XPS 9560 - Screen flicker

I use Microsoft Edge (main browser) and Internet Explorer (secondary browser) and I still experience screen flicker. So it doesn't matter which browser you use. However, I do not experience any browser stutter lag at all, so it the stuttering could be related to the browser being used.

I have an i5 9560 with 8 GB RAM and 256GB SSD, so the screen flickering does not depend whether or not the 9560 has "maxxed out specs". The only common thing tying the screen flicker together btwn all of us is the 4k display.

I use my computer about 6-8 hours a day with microsoft edge, word, powerpoint, onenote, and a few other miscellaneous apps open. It is my 6th day using the method I mentioned a couple of days ago. Still no flicker. For me, the flickering only comes on when an app is maximized or is in split view.

Hi Sin_naoi,

I did not believe that after replacing the motherboard this problem was almost solved.

I had also another problem that the NVIDIA drivers could not be installed (BSOD).

After replacing the motherboard (incl. processor and nvidia processor) I had almost no flickering. I could even install the NVIDIA drivers with no problems.

I had before new motherboard every hour 1 or 2 flickering. After replacing I only have it once a day. (8 hours)  even less

Regards

Antonio Cardile

On April 20 Dell release a new driver update for the intel 630 graphic card, check it, so far my flickering issues were fixed.

21.20.16.4574 ,A02

@Tony Carrillo

21.20.16.4574 ,A02 does not fix the flickering.

en one flicker a day is one flicker too much imo. There should be no flickers at all, especially for a laptop of this calibre. I would suggest for people to stop claiming there are no more flickers after only spending a few hrs with a new driver. I have noticed from my experience that flickers will be more frequent the longer the system is running. I rarely experience flickers during first 2-3 hrs of active use upon startup. It could be that the driver corrupted, causing the flickers. By suggesting that there are no more flickers, and then coming back here a week or 2 later saying there's still some flickering weakens the purpose of trying to solve the problem.

So far we know that external display and the likes bypasses the flicker. In addition, anything that triggers the nvidia gpu will also have no flicker. And from my experience, a moving element such as a video/gif/moving ad will also suppress flickers. I only flicker when I'm browsing text heavy sites, such as forums, and especially after pausing for a while (5+ seconds).

@Wingpin

Couldn't agree with you more. Anyone who hasn't used the computer for 20 hours + with the eyes fixed on the display (not listening to spotify) should really not bother post his solution. The flicker is so irregular that simply switching it on for a couple of hours is not enough.

@antonio_cardile

Then your flickering is also still there. That tells me that the solution that the dell service suggested me (motherboard exchange) yesterday will change nothing. It seems that after 2 months dell has still absolutely no idea what to do about it, or the idea that they have would cost so much that they are trying to bury the problem...

Despite that I am going to let them change the motherboard and if necessary every other component of this pc until this stops or the notebook gets returned (apparently customers from Switzerland don't have the right to return the product if it is DOA)

@Sin_naoi - Unfortunately it is much older than a two month issue. It has been an issue since the XPS 9550 was released in October 2015. It is simply that this issue has carried over to the XPS 9560 when that was released early this year. Sadly it is an 18 month old issue which Dell never fixed (well, the fixed it for the FHD panel in August 2016 but not the 4k model).

There's a 33 page thread on Notebookreview.com which chronicles the issue for the 4k following the FHD fix (it was a BIOS fix) in August 2016. Customers in that thread had hoped Dell would issue a separate BIOS update to fix the 4k issue but it seems Dell never did this. Here's the link: forum.notebookreview.com/.../

So essentially Dell have been well aware of this issue for a very long time and have never fixed it. Hence my fear that they will never resolve this issue.

I tried the latest driver, and I also confirm it does not fix the issue. No change at all. XPS laptops are still not usable with Windows 10 Pro, more specifically Hyper-V and thus Docker.

I have the 16 / 512 GB version as well. Bought it 4 days ago. I have only seen the flicker like 10 times.

I also had an issue with the computer freezing/lagging/getting hung when i was using chrome and microsoft excel, alt+tab switching between windows.

I went to advanced settings on chrome and unchecked hardware acceleration and the freezing stopped. Haven't seen it today. The OP said he had tried a chrome driver update and that fixed it.

@dmitry_sikorsky

Did your flicker issue get worse or it was always bad from the beginning?

I am thinking of returning it, because I am afraid it will get very bad like some of the videos I have seen where you can't really use the computer. If hardware deterioration issue I am going to return it.

Thanks for any replies!

I was having a lot of freezing/lagging with chrome and excel.

I went to chrome advanced settings and unchecked hardware acceleration. It is mentioned in this thread on page like 2 or 3 someplace, the OP cc84 also mentions it on page 9.

Hope that helps you.

I have the 4k, 9560 16BG/512 SS, I got it 4 days ago, and have only seen like 10 flickers not bad.

The freeze/lag was driving me crazy though.

Has your flicker gotten worse? I am worried it is hardware deterioration and eventually screen goes unusable, thinking I will get a refund probably play it safe.

I'm having the same issue since i bought my 9560 3 month ago.

I have two 4K monitors connected to 9560 via TB-16 (latest firmware).

Initially i thoughts it was the dock TB-16 problem since the issue never happens when no external monitor connected.

I tried switch the external monitors refresh rate to 59p Hz rather than 60p Hz, but still flicking.

But now i'm so confused

@Wingpin @Sin_naoi

Now I understand my mistake with reavealing my hopes too soon. Never do that again :)

Yesterday I tried to ask Frank Azor from XPS on Twitter about the problem, here is his answer:

@kezlog  

Is there a chance that Dell will fix a flickering issue in 9560UHD? It's so embarrassing in such a pricey laptop.http://dell.to/2oHEBNd  #xps

 @AzorFrank

Yes we're all over it, fix coming soon. Intel driver problems

@kezlog Glad to hear that!

I also just wanted to confirm that after installing April 20th drivers and uninstalling all Dell software (Premiere Color, Command, etc) I still experience severe flickering with bar codes.