TV¶
The default picture mode may cause controller-to-screen latency¶
Most TVs—both smart and non‑smart—ship with preconfigured picture modes that are not intended for gaming (for example, “Standard“/“Default“, or “Eco”). These modes introduce screen latency during gameplay. The delay between pressing a controller button and seeing the corresponding action on-screen can disrupt gameplay rhythm and offset any system or emulator optimizations for low latency. Budget LED models typically have the highest latency (around 40–70 ms), whereas OLED panels perform better. Note that this latency issue is TV related; Computer monitors (LCD/LED, CRT, etc.) avoid this issue entirely, as they are designed for interactive use with inherently minimal input lag across all modes.
Picture mode fix¶
Modern TVs: Switch to "Game" picture mode¶
On the TV, navigate to Settings → Picture Mode/Style, and select “Game”. This addresses the root cause of input lag.
Even if you don't notice any latency on the TV model, it's still good practice to enable this mode to ensure minimal input lag.
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) is not helpful for RetroArch. While ALLM—often found in gaming TVs—automatically detects gaming signals (such as from a console or streaming device) and switches to a low-latency preset, allowing you to keep picture modes like Cinema or Sports active during gameplay before reverting when the signal changes (e.g., to a movie), RetroArch typically does not send the required HDMI ALLM gaming flag. Manual activation of Game Mode remains essential for emulation setups.
Thus, understanding that the manufacturer ALLM features with various names listed below are useless for RetroArch saves you from wasting time evaluating them:
| Manufacturer | Common Name(s) for ALLM |
|---|---|
| Hisense | Game Mode Pro |
| LG | Instant Game Response, Game Optimizer |
| Panasonic | Auto Low Latency Mode |
| Philips | Auto Low Latency Mode |
| Samsung | Auto Game Mode |
| Sony | Auto Genre Picture Mode |
| TCL | Auto Game Mode, Game Master |
| Vizio | Auto Game Mode, ProGaming Engine |
Older TVs: Enable RetroArch Run-Ahead¶
For older TVs without a "Game" picture mode, use RetroArch's Settings → Latency → Run-Ahead feature to reduce latency effectively.
Optionally: Use RetroArch's Shaders and Overlays¶
Shaders and overlays in RetroArch may be used instead of TV picture modes to apply authentic retro display effects and decorative elements directly to the emulated image, bypassing the hardware-dependent post-processing in non-Game picture modes that introduces input lag.
Frame rate fluctuations¶
Frame rate fluctuations fix: Use RetroArch Synchronization features¶
The Settings → Video → Synchronization menu in RetroArch provides several options to reduce screen tearing and stuttering by aligning frame output with the display’s refresh rate. These options—Vertical Sync (VSync) (default: On), Hard GPU Sync (default: Off), and Adaptive VSync (default: Off)—offer software-level synchronization that approximates some of the benefits of Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) found in many gaming TVs. This is necessary because RetroArch does not support native HDMI signaling to automatically enable VRR on compatible displays.