Macbook Air M1: No 4K@60Hz possible on my 32" 4K BenQ EW3280U

I think a lot of people are struggling because they are using USB 3.0 (aka 3.1 Gen1, aka 3.2 Gen1x1) that is the most common hub under $50 when in reality there is simply not enough bandwidth to push a 4K display at 60Hz using the 5Gbps of the USB3.0 / 3.1...

for 60HZ you need either:

a dedicated cable (preferably Display Port instead of HDMI)

or a USB 3.1 Gen2 or Higher, Ideally Thunderbolt3 Hub which has a DisplayPort1.4 connection.

For most this should solve the problem, however, some displays might have different problems or like my display (Samsung U28E590D) has only the HDMI1 capable of 4K while HDMI2 is limited to 1080p only.

The USB naming is confusing, so I attach a screenshot:

You need at least 10Gbps to run a 4K at 60FPS screen

p.s. Thunderbolt3 is 40Gbps

Yep I have the same problem. Does anybody know if the M1 MacBook Pro also can't display 4k properly? I can't understand that I can view my 55" TV at 4k 3840x2160@60Hz on windows 10 and not apple. Very disappointed :-(

Found a way to fix this for the time being. Connected the monitor via HDMI, click displays - instead of the scaled option click Default for display. This then refreshed the screen into 60hz, then go back into scaled and select which one suits best.

Really weird glitch but this works for the time being (if it resets just do this again) until they patch it.

I had this issue today after getting an M1 Mac Mini. Highest res was 1080p. Apple support offered this.

display preferences. Click scaled. Hold option and while holding, click scaled again. Suddenly 3840x2160 and 4096x2160 appeared.

My Macbook Air M1 can drive my 55 OLED Alienware AW5520QF display at 4k@60Hz, but NOT at 4k@120Hz. (USB-C to Displayport cable capabile of 8k@60Hz)

Using the same cable and monitor with my Windows PC can drive it at 4k@120Hz.

In the description of the Macbook Air M1 says: "macOS is the most advanced desktop operating system in the world". :(

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP825?locale=en_US

Dell S2721Q

Cable Matters USB-C Multiport Adapter with 8K DisplayPort, 2x USB 2.0, Fast Ethernet, and Power Delivery (201046-BLK)

MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020)

I've got the "screen going black every few seconds" version of this issue, where the 60Hz options are available but have that problem. Here's the halfway workaround I've found:

I noticed that different resolution settings go black at different frequencies. On most resolutions, it goes black every ~12 seconds, but on these settings, it happens every ~4 seconds:

• "3008 × 1692 (low resolution)"
• "2304 × 1296"
• "2304 × 1296 (low resolution)"
• "1920 × 1080"
• "1504 × 846"

These values will occasionally work correctly, not showing the black screen issue, and if I switch back-and-forth between a setting on this list and one not on this list, e.g. between "2304 × 1296" and "2560 × 1600", I generally end up with it working after around 2–5 tries. Since these settings go black more quickly, you only have to wait a couple seconds to see if it's working.

I have a Dell S2721QS, which is an amazing monitor for it's price. And I found a workaround to this problem. And now the Displayport to USBC cable (a cheap one from Amazon) works.

And solved it. Of course it's a workaround, but it is fast enough to do it all the time or once you hook up the monitor.

If Default for display doesn't work.

This is what worked for me:

1. Connect the cable and the USBC, then go to Display settings, click Scaled and use the first option (1920x1080). When the display still turns off, and on take out the cable and put it back in.
2. When you put it back and doesn't turn black anymore, it's solved. Then choose the option: Default for display. But when it still turns black turn the USB cable around. (This sounds silly, but this works for me).
3. Then it at least works until you turn the monitor off. Sometimes it works on and on, and when it starts blinking again, just put the setting back to "default for display" and remove the cable, turn it around and put it back.

I think it works while the display is now not running 60Hz, but lower. But I realise that the quality of the display is way better than with an HDMI cable. So this certainly brings out the best of the display.

Then again, I hope apple finally solves this issue, while real honest products are for the users, not for the buyers.

Thank you.

I have a MacBook Air M1 and Mac Mini M1 and both can connect to my LG 38WN95C-W ultra wide 3840 x 1600 at 144Hz via display port and USB-C. USB-C however, with MacOS 11.1, is crashing and restarts the Mac each time I wake it up while connecting to the display. On Display Port (USB-C to DisplayPort cable) it works great at 144Hz.

I have a 4K display (Dell S3221QS).

Currently the following combination works well for me.

Output @4K 60hz.

Macbook Pro (16GB memory, 1TB)

- USB C Extension Cable (USB-C 3.1 Gen2 10Gbps)

- HyperDrive USB C Docking Station

- Displayport Cable

- Dell S3221QS

The MBP is powered by the HyperDrive.

Occasionally (a few times a day), the screen will turn black looking for the DP signal, but this is acceptable for practical use.

I hope this helps.

hi there,

Are you using DP to DP cable connecting MBP to the HyperDrive dock or DP to USB-C cable connecting directly from Dell S3221QS to MBP? I connect DEll to my MBA with HDMI through the HyperDrive. And does Dell connect to MBP when MBP wakes up from sleep? That is the main problem I experience, Dell either isn't detected, or when it is weird things happen. Images are attached. Apple Support has all these images but no resolution to the issue.

Surprise Surprise.... Well not so much but...

Since my upgrade yesterday to Beta 11.3 (20E5186D) I still can't get 60Hz on my BenQ EW3270U working when the laptop monitor is opened :

but, when the laptop monitor is closed :

still useless for me since I use the laptop keyboard.. grrrr.

I have a similar issue. MacBook Air M1 chip (8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 16GB memory, 512GB). My monitor is Dell S3221QS, 4K, 32" curved monitor.

Connection through Display Port (QGeem USB C to Displayport Cable 6ft 4K@60Hz): it displays at 60Hz but monitor goes black every 10 seconds, so it's not useable at all. It displays fine at 50Hz. Apple support couldn't find a solution thus far. They asked me to see if Dell has a firmware update. They don't. At 50Hz, mouse movement is shaky, erratic. I am using Logitech MX Ergo over Bluetooth.

Additionally, when MBA is not connected to power, when I close the lid, no DP signal detected and monitor is black. When I connect to power, the issue goes away.

Connection through HDMI (over Anker Hub PowerExpand 8-in-1 USB-C PD 10Gbps Data Hub, Model A 8383). I get 60Hz refresh rate. But the monitor goes black every now and then for a few seconds. What's worse is when I unplug to use MBA by itself, then come back to replug, the monitor is not detected at all, at random. Sometimes it works.

And HDMI connection only works when I plug in Anker directly to MBA. If I use an USB-C male/female extension cable (1.8ft), the monitor is not detected at all.

I will call Apple again. In the meantime, any suggestions welcome.

M1 Macbook Air base model. 7 core GPU.

Big Sur 11.1

Dell s3221qs 4k monitor

Cable is USB-C to DisplayPort - unknown spec, but it works with a Windows laptop on this monitor, and a 2018 Macbook on a 1440p monitor if that means anything.

4k@60hz I got intermittent black screens and it's unusable.

4k@50hz works, but I lose HDR

Updating from Big Sur 11.0.1 to 11.1 fixed some 4k HDR stuttering on Youtube, but I still get a black screen every few seconds.

I have mac mini M1 and i have the same problem with a benq EW3270U 4k 60hrz. when I connect the hdmi cable the screen goes black ... I have tested the cable on another computer and it works fine, I think it is a problem with the M1 chips. I have ordered a thunderbolt cable, to see if it works ... :(

I have the same problem. Macbook Pro M1, Benq EW3280. Tried to connect the laptop to the monitor via USB C cable (the one that came with the monitor), and laptop was being charged, and got image on the monitor, but at 4K resolution I had only 30hz, no option to switch to 60hz. When I switched to 1440p low res mode, I can switch to 30hz, but I didn't buy this monitor to use it at sub-4k. Connecting the laptop and the monitor via USB C-HDMI, I can use the monitor at 4k@60hz, but it's not ideal, because I have to use both USB if I want to charge the laptop while connected to the monitor. I really hope that this is a software issue and it will be fixed.