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Can the Precision 7530 support 4 external monitors?
We've got a Mobile Precision 7530 with the Radeon Pro 4150 graphics card and we want it to power 4 external displays. Will this be possible? What kind of dock would we need? Also, how many external monitors could the laptop power without a dock?
Thanks in advance!!
bmcowboy
573 Posts
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February 22nd, 2019 19:00
Hi @jemarin519 ,
Maximum 2 external monitors as digital (DP+HDMI or dual DP). If a 3rd monitor needed, you need a E-Port Plus Port Replicator to connect it as analog (D-Sub). 4th monitors not supported.
You may refer to this thread with similar discussion.
And the user manual shows resolution and frequency of varies combinations.
doc_relax
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June 26th, 2019 06:00
Hi everybody,
the 7530 does not support E-Docks, as it has thunderbold technology for modern docks such as the WD15.
And that brings me to my question: we´re considering 7530s with WD15 docks. How many displays can this setting handle simultaneously? I think 3 or 4 (digitally connected both to the dock and the laptop)...?
dalebrb
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June 15th, 2020 09:00
Hi!
I have a Dell Precision 7540.
I have 5 total monitors going (4 external and the Laptop's, all independent "extended displays"):
How:
Targus USB 3 Port Replicator with DisplayLink plugged directly into one of the Laptop's USB 3 ports
- One HDMI plugged into this
CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3 plus plugged into one of the laptop's Thunderbolt/USB-C ports.
- One 34" monitor plugged into a Thunderbolt/USB-C (using "alternate display mode")
- One monitor plugged into a DisplayPort
Laptop
- One 34" monitor plugged into the laptop's HDMI port
- Laptop 15" screen
It works perfectly. I suspect I could add another monitor to the Targus via the available DVI port, which I used to use when I didn't have the CalDigit (or the new Dell laptop).
Segunakino
2 Posts
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November 15th, 2020 22:00
I've got 2 34" external monitors, one 12 inch drawing pad (on a USB c Hub), and an Oculus Rift DK2 on another USB C hub) all running off my Precision 7530, in addition to the main monitor, with the P1000 Quadro..
jphughan
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November 16th, 2020 07:00
Nobody here has yet mentioned the BIOS option called "Special graphics mode", which makes a difference here. By default, the Intel GPU has direct control of all outputs, and it only supports 3 total displays, which would count the built-in display if it's active. But if you enable special graphics mode, then the discrete GPU gets control of the display outputs (but not the built-in display), and the dGPU supports 4 displays all on its own -- so 5 total displays would be possible as long as you had the hardware to connect them all and your displays didn't exceed bandwidth limitations of interfaces. Dell's own WD19DC dock can be used to drive 4 external displays all on its own if the displays don't exceed Thunderbolt bandwidth, and unlike most docks, it can supply enough power to run the 7530 properly since it plugs into two USB-C ports. If you disable switchable graphics entirely, then the discrete GPU controls even the built-in display, in which case it would count toward the 4 displays.
The case described by @dalebrb is a bit different since he's using a solution that uses "indirect display" technology called DisplayLink -- not to be confused with DisplayPort. Displays that are driven by DisplayLink solutions don't count toward any GPU's max display limit, but DisplayLink also comes with some drawbacks that can be significant in certain use cases. I wrote about those in the post marked as the answer in this thread.
I know this thread originally started quite a while ago, but I figured this might help anyone who might pick up a 7530 down the road, possibly as a used system.
jphughan
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November 16th, 2020 07:00
@doc_relax I know your post is from quite a while ago, but just in case it becomes useful to anyone else, the WD15 is a USB-C dock, not a Thunderbolt dock. And the WD15 wouldn't be a great choice with a 7530 because that dock won't supply enough power to run a 7530 properly. You can of course connect the system's own power adapter separately in addition to the WD15, but that's more hassle, or you can put up with the power shortfall from the WD15, but that will mean reduced performance. The WD19DC is specifically designed to provide enough power to run Precision 7x30 models and newer since it plugs into two USB-C ports, which means it can supply up to 210W of power -- as compared to 90W or 130W for the WD15, depending on whether you order it with a 130W or 180W power supply.
In terms of how many displays it can support, the User Guides for all Dell USB-C/TB3 docks include a Display Resolution Table that shows how many displays at which resolutions are supported. With the Precision 7000 Series systems, you'll see notes that some modes are only possible when "Special graphics mode" is enabled in the BIOS. But the WD19DC when paired with a Precision 7530 that has "Special graphics mode" enabled can run 4 displays all through the dock if their resolutions and refresh rates fall within the bandwidth limitations of the dock.
morpheustj
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August 21st, 2021 16:00
@dalebrb is correct. I have a 7730 that has connected (3) 24" & (1) 29" & also can use the laptop display for a total of 5 screens.. I was able to run only 3 external & the laptop screen until I went into the bios & changed the video settings as @jphughan was saying.. I'm not using any dock.. they are all plugged in individually.. 2 usb-c, hdmi & mini dp.. Great machines even better if you can find 1 reasonably priced..
Nerder
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September 15th, 2021 08:00
Just found this discussion which is really interesting. I have a Dell 7530 and currently have two 4k external monitors connected to it directly. If I follow the guidance about "special graphics mode" in the bios, do you know if I'd be able to directly connect a third 4k monitor and therefore be driving three 4k monitors directly from the laptop?
DELL-Cares
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September 15th, 2021 09:00
Hi,
We have reached out to you via private message. Please check and write back for assistance.
buckygeo
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November 20th, 2022 05:00
Hi @jphughan
I have a flaky connection on my mini-DSP out, so I bought a WD19dcs dock for my Precision 7530 with Nvidia P3200 GPU. I suffered numerous BSOD's, eventually traced to incompatibility of that dock, as agreed by Dell tech support. The correct dock for a 7530 is the TB18DC. If I purchase that dock, will it drive my 2 x Dell U2415 monitors with ONE or TWO cables? The WD19DCS does sort of support daisy-chain MST, however the laptop screen is always #2 or #3, cannot be set to the primary monitor.
I'd prefer to avoid a dock, doesn't add anything for me, would prefer to upgrade to 2x UHD monitors, so the question is; Can I drive two external UHD monitors directly from the laptop's Thunderbolt 3 type C ports?
Or can I use one Thunderbolt 3 type C port to drive MST? i.e. drive one monitor from a single output, and daisy-chain to the second monitor?
I read of the mini-DSP 1.2 standard w.r.t. MST, and wonder if I need be concerned about that?
There are so many possible combinations, your advice is sought and appreciated.
jphughan
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November 20th, 2022 06:00
@buckygeo There are multiple aspects of your post that give me pause.
First, I don’t know who at Dell Support told you that the Precision 7530 was incompatible with the WD19DCS. I’m guessing that somebody looked at some compatibility lists and saw the 7530 listed on the TB18DC page and not the WD19DCS page and concluded that the TB18DC was the only viable option, when the reality is that that would have been the result of the timing of those two products arriving to the market. The TB18DC is a dual connector version of the TB16, which had FAR more than its share of reliability and compatibility complaints. Some of that got fixed over years of firmware and driver updates for the dock and systems that it was being used with, but the replacement WD19 dock family overall has been far more reliable. I think you may have just had a problematic unit. I definitely would not have gone back from a WD19DCS to a TB18DC. Another thing you give up there is that the TB18DC only works specifically with Dell laptops that both support Thunderbolt and require dual connections. The WD19DCS switched to a connector that can be separated in order to facilitate connections to single-connector systems AND it works with host devices that only support regular USB-C, which isn’t true of the TB18DC. But I guess if the TB18DC works and you don’t need to use that dock with any other host device, then no point worrying about any of that now.
Second, the TB18DC uses a dual connector setup to supply the required power, which will be needed with your Precision 7530. The WD19DCS uses two cables for that purpose AND for additional video bandwidth because it only uses USB-C (so it is a “dual USB-C dock” in dual connector mode), whereas the TB18DC only uses Thunderbolt. But that wouldn’t make a difference anyway, because your dual U2415 are only 1920x1200 displays, which is a setup could be driven even from the bandwidth available on a single connector USB-C dock — though that type of dock wouldn’t supply the required power for your system.
Third, there’s no reason you wouldn’t be able to set your built-in display to be primary when external displays are attached through the dock, or any other means for that matter. I’m not sure what issue you’re running into there. Go into Windows Display Settings, make sure the layout is fully in Extend mode, i.e. no displays are mirrors of each other, then click Identify to see which number is assigned to your built-in display. Click that one in the diagram and find the checkbox that says “Make this my main display”.
And finally, in terms of running dual UHD/4K displays, that system wouldn’t be able to run them as a DisplayPort daisy chain. That would require both a system and displays that supported DisplayPort DSC, which yours wouldn’t. But there are a handful of 4K displays that support Thunderbolt daisy chaining, such as some LG displays. That would work, but would limit your display options. Alternatively, there are Thunderbolt 3 to Dual DisplayPort adapters, which would work for dual UHD. (Note: Do not confuse these with Dual DisplayPort USB-C MST hubs. They look very similar and will likely cost less, but they essentially let you use DisplayPort daisy chaining technology with displays that don’t have the ports to do it natively. The problem is that on your system, they’d only be tapping into half the video bandwidth that a TB3 to Dual DP adapter would, and you need that extra bandwidth for dual 4K 60 Hz.)
Hopefully this helps!
buckygeo
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November 22nd, 2022 05:00
Thanks for your detailed reply
1) Yes, current and legacy compatibility lists were searched. Some techs hadn't ever heard of MST daisy-chain...
2) Ok, not a problem if I stick with U2415, however I'm now looking at 4k monitors
3) I tried all options and failed, on Win10 64 H2. The problem is either with the dock hardware or firmware.
4) Thanks, that's an AWESOME TIP. The OWC Thunderbolt 3 to dual 4k appeals, has shifted me towards buying two larger 4k monitors. PPI and viewing distance is important. It would be nice to run two x 4k and keep a U2415 "chained in" however mobile and Workstation GPU's run out of bandwidth.
Very helpful, thanks again