There is some new work to further enhance the GNOME desktop when it comes to Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). Also, a new merge request to add laptop battery charging threshold control in GNOMEUI is pending. As GNOME This Week points out, work on variable refresh rates continues on the GNOME desktop.
Iteration of variable refresh rate settings in GNOME Settings continues, and developers are working on how to present variable refresh rate settings to users. Developers have been discussing how to best present the option to avoid confusion, as well as how to make the most technical sense of the option.
Additionally, GNOME has made some fixes, including removing certain assumptions about fixed refresh rates and synchronizing cursor movement with main content updates after performing a VT switch. Hopefully the work on GNOMEVRR can be completed as soon as possible and ready for users.
GNOME developer JellevanderWaa is doing some other interesting but independent work to provide battery charge control. This is intended to take advantage of the exposed Linux kernel charge control start/end thresholds to help laptops that are plugged in 24/7 maintain battery health.
A merge request is in progress for UPower and GNOME Control Center to allow users to easily toggle this option to protect the battery health of frequently plugged-in systems by keeping the charge within the 50% to 80% range.
More details about this work can be found in this blog post.