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zerox17virus

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 5, 2010
70
4
Hi I was planning to buy the samsung 3D 23" Full 120hz monitor (LS23A750DS) to connect to my MBA late 2010, it has a displayport and an HDMI cable, does the mac support 120hz, I've been searching around and people say no but that is like 2 years ago so I want an updated answer. And if it does what cable should I get to connect to the monitor?
 

Mr Dobey

macrumors 6502
Aug 8, 2008
345
108
Your MacBook Air will export 24Hz, 30Hz or 60Hz. 120Hz@1080p would be too intense for the MacBook Air's HD 3000 Graphics. I assume you are getting a 120Hz screen for either 24fps Blu-Rays or Gaming?
 

EthanNixon

macrumors 6502a
Sep 30, 2007
645
97
New Jersey
Hi I was planning to buy the samsung 3D 23" Full 120hz monitor (LS23A750DS) to connect to my MBA late 2010, it has a displayport and an HDMI cable, does the mac support 120hz, I've been searching around and people say no but that is like 2 years ago so I want an updated answer. And if it does what cable should I get to connect to the monitor?

Ok, so I actually know what I am talking about, unlike a lot of people who have already posted, so here is my answer.

I use my MacBook Air to game competitively in CS:S. I play tournaments, lans, etc. Right now I use a CRT that is capable of displayed 120Hz at 640x480, and 100Hz at 800x600. In Mac OS X, I only get the option for 85Hz, no matter the resolution. So I believe 85Hz may be the max, but that could be for CRTs since that is the recommended refresh rate by the manufacture. So Mac OS X might be reading the EDID information from the monitor much stricter than Windows. In Windows, I have no issues getting to 120Hz through Mini DP to VGA.

However, I am being sent a review unit of the BenQ XL2420T. When I get that, I will try to update this thread and post how Mac OS X sees it, but I know Windows will have no issues.

So please, wait until I get my review sample to make a decision, and don't base anything off of uneducated assumptions of some of these users who think they know what they are talking about.

I would probably pick up the BenQ XL2420T if I were you, seeing as how it would support DP natively, without an adapter from DVI. That's me though, so just be on the lookout.

You can email me at ethan@fragboss.com, or check out http://www.fragboss.com for the review, I will mention it in there as well.
 

Zeov

macrumors 6502a
Apr 1, 2011
634
113
Odense
i bought the Dual-link DVI adapter for my samsung 2233RZ, i can get both 100 / 120 HZ in both windows and Mac OSX, do not believe any of the other folks telling you otherwise, i kept searching for 2 years, until i just bought it and tried it out, and it worked!

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB571Z/A

as you can see you need to connect the adapter with mini display, and a USB port, but theres a USB port on the adapter which you can connect anything to (i connect my Razer Deathadder)

i do not now if its possible to achieve 3D / 120HZ with HDMI, but i'm 100% sure it is possible with 2233RZ and 1650x1080, since i'm doing that myself.
 
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EthanNixon

macrumors 6502a
Sep 30, 2007
645
97
New Jersey
i bought the Dual-link DVI adapter for my samsung 2233RZ, i can get both 100 / 120 HZ in both windows and Mac OSX, do not believe any of the other folks telling you otherwise, i kept searching for 2 years, until i just bought it and tried it out, and it worked!

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB571Z/A

as you can see you need to connect the adapter with mini display, and a USB port, but theres a USB port on the adapter which you can connect anything to (i connect my Razer Deathadder)

i do not now if its possible to achieve 3D / 120HZ with HDMI, but i'm 100% sure it is possible with 2233RZ and 1650x1080, since i'm doing that myself.

Nice, good to know Mac actually supports 120Hz natively.

You won't be able to get 120Hz over HDMI, unless both products are 1.4 compliant, which none are right now.
 
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Mr Dobey

macrumors 6502
Aug 8, 2008
345
108
I already had a BenQ XL2420T and returned it because the image quality was terrible. Heads up!
 

bogatyr

macrumors 65816
Mar 13, 2012
1,127
1
Ok, so I actually know what I am talking about, unlike a lot of people who have already posted, so here is my answer.

I use my MacBook Air to game competitively in CS:S. I play tournaments, lans, etc. Right now I use a CRT that is capable of displayed 120Hz at 640x480, and 100Hz at 800x600. In Mac OS X, I only get the option for 85Hz, no matter the resolution. So I believe 85Hz may be the max, but that could be for CRTs since that is the recommended refresh rate by the manufacture. So Mac OS X might be reading the EDID information from the monitor much stricter than Windows. In Windows, I have no issues getting to 120Hz through Mini DP to VGA.

However, I am being sent a review unit of the BenQ XL2420T. When I get that, I will try to update this thread and post how Mac OS X sees it, but I know Windows will have no issues.

So please, wait until I get my review sample to make a decision, and don't base anything off of uneducated assumptions of some of these users who think they know what they are talking about.

I would probably pick up the BenQ XL2420T if I were you, seeing as how it would support DP natively, without an adapter from DVI. That's me though, so just be on the lookout.

You can email me at ethan@fragboss.com, or check out http://www.fragboss.com for the review, I will mention it in there as well.
The monitor is already listed as supporting 60Hz. If the laptop can output 60Hz, the default, there will be no issue in using the monitor.

LCDs don't flicker, 120Hz is only useful for 3D which, as far as I know, OS X doesn't support.
 

EthanNixon

macrumors 6502a
Sep 30, 2007
645
97
New Jersey
The monitor is already listed as supporting 60Hz. If the laptop can output 60Hz, the default, there will be no issue in using the monitor.

LCDs don't flicker, 120Hz is only useful for 3D which, as far as I know, OS X doesn't support.

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Do not post in threads in which you have literally no knowledge of, it makes you look like a complete idiot.

120Hz IS the standard for competitive gaming. If you don't have 120Hz+ in competitive gaming, you are at an automatic disadvantage.

First of all, the OP isn't asking if the monitor can do 60Hz. A chicken knows the monitor can do 60Hz. He is asking if the monitor can do 120Hz, because he is a gamer. The answer is yes, it will do 120Hz.

People need to stop posting things if they have absolutely no idea what's going on... Educate yourself.
 

heisenberg123

macrumors 603
Oct 31, 2010
6,496
9
Hamilton, Ontario
You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Do not post in threads in which you have literally no knowledge of, it makes you look like a complete idiot.

120Hz IS the standard for competitive gaming. If you don't have 120Hz+ in competitive gaming, you are at an automatic disadvantage.

First of all, the OP isn't asking if the monitor can do 60Hz. A chicken knows the monitor can do 60Hz. He is asking if the monitor can do 120Hz, because he is a gamer. The answer is yes, it will do 120Hz.

People need to stop posting things if they have absolutely no idea what's going on... Educate yourself.

lol sorry i got a chuckle out of that

all i can picture is a fat guy in a cheetos stain white tank top in his moms basement

and the OP is asking if the MBA he has will output 120hz, obviously the monitor can display it since its advertised as a 120hz monitor
 

bogatyr

macrumors 65816
Mar 13, 2012
1,127
1
You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Do not post in threads in which you have literally no knowledge of, it makes you look like a complete idiot.

120Hz IS the standard for competitive gaming. If you don't have 120Hz+ in competitive gaming, you are at an automatic disadvantage.

First of all, the OP isn't asking if the monitor can do 60Hz. A chicken knows the monitor can do 60Hz. He is asking if the monitor can do 120Hz, because he is a gamer. The answer is yes, it will do 120Hz.

People need to stop posting things if they have absolutely no idea what's going on... Educate yourself.

A gamer, on a MBA 2010, needing bleeding edge motion smoothing? Maybe you should re-read the OP. A MBA 2010 isn't giving bleeding edge anything for games and adding a 120Hz monitor which offers smoothing out motion isn't helping any on that laptop.

That is why I assumed it was about flickering (nonexistent) or 3D.
 
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EthanNixon

macrumors 6502a
Sep 30, 2007
645
97
New Jersey
A gamer, on a MBA 2010, needing bleeding edge motion smoothing? Maybe you should re-read the OP. A MBA 2010 isn't giving bleeding edge anything for games and adding a 120Hz monitor which offers smoothing out motion isn't helping any on that laptop.

That is why I assumed it was about flickering (nonexistent) or 3D.

You are also oblivious to what competitive gaming is. It's not BattleField 13, Call of Duty 46, or whatever other ****** games have come out in the past 10 years. Competitive games consist of Counter-Strike, Counter-Strike: Source, StarCraft, StarCraft 2, Heroes of Newerth, League of Legends, Dota, Dota 2, etc. Games with real gameplay, that host tournaments world-wide. The MacBook Air is more than capable of playing ALL of those games at 100+ FPS.

I play CS:S competitively, have played in countless LAN tournaments, and would rather bring my MacBook Air than a huge computer. So again, people need to stop posting about things they have absolutely no idea about.

Do you know what input latency is? Of course not, because 120Hz monitors help out a lot with that, but you wouldn't know anything about that, but you'll probably pretend to know something about that. 120Hz LCDs offer very comparable performance to a CRT, without weighing 30 pounds.

lol sorry i got a chuckle out of that

all i can picture is a fat guy in a cheetos stain white tank top in his moms basement

and the OP is asking if the MBA he has will output 120hz, obviously the monitor can display it since its advertised as a 120hz monitor

There have been two answers to his question already, one was mine, and the other was from another person in the same situation. Any Mac with a Mini DisplayPort will output 120+Hz. MacBook Pros with Dual-Link DVI will output 120+Hz. Macs with VGA will output 120+Hz at lower resolutions through VGA.

People need to stop posting about things they have no idea about, because it makes them look really stupid. There are people who make a comfortable living off of competitive gaming, and there are people who have loads of fun doing it.

Just because you don't know what competitive gaming is, doesn't mean it's stupid or idiotic. That makes you close-minded, and ignorant.
 

bogatyr

macrumors 65816
Mar 13, 2012
1,127
1
Sorry but the difference gained between a 60Hz and 120Hz monitor is snake oil. You can keep thinking that you're getting an edge in competitive gaming for some old games, but it's just marketing.

And yes, I've seen 120Hz monitors next to 60Hz monitors.
 

EthanNixon

macrumors 6502a
Sep 30, 2007
645
97
New Jersey
Sorry but the difference gained between a 60Hz and 120Hz monitor is snake oil. You can keep thinking that you're getting an edge in competitive gaming for some old games, but it's just marketing.

And yes, I've seen 120Hz monitors next to 60Hz monitors.

Like I said, you don't know anything about competitive gaming.

120Hz monitors are not used because of the visuals... They are used because the input latency is cut in half. You can feel and react twice as fast with a 120Hz over 60Hz.

Stop talking about these things like you know what you're talking about, it just keeps making you look more ridiculous.
 

heisenberg123

macrumors 603
Oct 31, 2010
6,496
9
Hamilton, Ontario
You are also oblivious to what competitive gaming is. It's not BattleField 13, Call of Duty 46, or whatever other ****** games have come out in the past 10 years. Competitive games consist of Counter-Strike, Counter-Strike: Source, StarCraft, StarCraft 2, Heroes of Newerth, League of Legends, Dota, Dota 2, etc. Games with real gameplay, that host tournaments world-wide. The MacBook Air is more than capable of playing ALL of those games at 100+ FPS.

I play CS:S competitively, have played in countless LAN tournaments, and would rather bring my MacBook Air than a huge computer. So again, people need to stop posting about things they have absolutely no idea about.

Do you know what input latency is? Of course not, because 120Hz monitors help out a lot with that, but you wouldn't know anything about that, but you'll probably pretend to know something about that. 120Hz LCDs offer very comparable performance to a CRT, without weighing 30 pounds.



There have been two answers to his question already, one was mine, and the other was from another person in the same situation. Any Mac with a Mini DisplayPort will output 120+Hz. MacBook Pros with Dual-Link DVI will output 120+Hz. Macs with VGA will output 120+Hz at lower resolutions through VGA.

People need to stop posting about things they have no idea about, because it makes them look really stupid. There are people who make a comfortable living off of competitive gaming, and there are people who have loads of fun doing it.

Just because you don't know what competitive gaming is, doesn't mean it's stupid or idiotic. That makes you close-minded, and ignorant.


up up down down left right left right B A Start
 

Dangerous Theory

macrumors 68000
Jul 28, 2011
1,984
28
UK
Like I said, you don't know anything about competitive gaming.

120Hz monitors are not used because of the visuals... They are used because the input latency is cut in half. You can feel and react twice as fast with a 120Hz over 60Hz.

Stop talking about these things like you know what you're talking about, it just keeps making you look more ridiculous.

I have to say you are sounding extremely arrogant, and you certainly don't help your argument with that attitude.

Also, I'd like to point out that increasing the refresh rate of a monitor most certainly isn't going to double your reaction speed - it doesn't somehow allow your brain to process the information faster, it just shows you the picture faster. Consider that a human reaction time is around 0.3 seconds, that's about 3Hz. This is a relatively huge factor in the overall response time during a game. Doubling 60 to 120Hz will have such an absolute minimal impact overall. The best way you can reduce latency from a technology standpoint is to look for a TV with a low response time. They can range from a couple milliseconds to over 15 in cheaper-made TVs.
 

EthanNixon

macrumors 6502a
Sep 30, 2007
645
97
New Jersey
I have to say you are sounding extremely arrogant, and you certainly don't help your argument with that attitude.

Also, I'd like to point out that increasing the refresh rate of a monitor most certainly isn't going to double your reaction speed - it doesn't somehow allow your brain to process the information faster, it just shows you the picture faster. Consider that a human reaction time is around 0.3 seconds, that's about 3Hz. This is a relatively huge factor in the overall response time during a game. Doubling 60 to 120Hz will have such an absolute minimal impact overall. The best way you can reduce latency from a technology standpoint is to look for a TV with a low response time. They can range from a couple milliseconds to over 15 in cheaper-made TVs.

The relation between objects in motion and objects at rest isn't relevant in a game. Everything is moving, and at 120Hz that allows your brain to process EVERYTHING on the screen much quicker than normal.

I wouldn't know anything about this, I've only been playing competitively for over a decade, and have only been writing about gaming products for three years. I don't know what I am talking about, but you don't see me in a car thread talking about turbo engines and **** I have no idea about.
 

heisenberg123

macrumors 603
Oct 31, 2010
6,496
9
Hamilton, Ontario
The relation between objects in motion and objects at rest isn't relevant in a game. Everything is moving, and at 120Hz that allows your brain to process EVERYTHING on the screen much quicker than normal.

I wouldn't know anything about this, I've only been playing competitively for over a decade, and have only been writing about gaming products for three years. I don't know what I am talking about, but you don't see me in a car thread talking about turbo engines and **** I have no idea about.

i challenge you to a quick game of donkey kong

2962990888_228a36fd3a_o.jpg
 

Elijahg

macrumors 6502
May 23, 2005
269
174
Bath, UK
This thread amused me. Apparently EthanNixon reacts faster than the 0.017 seconds it takes to refresh a 60hz display. He reacts in just 0.008 seconds!! Someone call Guinness World Records, I think we have a record breaker here! :rolleyes:
 

Dangerous Theory

macrumors 68000
Jul 28, 2011
1,984
28
UK
The relation between objects in motion and objects at rest isn't relevant in a game. Everything is moving, and at 120Hz that allows your brain to process EVERYTHING on the screen much quicker than normal.

I wouldn't know anything about this, I've only been playing competitively for over a decade, and have only been writing about gaming products for three years. I don't know what I am talking about, but you don't see me in a car thread talking about turbo engines and **** I have no idea about.

You can stay competitively gaming all your life irrespective of the fact you don't appear to understand even quite straightforward mathematics. The fact that you even think that a monitors refresh rate speeds up your brain is worrying enough to me. Or perhaps you're some frankenstein experiment, with electrodes sticking out of your head into the TV...:D
 

heisenberg123

macrumors 603
Oct 31, 2010
6,496
9
Hamilton, Ontario
You can stay competitively gaming all your life irrespective of the fact you don't appear to understand even quite straightforward mathematics. The fact that you even think that a monitors refresh rate speeds up your brain is worrying enough to me. Or perhaps you're some frankenstein experiment, with electrodes sticking out of your head into the TV...:D

you dont know nothing about competitive gaming I got 200 kills in contra in 2 and a half minutes

try that on anything but 120Hz
 
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