Rüdiger Cordes

Q: 4k-display at 30 Hz with 2011 Mac mini i7 quad?

Can I use a 4k-display at 30 Hz with my 2011 Mac mini i7 quad server?

Posted on Jan 2, 2015 2:29 AM

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Q: 4k-display at 30 Hz with 2011 Mac mini i7 quad?

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  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Jan 2, 2015 4:52 AM in response to Rüdiger Cordes
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    Jan 2, 2015 4:52 AM in response to Rüdiger Cordes

    Yes but not at 4K. When I connected my 24" Dell 4K, which works fine at 60Hz at 4K on my 2103 Mac Pro. I could get no higher than 1080p on my 2012 Mac Mini

  • by Rüdiger Cordes,

    Rüdiger Cordes Rüdiger Cordes Jan 2, 2015 5:03 AM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Jan 2, 2015 5:03 AM in response to lllaass

    First, it can be different on different Mac OS X versions and second SwitchRes can provide more choices in the monitor control panel. So yes at below of 4k is true but maybe (and hopefully) not the full truth.

     

    I forgot to mention that I want the full 4k resolution.

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Jan 2, 2015 6:27 PM in response to Rüdiger Cordes
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    Jan 2, 2015 6:27 PM in response to Rüdiger Cordes

    A 2012 MacMini can't support a 4k resolution. It's a hardware limitation, no OS X version or 3rd party software can change that.

  • by Rüdiger Cordes,

    Rüdiger Cordes Rüdiger Cordes Jan 2, 2015 7:01 PM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Jan 2, 2015 7:01 PM in response to Lanny

    Thank you, Lanny. My question was for a Mac mini 2011. Why answered you for a 2012 mini?

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Jan 2, 2015 7:13 PM in response to Rüdiger Cordes
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    Jan 2, 2015 7:13 PM in response to Rüdiger Cordes

    The same applies to all MacMinis prior to the 2014 model.

  • by Rüdiger Cordes,

    Rüdiger Cordes Rüdiger Cordes Jan 2, 2015 7:17 PM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Jan 2, 2015 7:17 PM in response to Lanny

    Sorry, but you are wrong. At least a 2011 mini with the AMD Radeon HD 6630M supports 4k at 30 Hz.

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Jan 2, 2015 7:26 PM in response to Rüdiger Cordes
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    Jan 2, 2015 7:26 PM in response to Rüdiger Cordes

    So, if you think that you know the answer to your own question, why did you ask it?

     

    Screen Shot 2015-01-02 at 10.25.06 PM.jpg

  • by Rüdiger Cordes,

    Rüdiger Cordes Rüdiger Cordes Jan 2, 2015 7:39 PM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Jan 2, 2015 7:39 PM in response to Lanny

    I know the answer to that mini with AMD Radeon, but not for my quad i7. So I asked it.

     

    MacTracker is a good source but not always complete as we can see here. Ian could not know the compatibility with monitors which did not exist at that time.

     

    Even playback of 4k-videos seems to be no problem with a HD3000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-PxQhaU82g

  • by Rüdiger Cordes,

    Rüdiger Cordes Rüdiger Cordes Nov 15, 2015 10:19 AM in response to Rüdiger Cordes
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Nov 15, 2015 10:19 AM in response to Rüdiger Cordes

    I have tried it with a Mac mini 2012, 2,6 Ghz i7 Quad and OS X 10.9.4 and 10.11.1:

     

    on both OS with 16 GB RAM a 4k-display via minidisplayport is booting and working @30Hz!

  • by Rüdiger Cordes,

    Rüdiger Cordes Rüdiger Cordes Nov 17, 2015 12:38 PM in response to Rüdiger Cordes
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Nov 17, 2015 12:38 PM in response to Rüdiger Cordes

    Whereas with a Mac mini 2011 (only tested in 10.9.4, 16 GB RAM) as in the question it does not work. Seems it needs a HD4000. The Mini shows no content and has problems after connected to the 4k to boot with my normal monitor. Dont know what the problem is. Seems that the graphic is storing something tha avoids normal booting after testing. So if you like to test it your own, be warned and maybe dont try it with your main computer when you need it ;-)

  • by Rüdiger Cordes,

    Rüdiger Cordes Rüdiger Cordes May 19, 2016 12:50 AM in response to Rüdiger Cordes
    Level 1 (9 points)
    May 19, 2016 12:50 AM in response to Rüdiger Cordes

    So, here is the answer:

    A Mac mini Server 2011 with i7 quad at 2 GHz (only HD 3000 onboard) can not drive a 4k display. After connecting and not seeing anything on the display Mac mini has problems to boot. I dont know why but  I can tell this as my experience. Mac mini has 16 GB RAM so with less RAM it is exspected not behave better.

     

    On Windows PCs a HD3000 is able to drive a 4k display. So it seems that Apple just has no appropriate driver in the OS X software.

     

    But a Mac mini 2012 with 2.6 GHz and 16 GB RAM is driving a 4k display at 30 Hz. 30 Hz means the content refresh rate. Movements are not so fluently - for exsample mouse movements. But the display rate is 60 Hz so you will not see a flicker. Even watching 1920x1080 (full HD) videos is not a problem. And the HD 4000 in the Mac mini has no problem to drive a 4k display over longer times, the temperature is not causing fan activities!