 10bpc. My opinion might be incorrect, but I could test another DP cable if one is available. Also, did you run DDU before updating the drivers? If not, you may want to attempt that step first.
I tried DDU but it didn’t help. I changed the DP cable too, and the same result occurred. The monitor settings showed DP 1.2 and DP 1.4. I believe DP 1.2 is fine (supports only 8bpc) for color quality, though it’s not as high quality as 10bpc. It performs better in colors. My current opinion is to stick with these settings. Thanks!