Dell Ultra sharp monitor U2723QE stuck at 30Hz using Microsoft Surface 4 Laptop

Question

I bought this monitor as I assumed it would run at 60hz as it is advertised at running at. Yet it Windows 11 with all the latest updates it is stuck at 29.98Hz my screen resolution is set to 3840 x 2160. I tried to install the dell driver which didn't make any difference. I also tried to install latest firmware but it is already running latest. 

I then installed the Dell Display Manager Application under display I then noticed I can only select 60hz at a lower resolution.

I am using a Microsoft Surface 4 Laptop with an intel Iris Ex chip.

If I use a Apple Air Macbook M1 this works fine at 3840 x 2160 so why doesn't the Microsoft Surface 4 , 13.5 Laptop?

Answer 1

Hello Paul Sheraton,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

After reading everything you've posted here in its entirety, it's clear to me that your DELL monitor should also be able to display at 60Hz, as the Surface Laptop 4 is capable of doing. Allow me to share some parameters here:

Supported external display resolution and refresh rates for Surface - Microsoft Support 

Therefore, I would consider whether the problem is due to the connection between the Surface Laptop 4 and the DELL display, and yes, I would speculate that the problem may be related to the cable, adapter, or docking station being used. But I don't think they're in a broken state, because with the same cable, adapter, or docking station, you can get a 60Hz 4K external screen in an Air Macbook perfectly.

I think the cable, adapter, or docking station you're using may not be compatible with the Surface Laptop 4. Visit the following support links and I recommend that you check the information in Solution 5 and Solution 6 as a priority:

Troubleshoot connecting Surface to an external display - Microsoft Support ****

If you want to test for this problem, you may need to replace other cables or adapters.

And, as an additional suggestion, I might choose to use a cable that is fully compatible with Surface devices, or an extension dock:

Accessories Designed for Surface (microsoft.com) ****

Buy Microsoft Surface Dock 2 – Microsoft Surface [fdcd-9882-a7c-e9e7]

Buy Surface Thunderbolt™ 4 Dock (Ports, Compatibility, Price) - Microsoft Store

These accessories have been developed specifically for Surface devices and offer unparalleled compatibility.

However, if you still want to try to troubleshoot or resolve the issue without using a third party cable, adapter, or dock, you may wish to report the issue to the cable, adapter, or dock supplier.

Best Regards,

Mitchell | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

Hi Mitchell

Thanks for your detailed response, after downloading the Dell Monitor software I was able to set it at 60Hz so I think it was a driver issue!

Answer 3

Hi PaulSheraton007,

Looks like you used a different account to reply to this thread, right?

Thank you for your reply and additional information.

Because in the beginning, you indicated that you had installed the Dell Display Manager application, but could only select 60Hz at a lower resolution. Unfortunately, since this is a third-party software, we don't know much about it, so in my first reply, I tried to give some suggestions from the perspective of Surface.

But it looks like the Dell Display will be able to install or update dedicated drivers with the Dell Display Manager application, right? You have added a great suggestion here, and perhaps we can offer your advice to other DELL Monitor users in the future when they face the same problem.

Thank you for your advice.

And we appreciate your feedback, please use your account from which you posted this thread to click "yes" or "no" to help us improve the support experience and help others with similar issues.

Best Regards,

Mitchell | Microsoft Community Support Specialist