Hello.
When using i3wm (X11) I can’t have a 180hz display. My monitor is connected to radeon gpu trough displaylink cable. The output of xrandr is the following:
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 2560 x 1440, maximum 16384 x 16384
DP-1 disconnected primary (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-2 connected 2560x1440+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 597mm x 336mm
2560x1440 143.97*+ 165.06 59.99 120.00 59.99 99.95 59.96 59.95
1920x1440 85.00 75.00 60.00
1856x1392 75.00 60.01
1792x1344 75.00 60.01
2048x1152 59.99 59.98 59.90 59.91
1920x1200 59.88 59.95
1920x1080 60.01 120.00 100.00 119.88 59.97 59.96 60.00 60.00 50.00 59.94 59.93
1600x1200 85.00 75.00 70.00 65.00 60.00
1680x1050 59.95 59.88
1400x1050 74.76 59.98
1600x900 59.99 59.94 59.95 59.82
1280x1024 85.02 75.02 60.02
1400x900 59.96 59.88
1280x960 85.00 60.00
1440x810 60.00 59.97
1368x768 59.88 59.85
1280x800 59.99 59.97 59.81 59.91
1152x864 75.00
1280x720 60.00 59.99 59.86 60.00 50.00 59.94 59.74
1024x768 85.00 75.05 60.04 85.00 75.03 70.07 60.00
1024x768i 86.96
960x720 85.00 75.00 60.00
928x696 75.00 60.05
896x672 75.05 60.01
1024x576 59.95 59.96 59.90 59.82
960x600 59.93 60.00
832x624 74.55
960x540 59.96 59.99 59.63 59.82
800x600 85.00 75.00 70.00 65.00 60.00 85.14 72.19 75.00 60.32 56.25
840x525 60.01 59.88
864x486 59.92 59.57
700x525 74.76 59.98
800x450 59.95 59.82
720x480 60.00 59.94
640x512 85.02 75.02 60.02
700x450 59.96 59.88
640x480 85.09 60.00 85.01 72.81 75.00 60.00 59.94
720x405 59.51 58.99
720x400 85.04
684x384 59.88 59.85
640x400 59.88 59.98 85.08
576x432 75.00
640x360 59.86 59.83 59.84 59.32
640x350 85.08
512x384 85.00 75.03 70.07 60.00
512x384i 87.06
512x288 60.00 59.92
416x312 74.66
480x270 59.63 59.82
400x300 85.27 72.19 75.12 60.32 56.34
432x243 59.92 59.57
320x240 85.18 72.81 75.00 60.05
360x202 59.51 59.13
360x200 85.04
320x200 85.27
320x180 59.84 59.32
320x175 85.27
DP-3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-1-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1-4 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1-5 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
As you see the maximum is ~144hz, but on Plasma under Wayland I can go to 180hz. Why is that? How can I fix this?
You can’t. i3wm is not a full DE like the name says, and not wayland ready.
I know it’s not about i3wm but it’s about x11. Still, why x11 does not allow me to have 180hz? How can I get to 180hz???
Simply because X11 is real old and cannot deal with modern requirements.
2 Likes
aggie
May 23, 2025, 4:11pm
5
No experience with i3wm (only KDE Plasma) … anyway:
X11, as the core display server, can handle refresh rates up to 180Hz.
You mention using DisplayLink connection … can you try a DisplayPort connection if available (?) - should be more reliable.
Yes I’m using display port. Just a typo.
If x11 can support 180hz, how can I have it? On KDE Wayland and Windows 11 I get 180hz without doing anything.
I have a long history of photography and video creation /editing, and never needed much “hz”.
So, a really dumb question from me … what’s the significance of the extra 36hz ?? Gaming ?
Yes… But mostly because I have a 180hz monitor, I want to get all the htz I paid for
It looks like you’re getting all of the hurts!
Try this. Use kscreen-doctor to find which display-port you’re connected to:
~> kscreen-doctor --outputs
Output: 1 DP-4
LONG LIST OF MODES HERE
YOU'RE GOING TO ADD A MODE
Use cvt 2560 1440 180 if that’s the correct settings for your machine and it’ll give you a Modeline.
I used:
~> cvt 3840 2160 60
# 3840x2160 59.98 Hz (CVT 8.29M9) hsync: 134.18 kHz; pclk: 712.75 MHz
Modeline "3840x2160_60.00" 712.75 3840 4152 4576 5312 2160 2163 2168 2237 -hsync +vsync
Then take the exact output from the Modeline line above, starting with the resolution “3840x2160_60.00”, leaving off the word Modeline.
You’ll have to change DP port number to match yours.
Be sure and change my 3840x2160_60.00 to your mode in the xrandr --addmode command. I think your’s will be 2560x1440_180.00
Do this:
~> xrandr --newmode "3840x2160_60.00" 712.75 3840 4160 4576 5312 2160 2163 2168 2237 -hsync +vsync
~> xrandr --addmode DP-4 3840x2160_60.00
Now go see if that mode shows up in the list.
Done everything, yes it shows up:
~> xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 2560 x 1440, maximum 16384 x 16384
DP-1 disconnected primary (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-2 connected 2560x1440+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 597mm x 336mm
2560x1440 143.97*+ 165.06 59.99 120.00 59.99 99.95 59.96 59.95
1920x1440 85.00 75.00 60.00
1856x1392 75.00 60.01
1792x1344 75.00 60.01
2048x1152 59.99 59.98 59.90 59.91
1920x1200 59.88 59.95
1920x1080 60.01 120.00 100.00 119.88 59.97 59.96 60.00 60.00 50.00 59.94 59.93
1600x1200 85.00 75.00 70.00 65.00 60.00
1680x1050 59.95 59.88
1400x1050 74.76 59.98
1600x900 59.99 59.94 59.95 59.82
1280x1024 85.02 75.02 60.02
1400x900 59.96 59.88
1280x960 85.00 60.00
1440x810 60.00 59.97
1368x768 59.88 59.85
1280x800 59.99 59.97 59.81 59.91
1152x864 75.00
1280x720 60.00 59.99 59.86 60.00 50.00 59.94 59.74
1024x768 85.00 75.05 60.04 85.00 75.03 70.07 60.00
1024x768i 86.96
960x720 85.00 75.00 60.00
928x696 75.00 60.05
896x672 75.05 60.01
1024x576 59.95 59.96 59.90 59.82
960x600 59.93 60.00
832x624 74.55
960x540 59.96 59.99 59.63 59.82
800x600 85.00 75.00 70.00 65.00 60.00 85.14 72.19 75.00 60.32 56.25
840x525 60.01 59.88
864x486 59.92 59.57
700x525 74.76 59.98
800x450 59.95 59.82
720x480 60.00 59.94
640x512 85.02 75.02 60.02
700x450 59.96 59.88
640x480 85.09 60.00 85.01 72.81 75.00 60.00 59.94
720x405 59.51 58.99
720x400 85.04
684x384 59.88 59.85
640x400 59.88 59.98 85.08
576x432 75.00
640x360 59.86 59.83 59.84 59.32
640x350 85.08
512x384 85.00 75.03 70.07 60.00
512x384i 87.06
512x288 60.00 59.92
416x312 74.66
480x270 59.63 59.82
400x300 85.27 72.19 75.12 60.32 56.34
432x243 59.92 59.57
320x240 85.18 72.81 75.00 60.05
360x202 59.51 59.13
360x200 85.04
320x200 85.27
320x180 59.84 59.32
320x175 85.27
2560x1440_180.00 179.94
DP-3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-1-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1-4 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1-5 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
It’s at the bottom.
EDIT:
I then did: xrandr --output DP-2 --mode 2560x1440_180.00
The screen turned white for some seconds, like when you change resolution, but sadly no changes
What does this give you in the list of modes?
kscreen-doctor --outputs
And try…
xrandr --output DP-2 --mode 2560x1440
Are you using a compositor with i3m, or just using it as a basic tiling WM? That might have something to do with what is being observed. A more interesting comparison would be to check Plasma X11 behaviour against Plasma Wayland.
jsmith64:
kscreen-doctor --outputs
Output: 67 DP-2
enabled
connected
priority 1
DisplayPort
Modes: 71:2560x1440@144! 72:2560x1440@165 73:2560x1440@60 74:2560x1440@120 75:2560x1440@60 76:2560x1440@100 77:2560x1440@60 78:2560x1440@60 79:1920x1440@85 80:1920x1440@75 81:1920x1440@60 82:1856x1392@75 83:1856x1392@60 84:1792x1344@75 85:1792x1344@60 86:2048x1152@60 87:2048x1152@60 88:2048x1152@60 89:2048x1152@60 90:1920x1200@60 91:1920x1200@60 92:1920x1080@60 93:1920x1080@120 94:1920x1080@100 95:1920x1080@120 96:1920x1080@60 97:1920x1080@60 98:1920x1080@60 99:1920x1080@60 100:1920x1080@50 101:1920x1080@60 102:1920x1080@60 103:1600x1200@85 104:1600x1200@75 105:1600x1200@70 106:1600x1200@65 107:1600x1200@60 108:1680x1050@60 109:1680x1050@60 110:1400x1050@75 111:1400x1050@60 112:1600x900@60 113:1600x900@60 114:1600x900@60 115:1600x900@60 116:1280x1024@85 117:1280x1024@75 118:1280x1024@60 119:1400x900@60 120:1400x900@60 121:1280x960@85 122:1280x960@60 123:1440x810@60 124:1440x810@60 125:1368x768@60 126:1368x768@60 127:1280x800@60 128:1280x800@60 129:1280x800@60 130:1280x800@60 131:1152x864@75 132:1280x720@60 133:1280x720@60 134:1280x720@60 135:1280x720@60 136:1280x720@50 137:1280x720@60 138:1280x720@60 139:1024x768@85 140:1024x768@75 141:1024x768@60 142:1024x768@85 143:1024x768@75 144:1024x768@70 145:1024x768@60 146:1024x768@87 147:960x720@85 148:960x720@75 149:960x720@60 150:928x696@75 151:928x696@60 152:896x672@75 153:896x672@60 154:1024x576@60 155:1024x576@60 156:1024x576@60 157:1024x576@60 158:960x600@60 159:960x600@60 160:832x624@75 161:960x540@60 162:960x540@60 163:960x540@60 164:960x540@60 165:800x600@85 166:800x600@75 167:800x600@70 168:800x600@65 169:800x600@60 170:800x600@85 171:800x600@72 172:800x600@75 173:800x600@60 174:800x600@56 175:840x525@60 176:840x525@60 177:864x486@60 178:864x486@60 179:700x525@75 180:700x525@60 181:800x450@60 182:800x450@60 183:720x480@60 184:720x480@60 185:640x512@85 186:640x512@75 187:640x512@60 188:700x450@60 189:700x450@60 190:640x480@85 191:640x480@60 192:640x480@85 193:640x480@73 194:640x480@75 195:640x480@60 196:640x480@60 197:720x405@60 198:720x405@59 199:720x400@85 200:684x384@60 201:684x384@60 202:640x400@60 203:640x400@60 204:640x400@85 205:576x432@75 206:640x360@60 207:640x360@60 208:640x360@60 209:640x360@59 210:640x350@85 211:512x384@85 212:512x384@75 213:512x384@70 214:512x384@60 215:512x384@87 216:512x288@60 217:512x288@60 218:416x312@75 219:480x270@60 220:480x270@60 221:400x300@85 222:400x300@72 223:400x300@75 224:400x300@60 225:400x300@56 226:432x243@60 227:432x243@60 228:320x240@85 229:320x240@73 230:320x240@75 231:320x240@60 232:360x202@60 233:360x202@59 234:360x200@85 235:320x200@85 236:320x180@60 237:320x180@59 238:320x175@85 2080:2560x1440@180*
Geometry: 0,0 2560x1440
Scale: 1
Rotation: 1
Overscan: 0
Vrr: incapable
RgbRange: unknown
HDR: incapable
Wide Color Gamut: incapable
ICC profile: incapable
Color profile source: incapable
Brightness control: unsupported
Regarding xrandr --output DP-2 --mode 2560x1440… Nothing.
I’m using without compositor (picom) but enabling it doesn’t change anything.
…and what about Plasma X11?
Yes:
Might be a problem related to x11 itself then?
1 Like
Yes, likely the case (as @knurpht already suggested).
2 Likes
KDE: adjust kscreen conf files or disable ‘KScreen 2’ service.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/KDE#Unusable_screen_resolution_set
Plasma 6 is dropping X11 anyway.
My question was specially referred to i3 and x11 because that is what I use
