Mac Studio M2 Max (Sequoia) loses image "fluidity" after sleep

Question

Claude Cauwe Author

Level 2

220 points

Mac Studio M2 Max (Sequoia) loses image "fluidity" after sleep

Machine specs:

Mac Studio M2 Max 2023 - 2 TB - 64 GB RAM - 30 cores GPU - OS Sequoia 15.3.1

Problem:

I only play one (old) game on that machine (Battle Supremacy from ReVo).

All is working +/- fine (I had to decrease the details settings of the game to make it run smoothly, while on my former MacPro 6.1 w. FirePro D500 (3GB) it ran flawlessly.

But if the machine has been sleeping, the game seems to run w/o graphic acceleration: everything is jerky, like in the very old days when graphic cards couldn't cope.

I see many have +/- similar problems of display flickering with Mac Studios.

Does anyone know the cause - or how to fix it ?

Many txs,

Cl.

Posted on Feb 28, 2025 12:45 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Mar 1, 2025 08:51 AM in response to den.thed

<< these new Mac's are notorious for not playing well with cheap poorly made display cables. >>

OR cables whose USB-C portion is longer that ONE METER in length.

Longer cables can cause random data transmission errors. Newer MacOS checks the displays for these errors. This is not as frequent an occurrence with lower data rates like 2K displays. On a 4K display, they have been seen to shut off in under a second, or (seem to) fail to connect at all.

Reply

Answer 2

den.thed

Level 10

88,798 points

Feb 28, 2025 06:50 AM in response to Claude Cauwe

Full Computer Sleep Mode is causing problems with some setups.

As a test:

Turn On "Prevent automatic sleeping when display is off"

Set "Turn display off when inactive" to 5 or 10 minutes

Leave the Mac Studio On and only allow the display(s) to turn Off

Do not manually select Sleep from the Apple Drop Down menu

Leave the Display on and allow it to go into standby mode

Only Shut Down the Mac when away for a day or more

Reply

Answer 3

Claude Cauwe Author

Level 2

220 points

Mar 1, 2025 11:01 PM in response to den.thed

What TB/USB-C to DisplayPort cables...?

Good ones :-) - I think Starlink, if memory serves. 80 cms.

I tried many solutions, including mini-DP -> TB/USB-C adapters, so that could reuse the mini-DP -> DisplayPort cables I had used with the Mac Pro trashcan - where they performed flawlessly.

Also tried a Belkin TB/USB-C to DP 1.4 "active cable", but that one didn't work, as it didn't go down to DP 1.2

Those display shouldn't require ultra high speed TB/USB-C to DisplayPort cables.

Indeed.

They actually don't even work with hi-speed cables (see above)

You need to test with computer sleep disabled and only allow the displays to turn off.

That is exactly how the problem appears. Computer sleep is always off.

Actually, I tried another workaround: to disconnect the screen and reconnect it - it also cures the problem.

But is not really handy to use.

Please post a screenshot of your Energy and Lock Screen panels.

Here you go:

Reply

Answer 4

Claude Cauwe Author

Level 2

220 points

Mar 1, 2025 06:48 AM in response to den.thed

"What Display are you using and how is it connected to the Mac studio...?"

I have 1 Eizo CG277 and 1 Eizo CG2730

Both are connected via Thunderbolt/USB-C to DisplayPort cables.

I tried with only 1 screen attached, problem is the same.

A reboot still cures the problem .. until the next sleep.

Reply

Answer 5

Mar 1, 2025 06:58 AM in response to Claude Cauwe

Eizo CG277 appear to be a 2k display with high Dynamic range (10 bits/ color)

interfaces include DisplayPort and HDMI

DVI available, but only 8 bit color

Eizo CG2730 appears to also be a 2K display with High Dynamic range

Interfaces DisplayPort and HDMI

DVI available, but only 8 bit color

Reply

Answer 6

den.thed

Level 10

88,798 points

Mar 1, 2025 08:41 AM in response to Claude Cauwe

Claude Cauwe wrote:

I have 1 Eizo CG277 and 1 Eizo CG2730

Both are connected via Thunderbolt/USB-C to DisplayPort cables.

I tried with only 1 screen attached, problem is the same.

What TB/USB-C to DisplayPort cables...?

Those display shouldn't require ultra high speed TB/USB-C to DisplayPort cables.

However, these new Mac's are notorious for not playing well with cheap poorly made display cables.

A reboot still cures the problem .. until the next sleep.

You need to test with computer sleep disabled and only allow the displays to turn off.

Please post a screenshot of your Energy and Lock Screen panels.

Reply

Answer 7

Claude Cauwe Author

Level 2

220 points

Mar 2, 2025 09:19 AM in response to den.thed

den.thed wrote:

Those settings look good.

At this point, it's starting to sound more like a problem with the Game than the Mac, cables or displays.

Possibly - I think it is still using OpenCL.

Frustrating is that on the MacPro TrashCan it worked perfectly.

And here, before the problem appears, is the same.

Weird weird weird.

Reply

Answer 8

Feb 28, 2025 07:17 AM in response to Claude Cauwe

I suggest a Restart after playing that game, on the premise that it may have made changes to the graphics system that you don't want for normal use.

Reply

Answer 9

den.thed

Level 10

88,798 points

Feb 28, 2025 08:36 AM in response to Claude Cauwe

It may not have any bearing on your issue, but I have follow-up question:

What Display are you using and how is it connected to the Mac studio...?

Reply

Answer 10

Claude Cauwe Author

Level 2

220 points

Mar 1, 2025 06:45 AM in response to den.thed

"Full Computer Sleep Mode is causing problems with some setups."

Unfortunately, no.

I tried that, but it makes no changes.

Reply

Answer 11

Claude Cauwe Author

Level 2

220 points

Mar 1, 2025 06:46 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

"I suggest a Restart after playing that game"

actually the opposite: i have to restart BEFORE that game to make sure it performs decently (not perfectly)

Reply

Answer 12

den.thed

Level 10

88,798 points

Mar 1, 2025 09:43 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

+1 yup' I failed to add "long" before "cheap poorly made display cables"

Reply

Answer 13

den.thed

Level 10

88,798 points

Mar 2, 2025 07:57 AM in response to Claude Cauwe

Those settings look good.

At this point, it's starting to sound more like a problem with the Game than the Mac, cables or displays.

Reply

Answer 14

Claude Cauwe Author

Level 2

220 points

Mar 2, 2025 10:04 PM in response to Claude Cauwe

What TB/USB-C to DisplayPort cables...?

Good ones :-) - I think Starlink, if memory serves. 80 cms.

STARTECH, of course, not Starlink !!! :-D

Reply

Answer 15

tbirdvet

Level 6

16,703 points

Mar 3, 2025 05:29 AM in response to Claude Cauwe

As already noted using sleep function can cause all kinds of issues. Just have the display turn off after a preset time.

Reply

Mac Studio M2 Max (Sequoia) loses image "fluidity" after sleep

Similar questions