Trouble with XPS 15 9550, USB-C/Thunderbolt 3, and external monitors

Another one here. The problem seems to happen when external monitor #2 is plugged in because, as noted, this can only be done via the blessed USB-C / TB port. I had external displays working (sort of) - one via the full sized laptop HDMI and one of the DVI / VGA ports on the docking station but it took a lot of fiddling to get the screen resolutions to behave and even then the icons and dialogue box text sizes are all screwed up. That problem still remains but the thing that stopped me using the second display in the end was the mouse freezing for a split second frequently at random times. So I'm now back to just one monitor until this is fixed.

Both my USB-C devices are Dell's own - the mini Display Port adaptor that comes with the laptop and the mini docking station thing that you buy as an accessory. To add insult to injury, the DP thing doesn't seem to work at all (must have shipped me a lemon) and as discussed here the docking station is your proverbial chocolate teapot. ***? 

Why do the docking ports have one each of DVI and VGA? Why not HMDI or even DP? I know, I know, it covers all interface options but you've already got an HDMI in the chassis so any other interface requires an adaptor anyway. It makes dual displays look really Toytown and HDMI is now the dominant graphics interface surely? I paid good money for a proper(?) graphics card for CAD work.

Previous Dell XPS13 (2014) had an external 3rd party USB3 docking station and was just about usable with 2 external monitors in the end. These USB-based video adaptors seem to be a triumph of marketing over substance. But given that ultraportables need to rely on them, you'd think Dell would have validated them properly before committing them to production.

Also, given the paucity of proper USB ports (2), you need to rely on the external expansion to give you room for external drives, mice etc but this means more traffic for the USB-C which is already struggling. Doesn't bode well....

April 11 2016 Update:

I've settled in to the following configurations that seem to work fine, even if I have more cables connected to the laptop than I wanted:

OFFICE

• Unless I'm on the road, I avoid the Thunderbolt port. Although I think the latest drivers and firmware have cured the glitchiness, the always on fan is annoying in a quiet work environment (I haven't bothered with any long term tests to validate that the glitches are gone). 
• I'm exclusive to the USB 3.0 ports for accessories, using a powered 3.0 hub (Sabrent 9 Port USB 3.0 HUB + 2 Charging Ports with 12V/4A Power Adapter (HB-U930)). Connected to the left USB 3.0 port, I have USB keyboard, mouse, monitor hubs, second camera, and video cards all on that hub.
• I use the laptop display as my primary monitor, with the laptop sitting on an angled desk stand.
• I have one external display on the laptop HDMI port and the other on a USB 3.0 video adapter (Plugable USB 3.0 to HDMI 4K UHD (Ultra-High-Definition) Video Graphics Adapter for Multiple Monitors up to 3840x2160).
• From time to time, I add a third external monitor using a Plugable USB 3.0 to DVI 2K adapter.

ON THE ROAD

• On the road - I have every USB-C adapter type I can imagine and the XPS 15 holds up for meetings, specifically driving VGA projectors. I haven't noticed the port glitches since the last driver/firmware update. The kicked up fan speed is still present, but tolerable in those settings.
• I also have an Anker 3 port USB 3.0 Hub/Gig Ethernet adapter that works great (Anker Model AH212) for faster/secured internet at some clients' locations and a few spare ports just in case.

Outside of the Thunderbolt problems, I'm generally satisfied with the XPS 15. My only other issue I haven't had time to dive into is the laptop's attempt to burn itself up when in sleep mode. Since the last campfire attempt, I've just resorted to turning the laptop off.

I don't have the fan problem, just mouse stuttering and video hiccups when sending 2nd external monitor through the USB-C. I'll try the BIOS update but would be interested to hear if anyone else sees an improvement with the video issues.

Just letting everyone know, there is a firmware update to the thunderbolt, and a few other drivers. I downloaded all the most recent. I uninstalled and then rebooted, installed the each of the latest drivers, and then rebooted again. Takes time but it appears to be worth it. 

I too had many of the same issues everyone else had, looks like everything is solved. I had issues with a usb ethernet being dropped all the time. I think that is solved now. 

I also had the monitor issue with the TB15 dock going to a 4K dell display. It would work for a bit and then flash and come back or it wouldn't come back and go into power saving mode. Really annoying. I would have to switch to the laptop monitor, power of the secondary, turn it back on and switch the display mode on the laptop. It appears with the latest drivers and the new bio everything is solved. I'll report back if not.

I agree. Garbage configuration! Why haven't they fixed the USB C Thunderbolt port yet! This should be a simple firmware or driver update.

I have had every problem list here while using my TB15 with my 9550. New downloads fix some problems, but cause others. How could they release this product with so many bugs!?!?!?!?!?

PLEASE FIX THIS DELL!!!!!

Updates installed - current as of today. As others ave said, there is some improved stability - but only with a single monitor. If I add a 2nd monitor, it re-syncs about every five minutes or so. Not quite usable yet.

Exact same problem here. I updated all drivers, including BIOS and Firmware but it's constantly disconnecting my external monitor when I'm connected through the TB15 dock. Please, please make this a priority to get fixed.

Similar issue here. I get the problem when either using a usb-c to hdmi connector or a hdmi to dvi connector. After a period of maybe 40-50min it will disconnect the external monitor and I will need to unplug / plug in to get it to work again. I hoped the new firmware/drivers/bios would fix the issue... it didn't.. Surely this issue shouldn't be so hard for Dell to fix!

Club 3D ucb-c / thunderbolt 3 to hdmi 2.0 adapter  no problem connecte to 4k tv (panasonic) 60hz

Updated my BIOS on Monday with the new version. Not convinced it's actually improved much. I still find that my second external QHD monitor (the one connected through the USB-C) often doesn't come up from fresh boot unless I restart, even if I unplug and reconnect the USB-C. Trying to use CAD often causes really bad mouse stuttering which requires a reboot to cure. And since the BIOS reflash, I've found that it often gets stuck at the BIOS screen ("DELL") until I kill it and make it try again. 

In order to get expansion into these ultrabooks, they have had to do away with the proper docking port and rely on these Displayport devices. Seems that the Displayport salesmen did a good job on Dell but now their engineers are struggling to deliver a stable solution. Never mind, each XPS shipped makes Displayport and their salesmen a nice extra bit of profit.

Have to say, my previous Dell ultrabook (XPS13) required an external USB3 dock which was also really flaky. Displays with a mind of their own, stuttery mice etc. Seems familiar? That almost certainly had Displayport inside that too although it was sold by a reputable(?) 3rd party like Kensington(? IIRC). As this XPS13 was about 3 years ago, it doesn't seem that Displayport have a robust product line - or a robust development environment. They seem to think if they keep throwing it at the wall it will eventually stick. Well, not so far....

I received a video driver update yesterday via Dell's driver update servivce and applied it. It appears as if I can now use a second monitor if I wait until the machine is finished loading all of the startup processes and services before I plug it in. If I leave the second monitor connected and power cycle the machine - the result is a random series of interface resets where one or both monitors will black out and the machine will emit a beep indicative of a PNP driver being loaded. I presume the display driver is crashing and then being reloaded. The end state was a machine that - interestingly - would not respond to a restart or shut-down command. I had to force the machine off by holding down the power button. 

After the new BIOS firmware was released a few weeks ago and I saw a few people post on this forum that things were looking better, I decided to go ahead and try purchasing the Dell Thunderbolt Dock.  I eagerly plugged it in and my secondary and tertiary monitors came up and Windows installed the devices.  So far, things were working great.  I did a reboot and when I got to the log in screen, both of my external monitors were just blank.  I logged in and still nothing.

I contacted Dell technical support and after uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers the monitors connected again until I rebooted.  The technician tried cycling the drivers again and we had the same results at which point he said the next step was to reinstall Windows and then install the drivers in the right order.  I'm sorry, but that is totally unacceptable to me.  This laptop is less than 30 days old -- I should not have to reinstall my operating system to get a peripheral to work.  Not only is this unacceptable, but it is flat out unprofessional.  Call me skeptical, but I have my doubts that resetting my PC is going to make any difference and I can't afford the downtime especially if it is all for naught.

1. Has anyone else had the same symptoms I had?  (Working for until a reboot and not detecting the hardware from the Windows login screen?)

2. Has anyone tried doing a Windows reset to see if installing the drivers "in the right order" actually makes any difference?

I'm having better success with the TB15 by:

• Turning off Switchable graphics (I have a Precision 7710 w/ ATI)
• Installing latest firmware, drivers in prescribed order (other threads here on TB15)
• Powering the laptop directly w/ its adapter, with the hub w/ its own adapter (my TB15 suddenly is only being detected as a 65w power supply)
• Only driving monitors with the TB15, nothing else (no USB or ethernet)

Its a workaround, but at least I can now drive three external monitors as I wait for a replacement TB15 which is now on back order. Looking for a more reliable TB hub that can drive three monitors in my case.

64dude

I have a TB15 and a Dell 4K monitor in the office and a matching set at home. After the recent bios/firmware update I went three days without having troubles with my monitor's backlight going out every few minutes with the 9550 lid closed. I thought the problem was solved but today it started up again. Reading through this thread I caught the references to people using their system power adapters instead of relying on the TB15 to power their laptops. I had a spare so I plugged it in. It's only been 10 or 15 minutes but that does seem to have at least curtailed the problem. I'll report back when a more significant period of time has gone by. I also have to try it on my second set up.

It made me think of something else. It's possible, or at least it was early on, to purchase a 180W version of the TB15. With the XPS 15 9550, that would not be enough to properly power both the dock and the laptop, never mind any peripherals. Both my TB15s are the 240W models, and I'd be willing to bet that most people's are 240. But there is a potential problem for people who may have gotten the 180 that could be playing into some of the symptoms we're hearing about.