-freq not working

[unkempt axle]

I created a custom resolution in NVIDIA control panel with a refresh rate higher than any present in the timing entries in the EDID of my display.

When I try to use it in tf2, I can't, it just picks the default mode with the lower refresh rate, even if I specify the higher one with -freq. I also tried -refresh and -refreshrate, and they also have no effect.

Curiously, I tried these launch options in portal 2, and they work as expected, causing it to pick my custom mode with the higher refresh rate, and everything works great.

Has anyone else been able to use -freq in tf2 to make it choose modes created via the custom resolutions in NVIDIA control panel?

I just tried with DXVK and everything works there, I'm able to use -freq to choose the custom mode

but in normal directx tf2, it doesn't work

[wintry tulip]

do any of the regular modes work with -freq?

[unkempt axle]

As far as I can tell, yes

My EDID only has 2 modes for different refresh rates and I can switch between those with -freq

but not a custom mode created with the custom resolution tool in nvidia control panel

but then if I use dxvk it works, or if I try in another game like portal 2 it works, so I'm pretty puzzled

I also tried forcing the preferred refresh rate for tf2 to highest available in nvidia control panel, as well as the "override scaling set by the application" with my custom mode chosen as the desired mode

neither of those things have any effect, tf2 still defaults to the lower refresh rate and -freq still doesn't work to choose the higher one

[unkempt axle]

To revisit this, I've found that launching with -nod3d9ex (or launching with -dxlevel ≤ 89, which does the same thing) allows the -freq/-refresh launch options to work to pick my higher refresh rate, but obviously that comes with its own drawbacks

I still don't understand why the -freq/-refresh doesn't work normally

An interesting thing is using nod3d9ex brings my fps on the main menu from 4000 down to like 550