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Could it be possible that HD620 isn't as good as old HD3000 for a monitor run at non-native resolution?

JKell43
Beginner
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For several years, I have been running a Dell U2415 monitor set at a resolution of 1440x900 from a Dell laptop with an old i7-2820QM and HD3000 graphics. Whilst that is not the native resolution of the monitor, I find display quality is very good and acceptably crisp and sharp. 

 

I recently got a new Dell 7300 with an i7-8665U and HD620. I plugged it into the Dell U2415 (using the same HDMI cable as I always use), set the resolution to 1440x900 and… the quality isn't as good as the old HD3000. Text is blurrier and less sharp and there appears to be strange artifacts, such as some text being ever so slightly cut off at the top or bottom. And in Windows 10 'All settings', for example, I can see that some circle icons are ever so slightly cut of at the left and right. The old HD3000 had none of these issues.

 

Here you can see the problem. https://i.imgur.com/p4lbVUN.png On the left, is the actual icon with the edges slightly cut off. On the right is a screenshot pasted to Paint that has the perfectly round circle.

 

I have checked everything I can think of. Scaling is set to 100% on both the laptop and the monitor. I boot up with the monitor and have it set as my primary display. I have reinstalled the Dell drivers (26.20.100.7262). I have played around with settings in the Intel Graphics Command Center. Nothing works.

 

So I am wondering if it makes sense that the HD620 simply isn't as good as an ancient HD3000 for a monitor run at non-native resolution?

 

Or would it be a Windows issue?

 

Thank you.

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Wanner_G_Intel
Moderator
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Hello JKell43,

 

Thank you for submitting your question on this Intel® Community.

 

To better assist you, we would like to have more information about your system configuration.

 

Please generate the following system reports with the external monitor connected to the computer.

 

  • Graphics report #1
  1. Open the Intel® Graphics Control Panel (if installed)
  2. Click on "Options and Support".
  3. On the "Information Center" tab, click on "Save" and choose a location on your computer to save the report.

 

  • Graphics report#2
  1. Open the Intel® Graphics Command Center
  2. Go to Support > System Diagnostic > Generate report.

 

  • DxDiag* report
  1. Go to Start > Run or Windows Key + R.
  2. On the Run prompt, type "dxdiag" then click OK.
  3. On the DirectX Diagnostic Tool window, click on Save All Information.
  4. Browse to a folder, type in a filename then click Save.

 

Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

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JKell43
Beginner
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Thank you for the reply. The requested files are attached.

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JKell43
Beginner
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posted a file.
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JKell43
Beginner
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posted a file.
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n_scott_pearson
Super User
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Get a better HDMI cable. The newer (and most certainly better) graphics solutions sometimes require better quality cables. Go for one that is HDMI 2.0-compliant. If this doesn't improve things, you need tot alk to Dell and find out what they have done in their design.

...S

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Wanner_G_Intel
Moderator
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Hello JKell43,

 

Are you able to test another HDMI* cable as recommended by n.scott.pearson?

 

Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

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JKell43
Beginner
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I tried a HDMI 2.0 cable and I even tried reinstalling Windows, but no change. Using the monitor at native resolution (1900x1200) is fine and I see no difference between the HD3000 and the HD620, but non-native still has issues. It's only a minor problem and I can certainly live with it. Just a surprise it's not quite as good as the old HD3000.

 

It's almost as if the graphics or the driver is getting some calculations wrong. It seems to be the modern Windows apps that are most affected, especially 'Settings'. You can see here how it's clipping off the top of the 2s and the 3 in '2020-03' on the top row. But the 2 in '12%' on the second row is fine. https://i.imgur.com/XRECoZ8.jpg Very odd. Could maybe be related to the Dell being a 16:10 monitor.

 

By the way, there's no difference between 'Maintain Aspect Ratio' and 'Stretched'.

 

Anyway, thanks for the replies.

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AlHill
Super User
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IF.....

If you were using HD3000 on a W10 machine, you were using the Microsoft generic driver.

If you were using HD3000 on anything less than W8.x, you still had the Intel driver.

 

Doc

 

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JKell43
Beginner
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The  HD3000 is on Windows 10 Pro. 1440x900 added manually via the Intel Graphics Panel (the one that looks like this https://filestore.community.support.microsoft.com/api/images/5446217a-7d1d-46fa-b785-284d81708908).

 

Both the old and the new laptops are running the exact same copy of Windows and the exact same build. Both fully up to date.

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Wanner_G_Intel
Moderator
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Hello JKell43,

 

Thank you for your response.

 

Please allow us to look into this issue.

 

Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

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Wanner_G_Intel
Moderator
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Hello JKell43,

 

It seems that the DxDiag* report is not available. Could you please attach it one more time?

 

Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

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JKell43
Beginner
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Yes, no problem. Is attached.

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Wanner_G_Intel
Moderator
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Hello JKell43,

 

Thank you for attaching this report.

 

Please allow us to look into this issue.

 

Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

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Wanner_G_Intel
Moderator
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Hello JKell43,

 

According to the report, the current resolution 1440 x 900 is not a mode supported by the external display/TV. In this scenario, what we can confirm is that this is not a driver issue.

 

What we can understand is that you are using a custom / non-native resolution. When using a custom resolution, this could have a negative impact on the system. Sometimes this may even overclock the graphics processor, which usually causes the system instability and graphics issues reported on this thread.

 

Our recommendations is that you try to use resolutions and refresh rates supported by the display.

 

In this case, you may also contact your Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to obtain more information about their supported configurations. They may have a customized driver that addresses these types of issues as well.

 

Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

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JKell43
Beginner
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Doh! I found the solution and I might as well post it here in case helpful for anyone else who runs into a similar issue.

 

You have to go 'Advanced display settings' > 'Display adaptor properties…' > 'List All Modes' and then select and apply the resolution from there. 

 

Changing the resolution through the Intel Graphics Command Center or just through the Windows 10 'Display' screen doesn't properly change the desktop resolution. They seem to change it to 1440x900 but when you look at the 'Desktop resolution' shown on 'Advanced display settings', it actually stays at the monitor's native resolution. Change resolution via 'Display adaptor properties' and it does properly change. 

 

It is now perfect at 1440x900 and the same as the HD3000. 

 

Thanks for the answers and the time you took to help.

 

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