2018 MBP 13-inch ... and scaled dual 4k?

[ajm.world]

Hi all,

Late last week I received a new 2018 MacBook Pro 13-inch BTO with i7-8559U CPU, 16G RAM, 1TB SSD, in space grey (if that last bit matters..!)

I tend to use it in clamshell mode, plugged into a 27-inch 4K screen (LG 27UD68P). I tend to run in scaled display mode e.g. 3008 x 1692 because it's a great balance of looking great and readability. However, I've noticed that the animation in Launchpad seems to drop frames. In native 4K the animation is buttery smooth, but scaled it is not.

I had been dabbling with the idea of getting a second 4K display, but the frame rate issues with launchpad got me reading about how the Mac actually achieves the scaled HiDPI mode, and suddenly got a bit worried.

The 13-inch MBP is billed as being able to handle dual 4K displays, but will it handle them in scaled mode, or is this an Apple marketing trick? Will dual 4K displays suck in scaled mode on the 13-inch?

Cheers
ajm

 

[nixdacat]

I tend to use it in clamshell mode, plugged into a 27-inch 4K screen (LG 27UD68P). I tend to run in scaled display mode e.g. 3008 x 1692 because it's a great balance of looking great and readability. However, I've noticed that the animation in Launchpad seems to drop frames. In native 4K the animation is buttery smooth, but scaled it is not.

This is the same problem I ran into and the reason I returned my 2018 13" MacBook Pro TB (i5, 16GB). While very fast for many tasks, I found the relatively low framerate for many animations and GUI actions (e.g. Launchpad, Expose, but also scrolling in Safari) unacceptable for such an expensive computer.

 

[Painter2002]

This is the same problem I ran into and the reason I returned my 2018 13" MacBook Pro TB (i5, 16GB). While very fast for many tasks, I found the relatively low framerate for many animations and GUI actions (e.g. Launchpad, Expose, but also scrolling in Safari) unacceptable for such an expensive computer.

I would think some of these issues may be resolved future software updates from Apple. From everything I have read, it appears that certain apps within Apple don't work well scaled in 4k, and it is possible that Apple will correct this in future updates. But I do agree this is unacceptable for such an expensive device.

At OP, if it bothers you now and you aren't willing to wait and see if Apple fixes it in a future update, I'd take it back and get a 15" model. The dGPU in the 15" MBP would be able to better handle the 4k monitors scaled out the gate.

 

[markusberger]

This is the same problem I ran into and the reason I returned my 2018 13" MacBook Pro TB (i5, 16GB). While very fast for many tasks, I found the relatively low framerate for many animations and GUI actions (e.g. Launchpad, Expose, but also scrolling in Safari) unacceptable for such an expensive computer.

I had exactly the same experience and highly doubt that macOS (Mojave etc.) will improve this situation. Even on the built in display, I liked to use scaled resolution as I found the default way too cramped. As soon as I used it in one of the "looks like..." resolutions, switching screen or mission control noticeably lagged. This was on a 13 inch 2018 i5 8GB for 2000€. Price aside, macOS doesn't handle any other resolution than what Apple considers ideal very well. On a 2015 15 inch i7 without the dGPU I had exactly the same issue.

I wouldn't count on anything significantly improving as far as scaled resolutions and UI lag/stuttering are concerned.

From my experience it has been like that since the very first retina MBP and that released in 2012. If they can't figure out how to handle scaled resolution in 6 years, it means they don't care. As long as the average user never changes the optimized retina resolution, nothing will improve and people will just continue recommending to "use it the way Apple designed it" or "deal with it" or "wait for an update". Sad.