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A warning about Dell XPS (13") screens: if you take the matte display and like coding with dark color schemes it's horrible (but there might be a fix). It does

A warning about Dell XPS (13") screens: if you take the matte display and like coding with dark color schemes it's horrible (but there might be a fix). It does loose all contrast on dark images. Saving battery they brighten the displayed image and lower the back light. This lowers 100% white to maybe a 80% white and makes for horrible contrast. For those affected: - you can test if you have this issue here: http://tylerwatt12.com/dc/ http://tylerwatt12.com/dc/ - for a fix you can go through the comments here: https://github.com/advancingu/XPS13Linux/issues/2 https://github.com/advancingu/XPS13Linux/issues/2 But be warned, the leaked firmware someone posted does not always work right (but fixed it for me). If I read the latest comment right there might be an official patch now (after years of this issue). (at least it doesn't say QHD in the file name) (this is what the last comment links to: http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/drivers/driversdetails?driverId=312K3 http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/drivers/driversdet... ) Want another dell display goodie? Their "display manager" for external displays downloads updates via http, through your browser, from a domain other than dell.com, as an exe, signed by their contractor.

contingencies 9y ago
Dunno which era that one is, my XPS15 9560 never dims at all, it's always bright, maybe that's because I'm missing some sort of userland or kernel driver, but frankly I like it this way.
- anotheryou 9y ago
  It's an issue across generations (and even across manufacturers, it's the displays firmware after all). I think it's the 13" FHD version affected. My 15" is also fine.
  - flamtap 9y ago
    +1 to this, currently typing from a two-weeks new XPS15 9560. Manually installed Windows and graphics drivers, I have tinkered with the Intel HD Graphics settings a fair bit previously, however. Would not be surprised if that were the culprit to some extent.
DoofusOfDeath 9y ago
I had a similar problem with an HP ProBook 650 that I bought a few years ago. The laptop was reasonable in most ways, but the matte screen is so dim that it's barely usable.
- anotheryou 9y ago
  it's really not dim, it's just that they f* with dark images to save battery.
  - DoofusOfDeath 9y ago
    No, it's dim, trust me.
leetcrew 9y ago
> A warning about Dell XPS (13") screens: if you take the matte display and like coding with dark color schemes it's horrible (but there might be a fix). i have a kaby lake FHD xps 13, which i love, but this is a valid complaint. that said, i am using the An Old Hope theme with vscode and it works fine. you just need to try out a bunch of dark themes before you find one that pops.
- anotheryou 9y ago
  did you try the last link? looks promising. summer is coming after all, time to get some sun screen :)
birksherty 9y ago
There was a similar issue on my Asus laptop. It made me crazy. After lots of searching online, I found that the issue is with Intel HD Graphics settings, not the laptop. I had to disable "Display Power Saving Technology" in Intel HD Graphics Control Panel and it solved the issue. I manually installed the OS and drivers. I can't find a good reason why Intel enabled this horrible option by default.
- anotheryou 9y ago
  well this one is baked in to the FW. I tried that setting too :)
SZJX 9y ago
The adaptive brightness issue is fixed. But Dell messed up with the keyboard on the latest XPS 9370 and made it unusalbe for any fast typists. See the post at https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/XPS-13-9370-Keyboard-Skips-Button-Presses/td-p/5835431 https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/XPS-13-9370-Keyboard-Skip.... I'd strongly recommend Thinkpad over XPS. The build quality is much more trustworthy.
- Qub3d 9y ago
  I use a 9370 and haven't noticed this. It might be that my typing speed is too slow. That said, I only use the builtin keyboard when away from my desk. I have a thunderbolt dock with a full-size keyboard; for most devs that have a real office this is what I'd recommend anyway. If you can't use a dock most of the time and you like the XPS 13 otherwise, the most recent LG gram is also very nice and has a better battery life to boot.

contingencies 9y ago

Dunno which era that one is, my XPS15 9560 never dims at all, it's always bright, maybe that's because I'm missing some sort of userland or kernel driver, but frankly I like it this way.

anotheryou 9y ago
It's an issue across generations (and even across manufacturers, it's the displays firmware after all). I think it's the 13" FHD version affected. My 15" is also fine.
- flamtap 9y ago
  +1 to this, currently typing from a two-weeks new XPS15 9560. Manually installed Windows and graphics drivers, I have tinkered with the Intel HD Graphics settings a fair bit previously, however. Would not be surprised if that were the culprit to some extent.

DoofusOfDeath 9y ago

I had a similar problem with an HP ProBook 650 that I bought a few years ago. The laptop was reasonable in most ways, but the matte screen is so dim that it's barely usable.

anotheryou 9y ago
it's really not dim, it's just that they f* with dark images to save battery.
- DoofusOfDeath 9y ago
  No, it's dim, trust me.

leetcrew 9y ago

> A warning about Dell XPS (13") screens: if you take the matte display and like coding with dark color schemes it's horrible (but there might be a fix). i have a kaby lake FHD xps 13, which i love, but this is a valid complaint. that said, i am using the An Old Hope theme with vscode and it works fine. you just need to try out a bunch of dark themes before you find one that pops.

anotheryou 9y ago
did you try the last link? looks promising. summer is coming after all, time to get some sun screen :)

birksherty 9y ago

There was a similar issue on my Asus laptop. It made me crazy. After lots of searching online, I found that the issue is with Intel HD Graphics settings, not the laptop. I had to disable "Display Power Saving Technology" in Intel HD Graphics Control Panel and it solved the issue. I manually installed the OS and drivers. I can't find a good reason why Intel enabled this horrible option by default.

anotheryou 9y ago
well this one is baked in to the FW. I tried that setting too :)

SZJX 9y ago

The adaptive brightness issue is fixed. But Dell messed up with the keyboard on the latest XPS 9370 and made it unusalbe for any fast typists. See the post at https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/XPS-13-9370-Keyboard-Skips-Button-Presses/td-p/5835431 https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/XPS-13-9370-Keyboard-Skip.... I'd strongly recommend Thinkpad over XPS. The build quality is much more trustworthy.

Qub3d 9y ago
I use a 9370 and haven't noticed this. It might be that my typing speed is too slow. That said, I only use the builtin keyboard when away from my desk. I have a thunderbolt dock with a full-size keyboard; for most devs that have a real office this is what I'd recommend anyway. If you can't use a dock most of the time and you like the XPS 13 otherwise, the most recent LG gram is also very nice and has a better battery life to boot.