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Is anyone running their M1 mini + LG Ultrafine 5K flawlessly?

M1 mini 16GB/1TB with the LG Ultrafine 5K. I have had the monitor less than two weeks.

I have the vertical shift up of pixels just to the left of the middle of the screen. Happens every other day or so. No apparent reason for it to happen. I can always fix it by putting display to sleep and reawakening. No other issues.

It is fascinating to consider what/where this problem is. If you take a screenshot, the problem does not show up. That tells me that the frame buffer representation in memory is correct. But when the GPU (I assume) reads frame buffer memory and formats for the display, then the error occurs. I hope this means it is software. If I use the macOS zoom function, I do see the artifact. If I look very closely, at the edges of the columns that are shifted, the pixels are unstable--they flicker.

Back in the day, when I used to design graphics controllers for PCs, we called these "twinkling pixels" and they were generally analog problems with DACs. Sometimes they were caused by very specific memory read failures. Of course, back then (late 80s, early 90s) all the monitors were CRTs and we used DACs to convert the frame buffer memory image into an analog signal for the CRT. I never worked with LCD panels. By the time LCDs were the vogue, I was designing depth-sensing vision systems.

I love the display. It is much better than my LG 4K, primarily because of the larger size. 1920x1280 just doesn't do it for me after years of 2560x1440. Running my 4K at 2560x1440 was too fuzzy after getting used to the Retina display sharpness.

I don't allow the mini itself to sleep. I do allow the display to sleep. To wake from display sleep is 2-3 seconds at most. I really notice and like this because one of my complaints with my previous 2018 Mac mini (i7/64GB RAM/512GB SSD) was how slow the machine was to wake from display sleep. Using HDMI this took 5-7 seconds. With thunderbolt to display port it was a bit better at about 5 seconds. This was a big disappointment because I was used to my older 2013 iMac being instantaneous. The M1 mini with the 4K monitor had the same performance as the Intel Mini. It is the change to thunderbolt that makes this faster.
 
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turbineseaplane said:
Brace yourself for the ghosting that's coming eventually also

(or so I keep hearing about that is...)

I really hope Apple makes their own 5k display
Click to expand...
You may get your wish - the LG 5k has now disappeared from the UK Apple Store, after weeks of being "unavailable". It'd be very surprising for Apple to just leave a gap in the market; especially after recent reports of them working on a lower-priced monitor. Given the same screen panel (presumably), you'd expect it to launch around the same time as the iMac.
 
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Guys, this thread is old. Just incase you've missed it, I've used an M1 with my LG Ultrafine 5K for two weeks and there was NO PIXEL SHIFTING. So it really does seem like it's a hardware problem.

So if your M1 Mini has the pixel shift problem, get it exchanged!
 
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Hessel89 said:
Guys, this thread is old. Just incase you've missed it, I've used an M1 with my LG Ultrafine 5K for two weeks and there was NO PIXEL SHIFTING. So it really does seem like it's a hardware problem.

So if your M1 Mini has the pixel shift problem, get it exchanged!
Click to expand...
Thanks Hessel89.

Are you experiencing any issues with kernel panics or reboots?

What options do you have for scaled resolutions when you go to Displays in System Preferences?
 
Hessel89 said:
Guys, this thread is old. Just incase you've missed it, I've used an M1 with my LG Ultrafine 5K for two weeks and there was NO PIXEL SHIFTING. So it really does seem like it's a hardware problem.

So if your M1 Mini has the pixel shift problem, get it exchanged!
Click to expand...
What version of firmware is the monitor running?
 
itsphilgeorge said:
Thanks Hessel89.

Are you experiencing any issues with kernel panics or reboots?

What options do you have for scaled resolutions when you go to Displays in System Preferences?
Click to expand...
No, in the 2 weeks I've owned it I absolutely did not. And I've let stay on overnight.

I did end up returning the unit because my TB3 Audio Interface is not working yet, (driver is not ready yet) but that wasn't the M1's fault. Everything else worked fine on it so I might still upgrade when that driver is done. :) (or wait it out till the next gen.)

The scaled resolution options were sparse. Only one step above normal. (not sure about the exact res.)
 
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I'm still convinced all M1 Mac mini's have the issue. I think @Hessel89 was lucky not to experience the issue during the 2 week period they owned the M1. I say this because I've gone over 2 weeks without the issue, and then experience the problem a couple of times in 1 day. And then not get the issue for a while.
 
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Update: I've now replaced every aspect of the configuration and tested it with two M1 machines and an Intel machine.

I have replaced the Thunderbolt 3 cables, tried DisplayPort, tried with and without a dock and tested every configuration between all machines. I have purchased DisplayLink docks and cables,

I have tested with Stable, Beta and Developer releases up until 11.3 Beta 2 and am continuing to experience issues.

Issues Identified up to macOS Big Sur 11.3 Beta 2:

  1. RESOLVED - Intermittent Reboots/Kernal Panics - Resolved as of 11.3 Beta 1.
  2. UNRESOLVED - DisplayPort 1.4 still appears to prevent detection and cause system instability. Continuing to use DisplayPort 1.2 for now on 11.3 Beta 2.
  3. UNRESOLVED - Issues when the monitor is turned off using Energy Settings in macOS. Configuration only works on the initial connection. Upon physical disconnection or sleep, the monitor either is no longer detected or is misidentified as a 4k monitor with only low-resolution options. Interestingly, when no image appears on the monitor, the M1 believes it is outputting a signal but the monitor does not receive a signal. Rebooting the monitor and disconnecting and reconnecting the cable does not resolve the issue. A reboot is required to continue using the machine.
  4. UNRESOLVED - Issues when the computer goes to sleep - See above. (Temporary workaround: Prevent Sleep - Terrible option). A reboot is required to continue using the machine.
  5. UNRESOLVED - Issue when the laptop is physically disconnected and reconnected - External Display does not display signal but is turned on by the machine. A reboot is required to continue using the machine.
  6. UNRESOLVED - Under no configuration is any scaled resolution of above 3008x1269 available other than native 5120x2160.
Given my testing and reading through a number of threads on here, and other forums. I'm confident in saying that all Apple M1 machines are unable to drive all external displays correctly at this stage.

It appears that if the external display is being used on the Default for Display setting then fewer issues may occur, which is why this issue isn't larger for the time being. I am unable to test that setting as the interface is unusably large.

It appears that in particular, people are experiencing issues when:
  1. The monitor physical resolution exceeds 4K.
  2. Resolution is physically UltraWide
  3. The monitor is configured to output using DisplayPort 1.4
  4. The monitor is physically connecting using Thunderbolt 3/4 cable or USB-C cable or Thunderbolt to DisplayPort adapter.
  5. The monitor is being operated using a non-standard scaled resolution rather than the default scaled or native resolution.
For the LG Ultrafine 5k and the LG Ultrawide 5K2K, most, if not all of these conditions are often met, meaning that many here will be experiencing the worst outcomes.

Despite this, I have observed versions of these issues being experienced even by XDR users. This is of particular significance as it suggests that Apple have implemented the external graphics support so poorly that it isn't working as required on its own hardware.

I understand this is first-generation hardware, but it is not fit for sale when it doesn't function on such fundamental levels as being able to reliably output a signal to a single external monitor.

What is worse, is that at this stage, I have communicated more about the issue than Apple, which is despicable.
 
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Hessel89 said:
9.4 according to system prefs.
Click to expand...
I don't see anything in system prefs, but in System Report, I see Firmware Version: 43.1. See attached.
 

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louisitou said:
no issues here on a LG Ultrafine 5k and no issues here on a XDR Pro Display. Both Displays work amazing on a M1 Mini here.
Click to expand...
May I ask what kind of scaling are you using to get a comfortable and readable font size when connecting the M1 Mac mini to XDR? My mini will arrive tomorrow, and I'm typing on my XDR with my beloved thinkpad for the last night. Very complicated feeling.
 
nothingtoseehere said:
I have this very combination and like it very much (Big Sur 11.1 solved a problem with the resolution).

"Flawlessly" is a big word :rolleyes: There are two minor issues:
  • When waking up from sleeping, the monitor starts with maximum brightness. But one press on the brightness button on the keyboard helps.
  • Two times I had the strange effect that a column of pixels in the mid of the screen were shifted above, by less than a millimeter but of course discernable. A restart helped. Didn't contact Support so far, will be waiting if this happens again.
But these little things do not affect my very positive impression! Great display, works so smoothly with the M1 Mac mini/Big Sur!
Click to expand...
Have you still got this issue?
I’ve just set up with a LG Uf 5K and mini M1 and have that same column of pixels shifted down one row, really annoying.
Did it get resolved for you or have you reported it please?
 
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Hey landed on this thread by searching 5k Ultrafine + M1
Just wanted to say I have the same issue on a MacBook Pro M1 with Big Sur 11.3 beta (20E5186d)
So it seems like it is a graphics driver issue.

The USB-C hub will randomly stop working as well once every 3 days, I just unplug replug the adapter (the expensive apple usb-c to hdmi/usb/usb-c power) - I only use the USB port for my Wacom, but it stops working randomly, mostly when coming back from sleep.

I wouldn't return your Mac mini guys, I think we just need to be patient. Also, if anyone with a MacBook Pro/air fins this message, it is noted that having the top of the laptop open minimises problems.

Since I upgraded to 11.3 beta it happens less often, but it is still there. It happens even less often now that I leave the laptop flap open, but sill... once or twice a day... it will fail me.
 
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ForkHandles said:
Have you still got this issue?
I’ve just set up with a LG Uf 5K and mini M1 and have that same column of pixels shifted down one row, really annoying.
Did it get resolved for you or have you reported it please?
Click to expand...
Yes, issue still there, around once a week while I use it every day for several hours. As it happens not that often and goes away when I send the computer to sleep and awake it a few seconds later, I have not reported it yet but will do in March when I hope to be less overloaded with work.
Additional piece of information: Before I got my M1 mini, I used the monitor with my MBP 2015 (only in 4K, of course). No pixel shifting ever in that constellation.
 
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nothingtoseehere said:
Yes, issue still there, around once a week while I use it every day for several hours. As it happens not that often and goes away when I send the computer to sleep and awake it a few seconds later, I have not reported it yet but will do in March when I hope to be less overloaded with work.
Additional piece of information: Before I got my M1 mini, I used the monitor with my MBP 2015 (only in 4K, of course). No pixel shifting ever in that constellation.
Click to expand...
Thanks buddy. I’m using a Belkin Thunderbolt lead, last time it happened I took it out from the back of the LG and put it back in, problem resolved. Maybe I need an Apple cable instead????
 
For what its worth, I can reproduce the problem on my M1 Mac mini in just a couple of minutes by manually forcing the display in and out of sleep mode.

So I connected the LG 5K display to my wife's iMac (2017 21.5" Retina 4K, model # A1418, Model Identifier iMac 18,2). This iMac has a Radeon Pro 555 GPU with 2GB of ram.

Both machines are running macOS Big Sur 11.2.3.

The monitor connected properly and defaulted to 5K physical resolution and "looks like" 2560x1440 scaled resolution. This is identical to the mode used when connected to my m1 Mac mini.

I spent 10 minutes or so repeatedly putting the monitor to sleep and waking it. I never saw the vertical pixel shift bug.

This strongly implies to me that the problem is with the m1 Mac mini, not with the LG monitor. No ideas, of course, as to whether it is a hardware problem or software problem. My suspicion is it is software, but that is only suspicion.

when I have some time, I'll contact Apple about it and see what they say.
 
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Hessel89 said:
I'm considering upgrading to an M1 Mini but I do have an LG Ultrafine 5K monitor I wanna keep using.
I am aware of the problems some have run into when running this setup so I wonder,
are there any LG 5K + M1 Mini owners out here that have this setup running flawlessly?
Click to expand...
Having sleep and wake issues on an M1 Mini using original LG 5K.

This is not an M1 issue—I had the same sleep and wake issues while running two (original) LG 5K’s on a 16 inch MacBook Pro.

I believe it is a Thunderbolt 3 issue.
 
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M1 Mac mini with the latest LG UltraFine 5k. Runs great, except pixel shift recently reappeared after several weeks during which I thought it was gone for good. The disconnecting tip mentioned above fixed the problem....... until the next time.

A related topic: are M1 graphics superior to AMD discrete? On the LG, the Mini's colors are richer, with a better black point than my 16 inch MacBook Pro (AMD 5500). It's like going from sRGB to P3 wide color. I'm stunned..
 
prospervic said:
M1 Mac mini with the latest LG UltraFine 5k. Runs great, except pixel shift recently reappeared after several weeks during which I thought it was gone for good. The disconnecting tip mentioned above fixed the problem....... until the next time.

A related topic: are M1 graphics superior to AMD discrete? On the LG, the Mini's colors are richer, with a better black point than my 16 inch MacBook Pro (AMD 5500). It's like going from sRGB to P3 wide color. I'm stunned..
Click to expand...

You probably had a different color profile selected with your 16'' MBP.
Because I spot ZERO difference on my LG Ultrafine between my 15'' Macbook Pro with Touchbar (AMD RX555), my 2018 Mac Mini (Intel 630 UHD), and the M1 Mac Mini.
 
Hessel89 said:
You probably had a different color profile selected with your 16'' MBP.
Because I spot ZERO difference on my LG Ultrafine between my 15'' Macbook Pro with Touchbar (AMD RX555), my 2018 Mac Mini (Intel 630 UHD), and the M1 Mac Mini.
Click to expand...
Both Mac Mini M1 and 16 MacBook Pro are using the LG UltraFine color profile.
Maybe I'm experiencing Placebo effect?
 
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mini5apple said:
Pixels shifting?

this my point, the mac mini ALWAYS has problems with 3rd party monitors

either waking up or no brightness slider to name a few,

Theres countless problems people are reporting all over the internet

an equivalent spec imac is more RELIABLE than a mac mini & £500+ monitor, prove me wrong
Click to expand...
I have two LG 5K’s that have experienced the pixel shift discussed above.

I have a Pro Display XDR as well—same thing happens occasionally.

This is not a third party monitor problem.
 
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