Different resolution options with external monitor between MBP 16 and MBP 14

I have an M3 Max MBP 16 and an M4 Max MBP 14 connected to the same external display through the same TB4 dock/cable. For some reason, I get different resolution options on the external display depending on which Mac i'm connected to. Why is this and is there anything I can do to standardize these?


Specifically, the MBP 16 gives me 5 display options on the typical "larger text, default, more space" UI. The resolution I typically like here is 3840 x 1620.


The MBP 14 only gives 4 options and the closest option is 3360 x 1418.


And no, selecting the toggle to show all resolution options does not help as there are no options in between 3360 x 1418 and 5120 x 2160.


I had a similar issue with a MacBook Air a while ago, but I assumed it was due to the MBA lacking the graphics power to push the higher resolutions. But there seems to be no reason whatsoever that the MBP 14 wouldnt be able to match the resolution output to an external display of an older MBP 16.


This is extremely annoying and makes using multiple Macs difficult to do from a continuity standpoint.


I do not want to download 3rd party resolution software. I've tried that before and if the resolution isn't available natively it looks like trash. I also shouldn't need to do so.

Posted on Dec 2, 2024 6:44 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 2, 2024 8:26 AM

This is an M4 issue, not a 14" vs 16" issue. I have an M1 Pro 16" MBP and an M4 Pro 16" MBP, both running the most recent MacOS. The M1 lets me select 3840x1620 on my 5K:2K display, the M4 only offers 3360x1418 and nothing between that and full 5K:2K.


I suggest submitting feedback to Apple:


Feedback - MacBook Pro - Apple


FWIW, this is not just the MBP, the Mini has the same issue. I tried SwitchRes X but as you say, poor resolution:

Mac mini M4 Pro Display Resolutions - Apple Community



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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 2, 2024 8:26 AM in response to CONCEDE

This is an M4 issue, not a 14" vs 16" issue. I have an M1 Pro 16" MBP and an M4 Pro 16" MBP, both running the most recent MacOS. The M1 lets me select 3840x1620 on my 5K:2K display, the M4 only offers 3360x1418 and nothing between that and full 5K:2K.


I suggest submitting feedback to Apple:


Feedback - MacBook Pro - Apple


FWIW, this is not just the MBP, the Mini has the same issue. I tried SwitchRes X but as you say, poor resolution:

Mac mini M4 Pro Display Resolutions - Apple Community



Dec 2, 2024 8:35 AM in response to CONCEDE

I saw on other sites where people were trying to figure out if this was a "plain M4 vs. M4 Pro/Max" thing.


I got the impression that for the M1, M2, and M3 series chips, Retina "3840x…" scaling might have been available for Pro and Max chips but not for plain ones. If that was true, one might expect the pattern to continue – even if it wasn't very well-documented. But here you say 3840 x 1620 is unavailable on a M4 Max.

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Different resolution options with external monitor between MBP 16 and MBP 14

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