Hey folks,

I suggest making a list of safe workstations, to share it with each other

Here is my safe workstation:

CPU: i5 9600kf ( all BIOS overclock options give me strain )

MB: LGA 1151v2 gigabyte z390d with last F4 BIOS ( no difference in F2/F4 versions ). When you reset BIOS removing CMOS battery and power cable for 1-2 hour, all variables in UEFI also get clear ( no tails from previous grapfic cards ). I also succesfully tried gigabyte z390ud MB with last BIOS - same good experience.

RAM: DDR4 2x 16gb 2133mhz (JEDEC default) patriot viper steel PVS432G320C6K. When XMP 3200mhz profile applied, I feel strain. When I use another JEDEC 2400/2666mhz memory ( CPU support upto 2666 JEDEC ), or set frequency 2400/2666/3000/3200 manually in BIOS, also feel strain

Graphics: asus dual gtx1060 6gb ( 86.06.0E.00.41 bios )

+ nvidia 451.67 driver with "Display -> Adjust desktop color settings -> Use NVIDIA settings" checkbox ( reduce strain, after 460.xx version this option was removed and grapfic card became not calm ) + novideo_sRGB with clamped checkbox ( reduce strain, limit colorspace - reduce high saturation of red and blue, add "ColorspaceConfig" value in registry )

+ nvidia 537.58 driver with "Adjust desktop color settings -> Override to reference mode" checkbox activated, novideo_sRGB not needed with old YAG-phosphor based monitors ( blue chip + yellow phosphor ) because they dont have big KSF-phosphor peaks of red color, which always looks a bit oversatureted and need to be limited in monitor ( switching in sRGB mode ) or using tools like novideo_sRGB

Uninstalling grapfic driver with DDU completely remove all tails from previous cards

All nvidia cards starting with rtx20 bother me. All new grapfic cards have Tensor/RT cores. Tensor cores can use float16 / mixed precision, which gives different results each time it calculated ( not static frames ). RT cores also use random sampling.

Monitor: 24" 60hz *VA benq bl2420z ( auo m238hvn01.0 / 6-bit+FRC / 6500k temperature panel ) with HDMI to DVI-D cable ( it passive, and work as pin cross-replacement ) or DVI-D to DVI-D cable, less strainy than few DisplayPort cables I tried. You need to find which cableport is calmest in your monitor. Also, using CVT-RB2 timings much better for eyes ( 133.32 MHz pixel clock for FHD@60hz ), than using written in EDID Automatic PC ( 148.5 MHz pixel clock for FHD@60hz )

OS: win10 enterprise LTSC x64 build 17763.1098. To get same version, you need to find w10 1809 ISO and install updates: KB4537480, KB4462930, KB4465065, KB4486153, KB4537759, KB4539571, KB4538461

Software: Firefox 133.0.3 with default settings except two option which disable colorconvertion in about:config

gfx.color_management.mode = 0
gfx.color_management.rendering_intent = -1

p.s. I feel strain on this equipment with options above, with all newer w10 OS ( 21h2, 22h2 ) or newer grapfic drivers

bad GPU list:

1. Inno3d rtx 3080 ichill x4 10gb

2. Asus tuf gaming rtx 3080ti 12gb OC

3. Asus rog strix gtx 1080ti

good GPU list:

1. Asus gtx 1060 dual OC 6gb

2. Laptop's gtx1060 3gb of asus gl702vm ( FHD 17.3" 60hz )

3. Iris Xe

update part #1: amd 780m dithering research

1. AMD by default ( driver_default state ) use dithering in all color depth, according to monitor specs (EDID)

some evidence from linux core:

switch (bpc) {
 case 6:  
if (dither == AMDGPU_FMT_DITHER_ENABLE) { /* XXX sort out optimal dither settings */   
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_FRAME_RANDOM_ENABLE, 1);
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_HIGHPASS_RANDOM_ENABLE, 1);
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_SPATIAL_DITHER_EN, 1);   
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_SPATIAL_DITHER_DEPTH, 0);
} else {   
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_TRUNCATE_EN, 1);
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_TRUNCATE_DEPTH, 0);  
} break; 

case 8:
if (dither == AMDGPU_FMT_DITHER_ENABLE) { /* XXX sort out optimal dither settings */
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_FRAME_RANDOM_ENABLE, 1);   
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_HIGHPASS_RANDOM_ENABLE, 1);
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_RGB_RANDOM_ENABLE, 1); 
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_SPATIAL_DITHER_EN, 1);
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_SPATIAL_DITHER_DEPTH, 1);
} else {
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_TRUNCATE_EN, 1);   
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_TRUNCATE_DEPTH, 1);
}  break;


case 10:  
if (dither == AMDGPU_FMT_DITHER_ENABLE) { /* XXX sort out optimal dither settings */
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_FRAME_RANDOM_ENABLE, 1);   
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_HIGHPASS_RANDOM_ENABLE, 1);
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_RGB_RANDOM_ENABLE, 1);   
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_SPATIAL_DITHER_EN, 1);
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_SPATIAL_DITHER_DEPTH, 2);  
} else {
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_TRUNCATE_EN, 1);   
   tmp = REG_SET_FIELD(tmp, FMT_BIT_DEPTH_CONTROL, FMT_TRUNCATE_DEPTH, 2);
}  break;

2. Comparing results, I found 780m set exact same registry settings in driver_default (0x0000C900) also as in dith8_no_frame_rand (0x0000C900)

3.AMD use same dithering settings in vega6, vega7, 780m. Here is list of possible values:

0x0000C900 default

0x00002023 fm6

0x00002000 fm8

0x00002000 fm10

0x0000E123 dith6

0x0000E900 dith8

0x0000F100 dith10

0x0000C123 dith6_no_frame_rand

0x0000C900 dith8_no_frame_rand

0x0000D100 dith10_no_frame_rand

0x00002001 trun6 <<<

0x00002011 trun8

0x00002023 trun10

0x0000E111 trun8_dith6

0x0000E921 trun8_dith8

0x00002011 trun8_fm6

0x0000E900 dith8_fm6

0x0000E121 trun10_dith6

0x00002021 trun10_fm8

0x0000E921 trun10_dith8_fm6

0x0000F100 dith10_fm8

4.Kawamoto's ditherig do not set 0x0 values when you press "Disable all dithering" in his app

For my personal taste, setting all values to 0, not works at all. The best eye-settings for my 6-bit + FRC monitor, I currently found, is: 0x00000011. To set same settings, you need to:

A) Download ditherig

B) Open in amd64 folder database.csv, and replace in 89..94 lines from

0x00073900,0x00000000

to (8-bit truncate only)

0x0000C911,0x00000011

or (no settings at all)

0x0000C911,0x00000000

5.As many ppl there noticed, some apps reset dithering settings when using - yes, it is true. Here is apps I tested for AMD driver reset:

Reset driver settings to default: Chrome, MS Office, OBS studio, Zoom Workspace

Do not reset driver settings: DXO Photolab, Firefox, Telegram Desktop, WinRAR, Win10 notepad / calc / paint /photoviewer, Visual Studio 2022, MPC-BE 1.8.0

6.Without installed AMD driver, win10 with Microsoft Basic Display Driver also shows 0x00000000 (no dithering applyed). When you install any AMD driver, dithering settings changes to 0x0000C900 (driver_default). I feel strain even without AMD driver. It means, the strain issue is hardware-based, and cannot be controlled via driver (or registers) settings

Eye-strain: amd 780m gives me strain (mini-PC or laptop based). Not calm

update part #2: ASRock Arc B580 Steel Legend dithering research in win10 LTSC 21h2 19044.1288 and Intel Driver 32.0.101.6647 (all default settings)

Pixel Extension = Zero Extended
Allow Double Buffer Update Disable = Allowed (Default)
YUV420 Mode = Full blend

Dithering type = Spatial
Dithering enable = Enable
Dithering BPC = 6 bpc
Pixel Extension = MSB Extend (Default)
Allow Double Buffer Update Disable = Allowed (Default)
YUV420 Mode = Full blend

By default, this GPU doesnt use output dithering with 8-bit monitor connected. But it force Pixel Extension=Zero Extended key insted of Pixel Extension=MSB Extend (Default). The Iris XE in 13500h / 13700h iGPU I tested always use Pixel Extension=MSB Extend (Default)

Eye-strain: b580 gives me strain, similar to amd 780m. Maybe a bit softer. Not calm

update part #3: Intel UHD 730 grapfics ( i5 13400 ) dithering research in win10 LTSC 1809 17763.1098 and Intel Driver 32.0.101.6647 (all default settings)

YUV420 Mode = Full blend

Dithering type = Spatial
Dithering enable = Enable
Dithering BPC = 6 bpc
YUV420 Mode = Full blend

It mean, UHD730 use +/- equal register values to IRIS XE and Intel ARC GPU. By default, no output dithering applied with 8-bit monitor

Eye-strain: no issues

Some android devices research:

Link for lenovo xiaoxin tablet 2025 11" and LED driver datasheet used in