I have two laptops connected directly to the same Samsung monitor using USB-C to USB-C. My work laptop can duplicate its display for hours without any issues, but my personal Windows 11 laptop eventually loses the monitor after a random amount of time. The laptop's built-in screen keeps working, and the monitor sometimes reconnects with an incorrect resolution. There's no dock or adapter involved. I already disabled USB selective suspend, but that didn't help. What should I check next—graphics and chipset drivers, BIOS or power-management settings, the USB-C port, or something else?
3 Answers
Start by checking for updated graphics, USB, and chipset drivers on the personal laptop. Also check the laptop manufacturer’s support page rather than relying only on Windows Update, since the newest compatible driver may be listed there. If the available driver really is from 2021, compare the exact laptop model and hardware IDs before installing anything.
Swap the USB-C cables between the two setups or try a known-good cable rated for video and the monitor’s required power and bandwidth. If the problem follows the cable, that’s probably the cause. If it only happens with the personal laptop, test another USB-C port or connect through a compatible dock to help isolate whether the laptop’s port or DisplayPort-over-USB-C implementation is failing.
I’d troubleshoot this in stages: update the GPU, USB, and chipset drivers; review Windows and BIOS power-management settings; then inspect the USB-C port for dust, looseness, or physical damage. A port can still work while having an intermittent connection. If possible, test another USB-C cable as well, even if the current one works with the other laptop.
The newest driver I found is from 2021, so I’m not sure whether it’s actually the right one. I’ll check the laptop manufacturer’s page and verify the model and hardware IDs.