Has Xfce screen tearing been resolved?

Issues & Assistance Xfce
1

My problems with Gnome have forced me to think about giving Xfce a shot - basically Gnome is using too much RAM on my laptop. I used Xfce many years ago but I was not impressed with the problem of screen tearing. I am wondering if more recent versions of Xfce have resolved this issue.

The only real info I’ve found on it is here…

https://xfce.org/about/tour418

Compositor

The compositor now supports adaptive vsync with GLX.

:man_shrugging:

System:
  Kernel: 6.7.1-zen1-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 13.2.1 clocksource: tsc
    available: hpet,acpi_pm parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
    root=UUID=3bc52a57-04f8-4ebb-a556-7ffb21fb3f9e rw rootflags=subvol=@ quiet loglevel=3 ibt=off
  Desktop: GNOME v: 45.3 tk: GTK v: 3.24.41 wm: gnome-shell dm: GDM v: 45.0.1
    Distro: Garuda Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: ASUSTeK product: VivoBook_ASUSLaptop X513UA_M513UA v: 1.0
    serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: ASUSTeK model: X513UA v: 1.0 serial: <superuser required> UEFI: American Megatrends LLC.
    v: X513UA.312 date: 04/26/2022
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 8.3 Wh (21.4%) condition: 38.7/42.1 Wh (92.0%) power: 32.0 W volts: 11.8
    min: 11.8 model: ASUSTeK ASUS Battery type: Li-ion serial: N/A status: charging cycles: 691
CPU:
  Info: model: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U with Radeon Graphics bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Zen 2 gen: 3
    level: v3 note: check built: 2020-22 process: TSMC n7 (7nm) family: 0x17 (23)
    model-id: 0x68 (104) stepping: 1 microcode: 0x8608103
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 6 tpc: 2 threads: 12 smt: enabled cache: L1: 384 KiB
    desc: d-6x32 KiB; i-6x32 KiB L2: 3 MiB desc: 6x512 KiB L3: 8 MiB desc: 2x4 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 2131 high: 4032 min/max: 400/4056 scaling: driver: amd-pstate-epp
    governor: powersave cores: 1: 4032 2: 4027 3: 1794 4: 2340 5: 2036 6: 3319 7: 2595 8: 1397
    9: 1837 10: 1397 11: 400 12: 400 bogomips: 50306
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
  Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
  Device-1: AMD Lucienne vendor: ASUSTeK driver: amdgpu v: kernel arch: GCN-5 code: Vega
    process: GF 14nm built: 2017-20 pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 link-max: gen: 4
    speed: 16 GT/s ports: active: eDP-1 empty: HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:164c
    class-ID: 0300 temp: 43.0 C
  Device-2: Quanta USB2.0 HD UVC WebCam driver: uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s
    lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 3-3:3 chip-ID: 0408:30d4 class-ID: 0e02 serial: <filter>
  Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.21.1.11 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.4 compositor: gnome-shell
    driver: X: loaded: amdgpu unloaded: modesetting,radeon alternate: fbdev,vesa dri: radeonsi
    gpu: amdgpu display-ID: 0
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: Samsung 0x4161 built: 2020 res: 1920x1080 dpi: 142 gamma: 1.2
    size: 344x194mm (13.54x7.64") diag: 395mm (15.5") ratio: 16:9 modes: max: 1920x1080 min: 640x480
  API: Vulkan v: 1.3.274 layers: 3 device: 0 type: integrated-gpu name: AMD Radeon Graphics
    (RADV RENOIR) driver: mesa radv v: 23.3.3-arch1.1 device-ID: 1002:164c
    surfaces: xcb,xlib,wayland device: 1 type: cpu name: llvmpipe (LLVM 16.0.6 256 bits)
    driver: mesa llvmpipe v: 23.3.3-arch1.1 (LLVM 16.0.6) device-ID: 10005:0000
    surfaces: xcb,xlib,wayland
  API: EGL Message: EGL data requires eglinfo. Check --recommends.
Audio:
  Device-1: AMD Renoir Radeon High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 3
    speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 link-max: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s bus-ID: 03:00.1 chip-ID: 1002:1637
    class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: AMD ACP/ACP3X/ACP6x Audio Coprocessor vendor: ASUSTeK driver: N/A
    alternate: snd_pci_acp3x, snd_rn_pci_acp3x, snd_pci_acp5x, snd_pci_acp6x, snd_acp_pci,
    snd_rpl_pci_acp6x, snd_pci_ps, snd_sof_amd_renoir, snd_sof_amd_rembrandt, snd_sof_amd_vangogh,
    snd_sof_amd_acp63 pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 link-max: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s
    bus-ID: 03:00.5 chip-ID: 1022:15e2 class-ID: 0480
  Device-3: AMD Family 17h/19h HD Audio vendor: ASUSTeK driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie:
    gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 link-max: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s bus-ID: 03:00.6 chip-ID: 1022:15e3
    class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.7.1-zen1-1-zen status: kernel-api tools: N/A
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.1 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX210/AX211/AX411 16
0MHz driver: iwlwifi v: kernel pcie: gen: 2
    speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:2725 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp1s0 state: down mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-1: enp3s0f3u3 state: up speed: 150 Mbps duplex: half mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel AX210 Bluetooth driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1
    mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 3-2:2 chip-ID: 8087:0032 class-ID: e001
  Report: btmgmt ID: hci0 rfk-id: 2 state: down bt-service: enabled,running rfk-block:
    hardware: no software: yes address: <filter> bt-v: 5.3 lmp-v: 12 status: discoverable: no
    pairing: no
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 710.19 GiB used: 93.8 GiB (13.2%)
  SMART Message: Required tool smartctl not installed. Check --recommends
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Samsung model: MZVLQ512HALU-00000 size: 476.94 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 tech: SSD serial: <filter>
    fw-rev: FXV7101Q temp: 34.9 C scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: SanDisk model: USB 3.2Gen1 size: 233.25 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: USB rev: 3.2 spd: 5 Gb/s lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1
    tech: N/A serial: <filter> fw-rev: 1.00 scheme: MBR
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 146.49 GiB size: 146.49 GiB (100.00%) used: 6.35 GiB (4.3%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 1024 MiB size: 1022 MiB (99.80%) used: 584 KiB (0.1%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 321.45 GiB size: 321.45 GiB (100.00%) used: 10.22 GiB (3.2%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p4 maj-min: 259:4
  ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 146.49 GiB size: 146.49 GiB (100.00%) used: 6.35 GiB (4.3%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
  ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 146.49 GiB size: 146.49 GiB (100.00%) used: 6.35 GiB (4.3%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default) zswap: no
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 7.15 GiB used: 35 MiB (0.5%) priority: 100 comp: zstd
    avail: lzo,lzo-rle,lz4,lz4hc,842 max-streams: 12 dev: /dev/zram0
  ID-2: swap-2 type: partition size: 8 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p3
    maj-min: 259:3
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 53.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: amdgpu temp: 44.0 C
  Fan Speeds (rpm): cpu: 2300
Info:
  Processes: 386 Uptime: 5h 4m wakeups: 0 Memory: total: 8 GiB note: est. available: 7.15 GiB
  used: 4.89 GiB (68.4%) Init: systemd v: 255 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers:
  gcc: 13.2.1 Packages: pm: pacman pkgs: 1207 libs: 404 tools: pamac,paru Client: shell wrapper
  v: 5.2.26-release inxi: 3.3.31
Garuda (2.6.22-1):
  System install date:     2024-01-23
  Last full system update: 2024-01-25
  Is partially upgraded:   No
  Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager dracut
  Windows dual boot:       No/Undetected
  Failed units:
2 Likes
2

Just try live ISO :slight_smile:

4 Likes
3

I’m running XFCE, I haven’t seen any tearing issues. Only when you disable compositor.

1 Like
4

I’m currently using the live version of Garuda Xfce and I am really impressed. When I previously used Xfce it looked like a dogs dinner of different prograns thrown together.

I themed it with…

…and…

…and it has got a consistemt look which I really like. Here’s a screenshot:

xfce
xfce1920×1080 146 KB

It also uses a lot less RAM than Gnome.

The slow internet speed is still unresolved - it strikes me my dongle might have gone a bit wonky :laughing:

Oh, I nearly forgot, there is also no screen tearing.

2 Likes
5

As a last question about Xfce, I’ve seen it runs the 6.6 LTS kernel. I have no problems with this - I can live with less updates :smiling_face:

My question relates to this…

The CPU in my Gnome version runs at 400MHz when idle, but I’ve found that the current CPU idle speed whilst using Xfce is 1.4GHz.

terminal
terminal933×722 118 KB

Is this because the OS hasn’t been installed?

1 Like
6

Perhaps one of the more seasoned forum members can weigh in why I does that, but my uneducated guess is perhaps you should install the kernel made for AMD Zen CPUs. I’m running an older 2200G which I guess is fine with the default Garuda kernel. I installed the performance tweaks so mine is probably not throttling CPU speed.

1 Like
7

Thanks for the info. I’ll find out the answer to this question on Monday when Garuda Xfce is put on my laptop.

1 Like
8

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