Embodiments provide techniques for updating pixels of an electrophoretic display through computational modeling of a current state of each pixel. A model buffer may store data for a modeled current state of each pixel in a display, providing a prediction of a current color state for each pixel based on voltages previously applied to the pixel. Upon receiving a frame to be displayed, including a target state for each pixel, embodiments determine which of a set of voltages (e.g., positive, negative, or neural/zero voltages) optimally alters the state of the pixel to be as close as possible to the target state. These voltage(s) may be applied to each pixel in an iterative manner, with each voltage determined based on the current modeled state of the pixel.