Thinkpads Forum

I've got a T410 with Intel HD Graphics. I want to use an external monitor and my built-in display. The native resolution of the external monitor is 1920x1080. My T410 is happy to output this when I direct output only to the monitor. However, when I choose extended desktop, the T410 claims to be putting out 1920x1080 but the monitor is showing the display in the middle of the screen with a black frame. I haven't measured how many pixels I am actually getting. The only way to have extended desktop and fill the external monitor is to lower the resolution for the monitor to something like WXGA, which the monitor then upscales instead of showing a screen with a black frame. Obviously that defeats the purpose.

Is the Intel HD Graphics somehow limited in its capabilities? Why can it run the 1920x1080 fine when that is the only monitor, but not simultaneously with the internal display?

I have tried using 16-bit colour, to no avail. I am using a VGA cable to connect the monitor. I have installed the latest drivers from Lenovo.

Should I suspect the Intel Graphics or the monitor?

Hello and welcome to the forum!

It's been a little while now since I sold my T410 with Intel integrated graphics, but I remember when trying to get it set up in the dock under Linux I was able to drive the 1440x900 internal display and a 1920x1200 external display via displayport as an extended monitor without a problem (at the same time). My external LCD is an HP ZR24W. So the Intel HD should be able to do what you are asking of it (even through the VGA port it should do 1920x1200 per the T410 specification sheet)...

beneix wrote:Is the Intel HD Graphics somehow limited in its capabilities?

No.

Have you gone into the Windows control panel and had a thorough look through the options available in the "Display" settings

If not, you should definitely do that

Cheers,

Bill B.

bill bolton wrote:
Have you gone into the Windows control panel and had a thorough look through the options available in the "Display" settings
Bill B.

Believe me, I have.

However, I just tried swapping around, asking for the external monitor to be primary and the internal display secondary. That works!

So the card is capable of outputting these two resolutions simultaneously, but it just doesn't feel like doing it the way I want...

Oh well.