Image is distorted, ghosted, or flickering on my Samsung monitor

A flickering, flashing, or blinking monitor or Odyssey Ark Gaming Screen is often caused by a loose or damaged cable, a faulty power source, nearby appliances with a high current, out-of-date drivers, or the refresh rate setting on your computer. You can try fixing your flickering monitor by checking for these potential issues and by making sure you have the latest software updates.
Game displayed with distortion on a Samsung ultra wide monitor
Game displayed with distortion on a Samsung ultra wide monitor

Image is distorted, ghosted, or flickering on my Samsung monitor

Checkpoint

Check the monitor's connections

Important
If you're connecting using a VGA port or cable, make sure to use the Auto Adjustment feature on the monitor. This may have its own button or be found in the monitor's on-screen menu. However, whenever possible, we recommend using a better port instead for a better-quality image that is less likely to have issues.
1
Unplug the video cable at both ends, and then plug it back in.

Unplug the cable at both ends (you can do this while the monitor is still turned on), and check the ends for damage. Also check the cable itself, and make sure it is not pinched between anything, like the desk and the wall, or under a chair leg.

  • If there is no damage, plug the cable back in, make sure it's securely connected, and then see if the flickering stops.
  • If there is damage, or if the flickering continues after plugging the cable back in, replace the cable with one that works (either a new one or one that you've tested with other devices).
2
Check the monitor's power source.

Flickering can also be caused by an unstable or inconsistent power supply. Try plugging the monitor into a different outlet. If the flickering stops, there may be too many appliances plugged in to the original circuit or an inconsistent voltage from the outlet. Contact an electrician for further assistance.

Appliances such as heaters and other high-current devices feed power back into the circuit and can make the monitor flicker. Keep these devices on a separate circuit from your monitor. A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is another option to provide a steady source of power to your monitor.

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Check the display settings and drivers

1
Try disabling G-Sync (Free Sync) if it is enabled.
G-Sync is a feature that prevents screen tearing. Turning it off may help prevent the flickering from happening. Right click on your desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel. Expand Display and then select Set up G-SYNC. Uncheck the box next to Enable G-Sync, G-Sync Compatible. Click Apply and then click Ok.
2
Update the drivers on your computer (if applicable).

If the monitor is connected to a computer, it's important to keep the graphics driver up to date.

A basic driver is usually available through the operating system's updates. Alternatively, you can go to the website of the card's manufacturer for the most up-to-date driver. You can check for firmware updates for your monitor as well.

If you are using any series of the Nvidia RTX40 video cards, please make sure the driver is updated to version 535.98 or higher. For more help, please visit Nvidia support.

3
Confirm the refresh rate and native resolution settings on the external device.
  • Refresh rate is how many times per second your monitor displays an image. Higher values result in a smoother picture, but if you select a value that your monitor does not support, it can cause flickering, stretching, distortion, or a black screen. For an optimum experience, set this to the highest value that your monitor and connected device will both support.
  • Your monitor's native resolution is the one it is designed to use and will offer the best picture quality and experience. If items are too large or small, we recommend adjusting the scale of items in your operating system instead of changing the resolution. However, if necessary, resolutions which have an equal ratio as the native resolution will perform better than other resolutions, which will appear stretched or distorted.
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Test the monitor's on-screen menu

Note
For model LS27R750UENXZA or LS32R750UENXZA, you may not need service for the monitor, but you may need to replace the supplied Y cable (part code BN39-02467A). Please contact us for information on cable replacement.
1
Test the monitor's on-screen menu.

The on-screen menu is a quick way to check the monitor. If the on-screen menu is fine, so is the monitor. Some monitors also have a Picture test (found by navigating to Settings (All Settings) > Support > Self Diagnosis ( Device Care > Self Diagnosis) then select Picture Test).

You may not be able to open the on-screen menu on an older monitor. Instead, you can disconnect it from all video signals and wait for an error message to appear.

  • If the menu or the error message does not have the issue (distortion, flickering, etc.), then the monitor does not need service. The issue is caused either by the connected device or the cable. (See the previous steps for a resolution.)
2
Request service.
If the menu or messages also have quality issues, or if the monitor is still flickering, visit our Support Center to request service.
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