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Windows Scaling on Retina displays

Dj64Mk7

Dj64Mk7

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 15, 2013
1,389
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Hey! I was wondering how the scaling in Winndows works on Retina displays. For example, is 100% scaling running the display at its native (best for retina) resolution? And 200% half of the native resolution?

Thanks. This is so brief because I'm sending it from my iPhone.
 
200% in Windows looks like "Best for retina" on OSX.

100% in Windows is native (and everything is tiny).
 
doynton said:
200% in Windows looks like "Best for retina" on OSX.

100% in Windows is native (and everything is tiny).
Click to expand...

Would 200% introduce issues with certain programs that I've heard about, as far as scaling Win32 apps? Or is that only an issue when using a scale between 100% and 200%?
 
Dj64Mk7 said:
Would 200% introduce issues with certain programs that I've heard about, as far as scaling Win32 apps? Or is that only an issue when using a scale between 100% and 200%?
Click to expand...

I've noticed issues with some older programs. You have to right-click on the EXE and change the properties related to scaling.
 
You don't say what version of Windows you are using or planning to use. 10 (or 8) is much better than 7 when it comes to hDPI. There are very few programs I use that have any issue.
 
doynton said:
You don't say what version of Windows you are using or planning to use. 10 (or 8) is much better than 7 when it comes to hDPI. There are very few programs I use that have any issue.
Click to expand...

Windows 10. I thought that would be assumed, since it seems like mist people here like to be on the latest version of everything. How do apps from the Store (especially those optimized for Windows 10 universal) compare to programs from other "outside" sources?
 
I'm on 10 too. All store apps are fine (I use 200% scaling on rMBP 13"). The vast majority of other (Win32) programs are fine also (Office etc).

I've had problems only with mini-tool partition wizard and some old sys-internals utilities. It looks like these have hard coded the number of pixels rather than using vector scaling.

Some bits of the Windows UI also come up a bit blurry. There is a fix here http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/65714-Fix-Blurry-Fonts-in-Windows-10-DPI-Scaling-Fix but I've not tried it yet as it only happens in parts of control panel which is being phased out anyway.
 
doynton said:
I'm on 10 too. All store apps are fine (I use 200% scaling on rMBP 13"). The vast majority of other (Win32) programs are fine also (Office etc).

I've had problems only with mini-tool partition wizard and some old sys-internals utilities. It looks like these have hard coded the number of pixels rather than using vector scaling.

Some bits of the Windows UI also come up a bit blurry. There is a fix here http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/65714-Fix-Blurry-Fonts-in-Windows-10-DPI-Scaling-Fix but I've not tried it yet as it only happens in parts of control panel which is being phased out anyway.
Click to expand...

Would 200% scaling leave me with results similar to "best for retina", where apps and images that aren't optimized will appear blurry but everything optimized will look crisp and beautiful?
 
it doesn't work too badly, until you try and run a hi-dpi display and a regular dpi display in a multi monitor setup.

then it's a complete joke (you get the blurriness)
 
throAU said:
it doesn't work too badly, until you try and run a hi-dpi display and a regular dpi display in a multi monitor setup.

then it's a complete joke (you get the blurriness)
Click to expand...

Wouldn't you just set the low PPI display to 100%? Displays can have completely different scaling levels since Windows 10.
 
throAU said:
Windows 10 - oh i forgot about that.

I'm talking 8.1, have ditched windows since 10 came out, Microsoft are not getting their software on anything i own.
Click to expand...

It seems that you dislike Microsoft. Why is that?
 
I'm also curious! Windows 10 is, IMHO, the best thing they've done since XP. I run it using Parallels on a 13"rMBP and it runs perfectly. I only need it for 3 or 4 programs that have no suitable Mac alternative but, even so, I'm very impressed.

Having said that, after 2 years of OS X, I wouldn't go back to Windows on a full-time basis.
 
throAU said:
it doesn't work too badly, until you try and run a hi-dpi display and a regular dpi display in a multi monitor setup.

then it's a complete joke (you get the blurriness)
Click to expand...
You could try this fix Solved Blurry text - Page 5

Their settings were too small for me on 13" rMBP so I changed the scaling to 200% (which is 192 decimal or C0 in hex for the LogPixels key).

Works fine for me and the blur has gone (on second screen also).

Code: 
GOTO EndComment
  DPI------>Scale Factor

 96(x60)--->100%
120(x78)--->125%
144(x90)--->150%
192(xC0)--->200% ** Current**

Every 25% of the scale factor corresponds to a difference of 24 dpi (120-96)
:EndComment

REG ADD "HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop" /v DpiScalingVer /t REG_DWORD /d 0x00001018 /f
REG ADD "HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop" /v Win8DpiScaling /t REG_DWORD /d 0x00000001 /f
REG ADD "HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop" /v LogPixels /t REG_DWORD /d 0x000000C0 /f
 
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