Anyone get the new chrome update forced on them yet? Round icons, new fonts? How do we feel about this? I'm not sure one way or the other... Everything seems REALLY crisp, and yet I'm not sure how comfortable it is. I'll wait for others to render their verdict...

Using current Android Chrome 69.0.3497.91, still seems good. I don't like the "round" stlye though. Had trouble with Windows Chrome for some years now. Linux version (Chromium) much better. Didn't try the new versions yet.

Gurm You not the only person I know who is concerned with the new Chrome update.

I am not sure what version I was running previously. I installed 68.0.3440.75 "offline version", which doesn't include Google Update. It still seems icky, but that could just be my imagination - or my eyes could be tired. I'll give it a couple days. More to the point, whatever rendering bullshit the new Chrome did... crashed my laptop. First bluescreen I've seen in years, so they're clearly doing some kind of bullshit hardware rendering or SOMETHING in addition to the new fonts and round whatnots.

Note Bene: I can always drop back further via offline installers. But I checked, and my other computers are running 68.0.3440.106, so I may switch to that one... still unsure of what version was running here before. Seems like maybe it kept the fonts even when I uninstalled, no idea what bullshit might have been carried over. So I'm probably going to wipe the hard disk and reinstall. This makes me REALLY angry. This machine is my stable, always-ok-on-my-eyes machine. I'm NOT ok with people FUCKING WITH IT. Sorry for the language, but I'm really REALLY upset.

New Chrome?

AgentX20

Chrome 69 was making me feel "off" - as only perhaps Firefox (newer versions following a quick test given I rarely use Firefox) and Lockheed Martin's Prepar3D Version 4 have, as stand alone applications. All my other problems are with screens and graphics cards not apps.

I've just reinstalled Chrome 68 and I'm already feeling better...

Gurm

AgentX20 It took me a couple days to feel better - this chrome change had coincided with some other circumstances that had caused me some extra strain - but I'm doing better as well.

Sunspark

Gurm If you feel up to it, on your older version you can make note of chrome://gpu and chrome://flags and then if you update to the newer version, compare the two again to see what is different. If it's a switch, then it should theoretically go back.

That said, why is Chrome popular? I find on a PC that Firefox is just fine (I am actually on Waterfox 56.0.1 and quite happy with it). It smooth scrolls better than Chrome, and generally all-around feels more comfortable to use.

On an Android device, yeah I agree, Chrome is what you need to use for smooth scrolling.. got the ghastly 69 interface, all blindingly white and junk. Rolled it back to 68.

Gurm

Sunspark Firefox is also problematic on PC, at least in newer versions. Well, not sure about latest but for a while it was very bad.

deepflame

I am, currently testing with different graphics cards, OSs and browsers. Do you guys still have issues with Chrome?
On my NVidia NVS 295 Chrome 74 is very usable! However Slack (being an Electron app) still is not.
Maybe the Chrome devs changed something for the better?

AgentX20

I've not dared budge from Chrome 68.0.3440.84.

I've never had any problems with Slack on my home PC (I use a Mac for work) - but then I only use if fleetingly and occasionally on my home PC so cannot say if I have any real issues.

I might have to try out a recent Chrome...

deepflame

AgentX20 Using an NVidia NVS 295 or now a Quadro K420 works great for me on Windows 7 and Chrome 74. I guess you used Slack as a standalone app? I personally cannot use Electron apps yet. Seems to make the graphics card dither again.
What setup do you use when running Slack?

Gurm

deepflame I can confirm that Chrome 74 falls within the margin of "I might be imagining that it's worse than 68", whereas 69 was "HOLY GOD WHAT HAPPENED". So I am thinking they fixed it? Firefox is still rough. Slack has also gotten better, it was bad for a while but no longer bothers me either.

AGI

deepflame Seems to make the graphics card dither again.

Does the eyestrain develops only when you use the app or is its install sufficient to change the display properties? What if it is open but in background?

AgentX20

deepflame What setup do you use when running Slack?

As I mentioned, I use a Mac at work with Slack and have no problems with it, or Chrome or Firefox for that matter. That said I am running an early 2013 MacBook Pro which is P-E-R-F-E-C-T for daily use.

At home, on my good GTX970 and Dell 2407 I'm fine with Chrome 68 and Slack seemed ok on the odd occasion I used it. I've not tried the current version of Chrome on PC for a while having locked things to version 68 after whatever newer version I tried caused eye serious strain.

deepflame

AGI Does the eyestrain develops only when you use the app or is its install sufficient to change the display properties?

Install does not do anything. Only when I start it. Seems that the app is requesting a display mode that makes the graphics card dither.

AGI What if it is open but in background?

Just tried Visual Studio Code and it is also painful when it is just minimized on Windows 7.

AgentX20

deepflame Install does not do anything. Only when I start it. Seems that the app is requesting a display mode that makes the graphics card dither.

This is my observation of 'bad' Chrome and Firefox versions. No problems until they're on screen but once they're there (windowed) then the strain starts. It's crazy.

deepflame

AgentX20 I am running an early 2013 MacBook Pro which is P-E-R-F-E-C-T for daily use.

Hmm, that is great to hear. I have given up on using Macs some months back when I could not find any working MBP for myself. So I switched back to Windows to have more control over hardware etc.

Which exact version of OSX do you use? I found Mojave and the later High Sierra to be unbearable on my 2013 and 2015 MBP.

Gurm

AgentX20 so jealous, I have been trying to scrounge up an early 2013 MBP for a long time. They're so perfect.

deepflame

AgentX20 No problems until they're on screen but once they're there (windowed) then the strain starts. It's crazy.

Yeah, I think I noticed the same when I was still using a Mac.

When you are at home would you mind downloading these two builds of Chromium and tell me if there is a difference for you? There is nothing to install. Just extract the zip file and run 'chromium'.

https://www.googleapis.com/download/storage/v1/b/chromium-browser-snapshots/o/Win_x64%2F638880%2Fchrome-win.zip?generation=1552012029392190&alt=media

https://www.googleapis.com/download/storage/v1/b/chromium-browser-snapshots/o/Win_x64%2F638884%2Fchrome-win.zip?generation=1552013207916107&alt=media

If these links for whatever reason do not work anymore you could also download them here:
http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/chromium-browser-snapshots/index.html?prefix=Win_x64/
In the filter on the top just put "63888". The two versions that appear would be the ones in question.

AgentX20

deepflame Which exact version of OSX do you use?

I've not had ANY eye strain problems on any version of OSX/MacOS with this hardware.

I also have a pair of crappy old Dell CCFL backlight monitors (Model # P2311H) on my MacBook via Thunderbolt/DVI and HDMI/DVI and they're 100% good to use all day. They're

deepflame

AgentX20 ok, great. Might give this a try. I definitely need a laptop. Thanks for sharing!

Question besides: Does it work for you with the integrated Intel chip or only with the NVidia GPU?

diop

AgentX20 I will consider hunting out this model to test.

I wonder if there is a terminal command that will tell you if dithering is enabled/disabled?

AgentX20

deepflame Question besides: Does it work for you with the integrated Intel chip or only with the NVidia GPU?

Obviously it defaults to the Intel chip and there are no problems there. On the occasion I've run a game that uses the 650 I've not experienced any problems either.

deepflame

Posted this before to AgentX20 , but thought it might be worth asking others as well to test these two Chromium builds here:

There is nothing to install. Just extract the zip file and run 'chromium'.

Build 638880
https://www.googleapis.com/download/storage/v1/b/chromium-browser-snapshots/o/Win_x64%2F638880%2Fchrome-win.zip?generation=1552012029392190&alt=media

Build 638884
https://www.googleapis.com/download/storage/v1/b/chromium-browser-snapshots/o/Win_x64%2F638884%2Fchrome-win.zip?generation=1552013207916107&alt=media

deepflame

Ok, I was asking about the Chromium builds because build 638880 is not working for me (it does change the video mode to dither), whereas build 638884 does work. So if people who also have issue with running Chrome it would be great to have this confirmed.

Here are the changes that went into the newer build and made it "ok" again:
https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+log/d4a8972e30b604f090aeda5dfff68386ae656267..a6f99ad95e4a52be40f9bd9abd7cd0ae4e98ecf8?pretty=full

As you can see there is one change that has something to do with the GPU ( gpu: Using new API to get RGB emulation texture id directly. ):
https://chromium-review.googlesource.com/c/chromium/src/+/1487182/5/third_party/blink/renderer/platform/graphics/gpu/drawing_buffer.cc

I have built Chrome locally on my machine and can confirm that this fixes the Chrome issue for me. However I could not figure out yet what caused the video mode change. It is certainly not the OpenGL flags in line 1595 to 1598.

If someone is knowledgeable in programming and wants to join me on a hunt to what causes the issue you are more than welcome! 🙂

AgentX20

Gurm so jealous, I have been trying to scrounge up an early 2013 MBP for a long time.

Yeah. To be honest I really do feel that somehow I lucked into this model working oh so well for me. Occasionally I've used other laptops and the eye strain can be dreadful. The same thing applies to my GTX970 video card at home. Every single newer card I've tried (980, 980Ti, 1070, 1080, Vega 64) is no good for me. Hell, even the "same" GTX970 card but one hardware revision newer, or with a different brand of RAM, is no good. I could also argue the same with my Dell 2407 monitors. Most other monitors I've tried have been no good. Still - endless trying out of new stuff and losing money on every deal is very tiresome and immensely frustrating.

I so so want a faster video card and a bigger screen...! Argh! (I have a hankering to 'try' an Nvidia 2xxx card but I know I'll likely just lose even more money).