Can MAcBook 2017 drives 4K displays?

[hajime]

According to the specs, it can drive an external display at 4096x2304, 60Hz. Since 4K has 4096x2160 resolutions, does that mean the current MacBook can drive 4K monitor at 60Hz? Apple never mentions about 4K display on the MacBook product website.

 

[Elwe]

Yes, it can. Of course, that is a lot of pixels at a pretty good frame rate so your performance will depend on your application. And, be aware that the single USB-C port at this particular speed supports such a thing and does not have throughput for much else. So if you are simple using the adapter, you should be fine. If you plan on a dock, carefully review what it is capable of in conjunction with this computer.

Also, Apple may not mention it prominently because, one, they have a MacBook Pro they can sell you that will perform better; and, two, when they first introduced it (in 2015), 4K at 60Hz was not supported. Then mid-cycle in 2016 with new hardware and software, it could work but was not officially supported. Now it is, and happens to work even better of High Siera, I think. May be optimization of drivers or perhaps animation optimizations. Maybe both.

I wish they would make a Mac mini from the guts of a MacBook. It would be silent, have enough oomph to drive 4K, and have modern internal I/O.

 

[hajime]

Yes, it can. Of course, that is a lot of pixels at a pretty good frame rate so your performance will depend on your application. And, be aware that the single USB-C port at this particular speed supports such a thing and does not have throughput for much else. So if you are simple using the adapter, you should be fine. If you plan on a dock, carefully review what it is capable of in conjunction with this computer.

Also, Apple may not mention it prominently because, one, they have a MacBook Pro they can sell you that will perform better; and, two, when they first introduced it (in 2015), 4K at 60Hz was not supported. Then mid-cycle in 2016 with new hardware and software, it could work but was not officially supported. Now it is, and happens to work even better of High Siera, I think. May be optimization of drivers or perhaps animation optimizations. Maybe both.

I wish they would make a Mac mini from the guts of a MacBook. It would be silent, have enough oomph to drive 4K, and have modern internal I/O.

Thanks for the reminder.