XPS 8950, no HDMI cable

Question

Upfront, please realize that my knowledge of ports and recent monitors is very lacking. I have a problem similar to others. I ordered a Dell XPS 8950 desktop which arrived a few weeks ago. Upon ordering it, the order web page displayed other accessories at the bottom and so I ordered the S2723HC USB-C monitor, assuming that it was compatible with my desktop. The monitor just arrived belatedly today. I connected the accompanying USB-C cable into the monitor, and into what I >>thought<< was the USB-C port on the back of my 8950 desktop (my 8950 diagram has it labelled as a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 x 2). So when I turned on the PC and monitor for the first time, I got a message on the monitor that there is 'no HDMI cable'. There was no HDMI cable provided in the shipment. So the obvious first question - did I just buy a monitor from Dell that is incompatible with the XPS 8950 I just bought from Dell, and if so, do I need to return the monitor and somehow find a compatible one? Thanks for any help.

RoHe · Accepted Answer

The only HDMI port on your XPS 8950 will be in the area between #2 and #5. The onboard Intel Graphics port you have is DP, in area #1. So there's only one place to connect your monitor. If monitor didn't come with an HDMI cable, you'll have to buy one.

There shouldn't be any problems using HDMI at all. And look at it this way, video/audio over USB-C is up-and-coming tech. So this monitor will be "future proof", at least for a little while.

If you ever decide to add a second monitor, get one with a DP input and connect it to one of the three DP ports on the video card, rather than to the DP in area #1. You'll get better overall PC performance that way.

BTW: If you have a laptop, without HDMI output, that supports video/audio over USB-C, you can use this monitor directly as an external display for that PC.

Post back and let us know how you get on...

Chino de Oro · Accepted Answer

Re:  I know so little about HDMI cables - is there a particular type of HDMI cable that I need? Here is a decent HDMI cable that will work with your setup.

Chino de Oro · Answer

Ordered a USB-C monitor and it didn't coming with HDMI cable? Did you receive USB-C cable with the monitor?

There are many ports on the computer which are capable of connecting to many devices, but vendor do not send accessories that you did not order such as printer cable, webcam, VR headset. Point is, computer has many connectors but USB-A,B,C cables or other connecting cables are sold separately.

USB-C monitors are targeted devices with thunderbolt 3/4. Very likely you had ordered unmatching setup. Unless your computer have a discrete (add-on) graphics card with USB-C port, return it or exchange a different monitor with displayport.

RoHe · Answer

@ernie11 Do you have an add-in video card, eg NVidia or AMD, or only the onboard Intel Graphics DisplayPort?

Read the Note shown below about the USB-C port in Specs for XPS 8950:

So you can't connect any monitor to this PC via USB-C.

The S2723HC monitor has both USB-C and HDMI inputs. So that gives you options.

If you only have onboard Intel Graphics DisplayPort, and no add-in video card with its own HDMI output port, you can still connect this monitor using:
DP(PC)>passive DP-to-HDMI adapter>HDMI(monitor).

You will have to buy the passive adapter and an HDMI cable. (Note: you don't want/need an active DP-to-HDMI adapter.)

Be sure to read the monitor's setup instructions linked above (page 29, step 4) because you'll have to open monitor's On-Screen Display (OSD) to select HDMI as the video input port on monitor.

ernie11 · Answer

Thank you very much for your help and suggestions. Since I am inexperienced in ports and monitors, excuse my ignorance. As for an add-in video card, I >> think << I have one. On the back of my XPS 8950 below the ports for the mouse and keyboard are 4 bracketed rows. In the second row is a set of 4 ports, the diagram I received in my shipment labels that area for HDMI, and the leftmost port has a trapezoid shape similar to an HDMI cable head. I also have a DisplayPort much higher up on the back of the desktop. So if this is a video card, can I assume that I don't need an adapter and can just do a direct connection between the HDMI port on the video card and the HDMI port on my monitor? I know so little about HDMI cables - is there a particular type of HDMI cable that I need?

Again, thanks for your help.

ernie11 · Answer

I have to sheepishly admit that, in looking over the specs for this desktop on my order form a few days ago, the item below slipped by my eyes as a feature, so yes, I have an add-in video card, presumably with 1 HDMI port and 3 DisplayPorts:

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 12 GB GDDR6 LHR, 3 DP, HDMI

I do ask if you think there will be any issues with connecting from the desktop's HDMI port to this monitor. According to the S2723HC specs, the monitor's port is HDMI 1.4.

RoHe · Answer

One more reminder: Be sure to open the monitor's OSD and set the input to HDMI after you plug the HDMI cable into it, before you turn PC on. Then you're good to go...

ernie11 · Answer

Thanks very much for your help.  I didn't have time to wait to order something online so I found an HDMI cable over at Staples and everything works OK now.  Thanks for all of the help and education you gave me.

RoHe · Answer

@ernie11  - That's great news!  Glad it worked out for you...

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XPS 8950, no HDMI cable

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