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Can a 13 MBA support a ultra wide monitor?

J

jameswgarner

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 20, 2010
33
7
Texas
Looking at the LG 34 inch ultra wide.

LG 34UM95-P 34" Widescreen LED Backlit UltraWide IPS Monitor

Product Highlights
34" UltraWide 21:9 Display
3440 x 1440 Resolution
Covers 99% of the sRGB Color Spectrum
IPS Panel Technology
LED Backlit
320 cd/m² Brightness
178°/178° Viewing Angles
2 x HDMI / 1 x DisplayPort Connectors
2 x Thunderbolt Ports
100 x 100 VESA Mount Compatible

I think it would be preferable to two smaller monitors but YMMV.

Does the direct display port (thunderbolt) connection from the MBA to the monitor push enough pixels to support the 3440x1440 resolution?
Any suggestion/alternative would be appreciated.

Thanks!
 
The attached is from the Apple web site for the MBA. Looks like the answer is no.

Lou
 

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  • MBA resulation.jpg
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Well even if you can't run it at native resolution, you can run it at very close one.
And with a third party software you might be actually able to push that a little bit of extra.
 
deeddawg said:
It'd be stupid to fork over $1500 on a monitor then screw up the image by running it at a non-native resolution.
Click to expand...
Well not the best outcome if it's gonna be used only on MBA :D
Although there is a chance that it will work, so I would try that in the store at first.
 
The GPU itself (Intel HD 5000) supports it - it's just a question of if Apple's drivers, and OS X itself support it. Best way to find out is take your laptop to a store that has it on display.
 
MBA 11" -> HDMI -> 2560x1080

I just hooked my LG 25UM65 (21:9 2560x1080) to MacBook Air 11" (2013 model, Intel HD Graphics 5000) via mini display port -> HDMI cable.

Loaded SwitchResX (latest version, at the moment of writing this post: SwitchResX 4.4.1).

I can confirm that 2560x1080 is working via HDMI.


You can find "custom resolution" settings for SwitchResX on Appl Support Forums:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4672999?start=15&tstart=0
Look for genriquediaz's answer and screenshots
 
gRF said:
I just hooked my LG 25UM65 (21:9 2560x1080)
Click to expand...

Sorry to highjack, but what do you think of that monitor? I'm seriously considering getting one but don't live anywhere near where I can go look at one.
 
kant said:
Sorry to highjack, but what do you think of that monitor? I'm seriously considering getting one but don't live anywhere near where I can go look at one.
Click to expand...

I used to have thunderbolt 27" display, but sold it because of moving to another country. I got used to big screen, lot of space and high resolution. Never liked two screens anyway. Nor I like screens bigger than 27".

I do mostly php, web coding, web design, and occasionally graphic design & pre-press work. It really makes a world of difference (to me) when I can have several programs running on same screen.

After the move, for couple of months I was using cheap 21" 1920x1080 Samsung. It served the purpose, the colors were just OK. Resolution was too small for my taste, but eventually I got used to it. Then it died.

So when I saw LG 25" discounted locally, I immediately ordered it (I too didn't have the opportunity to test it in local shop). It's been two weeks I'm using it, and I got used to it as if it's been with me for ages!

The colors are great (I don't have 27" TB or any other monitor at hand to compare it with), and the text is awesomely crisp. Never before I realized that so many movies were originally made in 21:9 format. :)

The only thing I miss on this monitor is USB3 hub, but I personally wouldn't go for 2560x1080 bigger LG only because of USB3
 
gRF said:
I used to have thunderbolt 27" display, but sold it because of moving to another country. I got used to big screen, lot of space and high resolution. Never liked two screens anyway. Nor I like screens bigger than 27".

I do mostly php, web coding, web design, and occasionally graphic design & pre-press work. It really makes a world of difference (to me) when I can have several programs running on same screen.

After the move, for couple of months I was using cheap 21" 1920x1080 Samsung. It served the purpose, the colors were just OK. Resolution was too small for my taste, but eventually I got used to it. Then it died.

So when I saw LG 25" discounted locally, I immediately ordered it (I too didn't have the opportunity to test it in local shop). It's been two weeks I'm using it, and I got used to it as if it's been with me for ages!

The colors are great (I don't have 27" TB or any other monitor at hand to compare it with), and the text is awesomely crisp. Never before I realized that so many movies were originally made in 21:9 format. :)

The only thing I miss on this monitor is USB3 hub, but I personally wouldn't go for 2560x1080 bigger LG only because of USB3
Click to expand...

That's what I was hoping to hear. The 25" seems like a perfect size for that resolution. Better pixel pitch. I like no usb hub; I'm going to stick it on a VESA articulating arm and usb cables would just be in the way.

Now if I can just find out what the differences between their 3 models are. 25UM (55, 64, 65) the um64 has speakers if I recall correctly.

Thanks for replying.
 
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