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Dr. Stealth

macrumors 6502a
Sep 14, 2004
813
739
SoCal-Surf City USA
I’ve been running this Dell U3224KB display for about a week or so. For me and my needs it is by far the best display I have ever owned. Yes, the speakers are pretty bad but I’m old and only have one ear that works and only about 80% at that. So, no issues with the speakers here. I very seldom use a web cam and this one will do just fine.

I’m a retired aerospace engineer with over 40 years of CAD under my belt. I enjoyed it so much during my career it’s now my retirement hobby, CAD & CG. This display with the size and sharpness is a godsend for my old eyes.

I’ve been using Apple products since before the Mac’s were introduced in 84’. I finally had to build a PC Graphics Workstation when I gave up on Apple with the release of their 2013 Mac Pro as their high end graphics solution. Not willing to dump Apple all together (I love the OS) I have always had a Mac running next to my PC.

I’ve used KVM’s since they were invented. I probably have a dozen in my closet with obsolete IO connections. I have never had a KVM that didn’t have some sort of issue with dropping video, dropping USB (or Serial), long times to switch, flickering display while switching, etc. I’m used to it and just figured that’s the way it is with all KVM’s so I just dealt with it, for years.

The built in KVM in this Dell U3224KB is the first I have EVER used that works flawlessly. Plugged it all in, set up my hot keys and it just works. Not only that but it is the fastest switching KVM I have ever owned. I checked with a stop watch and I can switch machines in less than 2 seconds. No flickering, just jump from Mac desktop to PC desktop in the blink of an (old) eye.

I don’t remember the last time I’ve been so satisfied with a product. For me, DELL nailed it !

~ Dave in SoCal
 

pdm

macrumors newbie
Jul 17, 2008
7
0
Looks like MacOS 14.4 update broke HDR support over HDMI. I can only see the option if I switch to 30Hz now. I had been pretty happy until this point since they fixed some issues earlier on.
 

Thyme

macrumors member
Jul 15, 2023
45
33
Looks like MacOS 14.4 update broke HDR support over HDMI. I can only see the option if I switch to 30Hz now. I had been pretty happy until this point since they fixed some issues earlier on.
I just recently upgraded to 14.4 and can confirm the same behavior with my Mac Mini M2 Pro, i.e., that the HDR button only appears if I switch down to 30Hz when using HDMI. The HDR button is always there when connected via Thunderbolt.

But something else also seems weird for me because now I see zero difference on the desktop when toggling HDR on/off (when connecting via HDMI or Thunderbolt). On MacOS 13.x, toggling HDR off/on was super obvious. Is anyone else also noticing this?

Fantastic monitor, but I guess Apple doesn't want us to be so happy with it. ;-)
 

MikeDr206

macrumors 6502
Oct 9, 2021
431
270
Dumb question ... where is this HDR button supposed to be? I am connected via Thunderbolt directly to my Mac Mini M2 Pro, and am also running Sonoma 14.4, and I don't see anything.
 

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tstafford

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2022
956
871
Bad news - M1M machine and HDR is broken on TB4 as well. If I switch down to 30hz then I get the option but not at 60hz.

Adding to this: The BetterDisplay "hack" still works. When HDR got fixed in macOS I reset BD to the defaults since the hack was no longer necessary. I reapplied it under 14.4 and can confirm it allows for HDR at 60hz using the XDR resolution. (Attached).
Screenshot 2024-03-15 at 5.30.17 AM.png
 
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pdm

macrumors newbie
Jul 17, 2008
7
0
@tstafford can you describe the hack with BetterDisplay? I override the default settings to make 3008x1692 be the 'default' resolution for hiDPI but I still did not see the HDR option come back. Curious if there is more to it than that.

I reported a bug to Apple with Feedback Assistant at least. Those rarely seem to do any good.
 
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tstafford

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2022
956
871
@tstafford can you describe the hack with BetterDisplay? I override the default settings to make 3008x1692 be the 'default' resolution for hiDPI but I still did not see the HDR option come back. Curious if there is more to it than that.

I reported a bug to Apple with Feedback Assistant at least. Those rarely seem to do any good.
All the normal disclaimers - YMMV, this is a bit of a "hack", don't do it if you're not comfortable, etc.

My only experience with this "hack" is with an M1M based Studio connected to the display via TB4.

I believe these steps *should* work:
Enable HDR in the OSD for the Dell - I'm using "HDR 600" (default has HDR turned off for energy savings)
Install BD and upgrade to Pro
In the BD settings:
select the Dell monitor
click the drop down for "More system configuration options"
Edit the native resolution to 6016 x 3384
(you don't need to adjust the default resolution)
Allow BD to implement the update and reboot
In Apple System Settings > Display:
select 3008 x 1692 (should show as default)
scroll down and enable HDR
In the Dell OSD change to 1:1 aspect ratio or your images will be stretched a little

FWIW - Unless you use HDR regularly I wonder if this is all worth it! I might unwind the hack and just go w/o HDR.
 
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tstafford

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2022
956
871
Another update: doesn't seem like the "hack" wants to hold thru a sleep cycle. Need to toggle HDR on/off in the OSD. To heck with it - I'm running w/o HDR now.

Maybe just me - but the increased real estate is better than HDR anyway.
 

TMF93

macrumors newbie
Nov 17, 2022
21
9
Yeah, same thing thing for me: HDR is broken again over TB. I was not using it much, but still...

Based on empirical evidence, I get the impression that the GPU software stack on apple silicon seems pretty unstable or maybe more exactly lacking maturity: On a M2 pro mini 14.2 introduced pretty severe GPU performance issues across the system that were not entirely fixed until 14.4... (for example: It couldn't run google earth smoothly.... Lightroom was slower in a mesurable way, etc)
Same thing again with the M3 driving 2 displays: If the hardware was capable from the start, why was the software not ready for this feature at launch?

It does not paint a great picture for the priorities of the teams in charge of this part of the OS...
 

MikeDr206

macrumors 6502
Oct 9, 2021
431
270
Yeah, same thing thing for me: HDR is broken again over TB. I was not using it much, but still...

Based on empirical evidence, I get the impression that the GPU software stack on apple silicon seems pretty unstable or maybe more exactly lacking maturity: On a M2 pro mini 14.2 introduced pretty severe GPU performance issues across the system that were not entirely fixed until 14.4... (for example: It couldn't run google earth smoothly.... Lightroom was slower in a mesurable way, etc)
Same thing again with the M3 driving 2 displays: If the hardware was capable from the start, why was the software not ready for this feature at launch?

It does not paint a great picture for the priorities of the teams in charge of this part of the OS...

HDR is really only useful for watching HDR videos, is that correct?

We have it on our LG TV, and I love it there for the Netflix, etc., shows/movies that offer it.

But for my Mac, which is not a content consumption device, it's not a big deal to me.
 

tstafford

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2022
956
871
HDR is really only useful for watching HDR videos, is that correct?

We have it on our LG TV, and I love it there for the Netflix, etc., shows/movies that offer it.

But for my Mac, which is not a content consumption device, it's not a big deal to me.
Agreed. And why it doesn't bother me that the ASD doesn't have it.

But on the Dell I want it to work because it's supposed to. It's an OCD thing. Just bugs me that it isn't working.
 

TMF93

macrumors newbie
Nov 17, 2022
21
9
Agreed. And why it doesn't bother me that the ASD doesn't have it.

But on the Dell I want it to work because it's supposed to. It's an OCD thing. Just bugs me that it isn't working.
I share the exact same opinion.
I think the blame here lies squarely on Apple: if the hardware on both sides supports it (per specs), the software should work well enough to allow you to fully exploit those specs.
I think that is the bare minimum in terms of expectations.
 

tstafford

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2022
956
871
I share the exact same opinion.
I think the blame here lies squarely on Apple: if the hardware on both sides supports it (per specs), the software should work well enough to allow you to fully exploit those specs.
I think that is the bare minimum in terms of expectations.
Especially given that it's worked perfectly for months. Something in 14.4 broke it.
 

Lava Lamp Freak

macrumors 68000
Jun 1, 2006
1,570
622
I returned my U3224KB. If I didn't already have an ASD I probably would have kept it, but I didn't feel that it was worth the asking price. The camera quality was horrible and always overexposed, which made it pointless to have such a huge bezel at the top of the screen if I couldn't get any use out of it, and the anti-glare coating really started to bother me the more time I spent with it. At first I thought I was going to get used to the AG, but in comparison to the ASD it just looked like a dirty screen and it reduced the sharpness.


It may depend on the DAC being used, but that is the case with mine as well. I use the volume knob on my powered speakers to adjust the volume.
It's almost a year since I returned my U3224KB last year, and I decided to try it again since the price has dropped. I've been using both a U3223QE and a Studio Display, and the coating on the U3223QE is great even though it is only a lighter matte and not glass like the Studio Display. I had forgotten how bad the coating is on the U3224KB, but it is completely unacceptable to me. It's like the old school matte displays and not the lighter matte of newer IPS panels. It's really annoying to stare at sparkle all day. I assume these are produced for office use, but I wish they'd produce a panel with the same semi-gloss as other Ultrasharp displays.
 
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jwp2222

macrumors newbie
Jan 24, 2015
12
1
Anyone tried running the Apple Studio Display at higher-than-default resolution like 2880x1620? I think purists would resist but I'm just considering effective resolutions between the ASD and this Dell 6k display. The Dell is 3072x1692, right? So .. it's not a huge difference if you just ran the ASD at a slightly higher resolution. I need to go try this in the store and see how it looks to my eyes. Just thinking that this is another option for those trying to find the right balance between screen real estate + crisp text + cost. I assume the bigger difference to the eyes is the 32" vs 27" as far as legibility.
 

Lava Lamp Freak

macrumors 68000
Jun 1, 2006
1,570
622
Anyone tried running the Apple Studio Display at higher-than-default resolution like 2880x1620? I think purists would resist but I'm just considering effective resolutions between the ASD and this Dell 6k display. The Dell is 3072x1692, right? So .. it's not a huge difference if you just ran the ASD at a slightly higher resolution. I need to go try this in the store and see how it looks to my eyes. Just thinking that this is another option for those trying to find the right balance between screen real estate + crisp text + cost. I assume the bigger difference to the eyes is the 32" vs 27" as far as legibility.
Yes, I have tried that with the ASD, and it's not bad. Everything is slightly smaller but not unreasonably so. Everything is also slightly softer and not as sharp due to the way macOS scaling works.
 
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xraydoc

Contributor
Oct 9, 2005
10,793
5,253
192.168.1.1
Anyone tried running the Apple Studio Display at higher-than-default resolution like 2880x1620? I think purists would resist but I'm just considering effective resolutions between the ASD and this Dell 6k display. The Dell is 3072x1692, right? So .. it's not a huge difference if you just ran the ASD at a slightly higher resolution. I need to go try this in the store and see how it looks to my eyes. Just thinking that this is another option for those trying to find the right balance between screen real estate + crisp text + cost. I assume the bigger difference to the eyes is the 32" vs 27" as far as legibility.
I have and sometimes do. It’s not bad. Just small. If you have good eyes, you can probably get by full time with that.
 
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