M1 mini (late 2020) monitor disappointment

[MichiganHolly]

Lifelong PC user here, thought I'd try a Mac as I do love my iPhone and iPad and have over 18k photos in my iCloud I need to wrangle. Without going into the other aggravations of the Mac OS vs Windows - all of that can be lived with even if I don't necessarily LIKE it - I got a rude surprise when I connected my twin 1920x1200 monitors to my brand new mini.

Ughhhhhh. My Dell U2412M UltraSharp monitors that look pretty good in Win 10 are not sharp. They are soft. Text is blurred, and I am not even going to attempt to edit photos. 

I have tried all the available settings in Big Sur to no avail. I am not expecting Retina-quality from a 24" 60Hz screen, but I thought it would be at least as good as the Windows machine. It looks as bad connected directly to the mini as is does through the KVM switch I am using to flip between the two systems. I have tried different cables as well. It is *probably* a driver issue that I sincerely hope Apple will improve in an update, as I hear there are plenty of other issues with the M1 and displays.

Other than buying new displays, is there anything else I could do? I am kicking my early-adopter self right about now.

I do have a support ticket open with Apple but have not heard back after having been escalated twice. 

 

[Brian]

This is a tough one, and I really don’t have any ideas except for one:

Have you tried the Genuine Apple Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI or DP adapter? It pains me to recommend that over-priced cable. Other people are reporting the same issue and it looks like a Big Sur problem. The only reason that I recommend the Apple Adapter is to give you ammunition when it comes to Apple; they have a way of blaming everything else than their products. 
 

Only other thing I can think of is to use a 4K screen, or borrow one from a friend. I’m curious is if this is a 1080p thing or not. 

[MichiganHolly]

Welllllllll you are sure right about one thing - Apple will blame everyone else. I just got off the line with my "escalated" support case, where I was told that:

   1) Apple does not troubleshoot 3rd party equipment (my monitors or anybody's since the M1 doesn't come with one)
   2) so my case was never submitted to engineering/programming like they said, and can't be (see #1)
   3) and that they have no control over software drivers (!) so tough luck

He would not tell me what monitors WOULD be compatible (told me to do "some research") nor speak to a minimum resolution required by the M1 mini. He suggested that I send feedback to Apple through the feedback form on the Apple site. Apparently the actual tech support staff does not have an avenue to send information to engineering. I would think that would be the BEST way, but no. I guess they prefer to sift through thousands of random complaints from the internet but ok.

I have three days left to return it. Sorry I wasted eight days waiting for that promised callback when I was really in the dead letter file! So yeah, I can return it, hope for a software update, or buy new monitors. I really don't think it is the cable because it's the same on both screens when connected directly. I don't have access to a 4K screen, but I am sure it will look fine, even if it's a - gasp! Dell. (Apple tech: "We don't test everybody's monitors").

I've been a PC user and tinkerer for over thirty years, remind me again how Apple is so much better? ha ha "iT jUsT wOrKs"

[Brian]

It just works if you use Apple’s stuff only. As soon as you throw 3rd party to the mix, you are on your own.  

I’m thinking it’s looking for 4K. Either you are buying a Monitor or you are returning it. It’s not going to be fixed anytime soon if I know Apple.