issue rendering/displaying tabs which causes artifacts and other issues due to `VulkanStudy:Disabled`

[kjozwiak]

Description

I'm noticing that my Samsung S8 Ultra Tablet is having issues loading tabs at the top. I'm seeing the following occurring:

• graphic artifacts
• blank tabs with no text
• entire row of tabs missing
• entire row of tabs appear is a dark/black line

They're usually corrected after the page loads or you tap on the tab but it's not a good experience. Switching between tabs is also causing tons of artifacts and strange behaviour. This isn't happening with 1.42.97 Chromium: 104.0.5112.102.

However, I think this is due to Vulkan. Maybe something was changed on C105 that's causing this particular tablet to run into rendering issues when VulkanStudy:Disabled.

Using BETA which has C105 and also has ``VulkanStudy:Enabled` works fine without any issues and everything is rendering correctly.

Steps to reproduce

1. install/launch and version of Brave that has C105 (used https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/releases/tag/v1.43.87)
2. open ~3-4 different tabs and re-launch the browser
3. you'll notice there's issues loading the tabs
4. once the browser is re-launched, attempt switching to other tabs
5. tapping on the omnibox also causes the issue to happen

Actual result

Expected result

Tabs should be loading without any issues/rendering artifacts.

Issue reproduces how often

100% reproducible using the STR/Cases outlined above.

Version/Channel Information:

• Can you reproduce this issue with the current Play Store version? Yes (with the 1.43.x RC where Vulkan is disabled)
• Can you reproduce this issue with the current Play Store Beta version? No
• Can you reproduce this issue with the current Play Store Nightly version? No

Device details

• Install type (ARM, x86): ARM
• Device type (Phone, Tablet, Phablet): Samsung Tab S8 Ultra
• Android version: Android 12

Brave version

Brave | 1.43.87 Chromium: 105.0.5195.68 (Official Build) (32-bit)
--- | ---
Revision | ad13e82529051bac6a0e65f455e6d7a1e5fd7938-refs/branch-heads/5195@{#903}
OS | Android 12; Build/SPSA.220305.013

Website problems only

• Does the issue resolve itself when disabling Brave Shields? N/A
• Does the issue resolve itself when disabling Brave Rewards? N/A
• Is the issue reproducible on the latest version of Chrome? No

Additional information

[kjozwiak]

Enabling Vulkan via brave://flags#enable-vulkan fixes the issue 👍 The above will be resolved once we enable Vulkan via Griffin.

[cristianrgreco]

@kjozwiak I have the same issue and tried enabling Vulkan via the flags as you suggest. It fixes the strange artifacting but I've found the tabs still pulsate, with the text disappearing and reappearing rapidly, as if they're being re rendered every few ms.

[kjozwiak]

@kjozwiak I have the same issue and tried enabling Vulkan via the flags as you suggest. It fixes the strange artifacting but I've found the tabs still pulsate, with the text disappearing and reappearing rapidly, as if they're being re rendered every few ms.

@cristianrgreco just curious, what tablet/device are you using? We're looking into the above and trying to figure out which devices are being affected. I'll create a follow up issue regarding the tabs still not loading correctly even though Vulkan has been enabled.

[cristianrgreco]

Thanks @kjozwiak, I'm using a Samsung galaxy fold 4

[dfontana92]

Same issue on Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus.

Enabling Vulkan does appear to have resolved it without any further observed issues.

[juguerin3]

Same issue with my Galaxy Tab S8 Plus for about 2 weeks.

The issue look like solved by enabling Vulkan..

@kjozwiak Really thanks for this tip !

[Siriu5J]

Same issue with Samsung Galaxy S22. It might have to do with recent Samsung software upgrades.

[rathashit]

I'm also having the same issue. Device - Samsung ZFlip 4

[kjozwiak]

@Siriu5J @rathashit did enabling brave://flags#enable-vulkan help?

[rathashit]

@Siriu5J Yes, I don’t see the glitches anymore. For a moment I thought my new phone has panel issues 😅

[Siriu5J]

@Siriu5J @rathashit did enabling brave://flags#enable-vulkan help?

Yes.

[psychic69]

This issue appeared on my Samsung s8+ tab ans S22 the second the oneui 4.1.1 patch was applied about two weeks ago. Enabling Vulkan fixed on the tablet, thanks. I turned off tabs on the S22 but I assume it would work also.

[kjozwiak]

Just a heads up that we'll be enabling Vulkan on 50% of our release population starting tomorrow via https://github.com/brave/brave-variations/pull/370. As per https://community.brave.com/t/z-fold-4-graphical-issues/429856/7?u=kamil, we had it enabled on 10% to gauge if it caused any issues on older devices that might not support Vulkan.

[SergeyZhukovsky]

That is solved by that PR https://github.com/brave/brave-variations/pull/375