MacPlus87

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

I understand that the new Macbook Pro 15" (late 2013 with Nvidia) supports 4K screen resolutions via HDMI at low hertz. But does it support 4K via Thunderbolt/Displayport? I read on Intel's web that the NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 2GB memory in theory can support it. Would be important as a range of new 4K 32" monitors will come out over the next year. Would be great for photo, video editing etc.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 24, 2013 2:48 AM

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

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  • by PaintingStar,

    PaintingStar PaintingStar Jan 22, 2014 6:57 PM in response to PaintingStar
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 22, 2014 6:57 PM in response to PaintingStar

    Actually I've changed my mind, I'm going to keep on waiting.

     

    I just can't justify paying $1000 ($1200 AUS) for a monitor that is so old (2011).

     

    I'm going to wait for some of these improvements.

     

    - USB ports, iMac has 3.0.

    - Magsafe adapter.

    - Form factor, new iMac is thinner.

    - Reflective screen, new iMac is less reflective.

    - Thunderbolt 2 (backwards compatible) ports

  • by DannyWoods,

    DannyWoods DannyWoods Jan 22, 2014 7:26 PM in response to PaintingStar
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jan 22, 2014 7:26 PM in response to PaintingStar

    I Think you're in the wrong thread friend...

  • by DannyWoods,

    DannyWoods DannyWoods Jan 22, 2014 7:31 PM in response to DannyWoods
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jan 22, 2014 7:31 PM in response to DannyWoods

    Whoops, didn't read your earlier post... Yeah I have the original TB and just sold it for $860 on eBay.

  • by jksdfjk,

    jksdfjk jksdfjk Jan 22, 2014 11:58 PM in response to DannyWoods
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 22, 2014 11:58 PM in response to DannyWoods

    Does this not let the consumer assume that the newest MBPr will be able to drive a 4K display through the Thunderbolt 2 Port?  I would say yes it does, but the TB2 Ports can't power a 4K display because, as previously stated, MST is disabled in Mavericks for the 15" MBPr Late 2013.

     

    yes, but it's only a refresh rate issue, you can drive a 4k Display via Displayport/Thunderbolt, but only at 30Hz.

    Unfortunately no change with latest 10.9.2 Beta 2.

  • by DannyWoods,

    DannyWoods DannyWoods Jan 23, 2014 12:47 AM in response to jksdfjk
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jan 23, 2014 12:47 AM in response to jksdfjk

    But that's not true either! There is no display port 1.2 functionality with the Thinderbolt 2 Ports through OSX. You can only use first gen SST through the TB2 ports... The ONLY way to hook up 4K is through the HDMI port which is only 1.4 (not 2.0).  How do u know that there's no support in 10.9.2 Beta? Evidentially there was a new build released today.

  • by jksdfjk,

    jksdfjk jksdfjk Jan 23, 2014 12:57 AM in response to DannyWoods
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 23, 2014 12:57 AM in response to DannyWoods

    DannyWoods wrote:

     

    But that's not true either! There is no display port 1.2 functionality with the Thinderbolt 2 Ports through OSX. You can only use first gen SST through the TB2 ports... The ONLY way to hook up 4K is through the HDMI port which is only 1.4 (not 2.0).  How do u know that there's no support in 10.9.2 Beta? Evidentially there was a new build released today.

     

    3860x2160@30Hz (Dell UP 3214Q) works just fine over displayport!

     

    the lack of 60 Hz (currrently only possible via Multi Stream Transport MST, and this is not implemented in OSX Geforce graphics driver) and missing HiDpi functionality is the problem...

  • by bjordanbc,

    bjordanbc bjordanbc Jan 23, 2014 9:05 AM in response to MacPlus87
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 23, 2014 9:05 AM in response to MacPlus87

    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.

  • by jdiamond,

    jdiamond jdiamond Jan 23, 2014 9:13 AM in response to bjordanbc
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jan 23, 2014 9:13 AM in response to bjordanbc

    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.

  • by PaintingStar,

    PaintingStar PaintingStar Jan 23, 2014 1:59 PM in response to jksdfjk
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 23, 2014 1:59 PM in response to jksdfjk

    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?

  • by bjordanbc,

    bjordanbc bjordanbc Jan 24, 2014 10:31 PM in response to PaintingStar
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    Jan 24, 2014 10:31 PM in response to PaintingStar

    Once again, that monitor is for the Mac Pro, the only machine currently capable of 4K through Mac OSX. Apple wants you to buy a 2014 MacBook Pro to experience 4K. They do not want to update their drivers for 4K60hz for the 2013 model as they believe it would jeopardize sales of the 2014 MacBook Pro model.  They know that the pro's that demand 4K60hz will take no compromises and opt for the newest model. It's a smart business decision for them as a whole, because ultimately even though it could make some small percentage of people unhappy it gives them a big selling point for the 2014 model. In other words, they know most people won't know that the 2013 MacBook Pro model is technically capable of 4K 60hz and they're right. Because they won't update the drivers.

  • by jdiamond,

    jdiamond jdiamond Jan 26, 2014 10:56 AM in response to bjordanbc
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jan 26, 2014 10:56 AM in response to bjordanbc

    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...

  • by DannyWoods,

    DannyWoods DannyWoods Jan 26, 2014 1:25 PM in response to jdiamond
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jan 26, 2014 1:25 PM in response to jdiamond

    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...

  • by PaintingStar,

    PaintingStar PaintingStar Jan 26, 2014 6:12 PM in response to DannyWoods
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 26, 2014 6:12 PM in response to DannyWoods

    Just an extra $1000 or more for the Mac Pro and the an additional $2000 for a quality 4K monitor.

     

    ...yeah, really cheap.

  • by DannyWoods,

    DannyWoods DannyWoods Jan 26, 2014 9:18 PM in response to PaintingStar
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jan 26, 2014 9:18 PM in response to PaintingStar

    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. 

  • by Explosion5000,

    Explosion5000 Explosion5000 Jan 27, 2014 12:58 PM in response to bjordanbc
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2014 12:58 PM in response to bjordanbc

    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.

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