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Inspiron 3593 not supporting 4K / UHD output
All-
As noted here (and in additional posts on that page) xx93 Inspiron models do not support 4K video output, which defeats the purpose in upgrading my work-from-home setup. Armed with the informative posts here, especially by @jphughan, I called Dell. They sent out a technician to replace the motherboard, but still no dice; I tried with 3x different UHD monitors. My guess is the motherboard must be a newer revision, and the technician was not able to confirm that.
Is there any additional info on this ? Should a motherboard revision correct this issue, and if so what exactly to tell Dell so they make sure to get the right order in the system and into the technician's hands ?
Thanks.
-Jeff
tagging @DELL-Justin C
jphughan
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December 15th, 2020 11:00
@jbrower888 I suspect the motherboard revision claim is false. First I doubt Dell would bother with a motherboard revision for a 3000 Series Inspiron to begin with, given that that's Dell's entry-level series of their entry level consumer laptop line. But if that had happened, I would have expected that to be mentioned in the KB article they have about this limitation. See this post I just wrote yesterday in response to someone else who asked about this and the specific Dell article =
Resolution on external monitor limited to 1920 x 1080 using HDMI
In terms of upgrading your work from home setup, I would honestly stick with QHD for productivity anyway. Unless you plan to get a 43" display, a 4K display will only ever make things sharper, but in order to keep things usable, you'll need to enable display scaling, and many Windows applications still don't support all that well. And when they don't, those problems can undermine any enjoyment of increased sharpness. That's one of the reasons I still stick with FHD displays on laptops (another big reason being battery life). At 43", 4K resolution becomes usable at 100% scaling, so the extra resolution is all being used for a larger workspace rather than a sharper image -- but relatively few people can handle a 43" display from a desk space or cost perspective.
ejn63
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December 15th, 2020 03:00
It's unlikely Dell will revise the system board on an entry-level model to support 4K external monitors. When designed, every notebook system has a set of design goals - light weight or high performance, flashy exterior, slim design, etc. This model was designed for just one purpose: to offer a rock-bottom price. If you want a 4K external monitor to be supported, replace it with a higher-line system that offers the support you need.
jbrower888
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December 15th, 2020 10:00
ejn63-
Yes I'm looking at Latitude, or other mfg. But Dell customer support did say there is a component causing the problem and a newer motherboard revision is available, and they did schedule and execute onsite technician service to replace the motherboard.
Were they wrong ? That's my question -- if Dell gives me an official response confirming they were wrong and it's not possible, vs. a supply chain error in onsite service replacing with the correct motherboard revision, then yes I will return the Inspiron 3593.
I would add that I did check 3593 specs carefully prior to purchase, and they do say Intel UHD Graphics and HDMI 1.4b. My error was in not reading through this support forum.
-Jeff
jbrower888
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December 15th, 2020 13:00
jphughan-
Thanks very much for your reply. Ok I'll go with that. I'm completely with you on 43" vs smaller UHD monitors, 43" is what I will be using. The main reason I need UHD is to have both Visio and PowerPoint open separately from everything else I'm doing.
FYI, at Costco I tested an HP Pavilion (15-CS3073CL, similar specs and price as an Inspiron 3593), with a UHD monitor and it worked (yes I convinced a supervisor to hook up a monitor and HDMI cable !). But I really need to stay with Dell as these forums are super informative and supportive.
-Jeff
nyc10036
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December 15th, 2020 14:00
@jbrower888
Have you been to the HP forums?
There are just as many helpful folks there as here.
GroundHogKiller
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March 19th, 2021 15:00
Believe me I will, but it will not have Dell on it anywhere. A two year old Lenovo Flex 5 supported 4k and was about 60% of the price of my 3793.
FBer44
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April 29th, 2024 19:46
@jphughan Very old, but Dell support is wrong. The motherboard is not limited.
Get 3560x1440 on my Inspiron 3593 thanks to old drivers :
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19344/727284/intel-graphics-windows-dch-drivers.html
0041Claude
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May 3rd, 2024 14:04
My personal PC is an Inspiron 3593 (windows11), and I've had the same problem. I can't get UHD (4K) definition on my new external screen connected to the laptop's HDMI port.
So I got around the problem by opting for additional docking.
I got a perfect result with a:
Lenovo ThinkPad Hybrid USB-C with USB-A Dock. Type 40AF.
This docking is connected :
PC USB-A port <USB-A / USB-C cable > Docking > HDMI or DP
This should also work with other so-called "universal" dockings on the market. What they often have in common is linux/apple/windows compatibility + an indispensable special USB-C/USB-C+USB-A adapter cable. Another product example: Icy Box IB-DK2254AC (USB C).
$ 150-350 depending on number of ports and performance.
This type of product remains a good investment in the future with other PCs, it improves the comfort of the home office, and it keeps my old PC going for a few more years. It all works out :-)
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)