27" iMac screen resolution

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Level 1

9 points

27" iMac screen resolution

Hello

I'm just setting up a 27" iMac having come from a 24" Dell.

I had the Dell screen resolution set at 1280 x 1024 which I found a good option for my regular use of Excel however the iMac only seems to give me 3 choices of resolution all of which are in a 16:9 aspect ratio, which makes the columns in my Excel spreadsheets a lot narrower than they used to be and more difficult to read.

(I did try setting the resolution under Windows in Parallels back to 1280 x 1024 but the iMac did not like it and changed it back).

Is there a way of achieving more than 3 choices of screen resolution aspect ratio on the 27" iMac (including some not necessarily 16:9) ?

Thank you for any advice.

iMac (27-inch, Late 2013)

Posted on May 4, 2014 8:11 AM

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Answer 1

May 4, 2014 8:32 AM in response to GSydney

The 27" iMac display has a physical size of approximately 23.5" x 13.2" which is 16:9 aspect ratio. No matter how you fiddle with screen resolution settings you can't change that.

If somehow you could set the screen resolution to pixel dimensions - say for example, 4:3 - you would get a distorted image or else letterboxing (although I don't think that's possible).

On my 27" iMac running 10.9.2 I have five resolution settings, not three.

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Answer 2

GSydney Author

Level 1

9 points

May 4, 2014 8:47 AM in response to stumbleone

Thankyou for that.

My 27" is also on 10.9.2 as far as I know, but has only

2560 x 1140

2048 x 1152

1600 x 900.

I wonder why?

I take your point about the distortion by non 16:9 ratios but the 24" Dell I have just come from had about 20 different options not all of which were proportional to the screen size and I was able to find one that was just right.

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Answer 3

May 4, 2014 8:53 AM in response to GSydney

Here's the thing on the 5 vs. 3 options. My late 2009 27 inch iMac has the five options in Display settings. I just checked my late 2012 27-incher and that has the same three that you have. I'd guess Apple changed the display technology somewhere in there, or else there are some other settings (terminal?) that don't show up in the system preferences.

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Answer 4

GSydney Author

Level 1

9 points

May 4, 2014 5:04 PM in response to stumbleone

Ah thankyou, I will talk with Apple and see if I get any joy there.

For the time being, with my eyesight, I'm on 1600 x 900 which kind of defeats the purpose of all the money I just spent on a big screen.

Alas, no matter how much one thinks one has researched the issues before purchase. Sigh......

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Answer 5

GSydney Author

Level 1

9 points

May 6, 2014 6:46 AM in response to GSydney

Apple confirmed only 3 resolution options and all in 16:9 ratio.

The LG I had on the Dell gave me 10 options some 16:9 and some 4:3.

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Answer 6

GSydney Author

Level 1

9 points

May 7, 2014 8:44 PM in response to GSydney

Apple doesn't know what they are talking about.

I found the real solution on Experts Exchange, one of the best forums on the internet. You pay to belong but it is worth every penny.

"It is possible to choose a lot more resolutions on the iMac if you hold down the ALT (option) key before you press the "Scaled" option in the Displays section of the System Preferences. There are over 11 settings on a 27" iMac".

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