Question RTX 3080: Flickering on top of screen using DP

[Strigoil]

Got the card yesterday, having issues with flickering at the top of any of my 3 monitors connected to any of the cards port via DP, works perfectly fine through HDMI. shown in the video.

https://imgur.com/qWYRLYv

View: https://i.imgur.com/qWYRLYv.mp4

Specs:
GPU: MSI 3080 Gaming X Trio
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-Z170x-Gaming 7
CPU: i7-6700k
PSU: Corsair HX850i
RAM: G.Skill RipjawsV DDR4-2800 C15 QC - 32GB
Monitors: 3x Benq GW2765HT

The system needs an upgrade to not bottleneck the card, I know..I have all the parts needed just waiting for the new Ryzen CPUs to drop.
Card also runs games with no problems, performs as expected with my bottlenecks.
Everything works perfectly when I put my RTX 2070s back in.

What I have tried so far is fresh driver installs several times, reseating the GPU / power cables, plugged the computer to the wallsocket instead of the surge protector to rule out an overload there.
It happens on all 3 monitors, regardless of what DP cable or DP socket I use on the card, if I run all 3 or just 1. it also happens in the BIOS so that makes me very suspicious I have a lemon on my hands.,

What is odd is when I use my display port to HDMI adapter and plug it into a DP socket on my card and them the HDMI to the monitor, the issue does not happen, but the adapter is an oldie so only runs at 1080p, changing resolution on the screens when running full DP to 1080p does not help.
I'm not daisy chaining my PSU power either, 3 seperate PCI-E power cables.

The flickering does seem to happen more rapidly when the GPU clocks up in a game but I can't say for sure if it's the clocking or just random.

I see some people have had flickering/black screen issues who have fixed it by turning G-sync/Freesync off but my screens don't support it so its a non issue.
Anyone have any ideas for something I might not have tried?

 

[Strigoil]

Thank you for the update thecbass!

I can report that I eventually got put through to a tech which has now submitted the problem to the Nvidia engineer team, they will replicate the issue with the information I have gathered myself and from others in this topic and hopefully find a solution.
I would expect it to take a while but I will report back here as soon as I hear something, thank you everyone for helping troubleshoot this.

 

[pearswick]

Hi - same issue here with the Gigabyte 3080 Vision and a Cooler Master GM34-CW monitor. HDMI is fine, and DP is not. Here’s a video of the problem:

View: https://youtu.be/Dv1b9ZX-Of4
- pretty sure it’s the same thing.

FYI the monitor goes up to 144hz over DP, but flickers, whereas the old HDMI cable I’m using can only handle 60hz but is stable. The crackling/popping sound is connected to the fact my speakers are plugged into the monitor’s audio output, I think.

Thanks for taking the time to update this thread and for pushing the issue with Nvidia.

 

[Strigoil]

Hi - same issue here with the Gigabyte 3080 Vision and a Cooler Master GM34-CW monitor. HDMI is fine, and DP is not. Here’s a video of the problem:

View: https://youtu.be/Dv1b9ZX-Of4
- pretty sure it’s the same thing.

FYI the monitor goes up to 144hz over DP, but flickers, whereas the old HDMI cable I’m using can only handle 60hz but is stable. The crackling/popping sound is connected to the fact my speakers are plugged into the monitor’s audio output, I think.

Thanks for taking the time to update this thread and for pushing the issue with Nvidia.

Hello, and thank you for the report

It could be, but hard to say as its not exactly the same..Try to limit the monitor through nvidia control panel to 60hz by creating a custom resolution when it is connected through DP, as we have found out different hz seem to change how the flickering presents itself.

The specific problem we have is a distortion and offset of the image, while yours seems to be a flicker that alters brightness. Of course all of this may be connected to the same issue and it shows up differently on different monitors.

 

[pearswick]

Hello, and thank you for the report

It could be, but hard to say as its not exactly the same..Try to limit the monitor through nvidia control panel to 60hz by creating a custom resolution when it is connected through DP, as we have found out different hz seem to change how the flickering presents itself.

The specific problem we have is a distortion and offset of the image, while yours seems to be a flicker that alters brightness. Of course all of this may be connected to the same issue and it shows up differently on different monitors.

The video doesn't show it well but the flicker is a very grainy distortion, not a change in brightness or a g-sync issue.

It's fine at lower refresh rates but I want my 144hz back! All other symptoms are the same as others have described in this thread. There is a thread on the Nvidia forums too, can't recall if that's already been brought up here but, just in case: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/geforce-graphics-cards/5/406635/rtx-3070-flickering-issues-with-displayport/ One user suggested it could be something to do with the case partially obscuring the ports on the GPU so the cable can't make a proper connection.

Edit: Upon your suggestion I tried making a custom resolution - I can choose 60, 100, 120, or 144hz from the refresh rate dropdown. All refresh rates apart from 144hz are fine. I can go up to 130hz before I start to get the flicker.

UPDATE: Solved - for me anyway. The metal bars at the back of my case, where the GPU's IO touches the case itself, were preventing the DisplayPort cable from going all the way in. Perhaps by just a few millimeters. I used some tin snips to cleanly cut that part of the case away so no part of the case was touching the back of the GPU. It now works perfectly at 144hz. Presumably the exposed part of the cable was touching that part of the case or something and causing an issue at a higher refresh rate (which I guess is more of a power draw and this is why it wasn't a problem at lower refresh rates or via HDMI?). In any case, this fixed it for me and I hope it helps others.

 

[UkCyc]

Hey Folks

Same issue with the 3060TI FE

Benq BL2420PT
MSI B450M Mortar Max Board

Sob story... I have my TV plugged into the HDMI for TV gaming and the monitor using DP for mouse + keyboard gaming and work so its a right pain

 

[looter809]

Interesting, I tried this on mine when I first had the issue and it did nothing, mine was already at 1.2 so I tried 1.1.
If this has fixed your problem fully then that's fantastic!

I created an account just to say, I was having the same problem on my second monitor. Both using display port, but only the second monitor was flickering on the right edge of the screen. I discovered, same as you guys, that switching the second monitor to the HDMI cord fixed it. After finding this forum, I checked the monitor's display port setting and it was 1.1. I switched it to 1.2 now lo and behold; it is working just fine.

Not sure if anyone else has had this issue, but before switching it to 1.2, I had another issue I didn't see anyone else mention. Both of my screens would go grey, as if someone turned the gamma way up, if I opened NVCP or other display settings (ie windows built in display settings). I tested just now after switching to 1.2 and it seems like that fixed too.

VERY glad I found this forum. I didn't even think to check the displayPort setting on the monitor.

edit: still goes grey occasionally. restarting fixes it. it went grey as soon as I opened the microsoft store, so i'm not sure what's happening.

 

[grandmasterflash]

Top of screen flashes here gigabyte 3070 DP 1.1 or 1.2 BenQ GW2765
driver: 457.09

HDMI no flicker

previous card 980Ti driver:388.71 , no flicker on DP.

 

[ghuiop23]

Hi guys, i just created the account to say that I have the same problem.

Gigabyte 3070 gaming OC
X570 MSI Tomahawk
BenQ GW2765

With HDMI its no flickering, but i dont know why, I have to adjust the resolution of the screen to 2432 x 1368.

I came from a 970 connected by display port and without any problem

I will put the list of the things I've tried ( its a copy paste of a forum i posted in spanish, sorry about the "bad" translation)

-I tried to change the DP port of the graphics, and both do the same (it has 2 DPs and 2 HDMI)

-I thought it might be the cable so I bought another one. He does the same.

-I connected it by HDMI and it works "fine", I don't have any flicker but I don't know why I have to adjust the resolution and scale and put it in 2432 x 1368 instead of 2560 x 1440 which is its native resolution, if I don't do it the marker and icon bar stays, "out" of the screen. **This would be my problem nº2.

-I saw that there were people with these problems and it was because the DP cable did not enter well into the GPU, so I tried and made pressure in case I saw that it did not enter well, and nothing, the cable in enters perfectly.

-I tried to change and plug the cable in hot, with the PC "on"and nothing.

- Checking PCI-e cables and that everything is well connected to the GPU, correct.

- The display has to choose between Display Port 1.1 and 1.2, I have tried both and nothing changes.

-I have changed from the BIOS from gen4 to gen3 to test and nothing.

-Drivers reinstalled 3 times and nothing. I have currently the 460.89 game ready. I have made marking the "correct installation with predefined values of Nvidia and nothing). I also tried some older drivers ( 457.09 ) and did the same.

-Temperatures, fans, everything revised and perfect.

-All 3070 drivers updated.


Now my question is what should I do? RMA procedure with the store to return the 3070? Is it a screen or graphic problem? I don't do anything and I hope that some driver will solve the problem? I bought a display port to HDMI adapter to "fix" the problem and at least have the display port functional?

I don't know what to do, after more than a month and a half waiting for the 3070 and the processor, now having these problems makes me mad I don't want to have to process RMA and run out of pc again for weeks, but I wouldn't like to keep a " wrong " product either.

PD: I include a video of my problem, and I also show you that my screen does not let me put the 60hz, and I do not know why

 

[grandmasterflash]

just changed card from Gigabyte 3070OC to a 3070 FE and still flash
Top of screen flashes DP 1.1 or 1.2 BenQ GW2765
driver: 457.09
HDMI no flicker

i wasnt expecting it to fix the issue (decided to RMA the gigabyte and save some £$)

 

[ghuiop23]

Hello!

I have "solved" the problem, or at least I think I have found where the problem comes from.
Searching after searching I found a program called CRU (Custom Resolution Utility) and after trying many things, I tried again to put it at 59Hz, after restarting it kept on working badly, but I don't know how, I went again to advanced screen configuration in windows, and where before it only appeared 59.951hz, now it also appeared 59.002Hz, I changed it, and voila. No flickering in those Hertz. I don't know if you can change it from the windows screen settings, at least I couldn't, as you can see in the video I uploaded.

Problems derived from this solution, I do not know how to make those hertz in the default mode, so there are times that when I turn off and I plug in again I get 59.951hz by default and I have to change it to make it good.

Similarly there are games that I enter the game screen, an automatically it change the hertz and does not let me play other hz other than 59,951, at least this happens in League of Legends, I do not know if I have to adjust any configuration ingame but at least there I have found a problem.
Then I have tried other games like Jurassic World or Flight Simulator, which if I have let me play 59.002hz and therefore without flickering.

In short, my problems are due to the HZ of the monitor.

So I'm not going to process RMA. And try to put by default the 59.002hz and check that all the games run to those hertz.

And then wait to see if at some point with some update from nvidia, solve these problems.

 

[grandmasterflash]

Hello!

I have "solved" the problem, or at least I think I have found where the problem comes from.
Searching after searching I found a program called CRU (Custom Resolution Utility) and after trying many things, I tried again to put it at 59Hz, after restarting it kept on working badly, but I don't know how, I went again to advanced screen configuration in windows, and where before it only appeared 59.951hz, now it also appeared 59.002Hz, I changed it, and voila. No flickering in those Hertz. I don't know if you can change it from the windows screen settings, at least I couldn't, as you can see in the video I uploaded.

Problems derived from this solution, I do not know how to make those hertz in the default mode, so there are times that when I turn off and I plug in again I get 59.951hz by default and I have to change it to make it good.

Similarly there are games that I enter the game screen, an automatically it change the hertz and does not let me play other hz other than 59,951, at least this happens in League of Legends, I do not know if I have to adjust any configuration ingame but at least there I have found a problem.
Then I have tried other games like Jurassic World or Flight Simulator, which if I have let me play 59.002hz and therefore without flickering.

In short, my problems are due to the HZ of the monitor.

So I'm not going to process RMA. And try to put by default the 59.002hz and check that all the games run to those hertz.

And then wait to see if at some point with some update from nvidia, solve these problems.

i used your info an used the nvidia control panel and created a custom resolution profile with 59.002 hz and that also solved my flicker, thankyou!

 

[awsam]

I too created an account to say, I have the same problem.
Same BenQ monitor (dual screen over DP) with a 3080FE. I freaked out thinking it was artifacts.

Flickering happens on both monitors, at the top, every 30 seconds or so.
Also, when waking the monitors up, sometimes one of them will flicker all over, a lot. This also happened with my second PC with a 2060.
Using DP. Multiple drivers over the last year.

Setting custom refresh rate to 59hz in Nvidia control panel seems to have fixed it over DP 1.1.

 

[samg381]

Same issue.. EVGA 3090 Ultra with black flickering. Made a custom resolution at 3440x1440 99hz and the problem went away.
Still want my 1Hz back Nvidia.

 

[kichappa]

Same issue, RTX 3070, I am using HDMI. Windows like Word and Zoom flickers. Games like GTA V, RDR2, MSF2020 works well.

 

[Rdogslife]

Hi,
I just registered because I was having a similar problem but have things working now without any flicker:
I was using a GTX1660 super with 2 Benq GW2765 monitors no problems.
I've tried two different rtx3070's with dual Benq GW2765 monitors on display port. I was getting flashing at the top of the screen <looked like artifacts from the windows task bar> , flashes of windows moved six inches to the left, not really usable.
I tried pulling the display port connectors out a millimeter or two, pushing them in fully, (using 8K rated cables), tried HDMI. It wasn't any cable or connector issue.
Spent some time in the Nvidia control panel, updated the driver to the studio driver 461.72 Was going through custom settings for the display in the nvidia control panel, some things make it worse
Tried changing to display port version to 1.1 on the monitors, that made no improvement.
I saw this on the Benq site https://www.benq.eu/en-uk/support/downloads-faq/faq/product/troubleshooting/monitor-faq-k-00008.html suggesting to try 70hz refresh rate, that didn't fix it but I went down 1hz at a time and now I'm 2560x1440@65Hz Working - no flicker
Wondered if this might help anyone else
Cheers

 

[DazRave]

Hello!

I have "solved" the problem, or at least I think I have found where the problem comes from.
Searching after searching I found a program called CRU (Custom Resolution Utility) and after trying many things, I tried again to put it at 59Hz, after restarting it kept on working badly, but I don't know how, I went again to advanced screen configuration in windows, and where before it only appeared 59.951hz, now it also appeared 59.002Hz, I changed it, and voila. No flickering in those Hertz. I don't know if you can change it from the windows screen settings, at least I couldn't, as you can see in the video I uploaded.

Problems derived from this solution, I do not know how to make those hertz in the default mode, so there are times that when I turn off and I plug in again I get 59.951hz by default and I have to change it to make it good.

Similarly there are games that I enter the game screen, an automatically it change the hertz and does not let me play other hz other than 59,951, at least this happens in League of Legends, I do not know if I have to adjust any configuration ingame but at least there I have found a problem.
Then I have tried other games like Jurassic World or Flight Simulator, which if I have let me play 59.002hz and therefore without flickering.

In short, my problems are due to the HZ of the monitor.

So I'm not going to process RMA. And try to put by default the 59.002hz and check that all the games run to those hertz.

And then wait to see if at some point with some update from nvidia, solve these problems.

Had to sign up say thank you for this post! It worked for me (annoying I have to do this though).

I'm running two PCs of identical spec at work and they both have the same problem:
Asus RTX 3070-O8g
BenQ PD2700Q


At a guess, I'd say it was the BenQ montors but we're running 4 of them (2 per machine) and we're not really looking to change them any time soon! Great solution though, THANK YOU!

 

[GNA582]

Just registered to say that ghuiop23's solution of going down to 59HZ (https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...-top-of-screen-using-dp.3650406/post-22153020) works

Thanks a lot! Now I can use the HDMI Port for my switch like it's supposed to work.

 

[Robimus]

I'm so glad to have found this thread.

I was having the same issue with an AORUS RTX3070 and a BenQ GW2765HT monitor (an upgrade to an old MSI Z97 Gaming 5 mobo with a GTX770). Things were working fine with the 770 but with the 3070 I was getting a line of flicker at the top of the screen when connected by Display Port. HDMI works fine, but I only have one HDMI on the monitor, and need to use it for other things. The flicker was like a scan line issue, but thicker - sometimes it was just in the top left corner, other times it was at least one "line" across the top.

Following the suggestions above to set a custom resolution in the nvidia control panel seems to have solved the problem.

Despite the Vertical Refresh rate in the Timing box displaying 3 decimal places, it appears that the driver rounds the Hz to the nearest whole number - revisiting the custom resolution dialogue I see it's 59.000 Hz now).