Environment
- Device: Acer Neo 16 (PHN16-71), 2023 model
- OS: Windows 11 23H2 (Build 22631.4974)
- Browser: Firefox ESR 128.7.0esr (similar issue observed on 140esr)… (funda kabanzi)
Environment
- Device: Acer Neo 16 (PHN16-71), 2023 model
- OS: Windows 11 23H2 (Build 22631.4974)
- Browser: Firefox ESR 128.7.0esr (similar issue observed on 140esr)
- Current version in use: Firefox ESR 143.0.4 (64-bit)
- Graphics: Hybrid – Intel UMA + NVIDIA RTX 4060
- Drivers:
- Intel UMA: 31.0.101.4146 (UMA-labeled)
- NVIDIA: 551.76 (GeForce Game Ready Driver)
Issue Description
While using Firefox ESR (128.7.0esr and 140esr), the laptop’s built-in screen occasionally begins to flicker, and after prolonged usage—especially when browsing Facebook for tens of minutes—it gradually develops severe distortion, resembling water damage or ripple effects.
Key observations:
- Screenshots appear completely normal, indicating the framebuffer is unaffected.
- No external monitor has been tested yet; the issue is only observed on the built-in panel.
- Rebooting temporarily resolves the issue, but it recurs unpredictably.
- This issue never occurred on my older laptop (Acer V3-772G) using the same ESR versions.
Steps to Reproduce
1. Launch Firefox ESR (128.7.0esr or 140esr)
2. Browse Facebook continuously for tens of minutes
3. Screen begins to flicker, then gradually distorts
4. Take a screenshot → image is normal
5. Reboot → screen returns to normal
✅ Expected Behavior
The screen should remain visually stable during browser usage, without flickering or distortion.
Actual Behavior
The built-in screen flickers and eventually distorts, while screenshots remain unaffected. This suggests the issue may lie in the final stage of the display output pipeline, possibly involving the TCON (Timing Controller) reacting to GPU output or Firefox’s rendering behavior.
Additional Notes
- Hardware acceleration was disabled in Firefox for testing — the issue still occurred (on older versions).
- No similar behavior observed in Chrome or Edge.
- BIOS screen appears normal, ruling out panel damage.
- After upgrading to Firefox ESR 143.0.4 (64-bit), the distortion issue has not reappeared for two weeks, though minor flickering still occurs occasionally during browsing.
- Interestingly, when distortion or flickering occurs while browsing Facebook, switching to another website immediately causes the screen to temporarily return to normal.
This suggests the issue may be triggered by specific rendering patterns or GPU calls on certain web pages.
- This may indicate a rare interaction between Firefox ESR and specific hardware configurations (UMA → TCON → panel).
