MacBook Air not supporting 4K monitors

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MacBook Air not supporting 4K monitors

I am suffering an issue with a PHL 278E1 monitor. The monitor is recognized as 4K. But the resolution by default for it is HD an not 4K. I can change resolution using adjusted (escaled) instead of by default. But going to 4K the letters and images are proportionally smaller ( not usable really). The resolution 4K should mean better shape for letters and images, not smaller size. I had much better image quality in my old and death iMac 27 of 2010 than with the new air and a new 4K monitor.

the interface is a caldigit minidock, thunderbolt 3 - hdmi, indicated as compatible with air M1 in the Apple shop page. No explanation had from Apple technical support. OS X 12.2.3 in an air just bought.

Have you got similar issues?

Posted on Mar 16, 2021 11:27 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 16, 2021 1:18 PM in response to CADARSO

If you want larger type and icons, you need to operate at a lower resolution

and it is scaled accordingly for the 4K display. Some displays can also have

built in upscaling.

If you insist on having the full 4K, then things are going

to be small, unless you get a physically larger screen (some one

here said they connected their M1 MacMini to a 75" 4K TV and

folders are nearly the size of real folders).

Actually, if you have a Retina MacBook Air, its "display" is already

scaled to the native display resolution. If you could set it to match

its native resolution, text would be microscopic.

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Answer 2

CADARSO Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 16, 2021 2:07 PM in response to woodmeister50

Thank you for your comments. My understanding is that a MacBook Air M1, with clear specifications to connect with even a 6k monitor, should send its content to the monitor with the right resolution and adequate quality to be readable and normally visible. It is a nonsense that the resolution sent to the retina screen is 2560 x 1600 and the data sent to a 4K monitor is 1980 x 1080.

And, if connected with the Apple XDR display, is the UI resolution HD as it is with a 4K monitor?

I think that up scaling should not be needed if the information sent from the air M1 is according with the specification Apple sell for this device. It is up to 6k, obviously depending on the monitor you connect with the Air M1

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MacBook Air not supporting 4K monitors

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