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

I've just found this information http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5918?viewlocale=en_US

Note that these displays default to 30 Hz (instead of 60 Hz) and need to be manually configured to 60 Hz using the display's built-in controls.

• For the Sharp PN-K321, you can modify this under Settings > DisplayPort STREAM.
• For the ASUS PQ321Q, you can modify this under OSD menu > Setup > DisplayPort Stream.

My Dell UP2414Q arrived yesterday and after struggling to get Display Port to work (had to be set to 1.2 on the monitor ... see below), I I have 4k @ 60hz with scaling running on my rMBP 15" with 750m gpu. As noted by Twitter user Khaos, the only issue I have is that there are video artifacts on the far right side of the screen - the frequency of which increases with higher scaling (it doesn't occur in native res nor on largest font scaling) and when moving windows around quickly. If you move them slowly there are no artifacts. This would appears to be an issue with the OS HiDPI/driver code that I am sure will get resolved. Once on DP 1.2 I have had no sleep/wake issues or any other functional issues - it's works perfectly except for the rendering/artifacts issue.

I don't know if the Intel graphics only (low end 15") will run it - if someone can let me know how to disable the 750m gpu then I could test it out. (display control panel has either auto-switching or dedicated gpu only, there is no integrated only).

If you do set this up with a high-end 15" rMBP and get no picture on initial plugin, you can turn on DP 1.2 on the monitor by *holding down* the menu button on display port for 8 seconds - then you will get an OSD question to enable DP 1.2. I initially didn't know this and eventually had to plug in my wife's MBA in order to get the monitor to detect a DP connection of any sort, at which point I could set it to 1.2. I didn't catch the above method until fully reading the Dell user manual.

I can't speak for certain on the 13" MacBook Pro, but I have the 15" MacBook Pro Retina (late 2013).

I now have 2 Dell P2715Q 4k monitors and they both run in full 4k resolution at 60hz when connected to my MacBook Pro. I didn't notice the fans coming on any more than normal with the monitors plugged in. The fans still come on normally and frequently when using Parallels, though.

They are fantastic monitors! To make it work, I have to make sure that each monitor has MST mode turned off. And I have to connect them both directly to the display ports. So I have no more display ports available, since the MacBook only comes with two.

I tried to daisy chain them, but it isn't possible from the Mac. As an aside, I do have them daisy chained when connected to a Lenovo ThinkPad w540 that only has one DP port. To get 4k resolution that way, I have to run them both at 30hz which is awful for daily use. So instead, I run them both at 2560x1440 @ 60hz. The Dell monitors actually look very good at that resolution -- just a little soft, but definitely acceptable.

Update:

I installed Windows 8.1, and it works! So the Late 2013 15" Macbook Pro Retina (with GeForce 750M) is capable of driving multiple displays via DisplayPort 1.2 MST.

However, OS X Mavericks is not.

Hopefully a software update acompanying the release of the new Mac Pro will enable support in OS X as well.

Yes. The Macbook Pro Retina Display (Late 2013) works for me via the Thunderbolt 2 port @ 4K 60hz under Windows 8.1 with the ASUS PQ321Q.

The hardware support is there, and I fully expect OS X to get support in time for the Mac Pro launch.

My one worry is that it *is* a driver issue, and the Mac Pro has ATI graphics, so it's still not impossible that the Nvidia drivers for the MBPR never get support :/

In OS X I've only been able to get it to appear in two modes:

1) Single 3840x2160 with the monitor in SST mode. 30Hz max.

2) Single 1920x2160 with the monitor in MST mode. 60Hz max. The output area is centered with black bars on the sides.

In Windows:

1) Single 3840x2160 with the monitor in SST mode. 30Hz max.

2) Single 3840x2160 with the monitor in MST mode. 60Hz max. I suspect the Nvidia drivers are merging the two displays automatically under the hood, but the result is that it just works.

Hope for 4k 60Hz on low-end 15'' rMBP?

According to the below link which includes the release notes of the beta 10.9.3 13D57 build, 10.9.3 provides "improved 4K display support on .... MacBook Pro with 15-inch Retina display (Late 2013)".

http://9to5mac.com/2014/05/01/os-x-mavericks-10-9-3-release-nears-with-bolstered -4k-display-support/

As you would remember, the high-end 15'' late 2013 rMBP with Nvidia 750M can do 4k @ 60Hz on Mavericks by virtue of the 10.9.3. This release note gives some hope to the owners of low-end late 2013 15'' rMBP with Iris Pro because the release note seems to be written down in a way that it encompasses all late 2013 15'' rMBPs, i.e. both low-end and high-end models with integrated Iris Pro and discrete Nvidia 750M GPU. In short, low-end late 2013 15'' rMBP with Iris Pro may do 4k @ 60Hz once the 10.9.3 final version is released. At this point late 2013 13'' rMBP with Iris has not been provided with such support. In other words, no 4k @ 60Hz on Mavericks with late 2013 13'' rMBP for the time being. Hopefully some day, perhaps with the 10.9.4, it will do it. Because it has been proved that it can do it on Windows. Therefore it can do it on Mavericks as well with the necessary driver.

VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE:

Guys,

As you would remember, late/October 2013 15'' rMBPs (both the low-end models with Iris Pro 5200 and high-end model with discrete Nvidia 750M became capable of outputting 4k 60Hz without any problem with 10.9.3. However all late/October 2013 13'' rMBP models, all of which sporting Iris (non-Pro) 5100, were opted out at that time.

I've confirmed with TFannon that his late/October 2013 13'' rMBP can now output 4k 60Hz with both 10.9.4 and 10.9.5 updates! However, the current Yosemite Beta can only do 4k 30Hz!

There are also some improvements on the Bootcamp side with the latest Intel driver 15.36.3.64.3907. Now the Iris 5100 can output 4k @ 60hz AND use the built in display as a side monitor-- previously, when the collage mode was enabled, you could get 4k @ 60Hz where Windows recognizes the monitor as one external screen, but you could not use Mac’s screen at all. In addition, Iris 5100 can also power a 3rd display (non-4k) just fine.

I hope Apple would not revert to 4k 30Hz with the final release of Yosemite...

I own the late 2013 15" rMBP with Iris Graphics, running Yosemite 10.10.1

I just bought a Dell P2715Q 4K (3840x2160) monitor and I am running in on DP/TB port and getting 60Hz.

I already owned an LG 34UM95 34" widescreen running at 3440x1440 and it is also running at 60Hz on DP/TB port.

I have attached a pic I took today from System Report which shows the monitors, their resolution and their refresh rate. This is a gorgeous setup and it's working great for me. Highly recommended, if you have ~$1,400 to throw at two monitors.

Hi Guys,

I was following this conversation for quite a while. After purchasing a 4k monitor now, I can confirm:

Macbook Pro 15" (Late 2013) with NVIDIA 750m running the latest El Capitan is working at 3840 x 2160 @ 60Hz with my Asus PB279 Monitor through Mini DisplayPort.

And HiDPI scaling works as well in the OS Settings. Jay!

Hi,

the two things I needed to do are:

1.
Get a decent mDP to mDP cable that supports Multistream (MST) and DP 1.2 (the Asus PB279 has a mDP port)

I got mine from "Cable Matters" on Amazon

(BTW an original Apple Thunderbolt cable did not give me any image)

2.

I needed to set the "DisplayPort Stream" in the monitor settings to "1.2".

Then it worked fluently.

Does your rMBP have the Nvidia 750m inside?

Hi there!

Thanks for sharing all of your experiences. I have read the whole thread before buying my new monitor and I can confirm that the Dell P2715Q monitor is working perfectly on my MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) with Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB graphics. It is displaying at a resolution of 3840 x 2160 at 60 Hz. It is connected with the supplied cable DP to mDP inserted in one of the Thunderbolt 2 ports.

Thanks!

I have the same MBP model as you and when I plugged in my Samsung U28E590D with an HDMI cable I only got 30Hz. I ordered the Mini DisplayPort cable from Amazon and when I used that it ran at 60Hz. I could be mistaken but I don't think you can get 60Hz on the Mac via HDMI.

I also am very confused by this because per apple's support page it only supports 4K via HDMI at 30Hz but SHOULD support 60Hz via a mini display port 1.2 specification built into thunderbolt 2.

However, I think it does include 60Hz support (although not mentioned on apple's website). My evidence of this is that on the ifixit teardown they found a an Intel DSL 5520 Thunderbolt 2 controller which according to Intel's and Wikipedia's website is falcon ridge which means it should support Display port 1.2 natively. Plus, on apple's thunderbolt page they specifically mention connecting a 4K display to a macbook pro through the thunderbolt port (not which is suggested by the support page listed above):

"Now with Thunderbolt 2 built into the new Mac Pro and MacBook Pro with Retina display, you can connect the latest 4K desktop displays and get double the bandwidth for your peripherals. And the two generations of Thunderbolt technology are compatible with each other."

Also, the Apple mini displayport support page has not been updated since 2012 but I believe it is just showing old information

The BIG piece of evidence against the new macbook pro's supporting 4K through the thunderbolt port is that on apple's tech specs page they specifically mention 4K under the HDMI section but make no mention of it under the thunderbolt 2 section.

Sadly, I'm trying this out right now with an October 2013 Macbook Pro w/ Retina Display and can confirm that MST is a no-go. Only sees one of two streams on my Asus PQ321Q.

Guess I'll need to return it and wait for the Mac Pro 😟