I can't get my new LG HDR 4K monitor to have hi def with my 2015 11" MacBook Air.

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I can't get my new LG HDR 4K monitor to have hi def with my 2015 11" MacBook Air.

I purchased the LG 32UL500-W HDR monitor because it was hi-def and had speakers. Unfortunately, when I plugged it into my 11" Early 2015 MacBook Air using a thunderbolt to HDMI cable, not only am I not getting hi-def, the volume controls on my keyboard don't work. The best resolution is 1920x1080 instead of the 3840x2160 monitor's capability. I could try using a DP cable but there is no audio input alternative to HDMI so the speakers wouldn't work. Can the graphics card (Intel HD 6000) not handle HD? Is there a different cable I can try? Or an alternative monitor (with speakers) to buy? I'm having a hard time reading the little SUM totals in Numbers and thought a sharper monitor would help. Thanks

MacBook

Posted on Dec 7, 2020 5:37 PM

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Answer 1

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neuroanatomist

Level 8

49,005 points

Dec 7, 2020 5:54 PM in response to watkinsfromflorence

Your Mac supports one display at up to 3840x2160. What adapter/cable are you using? Also, try System Preferences > Displays, hold the option key and click the Scaled radio button to show all the possible resolutions.

As a side note, even if you get 4K and audio, the volume control on the Mac may have no effect on the display volume – you will likely need to use the controls directly on the monitor for that.

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Answer 2

Dec 8, 2020 8:50 PM in response to neuroanatomist

Thank you! I did try the option key on the scaled radio button but the highest it would show while connected to the LG HDR monitor was 1920x1080, even though I have read that I should be able to get 3840x2160 with the Intel HD Graphics 6000. I was using a Cable Matters thunderbolt to HDMI cable which I have also used with a TV. I was hoping LG Chat would say there was a more advanced cable I could use in order to get higher def, but they were following a script. The volume controls on the monitor were several steps into the menu tree and not user friendly. I've returned the monitor and am hunting for the rare HDR one that will accept 3.5 mm audio in, or have a volume dial on the frame, so that I can have volume control at my fingertips.

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I can't get my new LG HDR 4K monitor to have hi def with my 2015 11" MacBook Air.

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