Titan 18 HX - Resolution Scaling Issue: Games blink in and out

[brian.r.luedtk151002d3]

Ready for a mystery? I'll give a quick rundown first and then hide the total troubleshooting I've done behind a spoiler to keep the text down.

I have a Titan 18 HX A14VIG, Revision 036US. I sent it in for RMA and had the mainboard and battery replaced, trying to nail down this problem, but I got it back with the issue persisting.

Whenever my desktop resolution and a game's resolution are different, the laptop goes wild trying to set the resolution scaling. For example, if I set the desktop resolution to 4K and launch a game that is set to 2K, the screen will blink to black and then blink back to the game several times before the laptop seems to give up trying to set the new resolution and just plays the game at 4K. In milder cases, this blink happens one to three times and then stops, allowing me to play. More often, though, it will blink up to a dozen times. Worse than that, there is a non-zero chance that my laptop will just shut off when the blinking is happening as though I pulled the battery and power suddenly. I have to power the laptop back on.

If I set my desktop to 2K, games also set to 2K no longer have an issue. Would be an easy fix, except that the desktop is irritatingly blurry at 2K. And frankly, that's not a fix for a device that should do exactly as advertised for the price they charge for it.

I contacted MSI support, and they suggested an RMA. I sent it in. The report I got back with the laptop said the mainboard was replaced along with the battery. The report claimed they tested it and even used 3DMark or similar to verify, but the issue was still there when I tried on my own. Even with a fresh factory Windows installation and only Steam and a few games installed, the issue remained. I don't know if a mainboard replacement also replaces the discrete Nvidia card or not.

Yep, the graphics drivers are up to date. Yep, so is Windows. Yes to a complete Windows reinstallation. Also, yes, to clean driver installs and also riping-and-replacing them with pure OEM drivers.

Any ideas? MSI support is suggesting another RMA. Between ship times and their working time, both RMAs would be more than a month of time I would have been without this expensive paperweight, and I don't have a lot of confidence that the RMA department would do enough to catch the issue. I even wrote a letter and took a video explaining the issue; both were ignored. I would rather fix it, if that's possible.

Now for the wall of text with all the details...

Spoiler: Nerd-level troubleshooting

System Details​

Model: Titan 18 HX A14VIG
Revision: 036US
Serial: xxxx
Integrated Graphics: Intel(R) RaptorLake-S Mobile Graphics Controller, Intel UHD Graphics driver version 31.0.101.5081
Discrete Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, Game Ready Driver version 566.03

Summary​

There seems to be a resolution scaling issue or some other problem with, likely, the Nvidia GPU.

Testing Scenario​

• The laptop is running in Hybrid graphics mode. Issues also appear in Discrete mode, but not Integrated mode (but Integrated mode cannot play games).
• Desktop resolution (hereafter called "native") is set to 4K (3840x2400)
• Games are all optimized via Nvidia GeForce Experience
• Most games optimize to 2K resolution (2560x1600)
• Launching the game or 3DMark to test the result

Issue Scenario​

When a game not optimized to 4K launches, either the system or the game attempts to resize the game window. Depending on the game, the results vary.

• Baldur's Gate 3 blinks to a black screen and returns to the game. It does this repeatedly. It can be as little as twice and as many as a dozen. While it does this, the mouse cursor resets to the center of the screen. The frame rate fluctuates just before a blink. Occasionally, the laptop will shut down.
• The Vulkan launch option crashes.
• Silent Hill 2 Remake also blinks out but is much less intense. To date, it has never blinked more than three times and never resulted in the laptop shutting down.
• Games like Final Fantasy XIV or some indie games zoom in, causing their 2K resolution to be magnified 2x. This puts all but the upper-left corner of the game in view of the desktop.
• Control has the opposite result, showing a 2K window that refuses to take up the whole screen no matter the window setting, causing it to appear as a box that takes up the upper-left quadrant of the screen.
• Some games, like Alan Wake II, Vampire Survivors, or the tool 3DMark, seem to operate normally without issue.

When setting the native resolution to 2K, the results change.

• The desktop is slightly blurry, as it is not the screen's native resolution.
• Baldur's Gate 3 no longer blinks and operates normally.
• Unless the resolution or frame rate is changed while the game is running, which will result in the screen blinking out and the rest of the issues that happen under 4K.
• The Vulkan option runs normally. Changing resolution or frame rate behaves normally.
• Silent Hill 2 Remake, Control, and FFXIV no longer have any issues.

When setting the native resolution back to 4K and attempting to set games to 4K:

• Control, Silent Hill 2 Remake, and FFXIV have 4K options in GeForce Experience.
• These games function without issues.
• Baldur's Gate 3 and Alan Wake II do not have 4K options in GeForce Experience.
• BG3 returns to having issues. Alan Wake II continues to operate normally.

Troubleshooting Performed​

• Updated Nvidia GeForce Experience.
• Updated Nvidia graphic driver.
• Performed clean installation of Nvidia graphic driver.
• Updated Intel graphic driver.
• Updated Windows.
• Updated Microsoft Store apps (including Intel Graphics Command Center).
• Performed all the work listed above.
• Used Windows Reset PC to return the laptop to factory settings.
• MSI RMA
• Performed all troubleshooting steps from 1 through 8 again after RMA was completed.

Conclusion​

The issue persists with no clear indication of where the fault lies. The RMA reported replacing the mainboard and battery, but I do not know if this includes the discrete graphics card. If so, it seems this is either a driver issue or an issue with the interaction between graphics cards despite still occurring during Discrete-only mode. If the discrete card was not replaced, then the RMA would not have considered my actual issue and would not have attempted to remediate it.

 

[Abel Lopez]

Replacing the mainboard would also come with a new CPU and GPU, since they are both soldered on the mainboard.
Would you please share the resolution settings in Nvidia GeForce Experience?
Have you ever adjusted the settings in the game?

 

[drek4]

Ready for a mystery? I'll give a quick rundown first and then hide the total troubleshooting I've done behind a spoiler to keep the text down.

I have a Titan 18 HX A14VIG, Revision 036US. I sent it in for RMA and had the mainboard and battery replaced, trying to nail down this problem, but I got it back with the issue persisting.

Whenever my desktop resolution and a game's resolution are different, the laptop goes wild trying to set the resolution scaling. For example, if I set the desktop resolution to 4K and launch a game that is set to 2K, the screen will blink to black and then blink back to the game several times before the laptop seems to give up trying to set the new resolution and just plays the game at 4K. In milder cases, this blink happens one to three times and then stops, allowing me to play. More often, though, it will blink up to a dozen times. Worse than that, there is a non-zero chance that my laptop will just shut off when the blinking is happening as though I pulled the battery and power suddenly. I have to power the laptop back on.

If I set my desktop to 2K, games also set to 2K no longer have an issue. Would be an easy fix, except that the desktop is irritatingly blurry at 2K. And frankly, that's not a fix for a device that should do exactly as advertised for the price they charge for it.

I contacted MSI support, and they suggested an RMA. I sent it in. The report I got back with the laptop said the mainboard was replaced along with the battery. The report claimed they tested it and even used 3DMark or similar to verify, but the issue was still there when I tried on my own. Even with a fresh factory Windows installation and only Steam and a few games installed, the issue remained. I don't know if a mainboard replacement also replaces the discrete Nvidia card or not.

Yep, the graphics drivers are up to date. Yep, so is Windows. Yes to a complete Windows reinstallation. Also, yes, to clean driver installs and also riping-and-replacing them with pure OEM drivers.

Any ideas? MSI support is suggesting another RMA. Between ship times and their working time, both RMAs would be more than a month of time I would have been without this expensive paperweight, and I don't have a lot of confidence that the RMA department would do enough to catch the issue. I even wrote a letter and took a video explaining the issue; both were ignored. I would rather fix it, if that's possible.

Now for the wall of text with all the details...

Spoiler: Nerd-level troubleshooting

System Details​

Model: Titan 18 HX A14VIG
Revision: 036US
Serial: xxxx
Integrated Graphics: Intel(R) RaptorLake-S Mobile Graphics Controller, Intel UHD Graphics driver version 31.0.101.5081
Discrete Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, Game Ready Driver version 566.03

Summary​

There seems to be a resolution scaling issue or some other problem with, likely, the Nvidia GPU.

Testing Scenario​

• The laptop is running in Hybrid graphics mode. Issues also appear in Discrete mode, but not Integrated mode (but Integrated mode cannot play games).
• Desktop resolution (hereafter called "native") is set to 4K (3840x2400)
• Games are all optimized via Nvidia GeForce Experience
• Most games optimize to 2K resolution (2560x1600)
• Launching the game or 3DMark to test the result

Issue Scenario​

When a game not optimized to 4K launches, either the system or the game attempts to resize the game window. Depending on the game, the results vary.

• Baldur's Gate 3 blinks to a black screen and returns to the game. It does this repeatedly. It can be as little as twice and as many as a dozen. While it does this, the mouse cursor resets to the center of the screen. The frame rate fluctuates just before a blink. Occasionally, the laptop will shut down.
• The Vulkan launch option crashes.
• Silent Hill 2 Remake also blinks out but is much less intense. To date, it has never blinked more than three times and never resulted in the laptop shutting down.
• Games like Final Fantasy XIV or some indie games zoom in, causing their 2K resolution to be magnified 2x. This puts all but the upper-left corner of the game in view of the desktop.
• Control has the opposite result, showing a 2K window that refuses to take up the whole screen no matter the window setting, causing it to appear as a box that takes up the upper-left quadrant of the screen.
• Some games, like Alan Wake II, Vampire Survivors, or the tool 3DMark, seem to operate normally without issue.

When setting the native resolution to 2K, the results change.

• The desktop is slightly blurry, as it is not the screen's native resolution.
• Baldur's Gate 3 no longer blinks and operates normally.
• Unless the resolution or frame rate is changed while the game is running, which will result in the screen blinking out and the rest of the issues that happen under 4K.
• The Vulkan option runs normally. Changing resolution or frame rate behaves normally.
• Silent Hill 2 Remake, Control, and FFXIV no longer have any issues.

When setting the native resolution back to 4K and attempting to set games to 4K:

• Control, Silent Hill 2 Remake, and FFXIV have 4K options in GeForce Experience.
• These games function without issues.
• Baldur's Gate 3 and Alan Wake II do not have 4K options in GeForce Experience.
• BG3 returns to having issues. Alan Wake II continues to operate normally.

Troubleshooting Performed​

• Updated Nvidia GeForce Experience.
• Updated Nvidia graphic driver.
• Performed clean installation of Nvidia graphic driver.
• Updated Intel graphic driver.
• Updated Windows.
• Updated Microsoft Store apps (including Intel Graphics Command Center).
• Performed all the work listed above.
• Used Windows Reset PC to return the laptop to factory settings.
• MSI RMA
• Performed all troubleshooting steps from 1 through 8 again after RMA was completed.

Conclusion​

The issue persists with no clear indication of where the fault lies. The RMA reported replacing the mainboard and battery, but I do not know if this includes the discrete graphics card. If so, it seems this is either a driver issue or an issue with the interaction between graphics cards despite still occurring during Discrete-only mode. If the discrete card was not replaced, then the RMA would not have considered my actual issue and would not have attempted to remediate it.

Did you change the scaling, when you use the other resolution for gaming?
You might want to ''Disable full screen optimisations''

EIZO Monitor knowhow Windows 11: Image is blurred

Tips for making text and apps look sharp on Windows 11.

www.eizo.eu

You might want to disable hardware acceleration.

How to Enable or Disable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling in Windows 10 & 11 - MajorGeeks

In May of 2020, Microsoft added Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling in Windows 10, which carries into Windows 11. This tutorial explains what Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling is and how to enable or disable it.

www.majorgeeks.com

Wiki - How To Disable Windows 10 Hardware GPU Scheduler | OBS

The new Windows 10 Hardware-accelerated GPU Scheduler (

obsproject.com

 

[brian.r.luedtk151002d3]

Replacing the mainboard would also come with a new CPU and GPU, since they are both soldered on the mainboard.
Would you please share the resolution settings in Nvidia GeForce Experience?
Have you ever adjusted the settings in the game?

If the GPU was replaced, then I really don't know what's going on. It wasn't like this issue was present right out of the gate, and if a total mainboard replacement doesn't solve it, then what's the issue?

The answer to both of your questions is behind the spoiler text.

Did you change the scaling, when you use the other resolution for gaming?
You might want to ''Disable full screen optimisations''

EIZO Monitor knowhow Windows 11: Image is blurred

Tips for making text and apps look sharp on Windows 11.

www.eizo.eu

You might want to disable hardware acceleration.

How to Enable or Disable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling in Windows 10 & 11 - MajorGeeks

In May of 2020, Microsoft added Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling in Windows 10, which carries into Windows 11. This tutorial explains what Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling is and how to enable or disable it.

www.majorgeeks.com

Wiki - How To Disable Windows 10 Hardware GPU Scheduler | OBS

The new Windows 10 Hardware-accelerated GPU Scheduler (

obsproject.com

These are steps to try next. I just reset the PC again, and I'll set it up fresh again. But, to give some context, I have ran the game when installing it was the only change made to the laptop. I have tried it with both the pre-installed driver versions and updated versions. I have ran it with everything at its default. I'll try these steps and report back.

 

[brian.r.luedtk151002d3]

Did you change the scaling, when you use the other resolution for gaming?
You might want to ''Disable full screen optimisations''

EIZO Monitor knowhow Windows 11: Image is blurred

Tips for making text and apps look sharp on Windows 11.

www.eizo.eu

You might want to disable hardware acceleration.

How to Enable or Disable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling in Windows 10 & 11 - MajorGeeks

In May of 2020, Microsoft added Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling in Windows 10, which carries into Windows 11. This tutorial explains what Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling is and how to enable or disable it.

www.majorgeeks.com

Wiki - How To Disable Windows 10 Hardware GPU Scheduler | OBS

The new Windows 10 Hardware-accelerated GPU Scheduler (

obsproject.com

No change. The blinking issue persists.

 

[Abel Lopez]

I know you have tried a lot of methods, but I would recommend to check the steps while clean installing graphics drivers.
Use DDU tool, select "remove Physx" under options, and continue to remove the graphics drivers.
You can also try to connect an external monitor, use the second monitor only, and check if the issue remains.

 

[drek4]

No change. The blinking issue persists.

As @Abel Lopez said, using an external screen will help determine if the problem is software related or hardware related.
If you use an external screen and the issue is no longer there, then very good chance it's hardware issue, your display cable or display itself.
If you use an external screen and the issue persists, then you have a software/driver issue, try downloading another safe driver like the 551.86.

GeForce Driver Results | NVIDIA

Download the <dd~LanguageName> <dd~Name> for <dd~OSName> systems. Released <dd~ReleaseDateTime>

www.nvidia.com

 

[brian.r.luedtk151002d3]

I know you have tried a lot of methods, but I would recommend to check the steps while clean installing graphics drivers.
Use DDU tool, select "remove Physx" under options, and continue to remove the graphics drivers.
You can also try to connect an external monitor, use the second monitor only, and check if the issue remains.

I could try this again, but wouldn't also resetting the laptop to factory do the same? And I'm talking about using MSI Back/Restore and restoring the factory image from the recovery partition. That image (I assume it was that image) worked for about two weeks when I first got the laptop before the issues started.

As @Abel Lopez said, using an external screen will help determine if the problem is software related or hardware related.
If you use an external screen and the issue is no longer there, then very good chance it's hardware issue, your display cable or display itself.
If you use an external screen and the issue persists, then you have a softare/driver issue, try downloading another safe driver like the 551.86.

GeForce Driver Results | NVIDIA

Download the <dd~LanguageName> <dd~Name> for <dd~OSName> systems. Released <dd~ReleaseDateTime>

www.nvidia.com

Sounds good. I'll give this a try later today.

 

[Abel Lopez]

I could try this again, but wouldn't also resetting the laptop to factory do the same? And I'm talking about using MSI Back/Restore and restoring the factory image from the recovery partition. That image (I assume it was that image) worked for about two weeks when I first got the laptop before the issues started.


Sounds good. I'll give this a try later today.

Yes, reseting the laptop to factory is the same.
I'm also trying to figure out what is causing the problem, that's why I recommend to try an external monitor to check if the issue is related to the hardware.
Waiting for your update.

 

[brian.r.luedtk151002d3]

I didn't get a chance to try this last test. The RMA authorization came through and I immediately packed it up and sent it.

It's in their hands now. Again.

 

[brian.r.luedtk151002d3]

Just got it back. Opened the box, plugged it in, launched BG3 and... Exact same issue.
This time the RMA sheet said they replaced the mainboard again and also the RAM. I am beyond livid...

Yes, reseting the laptop to factory is the same.
I'm also trying to figure out what is causing the problem, that's why I recommend to try an external monitor to check if the issue is related to the hardware.
Waiting for your update.

I hooked it up to an external monitor. It's a 4K monitor, so pretty 1:1 to the laptop in terms of testing. Guess what? Zero issues. No combination of resolutions or tests could produce the issue at all. So does that mean it's the display panel that's the issue? Is it not communicating to the graphics card fast enough? Not getting the right commands back? How can fix that?

 

[brian.r.luedtk151002d3]

I can't edit my posts, so I'll leave this here. On the laptop, with no external display, even though setting both the game and desktop resolution to the same eliminates the blinking when the game starts, I was mistaken in thinking this meant there was no issue. I tried to actually play a game on this thing, and once I got into the game proper (as in, loaded a save and got in the game), the blinking was present and rendered the game unplayable. This time, the blinking had bands of red and green lines in the display just before it blinked to black a few times. It seems to be getting worse.

What are the odds no actual work was done on my laptop after two RMAs? What are the odds the RMA tech didn't actually perform any tests? Because it doesn't feel like it.

 

[Waldorf]

any blinking i had in the past on any machine was related to Nv driver.
for any "cleaning/reinstall" you tried:
is the bios option for the msi sw stuff disabled?
are you "online" when uninstalling (Nv) drivers, or when reinstalling (Nv/OS)?
usually board/win will dl stuff automatically, messing up things, so i would make sure to disable the router if needed, so the laptop cant connect.

but i would also try the setting in the control panel:
under "adjust desktop color" change content type from auto to desktop/games/videos, and see if any of those prevents it.

 

[brian.r.luedtk151002d3]

any blinking i had in the past on any machine was related to Nv driver.
for any "cleaning/reinstall" you tried:
is the bios option for the msi sw stuff disabled?
are you "online" when uninstalling (Nv) drivers, or when reinstalling (Nv/OS)?
usually board/win will dl stuff automatically, messing up things, so i would make sure to disable the router if needed, so the laptop cant connect.

but i would also try the setting in the control panel:
under "adjust desktop color" change content type from auto to desktop/games/videos, and see if any of those prevents it.

Not sure what you mean by "msi sw stuff" for the BIOS. But while I was in the BIOS looking at the settings, guess what happened? The screen blacked out! Just once, but it went black for about two seconds and then came back. It happened while already being in the BIOS for about a minute. This is looking more and more like a panel issue to me.

The only control panel I know of that has the "adjust desktop color" is the Nvidia one, and those options only show up if integrated graphics are disabled. But nothing in there says anything about "auto" or "game."

 

[Waldorf]

all (msi) boards now have a feature to auto dl/install drivers/sw, and that will interfere with your drivers/install, to the point where its recommend to always be offline when
dealing with un/re/install.
my tv blacks out as well, but only when its used with the pc, so (at least for me) i can exclude the screen/panel.
can you connect to your tv, to see if that happens there as well?

 

[brian.r.luedtk151002d3]

all (msi) boards now have a feature to auto dl/install drivers/sw, and that will interfere with your drivers/install, to the point where its recommend to always be offline when
dealing with un/re/install.
my tv blacks out as well, but only when its used with the pc, so (at least for me) i can exclude the screen/panel.
can you connect to your tv, to see if that happens there as well?

View attachment 195851

I performed a test by connecting the laptop to an external display, which seemed to work just fine. But that's not how I intend to use the laptop; I would like to use the screen it came with. Thank you for your suggestion but I am unsure if that part helps me.

The bit about being offline is something to try. If I have to wipe the OS again, I'll try it. But something about that always bugs me. I seem to be the only one with this series of laptops having this issue, and if it's a driver update that's causing the issue, why just me and not a bunch of others?

 

[Waldorf]

this wasnt about future use, just basic troubleshooting to exclude things.

if it works on a different screen, it means its not coming from the board, or that its a driver issue, those things dont mend themselves,
so probably screen related, and why replacing mb didnt help.

i would rma for screen defect, rather than board/gpu.

 

[brian.r.luedtk151002d3]

this wasnt about future use, just basic troubleshooting to exclude things.

if it works on a different screen, it means its not coming from the board, or that its a driver issue, those things dont mend themselves,
so probably screen related, and why replacing mb didnt help.

i would rma for screen defect, rather than board/gpu.

Ah, yeah, you're right. And I think you're right about it being the screen.
I finally got up the chain to the RMA manager and got a promise to be able talk to them while they look at my laptop. I'll finally be able to make sure they see the issue first hand.

 

[Waldorf]

cool, hope you get it sorted.

have them replace screen/light/gpu/controller for it, basically anything related to it.