AMD Linux Improvements Pending Around FreeSync Low Frame Rate Compensation

Sadly too late for the upcoming Linux 5.4 merge window, but for Linux 5.5 it looks like there will be a FreeSync improvement around low-frame-rate compensation.

Sent out this morning were 25 new AMDGPU DC patches. Of these "display core" patches, there are various fixes and continued work on the Adaptive Backlight Management (ABM) but exciting us the most is the FreeSync work.

The FreeSync improvement is enhancing the low frame-rate compensation behavior. With the existing code, there can be unsynchronized frames when entering/exiting the low-frame-rate double buffering behavior and that in turn can cause tearing or stuttering during the transitions. With this improved code, the transition will be handled more smoothly to avoid desynchronizing frames and thus avoiding that possible source of stuttering/tearing when the frame rates drop too low.

For those wanting to help with testing of this AMDGPU DC code, the patches are available for review on the mailing list.