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Mac_fan75

macrumors member
Jun 1, 2023
36
43
I have my U3223QE by now. I'm running it at 3008 x 1692 and it looks great. Everyone's different of course. But this whole PPI drama is totally overblown in my personal opinion.

And I'm talking about what I see when I look at the monitor from my usual seating position, because that is what counts for me.

I'm not saying the people wanting more resolution are wrong. I'm only saying that it's not as obvious as some people say. So take everyone's opinion with a grain of salt, my own included of course.
Depends on what you like not what others like :) I run it personally in the 3360x mode and very happy with it. Running it in 4k at least the 32 inch is possible but a little to small and it looks worse than 3360 or 3008 as it no HiDPI but again it's personal preference.

I have it since launch and it's a great monitor with no bezels and the colours are also very good.
The only downside is the IPS glow, but not using dark wallpapers kinda solves that for me.
 

dasjati

macrumors regular
Sep 24, 2020
174
379
I'm adding my experience here because the HiDPI crowd seems very loud. And that's not surprising: People overbuy tech all the time. It's pretty hilarious but also at times concerning to see how quickly the expectations and "needs" shift. Sometimes, higher numbers on a spec are not better in any practical sense for your own use case.

I'm glad I didn't go for the Dell 32" 6K display for example that costs around $2,500. Sure it's probably nicer than this one. But not 3,5 times nicer. And I don't think I would like it 3,5 times as much :)

Other people will enjoy spending their money on it. And some of them will see and experience the difference. And a few will actually need it for their work. And that's great for them!

But a lot of people will buy it because it seems "the best" on paper or because they were scared away from cheaper options. :)
 

ekwipt

macrumors 65816
Jan 14, 2008
1,053
353
I have my U3223QE by now. I'm running it at 3008 x 1692 and it looks great. Everyone's different of course. But this whole PPI drama is totally overblown in my personal opinion.

And I'm talking about what I see when I look at the monitor from my usual seating position, because that is what counts for me.

I'm not saying the people wanting more resolution are wrong. I'm only saying that it's not as obvious as some people say. So take everyone's opinion with a grain of salt, my own included of course.

https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay get the pro version of this, it's worth the price imo
 

lowimpact

macrumors member
Feb 9, 2012
54
20
Bought a U2723QE when it was originally released and had to return it - due to both awful buggy release window firmware and panel quality control issues. I really liked the contrast of the IPS black panel for productivity work though.

Has Dell had enough time to iron out most of the issues that were present at launch with newer panel revisions and firmware updates? Or are these Dell IPS black panels still worth avoiding if you don't want to be dealing with RMAs and erratic behavior related to firmware issues?
 

k.alexander

macrumors 6502a
Jul 14, 2010
502
264
Anyone using the Dell SB522a soundbar with the U3223QE and a Mac? it worked fine until about a month ago and audio just stopped working. Not sure which update killed it but Dell and Apple forums circularly point to each other for resolution with none provided. Wondering if anyone else in here has run across the issue.
@WP31 Hey did you resolve this? Thinking of buying the soundbar for the U3223QE monitor I recently got.

Another question: can you control the volume of the soundbar with the Mac Fn keyboard volume buttons? What if you use MonitorControl app?
 
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k.alexander

macrumors 6502a
Jul 14, 2010
502
264
@WP31 Hey did you resolve this? Thinking of buying the soundbar for the U3223QE monitor I recently got.

Another question: can you control the volume of the soundbar with the Mac Fn keyboard volume buttons? What if you use MonitorControl app?
So I couldn't get to change volume from my apple keyboard. Recently got the U3223QE, and my computer set up (soon to be updated) is a Late 2012 Mac mini i7/16GB/512 SSD+1TB HDD (connected on the Mac mini via miniDP port with an adapter to a full size DP to the DP on monitor) and a 13" MacBook Pro 2019 Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports 16GB (connected to the monitor via the USB-C cable that came with the monitor to the USB-C 90W port).

I have a set of speakers plugged in through the 3.5mm port into the U3223QE. I could not get either computer to control volume via the keyboard Fn buttons (or the TouchBar on the MBP).

I tried MonitorControl and Lunar -- both got the keyboard buttons to work, the MacOS little grey box would show up showing me adjusting the volume, but the sound loudness from the speakers would not actually change. I did not try BetterDisplay.

I came across Proxy Audio Device and this has fixed my issues, I can now control the sound via the keyboard buttons.

If there's a better or lighter solution, I would appreciate hearing about it. I don't think I needed the other features being offered by MonitorControl, Lunar, and the untested by me BetterDisplay, as I don't know what use I have for adjusting the U3223QE monitor brightness, as I usually have it set to the same thing no matter what -- am I missing something here?

PS: Primary use for the computers are: 1. Office work; and 2. Photo Editing (LrC, PS, some Lr).
This monitor replaced my trusted Dell U2412M that I've had for a decade or more. There's also a second 24", currently a P2419H, from work, connected to the mini.

PPS: Desperately trying to decide which Mac to upgrade to. The Mini has been my workhorse, on 24/7/365 since purchase in Nov 2012. The MBP is something from work. Can't decide whether to get a new mini M3Pro 16GB or a 14" or 16" M3Pro MBP to use as my new primary computer.
 

RabidMacFan

macrumors 6502
Jun 19, 2012
356
170
California
@WP31 Hey did you resolve this? Thinking of buying the soundbar for the U3223QE monitor I recently got.

Another question: can you control the volume of the soundbar with the Mac Fn keyboard volume buttons? What if you use MonitorControl app?
The dell slim soundbars are really really bad. They sound like a tin can. The old ones were better, but they sacrificed the sound to let them fit so well on the monitors.


If you really don’t care, I’ll sell you mine. I don’t use them and bought Creative Pebble speakers that sit on my desk instead.
 

k.alexander

macrumors 6502a
Jul 14, 2010
502
264
The dell slim soundbars are really really bad. They sound like a tin can. The old ones were better, but they sacrificed the sound to let them fit so well on the monitors.


If you really don’t care, I’ll sell you mine. I don’t use them and bought Creative Pebble speakers that sit on my desk instead.
Thanks for the heads up. I mostly use the speakers for general OS sounds, YouTube, and occasional background music while I work. I have some old Dell speakers standing behind the monitor; they sound fine for what I use them for, and I can't see them behind the monitor, so I guess I'll just stick with them. Only reason I was looking at the soundbar was because of how it integrated with the monitor.
 

lowimpact

macrumors member
Feb 9, 2012
54
20
I had so many issues with my U2723QE after purchasing a unit close to launch (June '22) that I had to return it. Have the below issues that were present at launch more or less been addressed with hardware revisions and firmware updates over the last year or so?

(1) HDR broken due to backlight flickering, lack of an option to disable broken local dimming zones implementation
(2) HDR black levels & MST broken with nVidia GPUs
(3) Panel lottery with inconsistent contrast between units (promised 2000, but unit variation was like 1200-2500)
(4) Buggy monitor hub firmware making USB (and ethernet) connections unreliable

Checking the firmware updates since launch a number of the known issues are mentioned in the firmware notes under "Fixes & Enhancements", but it's unclear the degree to which these fixes fully resolved the issues or not (M2T102 mentions firmware fix for HDR / OSD firmware update, M2T104 mentions fixing MST etc.).

I really liked the contrast of the IPS Black panel and would like to give this monitor another try.
 
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learjet

macrumors member
Dec 21, 2021
95
29
I'm highly interested in purchasing the U2723QE for both my current PC and future Mac. I have a few questions:
  1. To achieve optimal color accuracy, is it recommended to use the default OSX monitor profile and switch the display to sRGB mode?
  2. What are the recommended brightness and contrast settings to use in conjunction with sRGB mode? Is adjusting brightness to personal preference while fixing contrast at 75% advisable?
  3. Currently, on my PC, I use an older LG 4k display at a 200% scaling ratio (making it look like 1920 x 1080) under Windows 11. I find this scaling ratio preferable as it doesn't make the UI excessively large - it is quite comfortable. However, I've heard that 200% scaling might be too large for OSX. Can anyone confirm this? Do some users run the Dell monitor at 200% scaling? Are default system fonts on OSX larger than those on Windows, possibly contributing to the perception of 200% as being "too large"?
  4. Are there any issues with the U2723QE when used with Macs? Does the display reliably wake up? Have there been reported graphics glitches or color/RGB rendering problems, especially like in the initial stages of using Apple Silicon Macs?
  5. And, bonus question: Is the display's Ethernet chip the Realtek 8153 and does it feature the same high CPU load and/or unreliability as some USB adapters with the same chipset?
Thank you!
 

WP31

macrumors member
Feb 11, 2020
89
53
@WP31 Hey did you resolve this? Thinking of buying the soundbar for the U3223QE monitor I recently got.

Another question: can you control the volume of the soundbar with the Mac Fn keyboard volume buttons? What if you use MonitorControl app?
Late reply - nope:( I eventually gave up. Couldn't make it work. sorry.
 
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Purple_

macrumors newbie
Feb 3, 2023
13
16
I have the Dell U3223 QE and the text is really sharp in my opinion. I use 3360 x1890 scaling. (PPI 122)
The only issue I have is occasionally flickering (not often, sometimes once a day sometimes less). It seems to be software related, because the flickering stops when I close a white window.

I have the same issue, it started recently and I have no clue how to get rid of it.

It's 100% a monitor issue though, as while it's happening I can fix it by changing the contrast setting on the monitor itself. Moving it up and down 1% makes it stop or start.

Running the latest firmware. At a bit of a loss because it's pretty annoying when it happens, I'm glad I don't have epilepsy because it is definitely strong enough to cause them to some.

Anyone got any idea? Got it connected to a MacBook Pro 16" (2023) with M3 Max. MacOS 14.2.1

EDIT:

Dell is sending me a replacement pannel, lets see if that fixes it :)
 
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Mac_fan75

macrumors member
Jun 1, 2023
36
43
I have the same issue, it started recently and I have no clue how to get rid of it.

It's 100% a monitor issue though, as while it's happening I can fix it by changing the contrast setting on the monitor itself. Moving it up and down 1% makes it stop or start.

Running the latest firmware. At a bit of a loss because it's pretty annoying when it happens, I'm glad I don't have epilepsy because it is definitely strong enough to cause them to some.

Anyone got any idea? Got it connected to a MacBook Pro 16" (2023) with M3 Max. MacOS 14.2.1

EDIT:

Dell is sending me a replacement pannel, lets see if that fixes it :)
Interesting, mine is from day one and occasionally flicker, but like twice a week are they really that easy with trading it with a replacement unit? I should try then I guess, it has here in NL three years warranty.
 

Purple_

macrumors newbie
Feb 3, 2023
13
16
Interesting, mine is from day one and occasionally flicker, but like twice a week are they really that easy with trading it with a replacement unit? I should try then I guess, it has here in NL three years warranty.
I legit just told them that it's a reproducible issue, if I show the exact same content on the display that caused it to flicker it will keep on flickering on all attempts. Was on the phone with them for about 15 minutes and that was all, I'm from NL as well.

I'll be honest though, I feel like this might just be a firmware bug, I'm very interested in seeing if opening the exact same screenshot that triggers the flickering on my current pannel does the same on the new pannel again. It should come in on Monday so I'll post an update here in a few days
 

Purple_

macrumors newbie
Feb 3, 2023
13
16
Purple -

Check this short video as to how another Dell user overcame the "flickering display" problems:
Settings seem to be about the same for me, not sure if this user is having the same issue though.

FWIW, I think a $1k display should be able to just handle what I throw at it as long as it's within specifications without having to mess around with colour profiles and other settings. I use this display for picture work as well, so having slightly off colours is unacceptable imo
 
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k.alexander

macrumors 6502a
Jul 14, 2010
502
264
Late reply - nope:( I eventually gave up. Couldn't make it work. sorry.
Try Proxy Audio Device, just google it for a GitHub result. I'm using it with speakers plugged into the 3.5mm jack and DP to my Mac mini, and also when USB-C connected to a MBP. Keyboard controls the sound.
 
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Mac_fan75

macrumors member
Jun 1, 2023
36
43
I legit just told them that it's a reproducible issue, if I show the exact same content on the display that caused it to flicker it will keep on flickering on all attempts. Was on the phone with them for about 15 minutes and that was all, I'm from NL as well.

I'll be honest though, I feel like this might just be a firmware bug, I'm very interested in seeing if opening the exact same screenshot that triggers the flickering on my current pannel does the same on the new pannel again. It should come in on Monday so I'll post an update here in a few days
Can you share how you reproduced it?
I did find a way and it is indeed only in rec.709 mode, use it and go to a site like wowhead.com (especially with auto playing video's) it will flicker. I didn't use rec.709 mode for some time hence I thought the flickering was sort of gone but using it again is it looks better.
I totally agree this should not happen on this monitor, no need for software tweaks or avoiding colour mode. Also if it is fixed on your replacement model means it was some kind of hardware issue.
 

Purple_

macrumors newbie
Feb 3, 2023
13
16
Can you share how you reproduced it?

When this issue presented that time I was just browsing the web, clicked on an image on a social media site to enlarge it and that exact combination of pixels on my display triggered the issue. Made a fullscreen screenshot of my display (stored as png) so I could use that as a test. Opening the screenshot triggered the issue straight away, until I closed it again.

I'm not sure if your monitor needs a different combination of pixels for it to become unstable like it. I recommend taking a screenshot if you can when the problematic content is on your display, this helps to reproduce it in the future by just opening the screenshot.

That said, dell didn't ask for a lot of proof or anything, so you could just tell them it's reproducible and tried all the other options and they should be pretty straightforward with sending you a replacement panel.
 
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picpicmac

macrumors 65816
Aug 10, 2023
1,016
1,403
The U2723QE is on my list as the alternate choice to getting the ASD.

But after going through 53 pages of comments, it is not clear to me if the flickering issue is really resolved.

So many people have contributed here, but not many have done long term follow-ups.

Can I conclude that flickering is still an issue, if only for certain people?
 

Purple_

macrumors newbie
Feb 3, 2023
13
16
The U2723QE is on my list as the alternate choice to getting the ASD.

But after going through 53 pages of comments, it is not clear to me if the flickering issue is really resolved.

So many people have contributed here, but not many have done long term follow-ups.

Can I conclude that flickering is still an issue, if only for certain people?
It's a good monitor, I only started to experience occasional flickering after a year of use. The flickering seems to be caused by some IPS driver circuit issue, either hardware of the chip's software (not sure about that one, but I'd almost assume hardware?)

Dell replaced my monitor for free after contacting them and I've been flicker free for a bit over a week now.

I have the U3223QE though, no clue if the issues differ on the 27" model
 
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ekwipt

macrumors 65816
Jan 14, 2008
1,053
353
It's very hard to put a 32 Ultrasharp on the buy list when so many good 32" 4K OLED are coming out!!!
 

RabidMacFan

macrumors 6502
Jun 19, 2012
356
170
California
I'm highly interested in purchasing the U2723QE for both my current PC and future Mac. I have a few questions:
  1. To achieve optimal color accuracy, is it recommended to use the default OSX monitor profile and switch the display to sRGB mode?
  2. What are the recommended brightness and contrast settings to use in conjunction with sRGB mode? Is adjusting brightness to personal preference while fixing contrast at 75% advisable?
  3. Currently, on my PC, I use an older LG 4k display at a 200% scaling ratio (making it look like 1920 x 1080) under Windows 11. I find this scaling ratio preferable as it doesn't make the UI excessively large - it is quite comfortable. However, I've heard that 200% scaling might be too large for OSX. Can anyone confirm this? Do some users run the Dell monitor at 200% scaling? Are default system fonts on OSX larger than those on Windows, possibly contributing to the perception of 200% as being "too large"?
  4. Are there any issues with the U2723QE when used with Macs? Does the display reliably wake up? Have there been reported graphics glitches or color/RGB rendering problems, especially like in the initial stages of using Apple Silicon Macs?
  5. And, bonus question: Is the display's Ethernet chip the Realtek 8153 and does it feature the same high CPU load and/or unreliability as some USB adapters with the same chipset?
Thank you!
1. I don't know if it's optimal, but I have mine set to Preset mode Color temp 6500K with the Mac color profile set to DELL U2723QE Color Profile, D6500, Native_V2 which is provided on Dell's website.

2. I set brightness/contrast at either 75/75 or 45/75

3. I run two of these at 1920x1080 with no problem. I used to run it at 2560x1440, but I wanted bigger text for comfort. They are both plugged in directly to a 14 inch MacBook Pro with high quality cables.

4. Since upgrading the firmware, I haven't really had much issues with mac/apple silicon compatibility. The monitors sleep when the computer sleeps and wake up when the computer wakes up. The USB powers webcam, keyboard, mice dongles and speakers powered by USB-C. Occasionally I've had problems where a USB drive tries to use too much power and I have to connect that directly to the mac.

5. According to System Profiler, it is Realtek 8153. I'm not sure if the stated speeds are accurate. But I have it connected at Gigabit speeds for internet 99% of the time

USB 10/100/1000 LAN: Bus: USB Vendor Name: Realtek Product Name: USB 10/100/1000 LAN Vendor ID: 0x0bda Product ID: 0x8153 USB Link Speed: Up to 5 Gb/s Driver: com.apple.driver.usb.cdc.ncm BSD Device Name: en6 MAC Address: removed AVB Support: No Maximum Link Speed: 2.5 Gb/s

6. Bonus answer. Turn HDR off on the monitor. It's no good.
 
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