4K (3840 by 2160) with the new rMB

[ctyrider]

Not necessarily. Active cooling can also be recommended when pushing beyond the default TDP- which Apple certainly does. So it could be that the new Macbooks could handle the necessary heat dissipation in their design. Or perhaps they already use that extra headroom and they can't spare any more.

I am just saying - lack of Apple-branded DisplayPort cable/adapter isn't the limiting factor here.

 

[JTToft]

Unfortunately Apple updated their article to explicitly remove Retina Macbook from the 4k 60hz list. Perhaps they'll re-add it when their own DisplayPort Multiport adapter ships (if such a thing will eventually exist...) But for now it's a no-go.

- Yes, i saw that.
This whole MacBook display support business is getting a little messy...

 

[bartsluimer]

Is there anyone with the rMB who have checked what is possible? Especially when the rMB is closed and connected to a screen. I have got a Dell 3415 (3440 x 1440) and I'm curious if the screen we will work with display port and the rMB

 

[JTToft]

Is there anyone with the rMB who have checked what is possible? Especially when the rMB is closed and connected to a screen. I have got a Dell 3415 (3440 x 1440) and I'm curious if the screen we will work with display port and the rMB

- Well, currently that can't be done. The only adaptors that can provide both display output and power are Apple's, and they only come in HDMI and VGA flavours - no DP.

 

[petsk]

The MBA 11" has considerable trouble running a single Cinema Display 27" so you can forget running 4k on the rMacbook.

I've owned all three last generations of MBA 11" models with 8GB ram and the i5 processor and they all act the same. If you can't see it you are either blind or you don't use your computer for anything other than text typing.

The problem is heat and dropped frame rate = fan blows at full speed and doing stuff like shifting desktops or maximizing windows becomes quite choppy due to dropped frame rates.

 

[chabig]

The MBA 11" has considerable trouble running a single Cinema Display 27" so you can forget running 4k on the rMacbook.

I've owned all three last generations of MBA 11" models with 8GB ram and the i5 processor and they all act the same. If you can't see it you are either blind or you don't use your computer for anything other than text typing.

The problem is heat and dropped frame rate = fan blows at full speed and doing stuff like shifting desktops or maximizing windows becomes quite choppy due to dropped frame rates.

I've been running the 27" Cinema Display from my 2013 11" i7 machine since I bought it in July 2013. I've never had the problems you describe. Maybe i5 versus i7 makes a difference.

 

[fatefulwhisper]

Is there anyone with the rMB who have checked what is possible? Especially when the rMB is closed and connected to a screen. I have got a Dell 3415 (3440 x 1440) and I'm curious if the screen we will work with display port and the rMB

I was able to output to my Dell U2713HM using Google's USB-C to Displayport cable. It will output correctly at 2560x1440, mirror or extended, with the lid open or closed (while connected), with both audio and video. The only issue is that although you can output it properly, you can't power your rMB at the same time.

I've resorted to using Apple's HDMI adapter so that I can output to an external monitor and power the laptop at the same time. Only issue is that my monitor can only output at 1080p maximum via HDMI.

 

[Freyqq]

I was able to output to my Dell U2713HM using Google's USB-C to Displayport cable. It will output correctly at 2560x1440, mirror or extended, with the lid open or closed (while connected), with both audio and video. The only issue is that although you can output it properly, you can't power your rMB at the same time.

I've resorted to using Apple's HDMI adapter so that I can output to an external monitor and power the laptop at the same time. Only issue is that my monitor can only output at 1080p maximum via HDMI.

Someone will inevitably release a usb c hub with displayport video, USB A, and power. The cable can support it, someone just has to do it.

 

[ctyrider]

The MBA 11" has considerable trouble running a single Cinema Display 27" so you can forget running 4k on the rMacbook.

Rubbish. I have had my 11" driving dual Thunderbolt displays for years. Works perfectly.

 

[techbri]

I too wonder if the DP cable can be used on an ultra wide display which is 3440 x 1440. My display is made by LG but it's the same resolution. As i understand it, the HDMI cable connector from Apple will output at 4K @ 30Hz. The HDMI ports on my display are v1.4 so they can't go higher than 30Hz anyway at that resolution. The displayport inputs can work at 60Hz so that would be the preferred route to go.

I was able to output to my Dell U2713HM using Google's USB-C to Displayport cable. It will output correctly at 2560x1440, mirror or extended, with the lid open or closed (while connected), with both audio and video. The only issue is that although you can output it properly, you can't power your rMB at the same time.

I've resorted to using Apple's HDMI adapter so that I can output to an external monitor and power the laptop at the same time. Only issue is that my monitor can only output at 1080p maximum via HDMI.

 

[JTToft]

I too wonder if the DP cable can be used on an ultra wide display which is 3440 x 1440. My display is made by LG but it's the same resolution. As i understand it, the HDMI cable connector from Apple will output at 4K @ 30Hz. The HDMI ports on my display are v1.4 so they can't go higher than 30Hz anyway at that resolution. The displayport inputs can work at 60Hz so that would be the preferred route to go.

- I'm quite certain the cable itself can. It's DisplayPort 1.2, so it should support all the way up to 4K at 60Hz. The more relevant question is whether the MacBook itself will be able to output that ultra wide resolution at 60Hz, and that I don't know. I haven't seen any reports on it.

 

[iRun26.2]

- I'm quite certain the cable itself can. It's DisplayPort 1.2, so it should support all the way up to 4K at 60Hz. The more relevant question is whether the MacBook itself will be able to output that ultra wide resolution at 60Hz, and that I don't know. I haven't seen any reports on it.

30Hz is the maximum supported 4K video rate on the rMB.

 

[JTToft]

30Hz is the maximum supported 4K video rate on the rMB.

- Yes, I know. I was speaking of the Google DP cable, which should do 4K at 60Hz (though obviously not with the rMB). What I was questioning was whether the rMB will do the ultra wide resolution of 3440x1440 that 'techbri' asked about at 60Hz.

I could have been clearer, though.

 

[nanzereus]

upcoming apple tv

My suspicion is that an upcoming version of Apple TV will support UHD resolution (3840x2160) via AirPlay. All current Retina macs support this, though via HDMI only at a lower refresh rate of 30Hz or less. This is also the resolution most 4K TVs run on, and not the true 4K of 4096x2160.

 

[techbri]

Note that the monitor I am using isn't full 4k resolution as it 3440 x 1440 so I wasn't sure if the MacBook could push out at that resolution at 60Hz. If it goes HDMI then it doesn't matter the limitation of the output as my display can only do 30Hz at full resolution over HDMI. I managed to find a space gray MacBook and bought it this week via my contact on the business team. I love the machine and I even got the company to buy me LG 34UM95 display for my office so I am using it as my portable machine and then I "dock" it using the digital AV cable at home and at work and it just sits on the base of the display. I will order a DP to USB-c cable at some point and try it but the 30Hz is working out fine for now for what I am doing as I mostly use business applications and remote desktop, etc when I am docked.

Correction on the refresh rate. I assumed I was getting 30Hz as that is what the display max is rated at on HDMI (or so I thought). My rMB shows that it's actually outputting at 50Hz at 3440 x 1440 and the monitor looks fine.