SOLVED - Can’t get 4K display to be 4K on fully loaded 2017 MBP

[rawdawg]

i can’t seem to figure this out. I’m running Sierra on a 2017 MBP that has the best video card which should allow 4K video. My monitor is actually UHD (3840x2160), it is a BenQ BL2711u.

Except my videos are scaling down as if my resolution is only HD.

When I go to Displays under preferences I see the default resolution for the display is only 1920x1080. I have the option to “scale” it up to the 3840x2160 ability of my monitor but I don’t want to scale it.

If I scale it I can tell it’s not true UHD. It’s just scaled up.

Is there any reason why it’s not showing the true default resolution being the 3840x2160 monitor it is?

 

[Brookzy]

How are you connecting it?

What happens if you hold down the Option key while trying to select a custom resolution? Do you get a true 4K option (i.e. not 1080p scaled)?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

i can’t seem to figure this out. I’m running Sierra on a 2017 MBP that has the best video card which should allow 4K video. My monitor is actually UHD (3840x2160), it is a BenQ BL2711u.

Except my videos are scaling down as if my resolution is only HD.

When I go to Displays under preferences I see the default resolution for the display is only 1920x1080. I have the option to “scale” it up to the 3840x2160 ability of my monitor but I don’t want to scale it.

If I scale it I can tell it’s not true UHD. It’s just scaled up.

Is there any reason why it’s not showing the true default resolution being the 3840x2160 monitor it is?

That’s not scaling up if you are running at 1080 you are scaling down, if you “scale it up” you will be running a native resolution for he screen.

You may have to change some settings in the monitor and are you using a correct and certified cable (preferably a display port cable) this will make all the difference.

 

[Fishrrman]

MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION (as already asked above):
How are you connecting it?

What kind of connections does the display have?
What are you using at the Mac end?

If it has a displayport or minidisplayport connection -- this should be your "first choice".
You need a USB-c to displayport adapter.
WARNING: Not all of these (that work on 2016 MBPro's) will work on the 2017 models. You need to use one that is specifically stated to support 2017's. Check the user reviews to see the experiences of others.

Second choice would be:
USB-c to HDMI 2.0 adapter/dongle AND an HDMI 2.0 HIGH SPEED connecting cable.
Anything other than HDMI 2.0 isn't going to work.

Again, what are you using now?

 

[rawdawg]

FIXED - SEE UPDATE

Thank you everyone. I typed out a very detailed reply with a ton of info but just noticed something which changes everything.

To describe something as "scaled" that technically means non-native and the resolution is interpolated. But maybe I'm wrong and Apple is using it (IMO) incorrectly (laymen?) to mean "change the resolution". I say this also because I am clearly on a BenQ UHD monitor with a native resolution of 3840x2160 and further confirmed my monitor settings to show it is outputting a 3840x2160 signal. So there is no reason why my MBP would display the native resolution of this monitor 1920x1080 (when I click on "Default for Display" under Display preferences).

This inaccurate native display resolution is confirmed when I click on "System Report" under About my Mac. When I click on Graphics/Display and choose my discreet video card (Radeon Pro 560) it shows my monitors. Under my BenQ monitor is shows: "Resolution: 1920x1080 @ 30hz). (Interestingly my other external monitor which is only 1920x1080 is displaying at 60hz...)

Anyhow. I "scaled up" to 3840x2160 and rechecked the system report and it's now showing "Resolution: 3840x2160 @ 30hz" (I know it can't do 60hz with my current connection). So in fact Apple considers "scaled" to mean "change resolution" and what they called "Default for display" has nothing to do with being a default, native, or anything else I can figure out other then normal HD.... Go Apple.

So it appears my concern isn't valid (although I need to further test because my 4k test videos don't appear any sharper then my 2k footage (I understand this is hard to perceive, but it's my job so I need to be certain).

But I do have another issue. I would like to keep 3840x2160 resolution but upscale my menu/dock/icons/certain programs for workability. One would think this would be sorted and at one point I thought the "Scaled" resolutions were a tool to do this. I've seen other posts here complaining about this. We want 4k but obviously need certain applications and interface tools larger for workability. Does anyone know?

(for all those who asked, I have a USB-C to HDMI 1.4 cable connected from my MBP (USB-C) directly to my monitor (HDMI 1.4). I already went ahead and ordered a DisplayPort to USB-C adapter per your advice before discovering I was wrong and am allegedly in UHD already.)

edit: UPDATE --- Okay. I think I have a firm understanding of what's going on after speaking with Applecare for an hour.

In short, everything is okay. Use the "scaled" feature to change resolution. Ignore "default" as any indication of native resolution when you're not using an Apple branded adapter. Also, it doesn't sound like you can control icon & menu sizes without effecting resolution on an external monitor (so I won't be able to keep 4k while having larger icons for workability).

Part of my confusion was checking display resolutions in the system report. Every time I changed the resolution using scaled (or by holding down option and clicking scaled for the hidden view of resolutions) I need to REFRESH the system report in order to see the new resolution.

The reason my display was appearing as 1920x1080 to begin with is because I have a 3rd party USB-C to HDMI adapter and so my MBP can't tell what the resolution of my display is supposed to be.

So I think I'm good.

 

[utgjon]

OP, they're not 'doing it wrong'. Read up on HiDPi scaling.

 

[rawdawg]

OP, they're not 'doing it wrong'. Read up on HiDPi scaling.

My issue was when I used HiDPi scaling to make my fonts larger, I noticed when I played a 4k video it was also scaling it. When I fit the video on my screen and checked it's resolution it would say 1920x1080 -- because it was scaled up along with everything else, and then subsequently resized down to fit the new scaling resolution. Does this make sense?