Resolved Advice for connecting M1 MBP to Dell P2415q please

[davehutch]

Hi all, my wife is getting a new M1 MBP to replace her ageing 12" Retina MacBook. She's using an Apple AV adaptor at the moment to run into the Dell monitor over HDMI and this adaptor also connects to a USB-C hub.
I'm confused about the whole Thunderbolt/USB-C thing and at the moment I think I might need a Thunderbolt to DP or Mini-DP.
We'd use one port on the mAc for display and the other port to go to the USB Hub.
Can anyone confirm thatches is the best way to proceed please?
Thanks in advance.

 

[chrfr]

Hi all, my wife is getting a new M1 MBP to replace her ageing 12" Retina MacBook. She's using an Apple AV adaptor at the moment to run into the Dell monitor over HDMI and this adaptor also connects to a USB-C hub.
I'm confused about the whole Thunderbolt/USB-C thing and at the moment I think I might need a Thunderbolt to DP or Mini-DP.
We'd use one port on the mAc for display and the other port to go to the USB Hub.
Can anyone confirm thatches is the best way to proceed please?
Thanks in advance.

The earliest version of the Apple USB-C AV adapter didn't support a full 4k at 60Hz, but the current one does. Unfortunately the two versions look exactly the same. Try the existing adapter and if you don't get full resolution, I'd just buy a new one. You need a USB-C adapter, not a Thunderbolt one, and USB-C to HDMI adapters are also inexpensive.

 

[davehutch]

Thanks. Understood regarding the USB rather than Thunderbolt. Any advantage switching to DP over HDMI though?
I found this on Amazon which would allow me to also connect my 2105 MBP using the same cable into the monitor.

 

[posguy99]

Thanks. Understood regarding the USB rather than Thunderbolt. Any advantage switching to DP over HDMI though?
I found this on Amazon which would allow me to also connect my 2105 MBP using the same cable into the monitor.

If you have the option to use DP vs HDMI, do. Never use HDMI unless you have no other choice.

 

[davehutch]

Ok, thanks very much. Her Mini-DP port is spare so I'll get a cable rather than an adaptor. Cheers

 

[mike.a]

G'day Dave, how did you go? Did you end up using a USB-C (Mac side) to DP/mDP (P2415Q side) cable successfully?

Like you, I have an M1 MBP and a Dell P2415Q I wish to connect, and trying to figure out which option has the higher chance of successful connection:

• USB-C to DP — apparently Macs in general don't support DP Alternate Mode, unsure if true on M1
• USB-C to HDMI — unsure if my P2415Q* supports HDMI 2.0 (for 4K@60Hz)

* Dell says displays purchased after February 2016 (Version A03) have HDMI 2.0 capability. I bought mine in July 2015... and yet is marked Rev A03 and I can follow all its advice on their support page to enable it.

 

[davehutch]

Hi Mike, I ended up using a USC-C to full size DP connector. Works fine. I also bought a USB-A to Mini-DP so I can connect my 2015 MBP as well if need be.
If we used HDMI it only supported 30Hz so we went with the DP which is running 4K@60

 

[chrfr]

If we used HDMI it only supported 30Hz so we went with the DP which is running 4K@60

Most Dell P2415Q displays can do 60Hz over HDMI, but not by default. https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...itors-with-hdmi-2-0-that-support-4k-x-2k-60hz

 

[davehutch]

Excellent. Thanks for that!

 

[mike.a]

Hi Mike, I ended up using a USC-C to full size DP connector. Works fine. I also bought a USB-A to Mini-DP so I can connect my 2015 MBP as well if need be.
If we used HDMI it only supported 30Hz so we went with the DP which is running 4K@60

Dave, many thanks! I'll buy one of these USB-C to DisplayPort Cables (coincidentally an Amazon's Choice).

I also bought a USB-A to Mini-DP so I can connect my 2015 MBP

My P2415Q came with a "DP cable (mDP to DP)" that I've been using with my 2015 MBP over the years — didn't yours come with one? Glad both your cable solutions work for you regardless.

 

[Sam5281]

Not to Hi-jack thread - but any external display options to look at for use with MBP M1 for 4k?

 

[mike.a]

Hi Mike, I ended up using a USC-C to full size DP connector. Works fine. I also bought a USB-A to Mini-DP so I can connect my 2015 MBP as well if need be.
If we used HDMI it only supported 30Hz so we went with the DP which is running 4K@60

Dave, do you find that the colours on your Dell are very different when driven by your M1 MBP vs your 2015 MBP?

The colours are markedly darker and redder with the M1 vs my 2015 Intel.

I ended up purchasing the Choetech USB-C to DP cable I mentioned, and wonder if the cable can possibly influence colour reproduction? In all other ways it works well — everything's the usual 4K sharpness and at 60Hz.

Here's a couple of photos to illustrate.

2015 Intel driving the Dell: the colours are more closely matched.

M1 driving the Dell: the colour variance is very obvious, with the Dell being generally darker and redder to my eyes.

 

[FNH15]

Dave, do you find that the colours on your Dell are very different when driven by your M1 MBP vs your 2015 MBP?

The colours are markedly darker and redder with the M1 vs my 2015 Intel.

I ended up purchasing the Choetech USB-C to DP cable I mentioned, and wonder if the cable can possibly influence colour reproduction? In all other ways it works well — everything's the usual 4K sharpness and at 60Hz.

Here's a couple of photos to illustrate.

2015 Intel driving the Dell: the colours are more closely matched.

View attachment 1793882


M1 driving the Dell: the colour variance is very obvious, with the Dell being generally darker and redder to my eyes.

View attachment 1793883

Looks like the difference between RGB and yCBCR - what does the monitor menu show?

 

[posguy99]

Nothing can be determined, the viewing angle is obviously different between the two pictures and the screen brightness is higher on the iOS device in the second one.