A system is provided that includes a computing device operable to render video content for display on a display device and to periodically refresh that display device. The video content includes at least one application window. A desktop compositor is operable to wake and execute commands to compose video frames that are composited surfaces that include the at least one application window and to initiate a buffer flip to deliver the video frames to the display device. A high resolution timer is operable to cause the desktop compositor to wake and execute the commands in multiple instances between display refreshes.