An apparatus for displaying frames, the apparatus comprising: a display, the display comprising a display controller; a source device; a storage device, wherein the storage device comprises a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, when executed, causes the apparatus to determine an active application executing on the processor, wherein the active application is an application of the apparatus that is currently being used; display controller circuitry configured to: establish, by the display controller, a link with the source device; receive an indication of a base refresh rate from the source device, wherein the base refresh rate is a refresh rate at which the source device will send frames to the display when the link to the display is active; receive a frame from the source device; send, based on the base refresh rate, the frame to a source driver to display the frame; determine whether to enter a self-refresh mode in which the display will continue displaying the same frame; resend, in response to a determination to enter the self-refresh mode, the frame to the source driver a plurality of times at a reduced refresh rate, wherein the reduced refresh rate is lower than the base refresh rate, wherein the display controller circuitry is further configured to resend, in response to the determination to enter the self-refresh mode, the frame to the source driver a plurality of times at the base refresh rate a pre-determined number of times prior to resending the frame the plurality of times at the reduced refresh rate. a display, the display comprising a display controller; a source device; a storage device, wherein the storage device comprises a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, when executed, causes the apparatus to determine an active application executing on the processor, wherein the active application is an application of the apparatus that is currently being used; display controller circuitry configured to: establish, by the display controller, a link with the source device; receive an indication of a base refresh rate from the source device, wherein the base refresh rate is a refresh rate at which the source device will send frames to the display when the link to the display is active; receive a frame from the source device; send, based on the base refresh rate, the frame to a source driver to display the frame; determine whether to enter a self-refresh mode in which the display will continue displaying the same frame; resend, in response to a determination to enter the self-refresh mode, the frame to the source driver a plurality of times at a reduced refresh rate, wherein the reduced refresh rate is lower than the base refresh rate, wherein the display controller circuitry is further configured to resend, in response to the determination to enter the self-refresh mode, the frame to the source driver a plurality of times at the base refresh rate a pre-determined number of times prior to resending the frame the plurality of times at the reduced refresh rate. establish, by the display controller, a link with the source device; receive an indication of a base refresh rate from the source device, wherein the base refresh rate is a refresh rate at which the source device will send frames to the display when the link to the display is active; receive a frame from the source device; send, based on the base refresh rate, the frame to a source driver to display the frame; determine whether to enter a self-refresh mode in which the display will continue displaying the same frame; resend, in response to a determination to enter the self-refresh mode, the frame to the source driver a plurality of times at a reduced refresh rate, wherein the reduced refresh rate is lower than the base refresh rate, wherein the display controller circuitry is further configured to resend, in response to the determination to enter the self-refresh mode, the frame to the source driver a plurality of times at the base refresh rate a pre-determined number of times prior to resending the frame the plurality of times at the reduced refresh rate.