Does the new Macbook Pro 15" (late 2013) supports 4K via Thunderbolt/Displayport?

I'm pretty sure Apple just wants everyone here to buy a new mid 2014 computer to get the functionality of 4K 60hz under Displayport even though they could just update the drivers to support it. They want you to buy a new computer. It's the Apple way. For example, the first gen retinas 2011 could support 4K 30hz through a workaround and were not officially supported for it. Then next year Apple officially supported it, but only for the 2012 model. This year the same thing except the drivers need to be for 60 and the port supports it. It's called something like artificial limitation or planned obsolescence and Apple thrives on it. They simply want you to, if you really need the feature to simply buy a new machine.

You mean *late* 2014? (For the Macbook Pros at least.) Here's hoping late 2013s have a good resale value. The 2012's lost over $700 in value instantly, and that's the new price.

Seriously, though, how long has it been since we've had to buy a new computer just to support enthusiast class monitors? When Apple launched the first 30" monitor, you did need dual-link DVI to support it, but AFAIK, all the Macs had it at the time, and all the graphics chips supported it. Now, at least 4 vendors have released 4K monitors, not to mention a slew of 4K televisions that could also be used...

Apple prepared for retina displays years in advance - they should have been ready for 4K.

So basically, even though my new MacBook Pro Retina 15" (Late 2013) Maxed out version (16/1TB). has Thunderbolt 2, I can't use it to drive any 4K displays at MAXIMUM REFRESH RATE currently?

What about the new Thunderbolt 2 LG displays coming out soon?

You may be right, but what makes this so sad is it means that there really wasn't anything that compelling to make the 2013 rMBPs more valuable than the 2012 rMBPs. The main interest was that DisplayPort 1.2 meant breaking the 10 gigbit barrier, which isn't needed for sub-4K resolution.

Without that driver, the only real advantages I see to the 2013 model are a faster hard drive and AVX2 if you do SIMD programming. (Unless you use it as a Wintel laptop...) I wonder if it's possible for a third party to write video drivers? After all, you don't need to jail break Macs yet...

I am trading up my MBPr Late 2013 for the Mac Pro. **** all that 4K business with the MBPr. I don't need a laptop and it never leaves my house (or desk for that matter). I got one only for the reason in case I needed to get work done elesewhere, or with a client which to date, hasn't happened. For 1000 more bucks I can get a loaded 6-core with 4 times the power and the capability for 4K at 60Hz times 2. Worth it in my opinion. Also much more open for expansion (not as easily as the last MP, but still expandable). Folks are already making 3rd Party SSD's and there's talk about reverse engineering the daugter board with a 3rd Party GPU. The newest Mac Pro should last me 5 years...

Never said it was cheap, but in the long run will pay off vs having to buy an entirely new MBPr every time there's a needed hw update. Like a previous poster mentioned (and I also know this from experience) that the MBPr loose a third of their value right after a new update. This doesn't happen with the MP, or at least hasn't in previous years. Even new info I've encountered is that the CPU is completely upgradeable as noted by overseas Mac supplier, OSW, who was able to swap out the Xeon processer with little complications.

There is another angle to your argument that Apple won't update drivers in the late 2013 15" rMBP as a form of planned obsolesence to drive sales of the 2014 version. Once Apple releases a new TB2 4k display, it seems obvious to me they would want to provide a compelling reason to as many people as possible to purchase that display. Wouldn't Apple want to open up the market for that display to the most amount of customers possible? I, for instance, own an older 24" Cinema Display and now a fully maxed out late 2013 15" rMBP. I have no interest in upgrading the Cinema Display until something comes along as fully featured as the current model TB display and has 4k. It would be baffling to me if Apple released a 4k display, but artificially excluded some of their existing customers from taking full advantage of the new display specs by refusing to update drivers. Here's to hoping that driver updates come no later than Apple's eventual release of a TB2 4k display.

In my opinion Apple will likely never release a 4K display but will release a display in a future time frame with 2X the display resolution of their current Thunderbolt display. We know this because this is how Apple operates now. That means that the resolution will be 5120x2880. If Apple wants anything to work it will be that monitor and only that monitor for high resolution external connectivity on the Late 2013 MacBook Pro Retina.

5120x2880 at 27" makes complete sense, because it must be a "retina" display, which requires 220ppi or more (i guess apple will stick to 220ppi for a while in the computer sector)

5120x2880@27"=217ppi

Another plan might be not to update the drivers before that new TBdisplay comes out. So MBPr owners havent already bought something else in the meantime?

While this could be the case, it usually strikes me as the reverse: Apple makes far more profits on selling new laptops than monitors, so they use the new monitors to drive new laptop sales, not vice versa. When the Thunderbolt displays came out, I did not have a Mac with Thunderbolt, and it was many years before I had one. Apple is still somewhat judged on sales of Macs - they have never reported sales of monitors. 🙂

The 27" 2560x1440 displays are a higher PPI than the 24" 1920x1080 displays and everything looks too small to read. They only need a 3840x2160 display at 27" for it to be retina and elements to look normal sized with 200% DPI scaling up from 1920x1080.

I can connect from my mac pro late 2013 to the dell P2815q monitor using hdmi and / or an thunderbolt to displayport adapter to an displayport to minidisplay port cable.

Using just an thunderbolt cable did not work (for me).

This thread is interesting, frustrating and dissappointing.

Maybe we should all write to Apple expressing our concerns about the limitations of the OS X Mavericks software

graphics card drivers..

So basically, when the ASUS monitor is released, bad luck for MacBook Pro Retina (Late 2013) owners!

This is starting to become a bad joke.

johnniecache wrote:

imagine apple would provide MST support now, there is another problem that i didnt even think of. Somebody wrote about it in another thread here.

The new Dell 4k 24" has a resolution of about 200ppi, which is already close to apple's retina macbooks. At this resolution, you will definitely need the "Retina Dsiplay Setting" (larger buttons, text, etc. on the GUI and Apps)

However, if the display is not recognized as a "Retina Display", the Retina Setting will not be available! So even with that driver, third party high resolution displays (>=200ppi) will not work with OS X. Only hope is a new apple branded thunderbolt 4k display.

P.S. does soembody know how displays are recognized as "Retina"? Is it EDID? Could there be an override similar to this?

..exactly, so if you don't mind looking at microscopic text and gui etc..4K is pointless without the proper scaling.

I've completely given up on the 4K idea, but am waiting patiently for a Thunderbolt "2" Display (TD) update.

I and many of my coleagues though cannot justify spending hard earned money on hardware that has dated quite considerably.

The current iteration of the TD needs port updates (USB 3.0 & Thunderbolt 2) as well as a "full lamination" screen which Apple says has 75% less reflection.

The current iMac has USB 3.0 and a full lamination screen, I don't understand what is so difficult about shifting focusing to a product that is now three (3) years old, it's a dinosaur....it's a bit embarrassing.

Come on Apple, please! people are waiting!

PaintingStar wrote:

I've completely given up on the 4K idea, but am waiting patiently for a Thunderbolt "2" Display (TD) update.

Well, mission accomplished?

And no wonder the TD has not been updated, even with the iMac features it will still be a dinosaur standing next to a retina MBP.

Actually even 4k is not enough, it needs to be at least 5k to be a proper retina 27" display. So it will take time, I am guessing late 2014.