Display not 4.5k?

[patseguin]

I bought my first iMac in many years, the m3 configured with 16GB ram and 2TB ssd. I was looking forward to the 4.5k display and then upon setting it up find out that it actually runs at less then 2560 x 1440. Can’t macOS make the UI bigger and still run in native resolution like Windows?

 

[Bigwaff]

I was looking forward to the 4.5k display and then upon setting it up find out that it actually runs at less then 2560 x 1440. Can’t macOS make the UI bigger and still run in native resolution like Windows?

macOS uses display scaling to achieve the “retina” clarity of UI elements. It effectively doubles the size of UI elements. In Settings > Displays, you should be able to select a different resolution other than a “looks like” resolution. Select the highest resolution and you will get the native resolution of the 4.5 display.

 

[frou]

The panel is running at native resolution - you are getting confused between Points and Pixels

 

[patseguin]

macOS uses display scaling to achieve the “retina” clarity of UI elements. It effectively doubles the size of UI elements. In Settings > Displays, you should be able to select a different resolution other than a “looks like” resolution. Select the highest resolution and you will get the native resolution of the 4.5 display.

Yeah I tried that but then the UI was tiny. Is it always running at 4.5k and those “looks like” resolutions are different UI scale?

 

[Bigwaff]

Is it always running at 4.5k and those “looks like” resolutions are different UI scale?

That is correct.