M1 Max Studio and External OLED Monitors?

[BuddyRich]

Just picked up a new OLED monitor during BF, the 32" Samsung G8/G80D. This is a standard 4K 240Hz HDR monitor...

At least on Windows. I will be using it my Mac Studio and Mac Mini M4... While I await a USBC to DP cable I understand the M1 chips, including the studio are only HDMI 2.0 capable, so only 4K - 60Hz max via HDMI. Though it supports HDR, and this works.

The Mini 4 should support HDMI 2.1 and at least sees 4K and 120hz via HDMI (but not 144/165 or 240 which the monitor can do)... but not HDR or VRR... HDR shows up if I drop down to 60hz but no VRR.

Does MacOS not support these features? I know they are more gaming centric features just surprised.

I did take a look at Better Display but its not detecting VRR either.

Also when I do enable HDR everything is washed out... I have some HDR videos from iPhone and I think BG3 supports HDR but no idea if its working or not. I was prompted to calbrate HDR in BG3 but it was washed out.

 

[Pressure]

M4 supports 4K resolution at 240Hz over Thunderbolt or HDMI.

What outputs, cables or adapters are you using?

 

[BuddyRich]

M4 supports 4K resolution at 240Hz over Thunderbolt or HDMI.

What outputs, cables or adapters are you using?

Using Certified Monoprice HDMI 2.1 cable. Its partially working, in so far as it detects 120Hz but nothing higher. It also does not give me an option to use adaptive sync (ie. VRR). I can use Better Display to turn on Adaptive Sync (ie. Refresh rand from 48-120hz)... and if I go into Display it shows it, but no idea why Apple doesn't let me do so. And its still only limited to max 120Hz when the monitor is capable of 240hz.

 

[01cowherd]

Does MacOS not support these features? I know they are more gaming centric features just surprised.

HDR is more of a content creation/consumption than specifically video games, and Macs (mostly the laptops because Apple controls the display) have supported HDR for many years. VRR, though, yeah. Apple only added it three years ago.

Are you using a scaled resolution? If so, try 4K resolution. If you don't use HiDPI 4K ("looks like 1080p") or "low-res" 4K, then you get a much more limited output refresh rate and potentially no HDR or VRR. I have the Gigabyte M32U (4K 144Hz VRR "HDR") and I can only get 120 Hz no-VRR no-HDR at my preferred scaled resolution. If I switch it to real 4K, then I get 48–144 Hz VRR and HDR. Not that the HDR looks any good since it's edge-lit...

Also when I do enable HDR everything is washed out... I have some HDR videos from iPhone and I think BG3 supports HDR but no idea if its working or not. I was prompted to calbrate HDR in BG3 but it was washed out.

Does the monitor OSD show if it's in HDR mode? Mine does. Also, have you tried watching an HDR test video on YouTube? It will tell you if you're getting HDR video and should be immediately obvious if it's working properly by comparing to another display. Your signature says iPhone 13 which has a good HDR display, so you should be able to confirm if the G8's HDR is working by comparing the two. Similar if you take an HDR picture and compare between phone and display.

 

[BuddyRich]

HDR is more of a content creation/consumption than specifically video games, and Macs (mostly the laptops because Apple controls the display) have supported HDR for many years. VRR, though, yeah. Apple only added it three years ago.

Are you using a scaled resolution? If so, try 4K resolution. If you don't use HiDPI 4K ("looks like 1080p") or "low-res" 4K, then you get a much more limited output refresh rate and potentially no HDR or VRR. I have the Gigabyte M32U (4K 144Hz VRR "HDR") and I can only get 120 Hz no-VRR no-HDR at my preferred scaled resolution. If I switch it to real 4K, then I get 48–144 Hz VRR and HDR. Not that the HDR looks any good since it's edge-lit...


Does the monitor OSD show if it's in HDR mode? Mine does. Also, have you tried watching an HDR test video on YouTube? It will tell you if you're getting HDR video and should be immediately obvious if it's working properly by comparing to another display. Your signature says iPhone 13 which has a good HDR display, so you should be able to confirm if the G8's HDR is working by comparing the two. Similar if you take an HDR picture and compare between phone and display.

I was using 1080p hidp. Actually after tweaking with the picture settings I get a usable HDR image on desktop, though the UI is actually too bright. Looks like everything is bolded... BG3 HDR did look good and comparable to the SteamDeck OLED. Just waiting for the native Apple Silicon Cyberpunk 2077 release to give that a go in HDR. The resolution though, M1 Mac or M4 Mini seems to be stuck at 120 max... but I think its a monitor thing. Though EDID should be EDID. If it does 144/165/240Hz in Windows I don't see why Mac would be different.

 

[genexx]

I have the MBA M2 but also an Hackintosh and via HDMI i had no Option to use Variable Refresh Rate or HDR or getting an Brightness Control in the Apple System Preferences:

This i have got only via USC-C to DP Cable or direct DP Cable from the Hackintosh on an AMD FreeSync Premium compatible Monitor.

But there are Plenty Cable with bad specs., so get one that actually can support 240Hz at 4K.
I have made good experience with Ugreen Cable.

 

[BuddyRich]

I have the MBA M2 but also an Hackintosh and via HDMI i had no Option to use Variable Refresh Rate or HDR or getting an Brightness Control in the Apple System Preferences:

View attachment 2456259

This i have got only via USC-C to DP Cable or direct DP Cable from the Hackintosh on an AMD FreeSync Premium compatible Monitor.

But there are Plenty Cable with bad specs., so get one that actually can support 240Hz at 4K.
I have made good experience with Ugreen Cable.

My USBC to DP cable is this one by Ugreen:

UGREEN USB C to DisplayPort 1.4 Cable 3FT 8K@60Hz 4K@240Hz Thunderbolt 4/3 to DisplayPort Cord USB C to DP 1.4 32.4 Gbps Alu Braided Compatible with MacBook Pro/Air, iPad, Mac Mini, Galaxy, XPS 15

Brief Introduction UGREEN premium USB C to DisplayPort 1.4 cable connects a phone or computer with a USB Type-C or Thunderbolt 4/3 port to a monitor with DisplayPort input and there is no need for a driver, or software. High 8K Resolution : This UGREEN Type C to DP cord supports up to 8K@60Hz res...

www.amazon.ca

 

[genexx]

@BuddyRich

The Cable seems to be the exact Cable i have, but:

your Monitor has only G-Sync and Mac´s are as far as i know not compatible with G-Sync.
For Mac you should look for AMD FreeSync Premium or Professional.

Also the Review's are bad for the 32" Version.
You should at least be able to switch to a higher refresh rate in the system preferences -> Display.

 

[BuddyRich]

@BuddyRich

The Cable seems to be the exact Cable i have, but:

your Monitor has only G-Sync and Mac´s are as far as i know not compatible with G-Sync.
For Mac you should look for AMD FreeSync Premium or Professional.

Also the Review's are bad for the 32" Version.
You should at least be able to switch to a higher refresh rate in the system preferences -> Display.

The monitor supports both Gsync and Freesync premium pro

G-Sync compatibility keeps the GPU and panel synced up to eliminate choppiness, screen-lag, and image tears. Fast-action and complex game scenes are stable and stutter-free with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro for your competitive edge.

i dont have trouble enabling vrr... its just that greater than 120hz refresh doesnt seem to work on Mac.

I mean it got good reviews from rtings and tftcentral...rtings called it their best gaming monitor. Either way the main reason why i picked it was the matte coating because im using it next to a window and i hate reflections and unlike most gaming monitors had a clean look, wouldnt look out of blace in an office.

 

[CoMoMacUser]

It shouldn't be this complicated.

 

[01cowherd]

your Monitor has only G-Sync and Mac´s are as far as i know not compatible with G-Sync.
For Mac you should look for AMD FreeSync Premium or Professional.

As OP said already, this monitor has FreeSync Premium Pro, not the G-Sync module.

Since a few years ago, Nvidia opened up G-Sync so that Nvidia graphics cards from GTX 10-series onwards can get VRR on FreeSync/Adaptive Sync monitors; this is typically called "G-Sync Compatible" and means it lacks the official G-Sync module but still gets VRR. They also allowed their true G-Sync monitors to support adaptive sync (FreeSync).

In practice, this means that pretty much any gaming monitor produced in the past few years (2020+) works fine on any graphics card.

 

[01cowherd]

rtings called it their best gaming monitor

Out of curiosity, I checked their review since they do typically test for compatibility on macOS. Sure enough, they document their own trouble getting anything higher than 120 Hz on M1/M2 systems:

Despite trying a number of different cables the maximum refresh rate possible on M1 and M2 MacBooks is 120Hz. If you're using a MacBook, windows go back to their original position after reopening the lid or waking the laptop up from sleep.

 

[BuddyRich]

Out of curiosity, I checked their review since they do typically test for compatibility on macOS. Sure enough, they document their own trouble getting anything higher than 120 Hz on M1/M2 systems:

Yes I know. I am guessing its something with the monitor but I was more curious why a monitor that advertises itself as 240hz to Windows, doesn't seem to work on Mac (or perhaps Mac doesn't see it). Especially the M4 Mini which Apple specifically mentions supporting 240hz. As far as I know EDID doesn't differentiate by OS...

How many displays can be connected to Mac mini - Apple Support

The number of external displays that you can use at the same time depends on your Mac model and the resolution and refresh rate of each display.

support.apple.com