Not sure if it makes a difference but I also enabled flexible scaling using betterdisplay.
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5K2K at 120Hz with Mac Mini M4
- Thread starter Newgoblin49
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Any M5 user to test? The one I got could not even drive a 4K portable monitor.
So, I believe I managed to make my Macbook Pro M4 Pro (12/16) run my external 32:9 monitor at HiDPI 3840x1080@ 144 Hz with Better Display.
OOTB, previously, I could only run HiDPI 3328x936@144Hz, which made GUI scaling too large, and basically defeated the purpose of having a 32:9 screen, as so much screen real estate was lost.
- Monitor is Philips Evnia 49" 49M2C8900L
- Cable used is DP to DP 1.4, the one that came with the monitor
- Dock used is a Dell WD19TB
I followed this Reddit article:
It's the usual Virtual Display setup, but I fully expected the virtual screen to work at 60Hz, as that's what I read all over the internet.
After creating the virtual screen, it defaulted to 75Hz as the only dropdown option, and I immediately noticed the difference and scrolling being sluggish.
Well, I went ahead and added a custom refresh rate of 144Hz to the Source Display, disconnected it, connected it, and 144Hz appeared in the MacOS display drop-down.
It was smooth, but I still suspected it was running at 75Hz, as it could very well be a placebo. Time for some testing, then.
I nuked the virtual display setup and set the Philips screen to 60, 75Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz.
I would then test ufotest, check the OSD output to check the Hz monitor is displaying, a couple of other Hz test websites, and, of course, scrolling in a couple of MacOS UI system areas.
For each test, I would do side to side against the MacBook screen set to ProMotion and High Power mode.
Well, the 60 and 75Hz difference was apparent between Macbook screen and the Philips Ultrawide.
120 and 144Hz, observed that Philips' screen behaviour matched that of the MacBook screen.
I then fired up the Virtual Screen, set the resolution to 3840x1080@144Hz, and I could tell it's definitely not running at 75Hz as its scrolling smoothness, cursor movement matched that of the MacBook screen.
This is my first MacOS experience, so I'm not aware at what Hz specific system/app areas are rendered, so I'll give it another go and maybe do some slow-mo 120fps video recordings w/ S23 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro and analyze if the difference between noVirtual/Virtual screen setups is apparent.
Just my two cents on this very helpful thread.
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I must say, Windows is a walk in the park compared to MacOS when it comes to multiple display management and scaling, and I am actually shocked there has been no response from Apple to this major bug/gap/limitation for over a year. Especially since this worked on previous M1/M2/M3 silicon lines. They're lucky Windows became an ad-filled, bloatware, sluggish system with 11.
For a company that boasts its products as productivity/creator-oriented, to me, it feels like Displays was developed with only one screen in mind.
OOTB, previously, I could only run HiDPI 3328x936@144Hz, which made GUI scaling too large, and basically defeated the purpose of having a 32:9 screen, as so much screen real estate was lost.
- Monitor is Philips Evnia 49" 49M2C8900L
- Cable used is DP to DP 1.4, the one that came with the monitor
- Dock used is a Dell WD19TB
I followed this Reddit article:
It's the usual Virtual Display setup, but I fully expected the virtual screen to work at 60Hz, as that's what I read all over the internet.
After creating the virtual screen, it defaulted to 75Hz as the only dropdown option, and I immediately noticed the difference and scrolling being sluggish.
Well, I went ahead and added a custom refresh rate of 144Hz to the Source Display, disconnected it, connected it, and 144Hz appeared in the MacOS display drop-down.
It was smooth, but I still suspected it was running at 75Hz, as it could very well be a placebo. Time for some testing, then.
I nuked the virtual display setup and set the Philips screen to 60, 75Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz.
I would then test ufotest, check the OSD output to check the Hz monitor is displaying, a couple of other Hz test websites, and, of course, scrolling in a couple of MacOS UI system areas.
For each test, I would do side to side against the MacBook screen set to ProMotion and High Power mode.
Well, the 60 and 75Hz difference was apparent between Macbook screen and the Philips Ultrawide.
120 and 144Hz, observed that Philips' screen behaviour matched that of the MacBook screen.
I then fired up the Virtual Screen, set the resolution to 3840x1080@144Hz, and I could tell it's definitely not running at 75Hz as its scrolling smoothness, cursor movement matched that of the MacBook screen.
This is my first MacOS experience, so I'm not aware at what Hz specific system/app areas are rendered, so I'll give it another go and maybe do some slow-mo 120fps video recordings w/ S23 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro and analyze if the difference between noVirtual/Virtual screen setups is apparent.
Just my two cents on this very helpful thread.
--------------
I must say, Windows is a walk in the park compared to MacOS when it comes to multiple display management and scaling, and I am actually shocked there has been no response from Apple to this major bug/gap/limitation for over a year. Especially since this worked on previous M1/M2/M3 silicon lines. They're lucky Windows became an ad-filled, bloatware, sluggish system with 11.
For a company that boasts its products as productivity/creator-oriented, to me, it feels like Displays was developed with only one screen in mind.
@ClassicMartini can you share any details as to how you managed to get this to work? I have a Mac Mini M4 Pro, connected to the LG 5k2k OLED via Thunderbolt (DP over TB), and no matter what I try, I cannot get Better Display to offer the option to use a 10k4k virtual screen. I can set up plenty of other resolution virtual screens; they work fine, and I can create the 10,240 x 4320 virtual screen setting in Better Display, but when I'm actually streaming the virtual screen to the LG, it only shows lower-resolution virtual screens to select from.
Sorry, no. Maybe ask the guy who invented Better Display (have you purchased it? he's really helpful).
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Not that I don't want to (help you), just can't recall the fiddly-diddly procedure. Do recall it being very frustrating.
Warning, 'rant' incoming:
After several weeks of playing with ways to achieve The One True Resolution From The Bible of Jobs (mostly according to other people) realised I wasn't actually doing any WORK. Threw better display away a few months after purchase. Not that its bad software. In fact its one of the more polished things I've ever used.
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Since then I've embraced a more er, 'dynamic' idea that orbits around Field of View in relation to best resolution with what you've got. How far away you are from monitor, some OS settings, bunch of little things. Stuff that Gets Work Done.
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I also got my dream monitor since that post, and you might be shocked at the resolution(s) I settled at...
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