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27" iMac Font size gripe...

G

Gary Irwin

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 23, 2011
35
1
[rant]
As a new mac owner I'm ticked that there's no good solution to the "too small" font size at native resolution for my 27 iMac. Based on everything I've read there are a basket of "hack" solutions...the best being to reduce the screen resolution to 1920x1080 which makes the fonts a tad fuzzier and reduces the resolution for photo editing.

IMO Apple is making a huge mistake ignoring this issue. I can easily adjust the font on my PC at the machine level without sacrificing graphics resolution...why can't Apple? IMO they risk alienating the huge (and lucrative) baby boomer market with failing eyesight...surely a "short sighted" business decision.

Anyway, I still have two weeks to send my iMac back, and right now I'm about ready to do just that.

I hope Apple reads these forums.

[/rant]
 
Hellhammer

Hellhammer

Moderator emeritus
Dec 10, 2008
22,164
582
Finland
Apple has never been interested on "special" customers. They offer what they offer, they don't make a zillion models like some OEMs do so everyone can find the one they like. The lack of resolution independence sure is annoying in some cases, but for most people it doesn't make a difference.
 
M

mapleleafer

macrumors regular
Nov 2, 2009
192
43
As a baby boomer with failing eyesight, I agree. The current 27"ers are for the generation that grew up with their faces pasted to TV sets. Before buying my 21.5", I went to a store and had a look at both models. I really liked the size of the 27", but I had to sit way too close to it for my comfort. But if resolution independence ever arrives, I'll be getting one.
 
G

Gary Irwin

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 23, 2011
35
1
Hellhammer said:
Apple has never been interested on "special" customers. They offer what they offer, they don't make a zillion models like some OEMs do so everyone can find the one they like. The lack of resolution independence sure is annoying in some cases, but for most people it doesn't make a difference.
Click to expand...

As screen resolutions get higher Apple are going to have to deal with this sooner or later. With the new 27" it's past time. Based on what I've read this is a well known and growing issue. Long-time die-hard mac users are getting older every day.
 
TMRaven

TMRaven

macrumors 68020
Nov 5, 2009
2,099
1
I havn't had a problem with text size yet. I've grown accustomed to whoring out the command zoom that's oh so readily available and greatly executed in osx. You can also just double tap anywhere on the browser to adjust font size with proper upscaling.
 
G

Gary Irwin

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 23, 2011
35
1
mapleleafer said:
As a baby boomer with failing eyesight, I agree. The current 27"ers are for the generation that grew up with their faces pasted to TV sets. Before buying my 21.5", I went to a store and had a look at both models. I really liked the size of the 27", but I had to sit way too close to it for my comfort. But if resolution independence ever arrives, I'll be getting one.
Click to expand...

Indeed. I recently bought my 94 year old father a 21" iMac and had to reduce the resolution to 1024x768 (or similar) so he could read the font. Now at 94 he's not missing the resolution but on principle it just irks me to give back resolution that I paid hard cash for.

I'm in the boomer generation myself and while I can work with high resolution 24" monitors with my reading glasses, I'm finding the font on the 27" just too small, and this machine is too expensive to be saddled with such a fundamental technical issue.

Apple can't ignore this issue for long.
 
A

anomie

Suspended
Jun 29, 2010
557
152
Gary Irwin said:
[rant]


I hope Apple reads these forums.

[/rant]
Click to expand...

Yeah. Sure. They will read this and they will make a special tweak for you.:rolleyes:
So you are new to the Mac? Would have been smart to at least check out an iMac in a store before spending about 2000$ on it.
Although I don´t believe that you really own an iMac, how about moving the screen closer to your face?:eek:
 
G

Gary Irwin

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 23, 2011
35
1
anomie said:
Yeah. Sure. They will read this and they will make a special tweak for you.:rolleyes:
So you are new to the Mac? Would have been smart to at least check out an iMac in a store before spending about 2000$ on it.
Although I don´t believe that you really own an iMac, how about moving the screen closer to your face?:eek:
Click to expand...

No, Apple aren't going to do just for me but they need to consider the growing number of potential customers that think this is a problem. Do a search...I'm hardly alone on this issue.

Not sure why you think I'm bluffing - I have a 27" 3.4GHz i7 SSD on my desk right beside my PC. Bought it as a refurb and have 14 days to return it, which I'm thinking about doing.

Yes, maybe I should have looked at it in the store a little harder but I (incorrectly) assumed fonts would be roughly equivalent in size to my 24" PC monitor that runs 1920x1200 whereas the default fonts on the 27 seem to be much smaller. Moving closer might seem logical but it's not -- I need to take in the entire screen at a glance when scanning for information and I can't do that with my nose 10" from the screen.
 
Last edited:
S

Spike88

macrumors 6502a
Jan 25, 2010
662
0
I agree Gary Irwin.

When I got my 2010 iMac, I immedaite started griping about small fonts and how Mac OS needs DPI ratio setting - like Windows has. Was told to basicially "stuff it and live with it" by many members on this forum. Glad I'm not alone. re: Apple does need to allow global DPI increase ratios (which allow larger size fonts & graphics without distortion) - like Windows does.... If wondering, my kids and wife complain about "too small" of screen fonts and graphics on my iMac as well. Thus, I'm not the only one who wishes Apple could improve in this area - intead of adding more mouse gestures - which seems to be their tunnel focus in Lion.

.
 
M

mellofello

macrumors 65816
Feb 1, 2011
1,257
556
Open browser of choice

Hold Command Key

Push + key until font is big enough to be legible.

Problem solved

I can't believe people are complaining about the screen being too high of a resolution.

Why not buy a mac mini and a 1080p monitor for much less money. IMO the resolution is the best thing about an iMac.
 
M

meli

macrumors member
Jun 3, 2004
92
0
mellofello said:
Open browser of choice

Hold Command Key

Push + key until font is big enough to be legible.

Problem solved

I can't believe people are complaining about the screen being too high of a resolution.
Click to expand...

Problem not solved. That only increases font sizes of web pages. For me, the biggest problem is the menu bar.
 
G

Gary Irwin

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 23, 2011
35
1
mellofello said:
I can't believe people are complaining about the screen being too high of a resolution.

Why not buy a mac mini and a 1080p monitor for much less money. IMO the resolution is the best thing about an iMac.
Click to expand...

I'm not complaining about the resolution - I want the large screen and resolution for photo editing. But it seems apple has forgotten about the user experience here...rather surprising considering Apples history.
 
S

Spike88

macrumors 6502a
Jan 25, 2010
662
0
mellofello said:
Open browser of choice

Hold Command Key

Push + key until font is big enough to be legible.

Problem solved

I can't believe people are complaining about the screen being too high of a resolution.

Why not buy a mac mini and a 1080p monitor for much less money. IMO the resolution is the best thing about an iMac.
Click to expand...

Using CMD + "+" and CMD + "-" must be pressed in each and every application. And, it won't enlarge the applications graphic area. It only enlarges the text block area. Why do I have to use this command in every application? And, why won't it 100% fix the problem.

Have a look a Window's DPI setting. One can set it for 100%, 125% and even 150%. It enlarges both text and graphic without distortion. No other setting needs to be set. Simply change 1 area and its applied globally. Why can't Mac OS (SL or Lion) perform this simple task?

If wondering, I use my HP laptop at 125% and it works great. Especially on a 1600x900 screen. Would like to use my iMac at 125% DPI ratio as well... Why can't the mightly Mac OS perform this global setting? Isn't the iMac much better then Windows?

.
 
certsoft

certsoft

macrumors member
Sep 29, 2007
78
8
John Day, OR
I lasted about a day before I switched to 1920x1080 on my 27" iMac. Did the same when I got a 27" Cinema display a few months ago.

When I'm running windows I can also use "Normal" DPI for fonts whereas with the higher resolution I need to use large fonts.
 
JasonR

JasonR

macrumors 6502a
Nov 11, 2008
958
2
You don't buy a 27" display to run anything less than the native resolution. If that's the case....by a LCD TV.
 
sunlit

sunlit

macrumors member
Mar 5, 2011
51
10
everyone affected by the issue please write at Apple official feedback page (that's not the apple site discussions, which apple never reads).
Its a shame and they need to be pounded on it, so they take heed. Fonts sizes are impossible on all hi res apple displays.
 
S

simon567

macrumors member
Mar 12, 2011
34
0
When I first got my iMac, I thought the text was too small. Now I'm used to it, I really like it and when using PCs I think the text it too big! That said, I agree there definitely should be options to change things without lowering the resolution.
 
entatlrg

entatlrg

macrumors 68040
Mar 2, 2009
3,385
6
Waterloo & Georgian Bay, Canada
Hellhammer said:
Apple has never been interested on "special" customers. They offer what they offer, they don't make a zillion models like some OEMs do so everyone can find the one they like. The lack of resolution independence sure is annoying in some cases, but for most people it doesn't make a difference.
Click to expand...

I don't agree. The baby boomer market is not a "special" market, lol. It is THE market and their money that builds Apple's back accounts. Do you think it's students buying low end 13" MacBook Pro's that fills Apple's bank accounts ... or the business market??

Yes, the resolution is to high for many people, enough so that Apple should get it together when it comes to independent font resultion and servicing the needs of their customers.

To the OP:

Nothing will get done about it here. Send an email to feedback@apple.com and if enough people take the time to voice their concern then something can be accomplished.
 
L

leman

macrumors Core
Oct 14, 2008
19,197
19,054
I am rather short sighted, but I don't find the text on the iMac too small (obviously I am wearing my glasses when working with the computer). Yeah, in the beginning it takes some getting used to (every Apple display is. aside of iPhone 4), but I am perfectly comfortable with it now. Make sure you calibrate your display - it makes the text much nicer to the eyes.
 
T

The Norman

macrumors member
Jun 10, 2009
85
0
Supposedly, Apple is working on implementing this option into the next OS, when 4K resolution monitors will be available. EVERYONE will need this feature then. Let's hope
 
S

Spike88

macrumors 6502a
Jan 25, 2010
662
0
Sam Spade said:
Agree with the OP. This is something I've been waiting years for Apple to fix.
Click to expand...

I want this feature as well. So does my wife. And, 2 of my 3 kids complain of the "small" text on menus - even on the 21.5". Thus, global DPI ratio feature isn't a need for the few. In my family, its the majority of users.

I too hope next version of OS will have this "Global DPI ratio setting" feature - just like Win xx currently does...

.
 
S

Sjhonny

macrumors 6502
Feb 25, 2011
287
0
The land of the cucumbers
Gary Irwin said:
[rant]
As a new mac owner I'm ticked that there's no good solution to the "too small" font size at native resolution for my 27 iMac. Based on everything I've read there are a basket of "hack" solutions...the best being to reduce the screen resolution to 1920x1080 which makes the fonts a tad fuzzier and reduces the resolution for photo editing.

IMO Apple is making a huge mistake ignoring this issue. I can easily adjust the font on my PC at the machine level without sacrificing graphics resolution...why can't Apple? IMO they risk alienating the huge (and lucrative) baby boomer market with failing eyesight...surely a "short sighted" business decision.

Anyway, I still have two weeks to send my iMac back, and right now I'm about ready to do just that.

I hope Apple reads these forums.

[/rant]
Click to expand...

well follow the rumors. Lion already had basic (core) support for a resolution independent GUI. It has nothing to do with the mac, but everything with the OS. Wait till X.8 or X.9. I don't understand your moaning actually. Why didn't you try this out in an Apple Store if it's such a big issue to you?
 
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