U2723QE, MacBook Pro, blank screen unresponsive power save

Question

I have a MacBook Pro 2020 (Intel) and have a problem with the monitor becoming unresponsive after the laptop goes into sleep mode. When I wake up the laptop by hitting the keyboard, my second monitor comes on but the Dell U2723QE never does. It has to be unplugged, which takes power away from the laptop. I have had the monitor a couple of months and have seen the problem 3 times because my Mac almost never goes to sleep.

A few diagnostic notes:

I'm not positive that the Mac is asleep because the monitor doesn't show anything.

The monitor layout looks correct to the Mac. The second monitor still shows what should be on it as though the first monitor is there.

Power to the Mac still works.

Peripherals plugged into the Dell, such as my Logitech dongle, still work properly.

None of the U2723QE buttons work.

If I unplug the monitor from the Mac power is removed from the Mac and the second monitor becomes the primary, but. Plugging the USB-C back into the Mac acts like the displays are correct, but there is still nothing on the U2723QE. Only unplugging the monitor from the wall (the power source) and plugging it back in fixes the problem.

Others on here have reported similar issues but no resolution has been offered by Dell.

Dell will probably ignore all of these notes and ask when this problem started.

davesam · Answer

Just got a reply from Dell in a private message. Guess what the 1st question they asked was:

1. How long have you been facing the issue?

I told you, they don't read these posts before they hit the button that says "Auto respond without verifying what they wrote.

Second, they asked if I added hardware - yes, your monitor.

Then they asked if Windows had made any updates. I hope not, since it's a Mac.

Then they asked for all my info, but this was after they asked for the service tag, which has all of that info.

I'm just going to keep posting as defined by Dell removed. Read the Forum Code of Conduct. DELL-Admin> until I get an answer to the actual problem.

Before we proceed, I have a few questions to understand the issue better:
1. How long have you been facing the issue?
2. Have you made any recent hardware/software changes to the system?
3. Did you notice any Windows or driver updates that took place recently?

Also, could you help me with the following details for verification purposes?
a. Registered owner's name
b. Email address
c. Phone number
d. Current location
e. Are you a retailer or an end-user?

davesam · Answer

After 4 days of back and forth nonsense, Dell agreed to ship a replacement monitor. It will be refurbed, despite my monitor being 2 months old. Fine, I have a 4-year warranty on the original so it should roll into the replacement.

I did receive an email that they were shipping out "the new motherboard" but they realized that was a mistake. Still waiting for them to ship it out.

DELL-Cares · Answer

Hi,

I hope you are doing fine. My name is Meenal, I am from Dell social media team.
We see that the service is in progress. We are keeping a close track on this.

Rest assured, resolving your issue is our priority.
In case you need further assistance, we would be glad to help you further.

Thank you for your time and patience.

DELL-Jesse L · Answer

Update = After completing troubleshooting, a DELL-Cares agent setup a part replacement.

wxkeith · Answer

Did the replacement monitor solve this problem for you? We've been dealing with this hanging problem on the U2723QE with two monitors we purchased a few months ago for two different computers.

davesam · Answer

@wxkeith No, unfortunately, it did not. It's disappointing and frustrating that a fairly expensive monitor has this weird flaw.

***** Note: This is my experience when using a Macbook. If it works fine for you on another platform, great.

I'd love to return it, but because they swapped it (with a refurbished one as per Dell policy), instead of refunding me the money, I'm now past the warranty period.

I would consider spending the extra money on a thunderbolt hub monitor. The problem is that I like the mix of ports on this one. I need three USB-C ports, one for the Mac and two for peripherals. I also need a couple of USB-A's to handle my webcam, Logitech dongle, and the occasional external drive. I like the placement of the two ports on the bottom of the monitor.

The network port is unusable. It works until you turn off the monitor and then forget it. You have to delete the network connections, plug the cable back in, and then add another connection. I now use an Anker USB-C to Ethernet. It really pisses me off.

I was told by one Dell dude that I had to wait for the firmware upgrade. However, he didn't say whether a fix for this would be part of a future upgrade. It was yet another. way to say, "Well, although there are several other complaints regarding the same issue, we don't believe it and don't want to talk to you anymore."

If you have a Mac, and you want to put it to sleep and turn the monitor off at night, or accidentally hit the power button instead of the menu toggle, you will have problems.

davesam · Answer

@wxkeith Are you using Macbooks or something else?

wxkeith · Answer

Both of the setups we're using this monitor with are newer Mac laptops, but we also have a CalDigit TS3+ dock in the mix (Laptop > TS3+ via Thunderbolt > U2723QE via USB-C. One of the setups also includes a Windows PC connected via DisplayPort. We've seen the "freeze" problem when on the DisplayPort and USB-C input, but it could just be something that's happening due to the continued presence of the Mac input. I'm also frustrated by flashing, which seems to be a local dimming problem, that occurs with HDR enabled and a video playing on screen. I saw mentions of a firmware in testing for this model elsewhere that addresses these issues, but I'm not holding my breath. I use the ethernet port on the dock, so I haven't reproduced that particular issue.

I also was drawn to this display for the mix of USB ports, the built-in KVM functionality to map USB inputs to video inputs, and 4K/HDR. It's simplified our WFH setups quite a bit, but these issues are extremely frustrating and come up every day. Until they're addressed by a firmware update, I'm avoiding purchasing this model at my day job.

davesam · Answer

This issue is ongoing. Their staff asks for the same or similar information over and over again. They keep sending me a Windows driver for my Mac, even after asking me what version of MacOS I am running!

DELL-Chris M · Answer

Read through this thread on Reddit =Monterey External Monitor Issues

Monitors

U2723QE, MacBook Pro, blank screen unresponsive power save

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