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Valve must reduce harmful flicker/PWM on the Steam Deck's OLED display so users don't experience eye strain, migraines, and blurred vision while playing
Your system information
- Steam client version: 1702079146
- SteamOS version: 3.5.7
- Opted into Steam client beta?: No
- Opted into SteamOS beta?: No
- Have you checked for updates in Settings > System?: Yes
Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:
Constant flicker of the screen because of PWM dimming of the screen leads to dry eyes, nausea and blurry vision to those sensitive to PWM.
Steam OS could introduce software measures (DC dimming) to limit the flickering and to reduce the physical effects to those affected. See detailed description of the issue below.
Steps for reproducing this issue:
- Use Steam Deck at 100% brightness
- Use for random amount of time
- Eyes get dry and vision gets blurry, some report headaches.
- Only gets worse with decreasing brightness of the screen, mainly below 45% brightness where the flickering is more aggressive, however PWM flickering is very aggressive in Steam Deck OLED at all brightness levels as you will see in my tests
Detailed description of the issue
I am posting here my evidence, which has been conducted in a scientific and objective manner, thanks to reliable instruments that any user can currently acquire on the internet like Opple light. Both of my instruments (Opple Light Pro and Radex Lupin) measure various parameters, including flicker, and accurately classify whether a screen has aggressive and harmful flicker for eyesight and visual health, or if, on the contrary, it is a recommended screen for extended gaming sessions.
At the same time, I provide two possible solutions that could be implemented on the OLED panel of the Steam Deck through software to address the issue. These fixes can be applied through software, and many mobile manufacturers have successfully done so with their products, transforming a mobile device with aggressive flickering at launch into one that protects eyesight over time thanks to the patch.
This is the original post where I provide all the measurements and evidence that the PWM flicker of the Steam Deck OLED screen is harmful and very aggressive for the user as it comes from the factory settings on its panel in Reddit. I'm sharing it here so that the Steam Deck developers have more information at hand. However, I will also include the main information in this GitHub report: https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1882kys/analysis_of_the_pwmflickervisual_fatigue_of_the/
This is my conclusion. See the above link of Reddit for the full report and screenshots:
CITATION OF THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION STARTS:
The anti-glare Samsung OLED screen on the Steam Deck OLED has proven to be very harmful to the eyes during my gaming sessions, and the damage is particularly pronounced below 45% brightness. However, the high risk is common at all brightness levels equally according to my instruments. There will be a percentage of people with very low sensitivity to PWM flickering who will not notice negative symptoms in their eyes. However, another large percentage of people, especially the most sensitive, will experience symptoms.
Associated symptoms may include nausea, rapid eye discomfort or fatigue, a sensation of grit in the eyes, migraines, and general fatigue, blurred vision after playing.
It's important to note that each individual reacts differently, and although the values measured here offer an objective and recommended range for viewing, the response can vary from person to person. If you are particularly sensitive, I cannot recommend this screen for gaming, unlike the Steam Deck LCD screen, which is flicker-free. Some users may try it and not experience issues, but my data indicates that the risk of problems is VERY HIGH. This can be seen in the Reddit post I published, where at least 20% of comments are from people complaining that they had to return their Steam Deck OLED due to unpleasant symptoms in their eyes, as well as dizziness and blurry vision after playing.
Well, although the detailed information and explanations are in the Reddit link I provided above, here is a summary in the form of images and tests. First, I will show the flicker level at different brightness levels on Steam Deck OLED, and then I will compare those same brightness levels on Steam Deck LCD, confirming that the latter is within safe values for the eyes and that the OLED has a high risk of causing damage and discomfort during gaming sessions for several users:
In the Opple Light graphs, to prevent eye damage or fatigue, it should stay in the yellow-green zone, and in the Radex Lupin, the recommended percentage is 5% or below. If the percentage goes above 20%, it starts to become quite harmful:
Steam Deck OLED 100% Brightness:
VS
Steam Deck LCD 100% Brightness:
Steam Deck OLED 75% Brightness:
VS
Steam Deck LCD 75% Brightness:
Steam Deck OLED 50% Brightness:
VS
Steam Deck LCD 50% Brightness:
****
Steam Deck OLED 45% Brightness:
Steam Deck OLED 30% Brightness:
VS
Steam Deck LCD 30% Brightness:
Steam Deck OLED 10% Brightness:
Steam Deck LCD 0% Brightness:
After this test and comparisons of the flicker of the screen of the two Steam Deck models, I want to focus on what Valve CAN change now regarding the PWM of the OLED screen to solve this problem:
1- [Patch SteamOS by adding an option to enable DC-Dimming]: DC-Dimming is an alternative software method of regulating screen brightness that eliminates almost 100% of the flicker of screens of this style where I have tried it or has been implemented. For example, my Xiaomi Mi 9 phone with an Amoled screen and other Xiaomi Oled screens were unusable for me with the default PWM, but once DC dimming, also called "anti-flicker" mode, is activated, the phone is completely usable for hours without tiring. Valve is a company known for listening to and supporting its community and consumers by implementing their requests in software with new updates. **[With this measure, Valve could reduce a high percentage of people who end up with eye fatigue and worse health playing their OLED steam decks to basically almost nothing. It is about offering a product that takes care of your customers' eyes.
2- A second option by Valve could be, instead of implementing a DC Dimming mode, that the screen still uses PWM but increase its PWM frequency from 360Hz to 1100Hz. Look at what happens when the Hz frequency on the Steam Deck LCD reaches this value, even at its worst flicker percentage (99%), it manages to enter the yellow or green zone.
Image of Steam Deck LCD at its worst flicker value, which is mitigated by high frequency; the rest of its values are almost always flicker-free. Steam Deck LCD is the recommended product for people sensitive to this phenomenon, at least for now.
Examples of implementations that companies and manufacturers integrate through software on mobile devices such as Huawei, Xiaomi, or Oppo with Oleds PWM displays. From options to activate DC Dimming in normal, adaptive, or hybrid mode, to a software-based increase in the panel's PWM hertz to minimize the perception of flicker, this can be added and patched with software updates.
Here is the previous PWM analysis I did of the Steam Deck LCD so that you can compare it with the OLED at each brightness level. The LCD panel is almost flicker-free 100%, entering the green zone at all its brightness levels except at 30%, which stays yellow: (44) Analysis of the PWM of the Steam Deck LCD screen and its level of visual fatigue (and the same style of analysis for Steam Deck OLED next week) : SteamDeck (reddit.com)
While in my use of the Steam Deck LCD Anti-Glare for hours, my eyes have never gotten tired; with Steam Deck OLED, I have already experienced eye strain and a feeling of blurry vision after playing or shortly after starting.
CITATION OF THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION ENDS
Additional Information: If any Valve developer wants to better understand the flickering concept presented in the tests in this GitHub report, in the original post I made on Reddit, I explain technically what the quantity of hertz in the flickering frequency means, as well as the level and percentage of flickering modulation, and how to interpret the influence of both factors at each brightness level: https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1882kys/analysis_of_the_pwmflickervisual_fatigue_of_the/
Hello @Sightlyjester, please do not intentionally open duplicate issue reports. Closing as a duplicate of #1337.
There was a concern with the issue number for #1337 so let’s close that one as a duplicate of this one.
There was a concern with the issue number for #1337 so let’s close that one as a duplicate of this one.
Thanks for reopening, the other post was detected as piracy for including the number "1377 issue" and it didn't let me share it on sites like Reddit, that's why I mentioned in the previous one that it was continued here,
After reading all the great research above (and #1337) I did try playing my OLED Deck at full brightness. It definitely helps but it's still a kludgey workaround and has expected similar negative impacts when using a blazing bright screen in a dark room.
So, in a bright room or outside with the OLED brightness on 100%, things are a bit better but definitely not a "fix". That said, big thanks to @Sightlyjester for all the info and at least cluing me into the fact that I can still use it for slightly longer stretches of time... just only in certain environmental conditions.
Looking forward to a real fix :raised_hands:
I would like to confirm that this PWM flickering issue exists, and I'm affected by it.
I got my Steam Deck about a week ago and was playing a lot, thus I correlated my eye strain, "dry eye" syndrome and blurriness in vision with a fact that, well, I'm playing a lot. But even after significantly reducing my playtime, I found that even 20 minutes gameplay session in a well-lit environment still produces eye strain.
Adding an option to at least modify PWM flickering frequency even with, let's say, modprobe config would be so much appreciated.
Got an SD OLED before lunar new year. After 5~6 days ran into dizzy everytime I rotate my eye ball.
Sometime event came with serious headache.
I have to control play time to less than 30 min a day now. Really eager to have solution.
no solution yet? would this be possible with a decky plugin maybe? at least to adjust brightness with software!
It's not really possible to change this sort of thing outside of initial hardware design and development by the third party firm especially when on Valve time.
The most effective solution is to switch to the LCD version.
no solution yet? would this be possible with a decky plugin maybe? at least to adjust b no solution yet? would this be possible with a decky plugin maybe? at least to adjust brightness with software!
I'm going to be honest with you with what I think, if we're lucky, the Steam Deck 2 panel will come with a very high Hz pwm frequency and we won't be worrying about that, but I have the feeling that Valve has no intention of To introduce a DC-Dimming functionality in the Steam Deck Oled, it would be as easy as introducing an optional DC-Dimming tab, just as it happens on Xiaomi phones and others, just as GPD has done with its new GPD win mini that comes with DC-Dimming launch.
But months have passed since the launch, since I launched my analysis in the Reddit post and it had a lot of visibility and success, since I reported it here, since I have been mentioning the Steam Deck developers on Twitter for months, I have not received a single a single response or hint on the subject from any of Valve's developers, engineers or employees. And it will not be due to lack of insistence, I am sure that they have been informed about this for a long time, but since the percentage of those affected "is not the majority" I think they have decided to sweep this issue under the rug.
The reason why we do not have an official response from anyone to this post and why they have not wanted to close this report because it will not be solved in the future is that doing so would have negative consequences for them, a bad image, and they prefer to simply ignore the topic and disappear from the radar.
If this was going to be solved, Griffais or Lawrence would have said something or they would warn that DC-Dimming is coming in a future SteamOS update. My current solution is to use the LCD Steam Deck and screw myself knowing that I will never be able to use an OLED Steam Deck because I feel dizzy, slightly nauseous, eyestrain and bothersome eyes after 20-30 minutes of playing.
If at least they had included BOE panels instead of Samsung in the normal OLED model...but it seems that they have cut off business with BOE as screen suppliers due to Samsung's sue for this company, I mention BOE because their panels have Less aggressive PWM and usually come with features that protect eyesight unlike Samsung
Replying to https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamOS/issues/1392#issuecomment-1974876275
thanks for your honest answer and all the work you've added building this report. my complains are mostly dry eyes and blurriness but I only feel that with steam deck
Thank you for creating this issue with all this data @Sightlyjester. I discovered it by accident last week. I've had massive problems with eye strain and blurred vision over the last few months. I was on the verge of seeing an eye doctor because it's gotten worse over the last few weeks. I've had more time to play, so that's probably why it's gotten worse.
After seeing this problem, I stopped using my Steam Deck OLED and after a day it got better. I'm totally frustrated with the SD OLED right now. I didn't expect such problems as I used my Nintendo Switch OLED intensively for years without any problems. I also used my Steam Deck LCD Anti-glare for many months with no issues.
Now I'm going back to the SD LCD as the SD OLED is unusable for me at the moment. If I understand the comments correctly, it seems that Valve will not fix the problem. So it looks like the only option left for me is to sell my SD OLED and hope for a fix in the next device. This is just really frustrating.
I'm disappointed that Valve is attempting to fix the mura effect in an update instead of the aggressive PWM with a DC-Dimming option :(
A notable percentage of users, though small compared to the 100% of Steam Deck OLED owners, are sensitive to OLED screens with aggressive PWM. Many modern OLED displays are bad for the eyes because their brightness regulation method employs very aggressive rapid on-off cycles of the screen, which strain the eyes and can cause dizziness and headaches.
When the Steam Deck OLED was released, I analyzed its screen with additional instruments, which indicated that its screen is one of the worst on the market for people sensitive to vision issues. Currently, a large number of OLED screens have DC dimming, low blue light, or PWM frequencies so high that they are imperceptible to the eye. However, the Steam Deck OLED screen lacks any of these measures to protect the eyes. Unfortunately, this harms the visual and overall health of people, even those who are not as sensitive to PWM as myself, because the aggressive flickering is an objective fact that affects the eye in every gaming session.
Now I see that another significant issue, albeit less perceptible to most people, will be patched to reduce it in the future on the Steam Deck OLED through software. However, we haven't heard a single message from Valve, its developers, or anyone in charge regarding the PWM issue. Not a word from Steam support either. I'm disappointed because now I know that they could also patch this through software, as they have done with the mura effect, but they don't because the affected individuals 'aren't important enough and don't raise their voices loud enough.' I had to return my Steam Deck OLED after a week and buy an LCD instead, but I feel terrible for not being able to enjoy that incredible OLED screen due to it being so unbearable for my eyes.
For anyone who thinks this issue is subjective or doesn't exist, I conducted a very scientific and detailed analysis months ago, and I published it here: https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1882kys/analysis_of_the_pwmflickervisual_fatigue_of_the/
This same issue in Reddit of the lack of communication and support of the pwm problem with Valve but the exiiting support of the effect mura and update of software: https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1caksco/im_disappointed_that_valve_is_attempting_to_fix/
When I first got the Steam Deck OLED, I really not notice any issues with the screen, I saw people are complaining about the low PWM and it really wasn't bothering me. But after a few months of using it, I'm starting to get blurry visions, and it's getting worse. My vision can recover to normal after I stop playing for a few hours, but the more I use it, the slower I can recover. I'm afraid it will cause perma damage to my eyes, so plz Valve, fix it or improve it.
How after all their research in VR displays this is even an issue in the first place? Did they lose a patent or something? Would playing in the dark with the Deck as the only light source solve the issue by replicating the conditions of wearing a HMD?
So I bought the Nintendo Switch instead of this deck.
Edit:
Both the Nintendo switch and the Nintendo Switch lite use LCD screens with DC dimming.
I really hope Valve can bring DC dimming to the steam deck.
Though the Nintendo Switch is cheap, it imposes many restrictions on usage.
@Vincent1q I don't want to spoil it for you, but switch oled has equally bad PWM 🙈 both steam deck and switch use the same series of samsung oled screens... (only different size/resolution)
Thank you for starting this discussion! This is very validating as I felt I was going crazy with blurred vision after long sessions with my OLED Deck. Throwing another voice into the crowd here, hoping for some change.
Thank you for starting this discussion! This is very validating as I felt I was going crazy with blurred vision after long sessions with my OLED Deck. Throwing another voice into the crowd here, hoping for some change.
Blurry vision and other similar eye stresses can also be cause just simply by paying attention; we tend to blink less during any activity where we pay more attention than baseline, gaming, reading, drawing, building things etc.
I dunno for sure, but I guess it could also be the result of light-flash triggered conditions similar to some forms of epilepsy/seizure, migraines etc
ps: I am not a doctor, and I do not even play one one TV; for medical advice seek a real doctor.
I have the same problem, I can't play for more than 30 minutes, I get pains that last for about an hour.
I was as happy as a child when they finally brought the stimdeck, which I had been putting off buying for six months, only to find out that I couldn't play.
I didn't expect such a set up from valve
I could be very susceptible to things like this. Meaning I may not even had noticed it if I hadn't seen it on reddit. I just got an OLED and I am noticing some distress, even if I play two hours at a time tops. I don't know if it's actually a thing (when it comes to my eyes), or if I'm noticing it simply because you pointed it out. Either way, it bothers me that there's a relatively easy software solution to implement, but Valve don't seem particularly interested in it. It bothers and pains me, because I've had a Steam Deck for two days and there's no doubt in my mind: I love it.
just got a OLED Steam Deck today and getting headaches and feeling dizzy after short period of gaming. I do not know if local reseller will accept returns. what a bummer.
To clarify: I suffered an mTBI (concussion) in Spring 2022. I've seen a couple studies about increased sensitivity to Critical Flicker Frequency (CFF) and peripheral CFF in correlation to mTBIs. That likely contributes to why even 30 minutes with the OLED Deck causes eyestrain headaches and pain emerging several hours afterwards that require covering one or both eyes and rest to recover from.
However, the only other environment that does this, speaking as IT by trade, is a day full of working around screens immediately after a day full of driving for hours around LED headlights and lacking rest due to undersleeping.
In any other scenario, such as using the Deck LCD for any number of hours or an LG C3 for 7+ hours, there is no issue.