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Article Number: 000131499

XPS 13 7390 and 7390 2in1 external display limitations in pre-boot environments

Summary: This article provides information on why your external monitor does not show screen until logging into the system.

This article may have been automatically translated. If you have any feedback regarding its quality, please let us know using the form at the bottom of this page.

Article Content

Symptoms


When a power-on system with the lid closed, the connected external monitor can not show on the boot process. For example: Post logo/ Bios Setup/F12 Boot menu/Bitlocker screen.
 

Affected systems

  • Dell XPS 13 7390
  • Dell XPS 13 7390 2in1
  • Dell XPS 13 9300

Cause


This is due to the AgS BIOS capabilities. Unfortunately, you need to connect a monitor with the exact native resolution of the internal LCD of the system. Otherwise, the screen will be blank.
 

How to check your internal LCD native resolution?
 

  1. Power on the system, press F2 into the Bios Setup

  2. Go to Overview -> DEVICES

  3. Check your Native Resolution(see Figure.1)

    SLN322323_en_US__1xps 7390 NATIVE RESOLUTION BIOS(1)
    Figure.1 Bios Setup Overview


Matrix table for display to external monitor in Pre-OS phase:

LCD resolution

FHD monitor

(i.e. U2415 or HP2408h / 1920x1200)

UHD monitor (Dell UP3216Q / 3840x2160)

XPS 7390 2in1 FHD (1920x1200)

Can display

Can not display

XPS 7390 2in1 UHD (3840x2400)

Can not display

Can not display
 
Note: In the case of the XPS 7390 2in1, the internal UHD LCD is a  specific resolution (3840x2400). There is no such kind of external UHD monitor, this may change in the future.

 

LCD resolution

FHD monitor (Dell P2418HZ / 1920x1080)

UHD monitor  (Dell UP3216Q / 3840x2160)

XPS 7390 FHD (1920x1080)

Can display

Can not display

XPS 7390 UHD (3840x2160)

Can not display

Can display

 

The usual limitations with external monitors connected to docks attached to the system apply as well.

When using non-TBT dock in Pre-OS phase, system cannot output screen to external UHD monitor.

For example Monitor: UP3216Q(UHD) has a native resolution of 3840x2160 with 60Hz, the dock can only support 30Hz. On XPS 7390 with UHD LCD this monitor connected to a non-TBT dock such as WD15, WD19 there will be no video in preboot:

USB Type-C cable

Single Display (maxdmun resolution)

Dual Display (maxdmum resolution)

Triple Display (maxdmun resolution)

Quad Display (maxdmum resolution)

Up to 10.8G of DisplayPort bandwidth(*2 DP lanes)

mDP or HDMI: 4K * 2K @ 30Hz

VGA: 1920 * 1200 @ 60Hz

2 * FHD OR WUXGA(1920 * 1080 @ 60Hz)(1920 * 1200 @ 60Hz)

3 * SXGA (1280 * 1024 @ 60Hz)

 Not supported
 
Note: Note: Some monitors Can switch from HDMI 2.0 to 1.2, reducing the frequency to 30Hz, this is a potential workaround for the above specific case.

Resolution

Additionally please make sure to have the below BIOS and GFX driver versions installed for full OS support of external monitors:

XPS model

Latest BIOS version/release day

Latest Graphic driver version/release day

XPS 13 7390

1.6.0, 07/31/2020

26.20.100.7985, 07/06/2020

XPS 13 7390 2in1

1.6.0, TBC

26.20.100.8141, TBC


If you found this article did not solve your issue. Please contact Dell Technical Support for further help.

 

Article Properties

Affected Product

XPS 13 7390 2-in-1, XPS 13 7390, XPS 13 9300

Last Published Date

31 Mar 2021

Version

4

Article Type

Solution

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