4K Display and Retina MacBook Pro 13"

[mayuka]

I know Ars have said it'll work. I'm surprised no one here with a 2015 rMBP have tested this and report back in this thread. I really wonder if there's any lag as Ars have said there is.

Probably because no one has the luxury to buy a 4K monitor, including me.

 

[ByDesign]

Looks great. I'm looking for a 4k display to have "retina" quality on a desktop. Where did you buy it ?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-28-uhd-4k-monitor-black/7662137.p?id=1219285526706&skuId=7662137

This is a list of things to help get 60 Hz with the 2015 rMBP 13".

1.) To get 60 Hz you must be running a DisplayPort 1.2 Male to Mini DisplayPort Male Cable.

2.) HDMI will work but will only run at 30 Hz. It will feel like the Macbook Pro is dropping frames but the 4K screen should still look beautiful.

3.) When connecting to the monitor (and you have the Macbook Pro lid open) you get 2 choices under display options. Pick optimize for your 4K monitor and not the internal retina display. Then choose scaled and select "Looks like 1920x1080". Close the lid on the Macbook. This setting looks very nice on mine.

4.) Macbook Pro must be plugged in.

5.) Double check that your monitor is running 60 Hz. by looking in your 4K monitor's On Screen Menu.

6.) Make sure Display Port option is changed from 1.1 to 1.2 on the monitor.

7.) Even if everything works as it should there still may be some issues that are annoying.




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I know Ars have said it'll work. I'm surprised no one here with a 2015 rMBP have tested this and report back in this thread. I really wonder if there's any lag as Ars have said there is.

post #170

 

[ByDesign]

Probably because no one has the luxury to buy a 4K monitor, including me.

$575.00 is what I paid for mine.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-28-uhd-4k-monitor-black/7662137.p?id=1219285526706&skuId=7662137

I have $400.00 less invested than a base model Retina iMac ($1425.00 = 2015 Macbook Pro-$575.00 = ASUS pb287q) Even though not as powerful as the iMac I still have the advantage of having an awesome portable.

Edit: I did buy a magic mouse and a wired Apple keyboard for another $120.00

 

[dpsharp]

I'm running a 2014 rMBP 13" with Asus PB287Q 28" over display port 1.2.

I'd love to run it at 1080p-effective with HiDPI (i.e. a retina quality display using all 3840x2160 pixels) as it looks beautiful but the max it can manage is 45Hz using SwitchResX. It may be my imagination but I tend to feel that this mode makes my eyes tired and sometimes a little nauseous compared to 2560x1440 at 60Hz even after relatively short periods of use. Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

I'm tempted to upgrade to the 2015 model just to try and address this but the 400 GBP difference over what I paid for the 2014 model just for 15Hz benefit is a bit steep (I'm not bothered about the other enhancements).

 

[beerglass007]

Dell P2415Q and mid 2014 13" rmbp

I have connected my 13" 2014 rMBP to the new dell 24" 4K monitor via DP 1.2

I can get 3480 x 2160 30hz HiDPI 1080p30

But people have said you can download a program called switchRESX and get 52hz

I've played around all night and cannot get more than 30

Can anyone please help me.

P.S I take it the 2015 13" just works lovely at 60HZ job done without hassle and feels better than the mid 2014 model ??

Thanks

 

[MacbookPro2015]

Will a 1440p monitor text appear sharp like my 13in 2015 MBP? I would get a 4K monitor but I really don't want to have things be choppy

P.S I take it the 2015 13" just works lovely at 60HZ job done without hassle and feels better than the mid 2014 model ??

Thanks

People on the thread reporting the 2015 13 MBP using a 4K monitor at 60hz makes the computer pretty choppy

 

[JTToft]

Will a 1440p monitor text appear sharp like my 13in 2015 MBP?

- No, not even close.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

1440p

Will a 1440p monitor text appear sharp like my 13in 2015 MBP? I would get a 4K monitor but I really don't want to have things be choppy



People on the thread reporting the 2015 13 MBP using a 4K monitor at 60hz makes the computer pretty choppy

Will look the same as an imac so if you've seen that you know...

 

[ah07171]

Guys,

I've just purchased the MacBook air 11" 2015 model. According to the apple website this should support 4k at 60hz no problem. However I'm struggling to get 4k at 60hz on my Samsung tv to work with this device. Any guidance on how I can go about getting this to work? I've tried switresx, that didn't have an option, and I wasn't sure how to setup a custome one. Any help will be much appreciated.

 

[mellofello]

Not happening unfortunately. Hdmi 1.4 only goes to 30hrz

 

[ah07171]

Not happening unfortunately. Hdmi 1.4 only goes to 30hrz

The Samsung TV I'm using does have HDMI 2.0.

 

[ByDesign]

The Samsung TV I'm using does have HDMI 2.0.

What you need is a Thunderbolt to HDMI 2.0 converter and they are vaporware as of right now. Maybe soon. There have been a few on Amazon or EBAY but I don't think they really worked. Your Macbook is HDMI 1.4

 

[JTToft]

What you need is a Thunderbolt to HDMI 2.0 converter and they are vaporware as of right now. Maybe soon. There have been a few on Amazon or EBAY but I don't think they really worked. Your Macbook is HDMI 1.4

- Let's be correct about the terminology. What he needs is a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 adapter or cable. Thunderbolt to HDMI is impossible.

 

[jesusplay]

I returned my macbook.....video card is a joke....I got 2 different monitors and lagg on the most recent 4k one even when setting display to 1080p.

I'm happy I bought mines from bestbuy I got all my money back and I've had it for like 30 days lol

 

[MacbookPro2015]

I returned my macbook.....video card is a joke....I got 2 different monitors and lagg on the most recent 4k one even when setting display to 1080p.

I'm happy I bought mines from bestbuy I got all my money back and I've had it for like 30 days lol

Is the lag isolated only to OS X transition stuff like using expose and etc....or does the computer lag overall....as in programs run slower 4K video can't play smooth etc...?

 

[Hdub32]

Here is my 2015 - 13" Macbook Pro running 1080p retina? This is on a ASUS pb287q and it looks really good. To me there is no more slow down or choppiness than when I'm running the Macbook Pro by itself. I'm running 60 Hz but I think the video is 30 Hz. I've enjoyed this setup and will keep it to do light photo editing in Pixelmator and general internet browsing. I am on a slow internet connection of 5mb so some of the web delay can be blamed on that.



https://youtu.be/1GHpbgHHbEk

And here is a picture taken with my iPhone to show that it looks better than the video can show. Actually it looks better than this picture can show but it is closer to what the ASUS really looks like.

View attachment 546029

Do you or anyone else know if I'm running a 4k display at 1080p (pixel doubled), and i go to youtube and watch a 4k video...is it 4k or would i have to change resolution to really see 4k

 

[ByDesign]

Do you or anyone else know if I'm running a 4k display at 1080p (pixel doubled), and i go to youtube and watch a 4k video...is it 4k or would i have to change resolution to really see 4k

I just did a test.

-Display 1080p HiDPI is all I ever run and I've enjoyed high quality video but even if the video says it is playing 4k it looks the same as 1080p so with 1080p HiDPI 4k is probably not true 4k.

-Display set at 4k and of course everything is tiny and Youtube videos look like they play at 4k. The only problem, it is a slide show. Unwatchable on mine. Now the tricky part, like I said I only run 1080p HiDPI and when I did this test and changed back from 4k I was stuck with the same laggy video that 4k gave me. It was a frustrating series of reboots and resolution changes to get back my fluid 1080p HiDPI setup. I'm done with the true 4k testing, my (fake) 4k is awesome looking to me.

 

[ah07171]

What you need is a Thunderbolt to HDMI 2.0 converter and they are vaporware as of right now. Maybe soon. There have been a few on Amazon or EBAY but I don't think they really worked. Your Macbook is HDMI 1.4

Damn - looks like I will return it then.

One other thing I don't get is when I do hook it up to my 4K tv in exactly the same way I hook up my MBPr late 2013 model, the result is an extremely lagging experience. The cursor jumps around and disappears when moving it at high speeds, scrolling is ridiculously bad, and playing back 4K videos through Youtube is again laggy. My MBPr seems to be able to handle the video playback perfectly and everything else much better. My understanding is that the Intel HD6000 inside the Macbook Air is more powerful than the Intel Iris 5100 in the MBPr, therefore thought it would at least be able to handle the 4K res at 30hz as well, I guess I was wrong, unless I'm doing something wrong?

 

[JonathanX64]

Dell P2415Q and Mid-2014 13" MBPr

Hey, guys.
So I've just bought this monitor and I want to use it with Mid-2014 MacBook Pro 13".
I've heard somewhere that it can be used in 3840x2160 @ 51 Hz with SwitchResX.
The problem is, I don't even have options for 3840x2160 when this display connected via DisplayPort, maximum is 3360x2100 @ 60 Hz (non-HiDPI). Via HDMI I'm getting expected 3840x2160 @ 30 Hz.
So, what's the issue in displaying 4K via DP? How could I use it in 3840x2160 @ 51 Hz over DisplayPort connection? Anybody done this already?

 

[deer1209]

Exactly right, works as you say. I have MBPr mid 2014 on P2415Q, using the supplied cable and Switchresx, set the resolution and pixel clock, restart and that's it. Surely need to pay and register Switchresx also, but it's fine. 24 inch is just the right size to run HiDPI 1080p (2160).

Hi, I am having trouble to make it work now with the same mac and same monitor.
May I ask what version of OS are you on and what does your setting looks like? And after add the custom resolution to switchresx, how to you apply it? Do I need to go to system preference to change refresh rate or is it applied automatically? When I restarted, the monitor's menu says I'm still running @ 30Hz. While trying to setting it manually freeze my computer.
Thanks so much!

 

[JonathanX64]

4K @ 50 Hz on 13" MBPr Mid–2014

Alright, so I managed to get it working.

If you read official Apple' support page https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202856, you won't find there Mid–2014 13" MBPr in the list of laptops that are capable of outputting 4K @ 60 Hz via SST.
That's actually the limitation of hardware, and if being more exact–limitation of 'U' line of Intel Haswell processors. That's why there is no such problems on 15" MBPrs, even on models without dedicated GeForce card, and that's why there is no such problem on latest Early–2015 13" MBPr.

So, maximum what you can get on Mid–2014 13" MBPr is 3840*2160 @ 51 Hz.

Buy or download SwitchResX, and add a custom resolution of 3840x2160. Use simplified settings and make sure that each and every number in there looks exactly like on attachment.

After saving and rebooting OS X will automatically apply it, and will enable Retina scaling (x2).

 

[deer1209]

Alright, so I managed to get it working.

If you read official Apple' support page https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202856, you won't find there Mid–2014 13" MBPr in the list of laptops that are capable of outputting 4K @ 60 Hz via SST.
That's actually the limitation of hardware, and if being more exact–limitation of 'U' line of Intel Haswell processors. That's why there is no such problems on 15" MBPrs, even on models without dedicated GeForce card, and that's why there is no such problem on latest Early–2015 13" MBPr.

So, maximum what you can get on Mid–2014 13" MBPr is 3840*2160 @ 51 Hz.

Buy or download SwitchResX, and add a custom resolution of 3840x2160. Use simplified settings and make sure that each and every number in there looks exactly like on attachment.

After saving and rebooting OS X will automatically apply it, and will enable Retina scaling (x2).

Thanks! I found a solution after carefully reading the whole thread, which is turn off the MST.

 

[adysss]

The suspects are: Mid 2014 13" rMBP and Acer 24K Monitor (Acer CB240HYKbmjdpr (24 inch) 4K2K IPS LED Monitor 100M:1 310cd/m2 3840x2160 6ms DisplayPort/DVI/HDMI(MHL)

With the DisplayPort cable and switchresX solution I achieved the 3840*2160 @ 51 Hz. (1080P HiDPI).

Also, I tried to plug the displayPort cable and the hdmi at the same time to achieve the 1440P HiDPI @60Hz but I don't get more than the presence of two monitors in display - System preferences. I don't know if the monitor support the MST feature because I didn't find it in the monitor's preferences (only the switch from dp 1.2 to dp 1.1). I created two 1920*2160 resolutions for each monitor in switchresX and I restarted but nothing happend.

Also I tried the same thing in Bootcamp Windows 8.1 but the Intel Collage mode doesn't show in graphic options.

The second problem is that the monitor is listed in system properties as Television. Do I need to force the RGB mode?

Please advise me.

 

[Lhbay]

I have early 2015 rmbp 13", and i get sluggish performance with my 4k 60hz dell up2414q monitor, even though i enable display port 1.2. when i use my iMac as external monitor, the performance is much better. is there anyway to solve this

 

[yjchua95]

I have early 2015 rmbp 13", and i get sluggish performance with my 4k 60hz dell up2414q monitor, even though i enable display port 1.2. when i use my iMac as external monitor, the performance is much better. is there anyway to solve this

Have you tried doing it on El Capitan?