Performance Issues with Windows 11 HDR Display

[jscaltreto]

(I previously posted this, but it got marked as spam; reformatting to match bug report template.)

Issue:

I'm experiencing some odd performance issues with Photoshop when using an HDR display. When PS has a document open and is the foreground window, the performace becomes unuseable. Simple tasks such as using the hand tool to pan over an image is slow and choppy. Additionally, the content of menus and dialogs appear to flicker, as if they are being redrawn slowly.

• Photoshop version: 24.1.1
• OS: Windows 11 Pro 22H2
• GPU: 1080 Ti 11Gb Driver version 528.24
• Display Model: Gigabyte M34WQ (3440 x 1440 @ 144Hz, connected via DisplayPort)
• System Info Attached

Steps to reproduce:

1. Open any image while HDR is enabled and Photoshop is the foreground image.
2. I only see this behavior when the display has HDR enabled  (Windows Settings -> System -> Display -> Use HDR). If I disable HDR, performance returns to normal.
3. If I drag Photoshop to a secodary, non-HDR monitor, it runs normally.
4. The issue only happens if Photoshop is the foreground Window. If I switch focus to another application, the flickering stops.
5. If I open another window that "pins" to the foreground (such as Windows magifier; Windows Key + Plus), but return focus to Photoship (Magnifier still "on top"), PS runs fine. If I then close Magnifier (making PS the top window), the issues return.
6. If there are no documents open, menus and dialogs do not show the flickering issue.
7. If I disable GPU Accelleration in Photoshop the issues vanish following a restart, but performance is impacted (as expected without GPU).

Expected result: Photoshop performs well
Actual result: Photoshop performs poorly. Dialogs and menus flickering.

Video:

Apologies for the handheld video, but I was unable to reproduce it using a screen capture (screen recording seems to also prevent the issue).

In the video I start with HDR enabled in Windows and demonstrate the issue using the hand tool and opening the settings dialog. I then disable HDR and demonstrate that the issue no longer present. Next I re-enable HDR and demonstrate that the issue returns. I open Magnifier which pins to the foreground, and demonstrate that the issue goes away. Finally, I close magnifier and see the issue return.

[CoryShubert]

Hi @jscaltreto sorry to hear this.

Engineering has identified a problem with this specific driver version. 

Vendor name: NVIDIA
Driver date: 2022-12-22 000000.000000-000
Driver age: 1 month
Driver version: 31.0.15.2802

Try rolling back from the latest drivers to the November release: https://www.nvidia.com/download/driverResults.aspx/194380/en-us/

Thank you,

Cory

[jscaltreto]

Thanks for following up, @CoryShubert! I have downgraded my GPU driver to the one linked, but the issues remain unchanged.

[Display]
Operating System:	Windows 10 Pro, 64-bit
DirectX version:	12.0 
GPU processor:		NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
Driver version:		528.24
Driver Type:		DCH
Direct3D feature level:	12_1
CUDA Cores:		3584 
Core clock:		1480 MHz 
Memory data rate:	11.01 Gbps
Memory interface:	352-bit 
Memory bandwidth:	484.44 GB/s
Total available graphics memory:	43992 MB
Dedicated video memory:	11264 MB GDDR5X
System video memory:	0 MB
Shared system memory:	32728 MB
Video BIOS version:	86.02.39.40.36
IRQ:			Not used
Bus:			PCI Express x16 Gen3
Device Id:		10DE 1B06 547119DA
Part Number:		G611 0050

[CoryShubert]

Thank you for the update @jscaltreto 

What happens if you turn off "Use Graphics Processor" in Preferences > Performance?

If that helps, and you have an older graphics card, try turning it back on, then go under Preferences > Technology Previews, and try enabling "Older GPU Mode (pre 2016)."

Thank you,

Cory

[jscaltreto]

@CoryShubertThanks, again! Here are the results:

Disabling "Use Graphic Processor" does solve the issue, however overall performance is impacted; using the hand tool, for instance, is not smooth.

With "Use Graphics Processor" and "Older GPU Mode" both enabled I also do not have the issue. However performance seems to be about the same as when "Use Graphics Processor" is unchecked, so I don't really see this as a viable workaround.

So either disabling "Use Graphics Processor" or enabling "Older GPU Mode" improve the situation somewhat, but performance is still below expectations. When "Use Graphics Processor" is enabled (and "Older GPU Mode" is disabled) and HDR is disabled in Windows Display Settings everything performs very smoothly (see video included in original post).

[kevin stohlmeyer]

@jscaltreto There have been many other posts on here noting the disabling HDR controls in the Windows Display Settings is the solution in cases like this. The other solution noted was to go to Photoshop.exe properties, and set the checkbox below to true

[jscaltreto]

Thanks @kevin stohlmeyer! Enabling legacy ICC color management fixed an issue where grays were appearing green with HDR enabled, but the performance issues persist.

Disabling HDR does indeed solve the performance problems, but I'm hoping that Adobe can find some solution that allows me to keep HDR enabled. The fact that everything works perfectly when PS is not the foreground window is what's most strange to me.