Using a Mac Mini on Dell U4919DW Ultrawide Monitor.

(A part of this was posted in another forum but it is more relevant here).

I just purchased a Mac Mini 2018 and Dell U4919DW Ultrawide Monitor. I should be able to get 5120x1440 Resolution out of this setup, but at best I can get 3840x1080.

I am connected via the Dell-included USB-C cable. I tried with the included HDMI cable but it too did not work.

Connecting the monitor to my PC via Display Port Cables DID work - I was able to get full 5120x1440 resolution at full 60hz. Just not on my new Mac Mini.

I called Dell, and their technical support was a complete joke. The lady on the phone basically said "If it works on a PC, it works", without much else to offer.

I called Apple and the tech, David, tried alot harder, easily spending about 20 minutes with me trying to find the problem. (Apple tech support is why they always win my business). He was not able to solve the problem but has created a case # and escalated this to Apple Engineers. By Apple and Dell's own documentation, I should be able to get 1440 lines of resolution in my setup.

Has anyone here experienced anything similar? Any suggestions are appreciated.

Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Jan 11, 2019 10:56 AM

Top-ranking reply

Waldorfer

Level 1

4 points

Posted on May 24, 2019 4:28 AM

Got it working with the USBC-C cable that came with the monitor and the Moshi USB-C to DisplayPort cable I purchased today. I use the sound from the Mac mini (as it stands beneath my Philips monitor). I had to use SwitchResX to enforce these resolutions. Without it I can't pick the 1560x1440 for both 'screens'. Anyway, happy for now but I hope Apple would release a fix soon.

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112 replies

MrWolfX

Level 1

4 points

Oct 8, 2019 5:25 PM in response to wolf879

Using a 2018 Mac Mini with a CRG9, I see 5120x1440 but it is a scaled resolution..

Nov 1, 2019 10:40 AM in response to Mark from 2Much

No Mac minis made to date can support the native resolution of the Dell U4919DW (5280x1440). You will need an external GPU. MacBook Pro 15 works fine, 13 does not.

etcook

Level 1

9 points

Mar 10, 2019 11:33 PM in response to Mark from 2Much

By chance, did you ever get a response from Apple re: support? I'm looking at purchasing one specifically for a Mac Mini 2018, like you, and would love to be able to use it properly at full resolution.

AMMMAC

Level 1

12 points

Mar 11, 2019 2:33 PM in response to Mark from 2Much

Hi Mark, I have the same setup, just purchased a Mac mini 2018 and Dell u4919dw. Can you please help me understand how you connected it to the Mac mini and achieved the high res 5120 x 1440? I currently have the Mac connected to the monitor via Thunderbolt. Did you use two connections? Which settings did you adjust on the Mac mini and the monitor?

Much appreciated.

Cheers

Mar 11, 2019 8:09 PM in response to AMMMAC

Hi AmMac, yes it would be my pleasure.

First, use 2 cables: Connect the included USB C cable AND the HDMI cable from your Mac Mini 2018 to the Dell u4919dw, and power it up.

Next, enable PBP modern the Dell Monitor by using the Monitor's menu navigation switches on the bottom of the monitor (just right of the center)

Finally, Click on System Preferences / Displays. Your Mac should now see 2 monitors. Set the resolution of both to "Default for Display", not scaled.

If the monitor is backwards, meaning the right side is on the left, click on "Arrangement" and drag one monitor to the right side of the other.

Then exit this window and you're done! You are now in nice 1440 vertical pixels and 5000+ horizontal pixels.

The last thing you may want to do is adjust the color but don't worry this is easy. Go back to System Preferences / Displays again, click on Color for both monitors, and make sure they are both set for Dell U4919DW. This way both "monitors" will exactly match the other in color temperature.