Dell Announces Enhanced External Monitor Support for Next-Gen ARM PCs Running Windows 11

Potential Enhancements in External Monitor Support for Dell’s ARM-based PCs

Dell has recently hinted at promising developments regarding the use of external monitors with future ARM-based processors, especially concerning Windows 11’s Night Light feature. While the app ecosystem for Snapdragon-powered devices has seen noteworthy improvements, limitations still persist for users of external displays.

Understanding Night Light and Its Limitations

According to a support document highlighted by Windows Latest, Night Light is a feature designed to enhance eye comfort by minimizing blue light emitted from screens. Unfortunately, users will find that this functionality is currently incompatible with external monitors when running on ARM-based devices.

Current Status for Snapdragon Devices

Night Light operates successfully on built-in displays of Snapdragon PCs. However, once an external monitor is connected, this feature becomes ineffective. This limitation is not merely an issue of Windows 11, as it persists even for users who revert to Windows 10.

Dell has acknowledged this as a hardware constraint inherent to the Snapdragon chipsets. Affected models include:

Inspiron 14 5441
Inspiron 14 Plus 7441
Latitude 5455
Latitude 7455
XPS 13 9345

“This is a limitation of the Qualcomm Oryon chipset, ” Dell confirmed.

Future Prospects for Night Light Functionality

Presently, Dell has no plans to provide support for the Night Light feature on external monitors for existing Snapdragon hardware. However, anticipation builds around the upcoming next-generation Snapdragon chipsets, likely referred to as Snapdragon X Elite 2, which might change this scenario.

“Dell does not plan to support this feature within the current Dell ARM platforms. This feature is expected to be available with the next generation of ARM computers, ” the company noted.

Workarounds for Users

If you’re currently using a Snapdragon PC and find that Night Light is unavailable for external monitors, there are limited alternatives. Although not a true fix, Dell suggests that users can explore third-party applications, such as the Dell Display and Peripheral Manager, to adjust the color preset settings of their external monitors. This step aims to simulate the effects of Night Light as closely as possible.

While this isn’t a complete solution, it could potentially enhance your experience until more robust options become available with future hardware releases. For those seeking native solutions outside of this workaround, patience will be essential as we await the next-gen ARM chips.

Anticipated Release and Next-Gen Features

Insights from Windows Latest suggest that Qualcomm may officially announce the Snapdragon X Elite 2, also known as Project Glymur, in September, with widespread availability expected next year. Reports indicate that these upcoming chips will promise enhanced performance, including a variant specifically optimized for gaming. In addition, faster alternatives similar to existing chip models will also make their debut.

As noted by technology enthusiast Devin Arthur, experiences with Snapdragon devices reveal that they perform comparably to Intel or AMD systems while offering superior battery life, making them an appealing choice for many users.

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