GNOME colors muted and drab after GPU upgrade

Hi! I just upgraded my GPU from an RX 5600 XT to a RX 7900 XTX. I use a single 48" LG C1 OLED TV, and I'm running GNOME. I'm currently running into issues where the colors appear drab and muted after the hardware upgrade. I've had this issue before, but usually resolved it using my LG TV's color settings. I even tried "game mode", which is helpful, but not helpful enough to make the colors match what I expect to see. Nothing I'm trying this time helps very much at all, so I'm wondering if there's a software issue of some kind. I also found it helps to not run the display at 120 Hz, otherwise that results in weird coloring around text characters antialiasing. I'm using HDMI, with a proper HDMI 2.1 cable, but I can't use DP since it's technically a TV. I've been an Arch user for over a decade, but I'm new to troubleshooting these kinds of issues, so I'm not quite sure where to start or what to try. halp? :pray:

System:
  Kernel: 6.2.2-zen1-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.1
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
    root=UUID=ae8b0b9d-1bbf-40b4-be29-a7758013bb1b rw rootflags=subvol=@
    quiet
    cryptdevice=UUID=8573d123-3b45-4695-8f01-280827fd4978:luks-8573d123-3b45-4695-8f01-280827fd4978
    root=/dev/mapper/luks-8573d123-3b45-4695-8f01-280827fd4978 quiet splash
    rd.udev.log_priority=3 vt.global_cursor_default=0
    resume=/dev/mapper/luks-dc3ce9e4-f899-4fbc-94b3-bd8b8716eef4 loglevel=3
    ibt=off
  Desktop: GNOME v: 43.3 tk: GTK v: 3.24.37 wm: gnome-shell dm: GDM v: 43.0
    Distro: Garuda Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: Micro-Star model: MEG X570 GODLIKE (MS-7C34) v: 1.0
    serial: <superuser required> UEFI: American Megatrends LLC. v: 1.C0
    date: 02/02/2021
CPU:
  Info: model: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Zen 3+ gen: 4
    level: v3 note: check built: 2022 process: TSMC n6 (7nm) family: 0x19 (25)
    model-id: 0x21 (33) stepping: 0 microcode: 0xA201009
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 16 tpc: 2 threads: 32 smt: enabled cache:
    L1: 1024 KiB desc: d-16x32 KiB; i-16x32 KiB L2: 8 MiB desc: 16x512 KiB
    L3: 64 MiB desc: 2x32 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 3424 high: 3982 min/max: 2200/5083 boost: enabled
    scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: performance cores: 1: 3400 2: 3400
    3: 3400 4: 3400 5: 3400 6: 3400 7: 3400 8: 3400 9: 3400 10: 3602 11: 3400
    12: 3400 13: 3400 14: 3400 15: 3400 16: 3400 17: 3400 18: 3400 19: 3400
    20: 3400 21: 3400 22: 3400 23: 3400 24: 3400 25: 3982 26: 3400 27: 3400
    28: 3400 29: 3400 30: 3400 31: 3400 32: 3400 bogomips: 217620
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
  Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
  Device-1: AMD Navi 31 [Radeon RX 7900 XT/7900 XTX] vendor: XFX
    driver: amdgpu v: kernel arch: RDNA-3 code: Navi-3x process: TSMC n5 (5nm)
    built: 2022+ pcie: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: HDMI-A-1
    empty: DP-1,DP-2,DP-3 bus-ID: 2f:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:744c class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam type: USB
    driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-1.4.3:6 chip-ID: 046d:085c
    class-ID: 0102 serial: <filter>
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.8
    compositor: gnome-shell driver: X: loaded: amdgpu
    unloaded: modesetting,radeon alternate: fbdev,vesa dri: radeonsi
    gpu: amdgpu display-ID: :1 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 3840x2160 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 1016x571mm (40.00x22.48")
    s-diag: 1165mm (45.88")
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-A-0 model: LG (GoldStar) TV SSCR
    serial: <filter> built: 2021 res: 3840x2160 dpi: 61 gamma: 1.2
    size: 1600x900mm (62.99x35.43") diag: 1836mm (72.3") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 3840x2160 min: 720x400
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX (gfx1100
    LLVM 15.0.7 DRM 3.49 6.2.2-zen1-1-zen) direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: AMD driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: bus-ID: 1-1.4.3:6
    chip-ID: 046d:085c gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s class-ID: 0102 lanes: 16
    serial: <filter> bus-ID: 2f:00.1 chip-ID: 1002:ab30 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: AMD Starship/Matisse HD Audio vendor: Micro-Star MSI
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16
    bus-ID: 31:00.4 chip-ID: 1022:1487 class-ID: 0403
  Device-3: Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam type: USB
    driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo
  Device-4: Audient EVO4 type: USB driver: snd-usb-audio bus-ID: 1-2:3
    chip-ID: 2708:0006 class-ID: fe01
  Sound API: ALSA v: k6.2.2-zen1-1-zen running: yes
  Sound Server-1: PulseAudio v: 16.1 running: no
  Sound Server-2: PipeWire v: 0.3.66 running: yes
Network:
  Device-1: Aquantia AQC107 NBase-T/IEEE 802.3bz Ethernet [AQtion]
    vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: N/A modules: atlantic pcie: gen: 3
    speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 4 port: N/A bus-ID: 24:00.0 chip-ID: 1d6a:07b1
    class-ID: 0200
  Device-2: Realtek vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: N/A modules: r8169 pcie:
    speed: Unknown lanes: 63 link-max: gen: 6 speed: 64 GT/s port: 1000
    bus-ID: 26:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:2600 class-ID: 0200
  Device-3: Realtek Killer E3000 2.5GbE vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: N/A
    modules: r8169 pcie: gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 2000
    bus-ID: 27:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:3000 class-ID: 0200
  Device-4: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 vendor: Rivet Networks Killer™ driver: N/A
    modules: iwlwifi pcie: gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 28:00.0
    chip-ID: 8086:2723 class-ID: 0280
  Device-5: Realtek RTL8153 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter type: USB driver: r8152
    bus-ID: 4-3.2:5 chip-ID: 0bda:8153 class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
  IF: enp49s0f3u3u2 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel AX200 Bluetooth type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 3-4:3
    chip-ID: 8087:0029 class-ID: e001
  Report: bt-adapter ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 8.99 TiB used: 4.09 TiB (45.4%)
  SMART Message: Required tool smartctl not installed. Check --recommends
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Sabrent model: Rocket 4.0 Plus
    size: 3.64 TiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 63.2 Gb/s
    lanes: 4 type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: R4PB47.2 temp: 38.9 C scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 860 PRO 2TB
    size: 1.86 TiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s
    type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 1B6Q scheme: GPT
  ID-3: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: Micron model: 5100 EEFDDAK3T8TCB
    size: 3.49 TiB block-size: physical: 8192 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s
    type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 0369 scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 3.5 TiB size: 3.5 TiB (100.00%) used: 1.16 TiB (33.2%)
    fs: btrfs dev: /dev/dm-0 maj-min: 254:0
    mapped: luks-8573d123-3b45-4695-8f01-280827fd4978
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 300 MiB size: 299.4 MiB (99.80%)
    used: 752 KiB (0.2%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 3.5 TiB size: 3.5 TiB (100.00%)
    used: 1.16 TiB (33.2%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/dm-0 maj-min: 254:0
    mapped: luks-8573d123-3b45-4695-8f01-280827fd4978
  ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 3.5 TiB size: 3.5 TiB (100.00%)
    used: 1.16 TiB (33.2%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/dm-0 maj-min: 254:0
    mapped: luks-8573d123-3b45-4695-8f01-280827fd4978
  ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 3.5 TiB size: 3.5 TiB (100.00%)
    used: 1.16 TiB (33.2%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/dm-0 maj-min: 254:0
    mapped: luks-8573d123-3b45-4695-8f01-280827fd4978
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 125.71 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: 100
    dev: /dev/zram0
  ID-2: swap-2 type: partition size: 138.28 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%)
    priority: -2 dev: /dev/dm-1 maj-min: 254:1
    mapped: luks-dc3ce9e4-f899-4fbc-94b3-bd8b8716eef4
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 44.4 C mobo: N/A gpu: amdgpu temp: 52.0 C
    mem: 65.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A gpu: amdgpu fan: 0
Info:
  Processes: 577 Uptime: 20m wakeups: 0 Memory: 125.71 GiB
  used: 9.14 GiB (7.3%) Init: systemd v: 253 default: graphical
  tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.1 clang: 15.0.7 Packages: pm: pacman
  pkgs: 1699 libs: 521 tools: gnome-software,pamac,paru,yay pm: flatpak
  pkgs: 0 Shell: fish v: 3.6.0 default: Bash v: 5.1.16 running-in: alacritty
  inxi: 3.3.25
Garuda (2.6.15-1):
  System install date:     2023-02-01
  Last full system update: 2023-03-06
  Is partially upgraded:   No
  Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager mkinitcpio
  Windows dual boot:       No/Undetected
  Failed units:            nmb.service 

Sounds like your Monitor is applying some weird settings with your new GPU.

Have you checked its manual?

Do your colors return to normal if you use your old GPU again?

I just found this video. Maybe that helps.

1 Like

Thank you! That got me set on the right track. I enabled Filmmaker mode and disabled energy-saving settings, like he suggested. It also helped to set the white balance to 0, it was set all the way to "Warm 50", and to set the Color Depth to maximum. The color depth was the real issue, I think.