Fuzzy/Blurry DELL U3818DW 38" using M1 Pro 16" MacBook

[MischievousKid]

I got my new 2021 16" M1 Pro, replacing my 2019 16" Intel MacBook.

To my great disappointment, the DELL U3818DW 38" external monitor is extremely fuzzy and blurry (especially visible on fonts) on the M1 Pro compared to the Intel 16" MacBook which I was using up until now.

No monitor settings seem to be changed. When I plug it back to the Intel one, the image is crystal clear.

DELL U3818DW:
Resolution: 6720 x 2800
UI Looks like: 3360 x 1400 @ 60.00Hz
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Rotation: Supported
Automatically Adjust Brightness: Yes

macOS version: 12.1

I've attached a picture, although it's very hard to judge a photo of a screen through another screen. Letters look like they drop a ghost shadow of some sort if I had to explain.

MacBook 16" 2019 Intel - crystal clear
MacBook 16" 2021 M1 Pro - fuzzy/blurry

Tried adjusting font smoothing - did not help.

I've seen others having issues with the RGB vs YPbPr color profile. When I use USB-C to USB-C connection - monitor shows RGB, when I use HDMI to HDMI connection - monitor shows YPbPr. When I switch to the opposite same pinkish hue happens.

Thank you for your help!

 

[MischievousKid]

As a reminder to everyone who has this issue: contact Apple via the feedback form https://www.apple.com/feedback/. According to the Apple Care Senior person - this is the only metric that is actively monitored/watched to improve their products. The form literally takes one minute to fill out. Thank you all!

 

[perplx]

I have that monitor and it looks great to me but I run it at native res. Are you using display port or hdmi? Apple is known known to look worse over hdmi, I use the usb-c input for my macs.

Your setup is definitely weird, it should be resolution: 3840x1600 and scaled resolutions look like 3200x1333, 2560x1067, 1920x800.

 

[MischievousKid]

I have that monitor and it looks great to me but I run it at native res. Are you using display port or hdmi? Apple is known known to look worse over hdmi, I use the usb-c input for my macs.

Your setup is definitely weird, it should be resolution: 3840x1600 and scaled resolutions look like 3200x1333, 2560x1067, 1920x800.

Hmm, do you use MBA M1? I tried my brother's M1 Air and, for some reason, it had 3200x1333 instead of 3360x1400. The fuzziness is not as bad on the bigger scaling as everything seems larger.

I mainly use USB-C -> USB-C with PD. HDMI looks the same. Have you tried using this monitor with a non-M1 MacBook? I can't unsee the ghosty text as I've seen a crisp Intel MacBook image.

 

[haralds]

I have had this monitor for several years. Clarity has never been an issue. I use the native resolution with DP on my original Mac Pro (AMD RC580) and now USB-C for the MacBook Pro 13".

 

[crimsontwo]

I have the same monitor and am using 14" MacBook M1 PRO connected to it via USB-C. Fonts are fuzzy. Be they at the native resolution (3840x1600) or scaled down a notch. Here's just one example:

Font smoothing ("defaults -currentHost write -g AppleFontSmoothing -int 0") is turned off. When I connect my Windows laptop, the fonts are as crisp as they can get considering the ~110ppi pixel density.

 

[MischievousKid]

I have had this monitor for several years. Clarity has never been an issue. I use the native resolution with DP on my original Mac Pro (AMD RC580) and now USB-C for the MacBook Pro 13".

Is the MacBook Pro 13" M1? I can't code with this crap.

 

[jcf75]

Hello,

I'm facing the same problem with an LG 38WN75C-B and same laptop.
Did you find a tricks to avoid this ?

Regards