2014 MacMini and 4k monitor

[dpavid]

Our kids 2010 iMac has served it purpose and now it's time for an upgrade.

I'm considering a MacMini instead and using a 4k UHD consumer monitor instead. This is what I found out below:

This HDMI port can be used to drive a 4K display, albeit at slower refresh speeds. So with that HDMI port, you can connect a 4K display and expect to see 3840 x 2160 resolution at 30 Hz, or 4096 x 2160 resolution at 24 Hz. Again, that's the same as the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro.

So it seems like a 4k monitor will work but only at 30MHz. Most of these 4k monitors are 120MHz. Will they work from the MacMini HDMI output?

Can I use the Thunderbolt 2 port for a mini displayport to HDMI cable to drive the 4k monitor?

What are my options? I want multiple purposes for this and would like the kids to use the 4k monitor for a MacMini, game console, to watch movies, etc. Trying to consolidate electronics around the house.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

[xraydoc]

Thunderbolt 2 with the Mini's integrated graphics doesn't have enough bandwidth to drive a 4K monitor any better than the HDMI port.

4K at 30Hz is not going to be pretty for desktop apps use. Mouse movements, text scrolling and other such movements are going to look pretty jerky. It'll of course work, but some people (many/most people?) are going to find it terribly irritating.

On top of that, no current or announced game console outputs at 4K. There are very few movie sources available presently at 4K (though 4K BD players are coming sometime first half of 2016).

Personally I think you'd be much better served with a quality 1080p HDTV (or a 1920x1200 or 2560x1440 computer display as long as it has the right inputs for all your sources).

 

[paulrbeers]

Off the thunderbolt port you can run 4k resolutions at 52hz with display port if you use switchrezx. It still won't be as fluid as 60hz. Your monitor has to support refresh rates other than 60...

 

[dpavid]

Thank you all. That's exactly what I wanted to know.

 

[goyingus]

I can do 4k@60 on my second tier Mac Mini 2014 through boot camp without ANY modification. Apple is just blocking refresh-rate so that you'll buy an iMac, and they do -or did- the same with macbooks so you'll buy a MB Pro. This Mac mini is the last piece of hardware I'll buy from them.

 

[krause734]

I'm running my Mac Mini to a 4K 60" TV and it is smooth. I'm not sure what Hz or resolution it's running but it's good enough for me and better than running Windows on an Intel NUC just for 4K.

 

[Chatran]

I can do 4k@60 on my second tier Mac Mini 2014 through boot camp without ANY modification. Apple is just blocking refresh-rate so that you'll buy an iMac, and they do -or did- the same with macbooks so you'll buy a MB Pro. This Mac mini is the last piece of hardware I'll buy from them.

Amazing if it is true, since it is over the Intel CPU spec.