Set a Custom Resolution for MacBook Pro..?

Question

Set a Custom Resolution for MacBook Pro..?

I just got a new (refurb) MBP to replace my older one that bit the dust. On the older one, I always used a screen resolution of 1440X900. On this new, that option is NOT available, and tech support told me it was not a "supported" resolution. I don't understand this, since it seemed perfect on my older MBP. Now, everything is either way to big, way too small, or stretched.

Does anyone know a "workaround" for this? Tech support told me there may be some 3rd party software available, but I have had no luck finding anything.

Ideas?

17" MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Feb 6, 2009 3:08 PM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

Feb 6, 2009 4:00 PM in response to turnergraphics

Native geometry is 1680 x 1050. It's the same ratio as 1440 x900. You can change it to 1280 x 800 which is the closest supported resolution. The 15" and 17" models have a different pixel resolution - 110 dpi vs. 116 dpi respectively. This is why you cannot use the same resolution. You can use larger fonts to offset the increased screen resolution.

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Answer 2

Feb 6, 2009 4:00 PM in response to turnergraphics

All LCD displays have a 'native' resolution, and selecting anything else gives suboptimal results. Your old MBP, a 15" model, had a native resolution of 1440x900. Your new one (I'm assuming it's the 17" listed in your profile) has a higher resolution.

The 3rd party software tech support was referring to is SwitchResX.

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Answer 3

Feb 6, 2009 6:28 PM in response to Kappy

thanks for the feedback...I'll try to see if using larger fonts helps. I didn't think of this, I just know that the 1440X900 worked perfectly for me, so my first thought was to try to figure out a way to change it to that setting.

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Answer 4

Feb 6, 2009 7:14 PM in response to neuroanatomist

Good explanations/solutions from both of you. For the record though, my old MBP is actually a "PowerBook," and IS 17". The 1440X900 is a native resolution, and works great for me. Kappy's suggestion of increasing the font size will work to a degree, but still doesn't help when it comes to the overall "feel" of it. But that's probably what I'll go with.

"Neuro's" referral to SwitchRx was exactly what I was looking for, but (you're right) the results are not optimum. The screen really looks sharp at 1680X1050, so when I use the software and try it at 1440X900, it just looks a little grainy.

Thanks for the help!

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Answer 5

Feb 10, 2009 7:09 AM in response to turnergraphics

I had this question marked as "answered" because the 2 people that commented knew what they were talking about, and explained it well. However, I CANNOT get used to this 1680X1050 resolution, and I hope there is someone out there that knows something I can do to get this machine to run 1440X900 resolution (or something pretty darn close). I have about 5 years invested in an older 17" PowerBook which ran 1440X900 as a native resolution, and so that is what I need. It doesn't help changing font sizes, etc on the new MPB...nothing feels right. Icons are too small, text doesn't format right when I increase size...etc. I hate this! Please help!!!!

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Answer 6

Feb 10, 2009 7:32 AM in response to turnergraphics

I wish I had better news, but there's really mot much you can do 😟 The reality is that the MBP has a different LCD display than your PB, with different properties. Native resolution is intrinsic to an LCD display - each model has it's very own native resolution and that cannot be altered (that's why it's "native", of course).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_resolution

Literally, the only way you could get a 1440x900 display in your current 17" MBP would be to physically transplant the display panel from the PB into the MBP (I'm really not even sure that would work).

Your choices are:

1) give it time and try to adjust to the 1680 x 1050 resolution of the MBP

2) set the display to a non-native resolution as stated above, and live with the 'fuzziness' of the display; as stated above, you can use System Preferences for 1440x852, which I'd consider 'pretty darn close to 1440x900), or the 3rd party utility to get 1440x900 on the dot, but because neither of those is the 1680x1050 native resolution of the display, it will look 'grainy'

3) sell the MBP and keep using your PB

4) consider a 15" MBP, which has a native resolution of 1440x900 (but the display is smaller, and the pixels are correspondingly smaller, compared to your 17" PB)

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Answer 7

Feb 11, 2009 8:40 AM in response to neuroanatomist

I think I could deal with 1440X852, but that does not show up as an option. Are you saying it should be an option? The closet thing to what I am looking for is 1280X800...which is too large and also grainy.

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Answer 8

Feb 11, 2009 10:41 AM in response to turnergraphics

turnergraphics wrote:
I think I could deal with 1440X852, but that does not show up as an option. Are you saying it should be an option?

Apparently not, on your MBP. I have an older model (a 17" Core Duo, the 1st generation of 17" MBPs), and on mine I have "1440x852" and "1440x852 stretched" as options. SwitchResX should still be able to approximate the resolution you want, but it will be grainy/fuzzy.

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