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

cspan444

Level 1

12 points

Oct 7, 2019 5:03 PM in response to MrWolfX

I had to leave the office while the mini was still installing. Will report back on Wednesday PM. Mine is running through a blackmagic egpu pro so hopefully that will help it look good if the option is there in the OS.

cspan444

Level 1

12 points

Oct 24, 2019 11:05 AM in response to AxelBigDog

I am running the 49 inch Phillips display. After Catalina it did seem to work properly initially, but on a display sleep or reboot of the mac mini there must be some issue with the display signal staying active from the mini, through the thunderbolt connection to the eGPU, then through the displayport to the Phillips... so I could not use the mini to Phillips hookup reliably, so I am back to the Windows running on the Phillips 49 and the Mac Mini/eGPU connected HDMI to the Vizio 75 inch TV.

Oct 31, 2019 5:40 AM in response to Mark from 2Much

I have 13" Macbook Pro Early 2015 model. In PBP mode, the section connected to MiniDisplayPort1 or HDMI (left side of picture shown below) is always showing shrunk in size i.e. not full size.

Section connected to MiniDisplayPort2 (right side of picture shown below) is showing proper size. I have tried connecting MiniDisplayPort 1 to HDMI and DP on monitor but no luck.

I tried connecting MiniDisplayPort1 and HDMI port to another Samsung 27" 1440 monitor and it works fine. Looks like issue is with Dell monitor only.

Anyone faced this problem?

Nov 1, 2019 11:02 AM in response to wolf879

Agreed. To follow-on, the 3840x1080 resolution (non-native) actually looks pretty good but once you see it native you won't want it. Many people are probably thinking that resolution is native when it's not.

Nov 4, 2019 10:56 AM in response to AxelBigDog

Hi again,

I'm terribly sorry but you are right. Normally I operate in "dual" mode as I explained earlier. When I upgraded to Catalina, I tried it in single mode @ 1440 vertical resolution and saw that it worked. Today though it seems not to work.

It is possible that I chose the scaled version (by pressing the control key) but I really don't think I did that because running in scaled looks awful and I would have seen it right away I think.

Anyway regardless, you're right. It still does not work properly. Sorry to have wasted your time.

In reviewing my notes on the issue it seems to be an OS or graphics driver problem as it clearly isn't a Mac Hardware problem.

Nov 22, 2019 6:12 AM in response to Mark from 2Much

It is interesting you have seen a change after updating to Catalina. I have done the same on a mac mini 2018, but it still only gives me max 3820x1080. The option for a resolution of 5120x1440 is simply not in the list. And I have taken all the steps you described.

Is there anyone else that has gotten it to work with Catalina on 5120x1440?

BennetS

Level 1

4 points

Nov 26, 2019 4:42 AM in response to AxelBigDog

Are you 100% sure the Macbook Pro 15" is working with the resolution 5120x1440 out of the box as single display? I'm thinking about to order the display and fear that I run into the same troubles. I will own the new Macbook Pro 16" (which I orderd last week) I guess when the 15" works, the 16" should work as well.

yvon_k

Level 1

4 points

Jan 22, 2019 8:38 AM in response to Mark from 2Much

Thanks Mark for your answer

Perhaps it will be fixed with the next revision of Mojave (10.14.3)....

Wait and see

gtsbr

Level 1

4 points

Jan 22, 2019 9:56 AM in response to yvon_k

Does the Macbook Pro 2018 have the intel integrated ship? Or is it different? Someone else had it attached to the Dell monitor and worked fine in full resolution.

gtsbr

Level 1

4 points

Jan 23, 2019 2:10 AM in response to gtsbr

What I meant to ask was about the 15” MBP 2018. Does it have the intel integrated ship?

Jan 23, 2019 5:59 AM in response to gtsbr

If you're asking me about this, I have no idea. My experience with this issue is on a Mac Mini 2018, not the Macbook Pro.

Mar 3, 2019 3:49 AM in response to Mark from 2Much

I think, its more of OS issue. I am purchasing Dell U4919DW soon, hope it works in my Macbook Pro 15" with touch bar

gtsbr

Level 1

4 points

Mar 3, 2019 7:44 AM in response to eswarpisces

The MPB 15 2018 works fine with the Philips 499p9h. Full resolution and it is stunning. Does anybody knows a cover for this screen (or the dell)? I would like to protect it when not in use.

McMike87

Level 1

4 points

Mar 7, 2019 12:22 PM in response to eswarpisces

Can confirm that it does indeed work with it.

AMMMAC

Level 1

12 points

Mar 15, 2019 4:24 AM in response to Malcolm J. Rayfield

Thank you very much Malcom. I will give it a go. Cheers

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Using a Mac Mini on Dell U4919DW Ultrawide Monitor.