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Recommend me a monitor with no scaling issues

OP
L

logger

Member
I've ran all of an AOC Q2963PM (2560x1080), LG 34UM94-P (3440x1440), Dell U3415-W (3440x1440) and Asus PB287Q (3840x2160) with no scaling problems whatsoever and forget which Windows 10 FBL that the undocking, docking problem went away...

Given your statements about age and eyes I'd tell you to go with the Dell U3415-W if you have the desk space. IPS panel, curved, not too pricey for the size, lots of real estate.

Well I took your advice as bought the Dell U3415-W. $1350 here in Australia! Now I have gone and set it up and am still seeing the scaling problems. Fark... I wonder if it is a Dell thing as the LG I tested was fine.

With the SP3 at U3415W both at their max resolution the SP scales to 150% and the Dell to 100% which is what you would want. However text and apps are blurry on the U3415W. If I set both to !00% everything is sharp but the SP3 has everything too small.

No way I want to drop the SP3 resolution as I has to do in the past with HD monitors. Temporarily I have set the U3415W to 150 to match SP3. This at least keeps thing sharp. But defeats the purpose of having all those pixels.

What am I doing wrong because this is not good ATM.
 

hughlle

Super Moderator
Staff member
I have that Dell monitor running with my sp4. I have never touched any scaling settings, I imagine it is 150 and 100, and only after a very recent update did text become a little blurry on websites, prior to that though it was absolutely fine.
 
OP
L

logger

Member
That's weird. Do you use a dock or simply plug the second monitor into the Display port on your SP4?

Been fiddling trying to get it to work. Logging in/out of windows 10 so many times I even discovered a new shortcut combo. Windows X U I.

Have found that whichever panel I set as "Make this my main display" remains sharp whilst the other becomes blurry. This is with the SP3 at 150% and the Dell U3415W at 100%. in certain apps lkie MS Office and Chrome.

Really frustrating, as this is the same issue I faced previously that led me down this upgrade path.
 

hughlle

Super Moderator
Staff member
I use the new surface dock. I've just opened a word document alongside a browser window and the word document is clear and crisp regardless of zoom, whereas Chrome is a pig (for instance in chrome an 'o' will have the pixel missing from the very bottom making it look a little like the Omega logo (exaggerating, but you get the idea I hope). Just looked and I'm on 200% for SP4 and 100% for the second monitor.

I also tried changing the default monitor, and chrome remained blurry on the dell display while everything fine on the surface display.

disclaimer: I'm on the fast track insider program.
 
OP
L

logger

Member
I use the new surface dock. I've just opened a word document alongside a browser window and the word document is clear and crisp regardless of zoom, ...

Does the Word doc remain crisp and clear if you drag it from one display to the other? ATM I only get crisp and clear on the designated main display for MS Office and chrome. I tried your 100% and 200% resolutions and just as bad.

Wonder if there is something graphics related on my Win10 system I can set back to a default without having reset windows and lose everything else.
 

hughlle

Super Moderator
Staff member
Yup, everything is lovely and crisp no matter the scaling or screen etc. Just Not Chrome. On the surface chrome is perfect, drag it onto the dell display and it looks naff (doesn't matter which display is primary). As I say, this is something that has only started occurring in the past week or so.
 
OP
L

logger

Member
I guess I need to find someone who has this monitor with the SP3. Your SP4 probably has been updated hardware wise to cope better with scaling being a year newer.
 

hughlle

Super Moderator
Staff member
I guess I need to find someone who has this monitor with the SP3. Your SP4 probably has been updated hardware wise to cope better with scaling being a year newer.

Just tried with the SP3. Even better results. No issues with anything, and even Chrome (which hasn't been updated in a bit) is perfectly clear and crisp. The device had never even been connected to this display, or the new dock before (so did not have dock firmware updates etc) and it worked "straight out of the box", no fiddling or changing of settings needed. Should also add that I never bother installing any monitor software/drivers such as those available for the dell monitor.
 
I guess I need to find someone who has this monitor with the SP3. Your SP4 probably has been updated hardware wise to cope better with scaling being a year newer.

I ran the SP3 and the SP4 both off the miniDP port of an SP3 port replicator no problems using a miniDP DP 1.2 cable. What resolution and scale are you running both the SP3 and the Dell U3415-W respectively? No problems, everything clean, crisp and clear, including Chrome. Are you running the Dell at full 3440x1440? With what cable?
 

hughlle

Super Moderator
Staff member
I ran the SP3 and the SP4 both off the miniDP port of an SP3 port replicator no problems using a miniDP DP 1.2 cable. What resolution and scale are you running both the SP3 and the Dell U3415-W respectively? No problems, everything clean, crisp and clear, including Chrome. Are you running the Dell at full 3440x1440? With what cable?

Max resolution on all displays, 200% scaling on surfaces and 100% on Dell monitor. Using the mdp cable that came with the monitor.
 
OP
L

logger

Member
I ran the SP3 and the SP4 both off the miniDP port of an SP3 port replicator no problems using a miniDP DP 1.2 cable. What resolution and scale are you running both the SP3 and the Dell U3415-W respectively? No problems, everything clean, crisp and clear, including Chrome. Are you running the Dell at full 3440x1440? With what cable?
I think your question was directed at me as I am having the problems ;-)

Dell at full 3440x1440 and SP3 at 2160 x 1440, connected with the Mini DP cable that came with the Monitor. 100% and 150% both (Recommended)

Same scaling problem I see when connecting it to either the Surface Dock or into the Mini DP on the side of SP3. Blurry MS office apps on one monitor and in Chrome. Also I do see the Dell U3415-W occasionally go blank momentarily when connected via the Surface Dock. When this happens it does not blank ling enough for the Dell to pop up its "going to sleep mode" message or whatever it is. Just blank for maybe 2 sec then back on.

It is promising to me that you guys are assuring me this hardware combination can work. Thanks for this. Gives me hope I haven't just wasted a heap of money.

So I am now thinking drivers. I have previously been running a custom SP3 resolution to mitigate scaling on twin Full Def screens. To do this I had installed Intel Display drivers . In device manage I see Display Adapter > Intel (R) HD Graphics Family ver 20.19.15.4331 although I did have the newer 4424 running yesterday with no difference.

What are Display driver versions are your systems showing in device manage please.
 
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