Hardware TV lags horribly when connected to PC, but not on consoles.

thekarter104 · Aug 3, 2021

Hello.
I have a problem. On my 4K TV, there's horrible display lag that only occurs when used as a PC screen (Connected via HDMI). But lag is minimum on consoles. Even the PS3 connected to the Retrotink doesn't even lag. It's just when used as a PC screen and it's HELL HALF OF A SECOND!!! On my other TV, I didn't have that problem, same cable.
I don't even have to play a game, checkied it by having nothing open and move my mouse. Even then the lag is so bad.

Why and how is it possible that the display lag is THAT bad for PC use, but there's barely any lag on consoles?

Thanks in advance.

JuanMena · Aug 3, 2021

I think it's because your graphics card can't handle the resolution or something like that. In result takes some time to process any changes on the screen.

Kioku · Aug 3, 2021

What do you mean lag?

Input latency?

Or...

Stuttering?

If it's stuttering, do you have game mode enabled?

thekarter104 · Aug 3, 2021

I think I've solved it. I'm not sure why the 4K TV introduced the lag without changing any settings on the PC.
So yes, it was there even at 1080p aswell as 4K when I tried. But I actually never paid attention to the Refresh Rate.
When I noticed it, it was at 30Hz. 60Hz eliminated most of the display lag and now I can finally play.

FAST6191 · Aug 3, 2021

30Hz vs 60Hz should not be lag like that. It might well feel very slow but should not be that. Some 4k screens are also limited to 30Hz if using older versions of HDMI, though guess you got lucky here and it might also be that the card or TV or something did what I am about to cover in 60Hz mode.

Though the usual guess in such scenarios is your TV probably has a game mode or something you want to switch on that the PC is not using. Without it the TV will try to be smart and make the image look better (give it a few fractions of a second to do fancy image enhancement with and it is cheap, do it in real time and very much not cheap on modern screens*) at the cost of taking a while getting the signal on screen from the data the graphics card sends, with game mode or similar enabled it will skip trying to make it look nice (or have very limited options for it) and instead try to get it on the screen as soon as it can.

*in the glorious days of CRT it will usually a simple magnet or resistor, hence why CRTs have the lowest lag out there as a general rule.

Hardware TV lags horribly when connected to PC, but not on consoles.

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