1080p on a 4k monitor with MBP. Is it possible?

[Jimmy Mac]

I've been through a fair old headache trying to find a monitor suitable for web design.

While some of the 2k and 4k monitors are really nice, they are so difficult to design for web, because it throws the proportions out so much - the mass consumer has not caught onto these yet, so really you are designing for 1080p and down, which renders very differently.

So simply, I would like a 4k (or 2k) monitor that can scale accurately to 1080p. Is this possible?

By that, I mean displays exactly as a 1080p monitor would, except crisper details. My concern is that scaling on the MBP leads to blurry text and such like? I have a 2015 MBP 15.

Thanks!

 

[campyguy]

From personal experience with an older 15" rMBP (which doesn't mean much) the best "deal" is IMO the Dell P2715Q (pretty much on closeout right now), the P2718Q (P2715Q replacement, same panel different bezel), or BenQ BL2711U. BenQ's AOC division makes the panel for all 3 of these displays, I prefer the BenQ due to the Mac-friendly SW/GUI and support. If you buy a Dell, buy from Dell - you'll get better support.

Cutting to it, the "default" resolution for all 3 of these displays is HD - 1080p, no scaling but with a caveat. The caveat is that you must purchase a VESA/DP-compliant mDP>DP cable in order to take advantage of these displays. I've waxed on for a few years about this here - they're not expensive, and they'll unlock the capabilities of your external displays. I use DP 1.2a cables from either StarTech or Accell; the Dell cables are junk.

My offices still have around 15 P2715Q displays in use, mainly for office production work but with some coding. I used two for about 3 years in 1080p with my rMBP - often one in portrait and the other in landscape with my laptop in clamshell mode. Don't skimp on the cabling.

 

[Fishrrman]

Hmmmm.... let's see here.

1080p = 1920x1080
4k = 3840x2160

That means that 4k is "exactly twice" 1080p horizontally and vertically.

I would think that means that you can take a 4k display with a native resolution of 3840x2160, and then run it in "1080p", and it will "scale down" perfectly to 1920x1080.

Each "pixel" of the 1080p resolution will now be comprised of FOUR pixels (2 vertical and 2 horizontal), and if anything, the overall display will be "crisper" and more defined.

I don't see any problems with doing this.
Disclaimer: I've never tried it myself, however -- I have only a 1080p display.

Seems to me that if you have a 2015 MBP, you can run the display in 4k without problems, in any case.

As campyguy pointed out, having the RIGHT CABLE/ADAPTER is essential.
Without that, nothing will work properly!

 

[Jimmy Mac]

Thanks very much Campyguy.. so helpful!

Would the same apply for the Dell P2415Q... the 24" version?

I mean, the Benq 27" is currently cheaper on Amazon, but I am not sure I need or want 27"... mainly because I assume it is the same amount of screen estate, but stretched out to a bigger size if it runs at 1080p? 24" is probably more similar to what the mass consumer would see on a desktop monitor (which is more helpful for web design, as I need to make sure my designs work well for these folk...)

Thanks again so much

 

[TheralSadurns]

I'd actually recommend a 21.5 to 24" display. Basically you have to pick the SAME size you would pick for a 1080p display.
If you think 1080p on 27" is fine... then go for that. I cannot stand it and think everything on screen is comically large!

Also refer to:
https://bjango.com/articles/macexternaldisplays/

On the cheap I'd say got for an LG 24UD58. If you wanna pay a little more: Dell P2415Q.

macOS scales very well... in the sense that it doesn't scale. It's basically like Fishrrman said.
A 4k display CAN render at 4k POINTS, but usually it renders at 1080p POINTS. Just in contrast to a 1080p display every point is 4 pixels (2 wide, 2 tall) instead of 1 pixel.