new Dell Ultrasharp U3223Qe 4k monitor blurry text

[blossomdearie]

I have looked at other posts about this monitor but none quite answer my dilemma.
I bought a new M1 Mac Mini to replace my now obsolete but wonderful 27inch iMac. I couldn't afford the new 27inch Apple display so after reading many reviews I went for the 32inch Dell U3223Qe Ultrasharp 4k monitor. No matter what I try the text remains blurry, almost bitmapped, and is a real disappointment compared with the iMac (yes, which was 5k I know).The Dell had so many rave reviews about working well with Mac, but as graphic designer I need sharp, contrasty text.
Connected via ultrafast 4k HDMI short cable as was suggested.
I am finding the Dell far from 'ultrasharp". Are there any hints? I thought I had tried everything, but maybe not?
Any help? Thanks.
First image is taken (with a camera) of the iMac, second of the Dell.

 

[chikorita157]

You are having problems because macOS doesn't scale well with 4K screens since the DPI in larger 4K screens fall below 220 DPI. Since you are using a 32 inch 4K screen, Apple deems the DPI too low, thus you won't have full scaling options.

This article explains perfectly the scaling issues with 4K monitors larger than 24 inches. 4K is only really good for 21-24 inch 4K displays and larger screens run into issues with UI elements being too small or too big (27 inch will look good with 1080p scaling since 4K is two times of 1080P, but it will look big, but look like crap when scaled to 2K).

Mac external displays for designers and developers, part 2

Since writing about Mac external displays in 2016, not much has changed. LG, Dell, Samsung, and other display makers have either never catered for the specs many Mac designers and developers want, or they’ve reluctantly produced products that have been short-lived or compromised.

bjango.com

The best option is to take back the Dell Ultrasharp and buy a used LG Ultrasharp 5K, which will run around the same price as the Dell U3223Qe on EBay, but there are some issues some users have with that display.

Otherwise, you can just get a 4K 27" and run the monitor at 1080P scaling if you don't mind larger UI elements, but you are sacrificing screen real estate without sacrificing sharpness or drop down to a 4K 24" screen. This is why I stick with a non-retina 2K 27 inch monitors, although some people don't like how the text looks. As for me, for high DPI, 5K/6K are the only real options, but are expensive, although I do plan to get a Studio Display that I am still waiting for as a main monitor and the 2K as a secondary.

 

[blossomdearie]

You are having problems because macOS doesn't scale well with 4K screens since the DPI in larger 4K screens fall below 220 DPI. Since you are using a 32 inch 4K screen, Apple deems the DPI too low, thus you won't have full scaling options.

This article explains perfectly the scaling issues with 4K monitors larger than 24 inches. 4K is only really good for 21-24 inch 4K displays and larger screens run into issues with UI elements being too small or too big (27 inch will look good with 1080p scaling since 4K is two times of 1080P, but it will look big, but look like crap when scaled to 2K).

Mac external displays for designers and developers, part 2

Since writing about Mac external displays in 2016, not much has changed. LG, Dell, Samsung, and other display makers have either never catered for the specs many Mac designers and developers want, or they’ve reluctantly produced products that have been short-lived or compromised.

bjango.com

The best option is to take back the Dell Ultrasharp and buy a used LG Ultrasharp 5K, which will run around the same price as the Dell U3223Qe on EBay, but there are some issues some users have with that display.

Otherwise, you can just get a 4K 27" and run the monitor at 1080P scaling if you don't mind larger UI elements, but you are sacrificing screen real estate without sacrificing sharpness or drop down to a 4K 24" screen. This is why I stick with a non-retina 2K 27 inch monitors, although some people don't like how the text looks. As for me, for high DPI, 5K/6K are the only real options, but are expensive, although I do plan to get a Studio Display that I am still waiting for as a main monitor and the 2K as a secondary.

Thanks. May be difficult for me to return the monitor now as I've had it a few weeks while waiting for my Mac Mini to arrive. I would love a Mac Studio display, but even if I decide to splash out the money I may be in a pickle if I can't get them to take the Dell back. Not only that, here in Australia there is an 8 week wait list for the 27inch Apple Studio monitor.
I only use and need one monitor.
I wish there was a fix for the Dell but I think I have tried everything on both the Mac and Dell settings.
It's odd as I did so much research before buying the Dell on Mac friendly sites and nobody mentioned the blurred text issue. Thanks for the link, interesting.

 

[MacRazySwe]

With the 32" model, you're only getting 139 PPI. Apples 5K display has 218 PPI, so naturally text is nowhere near as sharp.

I would recommend switching to the smaller U2723QE. You get 163PPI which makes a big difference. I received mine yesterday and when running it in "looks like 2560x1600" text is super sharp.

 

[royas]

Have u tried different scaling options? It seems like to me you run the monitor with native resolution. A scaled resolution is better.

Otherwise it would be also worth trying out connecting the monitor over USB c instead of HDMI. As far as I understand, there is some limitation with HDMI only displaying 8 bit Color’s instead of 10bit.

 

[joevt]

I have looked at other posts about this monitor but none quite answer my dilemma.
I bought a new M1 Mac Mini to replace my now obsolete but wonderful 27inch iMac. I couldn't afford the new 27inch Apple display so after reading many reviews I went for the 32inch Dell U3223Qe Ultrasharp 4k monitor. No matter what I try the text remains blurry, almost bitmapped, and is a real disappointment compared with the iMac (yes, which was 5k I know).The Dell had so many rave reviews about working well with Mac, but as graphic designer I need sharp, contrasty text.
Connected via ultrafast 4k HDMI short cable as was suggested.
I am finding the Dell far from 'ultrasharp". Are there any hints? I thought I had tried everything, but maybe not?
Any help? Thanks.
First image is taken (with a camera) of the iMac, second of the Dell.

What mode are you using? Use SwitchResX to view the timing info of the current resolution to make sure the active pixels is 4K. You should be using a 2560x1440 HiDPI mode or maybe 3008x1692 HiDPI mode which are 5K and 6K scaled modes respectively.

Can you tell if display is using RGB or 4:2:0? A USB-C to DisplayPort cable would be the best way to connect a 4K display so you can get 10bpc RGB. 10bpc is required for HDR modes.

 

[Lee Cooper]

I had the Dell Ultrasharp UP2720Q and return it, one of the main reason was the blurry text. With a Mac was not too bad, but in Windows I had to run it at 95% contrast to get better. This makes the letters to loose typeface, and look like tinny lines.
I think a big part of the issue is the anti glare 3H coating on these displays.

 

[blossomdearie]

Thanks all for your comments. Interesting to know that others have had issues with the Dell monitors and sharpness of text.
In answer to others' answers...
I was advised to use the HDMI cable, not the USB-C as it may try to charge the Mac Mini. Not sure if that's right.
It's using YCbCr as the default colour model.
It's set to scaled resolution on my Mac Mini ('more space'). But even if it's not set to scaled resolution I can't get the text sharp.
Joevt, sorry, I don't know where to check the current resolution even though I've been through all the settings.

 

[bluespark]

USB-C is fine. It won’t “charge“ any computer that doesn’t try to pull a charge.

This is not a Dell-specific issue, but rather a general issue with 4k on 32” displays. See, for example, the vigorous debate in the front-page story about the new Samsung M8. Some people are fine with it and therefore consider that display a much better deal than Apple’s; others find the relative text bluriness highly problematic.

 

[joevt]

I was advised to use the HDMI cable, not the USB-C as it may try to charge the Mac Mini. Not sure if that's right.

That's not how USB-C works. Mac mini does not take current from any cable except from its own power supply connection.

Joevt, sorry, I don't know where to check the current resolution even though I've been through all the settings.

Use SwitchResX. Look in the Current Resolutions tab for the display. Find the currently selected resolution. Double click it to see the pixel clock and the active pixels and the scaled resolution.

 

[xraydoc]

blossomdearie, definitely try using USB-C or DisplayPort to connect the monitor to the Mac mini. HDMI can reduce the colorspace and potentially cause text fringing (amongst other issues).

I have an M1 MaBook Air connected to a 32” Dell 4K. And while not quite as sharp as a 5K display (for obvious reasons; 4K vs. 5K), I find it more than satisfactory. I’m using it in “looks like 3008x1692” mode.

 

[enricoclaudio]

If you are really looking for sharp text, there is no other way around to 5K Retina. I was running an iMac 5K together with a LG 32UN880-B 4K monitor and I was happy with the results. Of course, the LG was my secondary display. As soon I got the Mac Studio decided to order a second LG 32UN880-B to run dual displays. Got the Mac Studio, setup the two displays and immediately I felt something was missing: the iMac 5K Retina display. Long story short: returned the second LG to Costco and got a pair of ASDs VESA Mount from Best Buy. Now sharpness is back and I didn’t lose any real state as I was running the LGs at 2560 x 1440 anyways.

Before:

After:

 

[AlexanderJ]

I had the Dell Ultrasharp UP2720Q and return it, one of the main reason was the blurry text. With a Mac was not too bad, but in Windows I had to run it at 95% contrast to get better. This makes the letters to loose typeface, and look like tinny lines.
I think a big part of the issue is the anti glare 3H coating on these displays.

Did you end up finding a good 100% Adobe RGB alternative to the UP2720Q? I have one and find the text to be kind of blurry also. I also have the cheaper U2720Q, as well as a U3219Q and the text on those is perfect but they both lack 100% Adobe RGB coverage.

 

[bodhisattva1123]

With the 32" model, you're only getting 139 PPI. Apples 5K display has 218 PPI, so naturally text is nowhere near as sharp.

I would recommend switching to the smaller U2723QE. You get 163PPI which makes a big difference. I received mine yesterday and when running it in "looks like 2560x1600" text is super sharp.

have you compared it with the 32 side by side? I have the 32, just ordered the 27 to test this too see if it's discernible.

 

[twitler]

I'm curious how this resolved for folks. I have been looking at this display. I'm currently running two 4k displays on my MacBook pro (old Dell 27" and a new Gigabyte M32U 32"). I'm fully aware that I'm not getting the higher res text on either display (I'm running both at full 4k), but I wouldn't describe the text on either as "blurry". I find both nice and crisp, even if they don't have that little extra smoothness of my old 27" imac.

The M32U is actually intended for my gaming PC (4k, 144hz), which is why I'm looking at the Dell.

Does anyone have any experience comparing the Dell to other 4k 32" displays? Someone mentioned that the anti-glare coating might be causing things to be slightly blurred ... if I can't get crisp pixels at 4k, that would be a problem!

 

[Carman83]

I have looked at other posts about this monitor but none quite answer my dilemma.
I bought a new M1 Mac Mini to replace my now obsolete but wonderful 27inch iMac. I couldn't afford the new 27inch Apple display so after reading many reviews I went for the 32inch Dell U3223Qe Ultrasharp 4k monitor. No matter what I try the text remains blurry, almost bitmapped, and is a real disappointment compared with the iMac (yes, which was 5k I know).The Dell had so many rave reviews about working well with Mac, but as graphic designer I need sharp, contrasty text.
Connected via ultrafast 4k HDMI short cable as was suggested.
I am finding the Dell far from 'ultrasharp". Are there any hints? I thought I had tried everything, but maybe not?
Any help? Thanks.
First image is taken (with a camera) of the iMac, second of the Dell.

I am right where you were in April with the intention to replace my late 2009 27" iMac with an M1 Mac Mini and a 4k monitor like the Dell U3223QE. My question to you is whether you were ever able to resolve the "blurry" text issue with the Mini/Dell combination by applying one of the many solutions offerred by your respondents? If you concluded it could only be resolved with a monitor replacement, what did you replace the Dell with?

Hope you're still following this thread as my situation is just as yours was and I'd feel stupid if I repeated your problem and your result. Thank you for any help and/or sympathy you can provide. Bob Moran

 

[Carman83]

I am right where you were in April with the intention to replace my late 2009 27" iMac with an M1 Mac Mini and a 4k monitor like the Dell U3223QE. My question to you is whether you were ever able to resolve the "blurry" text issue with the Mini/Dell combination by applying one of the many solutions offerred by your respondents? If you concluded it could only be resolved with a monitor replacement, what did you replace the Dell with?

Hope you're still following this thread as my situation is just as yours was and I'd feel stupid if I repeated your problem and your result. Thank you for any help and/or sympathy you can provide. Bob Moran

 

[twitler]

FWIW, I ended up getting the LG 40WP95C-W and it works beautifully with my MacBooks (M1 Ultra's). Text is crisp and clear. I know folks who have various Dells and they work fine, again with the better macbooks. Don't know about the low end M1 and M2's.

 

[xraydoc]

it works beautifully with my MacBooks (M1 Ultra's)

I assume you mean M1 Max (or M1 Pro); there are no MacBook Pros that have an M1 Ultra chip.

 

[twitler]

I assume you mean M1 Max (or M1 Pro); there are no MacBook Pros that have an M1 Ultra chip.

Oops, yes. Sorry, been a while since I bought them. Whatever the max’d out one is (Max I suppose).