Macbook pro (late 2011) & external monitor @1440p (HDMI)?

[H-P.]

Hi there,

I just bought a great new monitor (LG 32gk850g) I planned on using in combination of both my gaming pc and my macbook pro (late 2011). I plugged in my pc via displayport and that leaves the hdmi connection of the monitor for the macbook pro.

I use a Belkin mini displayport to hdmi adapter. The problem is I can't select the preferred resolution of 2560x1440 in 10.10.5 Yosemite. The highest is 1080p.

I did try connecting my girlfriends macbook air (2015/2016 model I think) and that worked without problems at 1440p.

Is 1080p the maximum resolution for my mac through hdmi? Is Yosemity the problem?
I hope someone can help we with this, because I don't see any reason to keep this monitor if it's not working with my macbook pro.

Thanks in advance!

 

[treekram]

Did you connect the monitor to the MB Air using the same MDP-HDMI adapter?

The late 2011 MBP, 13" or 15", is officially capable of doing up to 2560x1600 via using MDP. If you can't get that 2560x1440 using the MDP-HDMI adapter, I would say it's the adapter, you probably need an active adapter if the Belkin you're using is not one. (You can search "mini displayport to hdmi active adapter"). However, if the same MDP-HDMI adapter you tried on the 2011 MBP works on the MB Air, then the differences would be that the MBP does DisplayPort 1.1, vs. 1.2 for the 2015/2016 MBA or the OS (presuming the MBA is using a newer OS), but that's a bit odd, IMO.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"I use a Belkin mini displayport to hdmi adapter. The problem is I can't select the preferred resolution of 2560x1440 in 10.10.5 Yosemite. The highest is 1080p."

I could be wrong, but I think 1080p "is the best you're going to get" from the HDMI port on a 2011 MBP.

If you "want more", you need to use a minidisplayport (Mac end) to displayport (display end).

That will require either:
1. Switching cables when you switch computers
or
2. Perhaps some kind of "switch" between both computers and the display ("KVM" switch? no experience with using such devices).

But... I don't believe you can get more than 1080p from the Mac's HDMI port no matter what display you connect to it...

 

[treekram]

OP wrote:
I could be wrong, but I think 1080p "is the best you're going to get" from the HDMI port on a 2011 MBP.

None of the 2011 MBP's have a HDMI port.

 

[Fishrrman]

teekram wrote:
"None of the 2011 MBP's have a HDMI port."

Ah, ok, thanks for correcting me.

In that case, the OP would have to use some kind of "minidisplayport to HDMI" connector by which to connect to the display.

But that still might not support anything more than 1080p. Not sure.

 

[H-P.]

@treekram @Fishrrman: Thanks for your replies!

I already tried a Belkin mini displayport to hdmi adapter with both my macbook pro and a more recent macbook air. The air works fine at 1440p. I'm afraid there isn't a solution besides switching displayport-cables.

The monitor is great but unfortunately already on it's way back to the store because of 3 bad pixels. Now I'm not so sure of getting a replacement. I'll think it over!

 

[robvas]

You need a MiniDP to DP cable/adapter. Maybe switch your PC over to HDMI and see if that works. Older Macs have problems going DP->HDMI at resolutions higher than 1920x1200

 

[treekram]

@treekram @Fishrrman: Thanks for your replies!

I already tried a Belkin mini displayport to hdmi adapter with both my macbook pro and a more recent macbook air. The air works fine at 1440p. I'm afraid there isn't a solution besides switching displayport-cables.

The monitor is great but unfortunately already on it's way back to the store because of 3 bad pixels. Now I'm not so sure of getting a replacement. I'll think it over!

In digging deeper, it turns out that the graphics hardware on the computer can determine whether a passive vs. active DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter will work or not. If you do decide to pursue this further, you should try and see if the MDP-HDMI adapter works with your PC. If it doesn't or if you don't want to do that, you'd have to try an active adapter in connecting with your MBP. In all of this, I'm presuming your Belkin is a passive adapter.

 

[H-P.]

@robvas Thanks for your reply, but the point of the LG is that it's 144hz with an overclock possible to 165hz. The maximum of hdmi is 60hz, which wouldn't be an improvement over my current PC setup.

@treekram Thanks again! I will definitely look into that!