This post is more than 5 years old
24 Posts
6
4266651
Dell XPS 15 (9550) w/ Intel 530 / NVIDIA 960M - Intel Causing Screen Flickering
I have a Dell XPS 15 (9550) that I received last week from Dell with a random screen flickering issue.
It is based on evalue order code: <ADMIN NOTE: Order number removed per privacy policy>
It is the 6th Gen Core i7, 16GB RAM, 15.6" FHD 1080p display (not 4k), 512GB SSD, 84WHr Battery, Intel 530 Graphics AND NVIDIA 960M
I saw a post about the XPS 13 with the intel display flickering being fixed with the new driver... I am running driver version 20.19.15.4300 for the Intel 530 and my screen is still constantly flickering on my brand new XPS 9550.
Another Issue: I also noticed that in the Intel graphics properties config panel -> 3D -> Application Optimal Mode... this also causes issues with the start menu looking distorted and fuzzy, even making some of the white text look gray. I disabled this to resolve that issue, but the screen still constantly flickers.
One thing I have done recently to mitigate the flickering is go into the NVIDIA driver control panel and set the NVIDIA card as the preferred graphics card, which works for most applications. As soon as the Intel card kicks back in the screen flickers... I have tried various drivers versions for this model off the Dell website without success. I am running Windows 10 Pro... not sure if a newer driver is available and just not posted. For example the newest Laptop BIOS on the driver website ends in .3 while my pc came with .5 installed. So wasn't sure if the website was behind on graphics driver releases, although the Dell Update app hasn't downloaded any new driver either.
I am about to return this laptop, this is annoying... I know it is the intel driver because if I uninstall the Intel Driver completely and let it install the generic microsoft basic graphics driver, while the performance isn't good, the screen does NOT flicker.
Was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience and if you were able to resolve it OR if this is completely a driver issue that only Dell / Intel can resolve?
Thanks!
FrozenFusion
12 Posts
0
December 16th, 2015 06:00
@mkmckinley: I have not seen flickering like that at all. My flickering since day 1 has been a full screen blink type flicker where the mouse typically resets to the center of the screen.
Andshill7
17 Posts
0
December 16th, 2015 09:00
Mine does exactly that too. Cursor always returns to center of screen. Mine is so bad now (does all screen issues) that it is unusable. If this isn't resolved by Dell quickly I will be returning the thing. Simply had enough now.
beniew
3 Posts
0
December 18th, 2015 17:00
mkmckinley
2 Posts
0
December 18th, 2015 18:00
You don't own one so your opinion is irrelevant. It's actually a pretty great laptop. A few units are having these problems that are fixable with software (mine went away with driver and BIOS update).
Burtandernie
38 Posts
0
December 18th, 2015 18:00
A lot of people just watch reviews and forget that most of these reviewers get demo products that pass from reviewer to reviewer. They are looked over and over to make sure they run as close to perfect as possible. Best way to see what a computer is actually like is to do what you did. Check out customers reviews and complaints. It was a great spec'd computer that was horribly executed. Dell should be ashamed of itself. Also intell for not doing more to make sure their chipsets were ready. Also Microsoft should have done more to improve windows 10 and correct big issues before releasing it.
Burtandernie
38 Posts
0
December 18th, 2015 21:00
Comments like this are annoying. Your issues may have been fixed from the updates....Probably not but stating a few computers are having this issue and simply updating will fix them is stupid. It is irritating that you are this dumb. It is not just a few computers it is a considerable amount. Look on twitter, reddit, youtube, and all the other forums. It is not just the flickering issue. Its audio, usb, battery, cpu, gpu, freezing and many other things. These issues are not just from a single seller. Dell, Microsoft store, bestbuy, and many other places have sold horribly glitchy 9550's. If you read the comments you probably would not have posted your dumb response. Tell me why the four replacements i went through in a week after doing all updates had horrbile issues. So so irritated you posted such a dumb comment.
Andshill7
17 Posts
0
December 19th, 2015 02:00
I agree. I'm a little irritated by this comment. I have owned my XPS15 for a week and the experience of the device has been terrible. Constant screen flickers, crsashes (LKD_0x15E_FATAL_MINIPORT_ERROR_FAILED_D0_IMAGE_bcmpciedhd63.sys) and lots of red in reliability history.
For the record. All my drivers are up-to-date. I've performed a full recovery and still the same. The one thing I have identified is that Hyper-V seems to be at the center of the screen flickers for me. Disabling the feature did make it stable (flickers only).
I'd like to confirm if anyone else can check this and see what happens to the screen flicker?
But one thing is for certain. This problem is widespread and IS NOT fixed by upgrading the BIOS and Drivers.
Andshill7
17 Posts
0
December 20th, 2015 12:00
That was the first thing I did. Currently, even without Hyper-v installed now I get video hardware crashes and flickering, albeit not as bad as with it installed. I just think this is hardware failure. It crashes daily and is not fit for purpose right now. Shame is I now have to wait another 5 weeks for the replacement.
imtribble
3 Posts
0
December 20th, 2015 12:00
I had all kinds of problems until I installed the latest firmware along with the latest Intel Video driver and current network adapter drivers. I see a lot of complaints about flickering and locking up. You should take the time to update these items. Oh and FYI, the Dell software updater doesn't tell you that these things a newer.
McNeill.Daniel
24 Posts
0
December 21st, 2015 04:00
Just noticed Dell posted a new Intel Video Driver this morning... wonder if it will help anyone: downloads.dell.com/.../Video_Driver_PFWXP_WN32_20.19.15.4331_A04.EXE
Also there is a new driver for the Dell 1830 WiFi Card:
downloads.dell.com/.../Communications_Driver_6XDK6_WN32_1.555.0.0_A03.EXE
gbeaulieu
5 Posts
0
December 26th, 2015 21:00
The new drivers did not fix it for me. The problem is still showing. I still need to disable the intel drivers.
Andshill7
17 Posts
0
December 27th, 2015 08:00
I found the same. The laptop is now boxed back up and waiting for Dell to collect. I now have another 21 day wait for replacement. If this one is the same I will be ditching it and going for a mac... unfortunately.
RLBur
2 Posts
0
January 5th, 2016 12:00
FrozenFusion, thank you. I have a Dell 7559 with the Intel 530 and NVidia 960 and was having the exact same issues as everyone. I downloaded the Intel driver by following the procedure on the links you listed and now (it appears) my issues have been resolved. Intel posted the new driver a few weeks ago, and I cannot understand why Dell hasn't made it available!
McNeill.Daniel
24 Posts
0
January 5th, 2016 18:00
Dell released a new BIOS today, version 1.1.15 on the downloads section. As well as, a new graphics driver a couple weeks ago... These two combined have resolved all graphics issues - for me at least.
srshaw
19 Posts
0
January 5th, 2016 22:00
Thanks, is this still working for you with no issues? Which driver was it that you installed, the intel or the nvidia?