Fonts on my MacBook Pro are fatter than my Mac Pro

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CaptSaltyJack

macrumors 6502

Original poster

Jun 28, 2007

351

1

• Apr 8, 2008

• #1

Compare the two screenshots below of the same content (on the web). But it's more than just in-browser, it's in different places on the OS in various apps (Mail, etc.).

First screenshot is from my Mac Pro, the second is from my MacBook Pro (brand new, no more than a week old, 15.4" screen).

Any idea why the MBP looks like this?

 

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bit density

macrumors 6502

Mar 5, 2004

398

2

Seattle

• Apr 8, 2008

• #2

Differences in font smoothing settings and technology...

You can mess with the font smoothing stuff under the Appearance system setting. But you may never get them to be the same. On the MBP you have sub-pixel smoothing available, which is often very difficult to do on a monitor, card you don't control...

But you can still mess with some of the settings. Or turn it off. Then it will look the closest, but not the best.

 

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CaptSaltyJack

macrumors 6502

Original poster

Jun 28, 2007

351

1

• Apr 8, 2008

• #3

I've messed with the font smoothing, doesn't seem to do much really. It bugs me because doing web design on the MBP, I never really know how a font will look because they show up as bold in many cases where they're not supposed to.

 

xraydoc

Contributor

Oct 9, 2005

11,329

5,896

192.168.1.1

• Apr 9, 2008

• #4

When you change font sub-pixel rendering, make sure to log out and back in before looking for any visible change.
Take a look and see if the various fonts are all the same versions on each machine. You could also try replacing the entire font folder of one machine (the one you don't like) with the other (the one you do like).

 

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CaptSaltyJack

macrumors 6502

Original poster

Jun 28, 2007

351

1

• Apr 9, 2008

• #5

Just to be clear, by "sub-pixel rendering," you mean adjusting the font smoothing option in the "Appearance" settings?