Intel UHD Graphics Missing 3440 x 1440 resolution

[tridy]

Hi.

I have got a new ThinkPad with Intel UHD Graphics. It supports up to 4K but when connecting to my Benq monitor via HDMI, it does not show monitor's native resolution of 3440 x 1440.

 

I updated to the latest Intel drivers but still get the same result.

 

Spoiler

 

Any ideas whether it is possible to fix it?

 

Thanks!

[Nathanpete]

You can try to set a custom resolution in the Intel Graphics Control Panel. But if it doesn't work, your screen will be black for up to 30 seconds. Don't turn your computer off if that happens, just wait 30 seconds, and it should go back to 1080x2560. 

[GuiltySpark_]

19 minutes ago, tridy said:

Hi.

I have got a new ThinkPad with Intel UHD Graphics. It supports up to 4K but when connecting to my Benq monitor via HDMI, it does not show monitor's native resolution of 3440 x 1440.

 

I updated to the latest Intel drivers but still get the same result.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Any ideas whether it is possible to fix it?

 

Thanks!

 

Some 3440x1440 panels will only do that over DisplayPort. Its possible.

 

Before setting customer resolutions, I'd ensure my GPU drivers are fully up to date and also try a different cable. 

[Nathanpete]

2 minutes ago, rickeo said:

 

Some 3440x1440 panels will only do that over DisplayPort. Its possible.

 

Before setting customer resolutions, I'd ensure my GPU drivers are fully up to date and also try a different cable. 

He already has the drivers up to date. And he clearly already has a connection between the monitor and laptop over HDMI. Unless you mean that that specific HDMI port on the monitor just doesn't do 3440x1440, and only the DP connections do, which is plausible I guess. Could also be an old HDMI cable that isn't up to spec, but it would have to be VERY OLD, or cheap because the manufacturer built their cable using old specs. 

[Kilrah]

No, he says that some monitors may only accept the native res/full refresh on the DP input, the HDMI input doesn't necessarily have the full capabilities.

[Nathanpete]

12 minutes ago, Kilrah said:

No, he says that some monitors may only accept the native res/full refresh on the DP input, the HDMI input doesn't necessarily have the full capabilities.

Could have quoted me... Also refresh rate wasn't a part of the question, but whatever. 

[Prodigy_Smit]

Which benq monitor?

As said above it might only support the full resolution and refresh rate over display port and not HDMI.

[GuiltySpark_]

5 minutes ago, Nathanpete said:

Could have quoted me... Also refresh rate wasn't a part of the question, but whatever. 

I think we're all here to help the OP, not quarrel about semantics. 

 

 

Anyway... Back to the topic at hand. 

[tridy]

this is BenQ EX3501R.

I have been using the same cable with Dell notebook earlier and it worked with 3440 x 1440. But it does not work with this ThinkPad.

 

In the hidden context of the first post I have the screenshot.

 

 

 

 

The list of the resolutions has 3840 x 2160 but not 3440 x 1440, if it was the question of the throughput. It look like this  has to do with this specific resolution. Probably if I had a 4K monitor it would've worked.

 

[-rascal-]

33 minutes ago, tridy said:

this is BenQ EX3501R.

I have been using the same cable with Dell notebook earlier and it worked with 3440 x 1440. But it does not work with this ThinkPad.

 

In the hidden context of the first post I have the screenshot.

 

 

 

 

The list of the resolutions has 3840 x 2160 but not 3440 x 1440, if it was the question of the throughput. It look like this  has to do with this specific resolution. Probably if I had a 4K monitor it would've worked.

 

 

Which model Lenovo ThinkPad do you have?

 

If I recall, with my ThinkPad T480, if I wanted higher resolutions, I needed to use the USB-C port via adapter.

The HDMI port is 1.4 or something, rather than 2.0 or 2.1, so it doesn't support 4K output, etc.

EDIT: My T480 is HDMI 1.4b. The USB-C port is HDMI 2.0 compliant.

[GuiltySpark_]

Installed the BenQ driver for that display directly through Device Manager? 

 

https://www.benq.com/en-us/support/downloads-faq/products/monitor/ex3501r/software-driver.html

[tridy]

1 hour ago, -rascal- said:

Which model Lenovo ThinkPad do you have?

Lenovo ThinkPad T14

 

model very similar to this: https://laptop-hunter.com/notebook-lenovo-thinkpad-t-t14-20s0000vmx-black-37271.html

 

14 minutes ago, rickeo said:

Installed the BenQ driver for that display directly through Device Manager? 

 

https://www.benq.com/en-us/support/downloads-faq/products/monitor/ex3501r/software-driver.html

 

 

I have the latest BenQ monitor driver installed.

 

1 hour ago, -rascal- said:

If I recall, with my ThinkPad T480, if I wanted higher resolutions, I needed to use the USB-C port via adapter.

The HDMI port is 1.4 or something, rather than 2.0 or 2.1, so it doesn't support 4K output, etc.

EDIT: My T480 is HDMI 1.4b. The USB-C port is HDMI 2.0 compliant.

 

I would understand that if it did not list 4K either, but it is in the list of supported resolutions in the settings. However 3440 x 1440 that I need is not there.

 

 

[tridy]

1 hour ago, -rascal- said:

If I recall, with my ThinkPad T480, if I wanted higher resolutions, I needed to use the USB-C port via adapter.

The HDMI port is 1.4 or something, rather than 2.0 or 2.1, so it doesn't support 4K output, etc.

EDIT: My T480 is HDMI 1.4b. The USB-C port is HDMI 2.0 compliant.

You are right! It seems to be a weird thing about HDMI in this case. As you suggested, I tried USB-C to USB-C cable and then it worked. It picked up the resolution automatically right away:

 

 

It is still unclear to me why it had 4K support in the list of supported resolutions for HDMI.

 

Anyway, thanks for the help!

 

[-rascal-]

3 minutes ago, tridy said:

You are right! It seems to be a weird thing about HDMI in this case. As you suggested, I tried USB-C to USB-C cable and then it worked. It picked up the resolution automatically right away:

 

 

It is still unclear to me why it had 4K support in the list of supported resolutions for HDMI.

 

Anyway, thanks for the help!

 

 

The Lenovo T14 is ALSO HDMI 1.4b.

The problem is not the resolution, but the bandwidth required to drive that resolution.

 

If you dig through the spec a bit more, it's up to 4K, but either 24Hz or 30 Hz.

Again, because 4K 60 Hz is too much bandwidth for HDMI 1.4b.

 

Jut for comparison, 2560 x 1440 = ~3.6 million pixels, while 3440 x 1440 = ~4.9 million pixels.

3440 x 1400 @ 60Hz requires ~8.92 Gbps of bandwidth; HDMI 1.4b is limited to ~8.16 Gbps.

 

 

[tridy]

I see. Thanks! So it probably suggested that i could use 4K @ 30 Hz.

 

22 minutes ago, -rascal- said:

The Lenovo T14 is ALSO HDMI 1.4b.

 

It could explain why USB-C (or TB) docking stations seems to be selling [well?].

[-rascal-]

20 minutes ago, tridy said:

I see. Thanks! So it probably suggested that i could use 4K @ 30 Hz.

 

 

It could explain why USB-C (or TB) docking stations seems to be selling [well?].

 

I have something that looks like this, and just stuff it inside the laptop pouch.

This isn't the exact model, but something like it...kind of like a mini docking station

• Has an USB-C power input, so I plug the included Lenovo charger into it, and it charges the laptop + acts as a powered hub.
• HDMI port
• Couple of USB 3.0 ports (I just use it for USB thumb drives, charging my phone, my mouse..)
• Ethernet port

 

 

For your use case, make sure you look for one that has a USB-C output or an HDMI output that can handle the amount of bandwidth for your 3440 x 1440 monitor.

[Kilrah]

Yep, beware as a lot of those only do HDMI 1.4 as well.