A question on resolution

[Techsmash]

I am 44 years old so I remember when LCDs came around for use with computers. The big thing was that you had to use their native resolution or else it was blurry, you couldn't select a different resolution like with a CRT. Over the years I noticed that MAC monitors/laptops would be twice the resolution as what you selected which gave it 4 pixels for every pixel you see, which makes sense.

But with the Retina MacBook Air it seems like that has never worked out. The actual resolution is not a multiple of the recommended resolution so it has to scale it and it will never be perfect. I am just curious about that, if it uses more processing power and if it visually bothers anyone. And if that still holds true with the new 15 inch model?

 

[maerz001]

There are no blurry or scale issues

 

[Techsmash]

I guess I’m just not wrapping my head around how this works. It makes sense that the Pro models use twice as many pixels so that everything lines up perfectly. What doesn’t make sense to me is how scaling it to a resolution in which the pixels don’t line up works out. Or why they would even want to try.

Does anyone know what resolution the 15 inch MacBook Air comes set to from the factory? And how does that compare to the actual pixels that make up the display?

 

[maerz001]

Imho i recommend to go to a store and try it out if you like it. All the numbers wont help.

 

[Techsmash]

Imho i recommend to go to a store and try it out if you like it. All the numbers wont help.

I’m trying to understand it.

This is like if someone is curious about the engine in a vehicle and how it makes so much power, and you tell them to go look at it in the showroom.

 

[curnalpanic]

What doesn’t make sense to me is how scaling it to a resolution in which the pixels don’t line up works out. Or why they would even want to try.

It is a trade-off to get more stuff (text, images, UI elements) on the display at once, if you are OK with a bit more fussy quality to your display. They started using this as the default, instead of the more optimal 2x scaling, around 2016.

 

[CloudsNeverDie]

You may want to check this out... https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ye-or-brain-sensitivity.2392866/post-32324970

 

[Mais78]

I am 44 years old so I remember when LCDs came around for use with computers. The big thing was that you had to use their native resolution or else it was blurry, you couldn't select a different resolution like with a CRT. Over the years I noticed that MAC monitors/laptops would be twice the resolution as what you selected which gave it 4 pixels for every pixel you see, which makes sense.

But with the Retina MacBook Air it seems like that has never worked out. The actual resolution is not a multiple of the recommended resolution so it has to scale it and it will never be perfect. I am just curious about that, if it uses more processing power and if it visually bothers anyone. And if that still holds true with the new 15 inch model?

It is slightly blurrier but not very noticeable. I was hoping Apple would realign scaled resolution to pixel count on the new Air but it did not happen. I miss a 1920x1080 scaled resolution