A method can include determining that a first frame for display on an emissive display meets a low encoded intensity condition; based on the determination that the first frame meets the low encoded intensity condition, disabling refresh rate transitions when displaying multiple frames on the emissive display; while the refresh rate transitions are disabled, maintaining a refresh rate while changing a graphic intensity; determining that a second frame does not meet the low encoded intensity condition; based on the determination that the second frame does not meet the low encoded intensity condition, enabling refresh rate transitions when displaying multiple frames on the emissive display; and while the refresh rate transitions are enabled, changing the refresh rate for the emissive display based on the graphic intensity changing.