HT202856: Using 4K displays and Ultra HD TVs with your Mac

Learn about Using 4K displays and Ultra HD TVs with your Mac
expntly
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Q: 4k @ 60hz with MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015) ?

I just purchased the new MacBook 12" 1.2 Ghz and I'm trying to make it work with a Dell P2715Q.  I'm using a USB-C to DisplayPort cable purchased here: https://store.google.com/product/usb_type_c_to_displayport_cable

 

So far I have not been able to make it work at 4k (3840x2160) at 60hz, the 60hz option just isn't available in the System Preferences.

 

  • With the Dell in MST Secondary mode

 

Here's what I see in the settings:

Screen Shot 2015-04-25 at 11.52.08 PM.png

3840x2160 is 30hz only, which is slow -- mouse cursor lags, scrolling isn't comfortable etc.  Everything "(low resolution)" means no HiDPI if I understand correctly, and so this translates to everything being blurry on the screen.

 

I would like to be able to use 3200x1800 at 60hz and HiDPI so it's fast and sharp.

 

  • With the Dell in MST off (SST I assume)

 

Settings:

Screen Shot 2015-04-25 at 11.56.36 PM.png

 

Everything is 60hz, but everything is blurry as well, mostly no HiDPI (according to SwitchResX).  The first HiDPI starts at 1440x900 and below, which is way too big on the screen.

 

So overall, I'm not sure why SST seems to not be supported very well (all blurry), and why in MST I can't get to 60hz and no HiDPI resolutions just below 3840.

 

I checked software update and as of April 25 it says "No Updates Available", and I'm on 10.10.3 already.

 

Any help appreciated.  If anyone has been able to make the new MacBook 12" work well with 4k @ 60hz, I'd be interested in hearing from them.  I'm not sure if it's because of the MacBook, or the Dell P2715Q (or even the USB-C to DisplayPort cable;  would using mDP help?).

 

Thanks!

MacBook, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Apr 26, 2015 12:11 AM

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Q: 4k @ 60hz with MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015) ?

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  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny May 1, 2015 10:13 PM in response to michaelfromsandpoint
    Level 5 (7,900 points)
    Desktops
    May 1, 2015 10:13 PM in response to michaelfromsandpoint
    make sense to get the 4k so my next laptop can likely drive the full resolution.

    How long do you expect to keep the MacBook? If you really want to use a 4K monitor at 60Hz, you should buy a MacBook Pro.

     

    It's hard for me to understand why folks want to use high performance monitors with low performance computers.

  • by michaelfromsandpoint,

    michaelfromsandpoint michaelfromsandpoint May 1, 2015 10:18 PM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 1, 2015 10:18 PM in response to Lanny

    Probably a year, I can pass the macbook onto one of my daughters and may want to get the macbook pro then unless the next macbook version runs 4k. 

  • by Milliano,

    Milliano Milliano Jun 3, 2015 8:07 AM in response to expntly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 3, 2015 8:07 AM in response to expntly

    Are there other proofs out there that the Macbook (12inch, 2015) doesn't handle well a 4K screen (3840x2160) @60Hz like the Dell P2715Q via DisplayPort 1.2?

    I'm interested in exactly this setting and the Apple doc nor the reviews are 100% clear...

    Thanks a lot!

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Jun 3, 2015 8:14 AM in response to Milliano
    Level 5 (7,900 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 3, 2015 8:14 AM in response to Milliano

    The main limitation is the MacBook's implementation of USB-C's maximum data speed limitation of 5 Gbps, as opposed to 10 Gbps. This is probably not fast enough to support 4K @ 60Hz.

     

    http://blog.streamingmedia.com/2015/01/4k-streaming-bandwidth-problem.html

  • by TFannon,

    TFannon TFannon Jun 22, 2015 3:41 PM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 22, 2015 3:41 PM in response to Lanny

    I can confirm that the Macbook 12" (early 2015) will only run 30hz @ 4k on the Dell 2715q in Secondary MST mode.

    I am using the Google USB-C -> Displayport cable.

     

    Disappointing

  • by Milliano,

    Milliano Milliano Jun 23, 2015 3:52 AM in response to TFannon
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 23, 2015 3:52 AM in response to TFannon

    Lanny, the article you refer to is about 4K streaming, and I didn't find any info about 5Gbps being to low. Actually I don't know what is the necessary bandwidth for 4K...

    TFannon, did you, or could you try through SST (Single Stream Transport)?

    Thank a lot for your answer !!

  • by TFannon,

    TFannon TFannon Jun 23, 2015 4:47 AM in response to Milliano
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    Jun 23, 2015 4:47 AM in response to Milliano

    Yes.  That is the default with the Dell 2715q.  It came up with a maximum resolution of 2560x1440.

  • by HFJ,

    HFJ HFJ Jun 23, 2015 11:51 AM in response to TFannon
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 23, 2015 11:51 AM in response to TFannon

    I understand the limitations of my new 12" MacBook, but am exploring an external display, knowing that 4K is not possible. A Thunderbolt display would be fine (but not the price point) and I am at looking at this well-reviewed Dell, which claims a resolution similar to the TB  (2560x1440 I think). Would this work with the Macbook? And if so, what USB-C adapter would I need? Thanks in advance

  • by HFJ,

    HFJ HFJ Jun 23, 2015 11:58 AM in response to HFJ
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 23, 2015 11:58 AM in response to HFJ

    Sorry this well-reviewed Dell

    • U2713HM

  • by Deviant Tofu,

    Deviant Tofu Deviant Tofu Aug 25, 2015 9:04 AM in response to HFJ
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 25, 2015 9:04 AM in response to HFJ

    I'm using a Dell P2416D, which is 2560x1440. Macbook 12inch is able to run it at native resolution @60Hz.

  • by DreamPiggy,

    DreamPiggy DreamPiggy Nov 12, 2015 5:23 AM in response to Deviant Tofu
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 12, 2015 5:23 AM in response to Deviant Tofu

    Hi, I'm going to buy the Dell P2416D which is 2K (2560*1440) resolution.

     

    I want to confirm that can MacBook 12` run 1080P(1920*1080) HiDPI -- By SwitchResX or https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/vi9yf/set_your_retina_macbook_pros_resol ution_to/

     

    with 60Hz?(Which sometime need less performance than 4K natively) Thanks!

  • by Steve346,

    Steve346 Steve346 Dec 10, 2015 8:06 AM in response to Deviant Tofu
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2015 8:06 AM in response to Deviant Tofu

    Hi, which cable are you using to get 60hz? HDMI?

    I'm trying with the Google USB-C W=> Display port cable but can't achieve more than 30hz on my Dell P2415Q monitor.

     

    Thanks for your help

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Dec 10, 2015 1:32 PM in response to Steve346
    Level 5 (7,900 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 10, 2015 1:32 PM in response to Steve346

    "Tofu" was using a 2k monitor, not a 4k monitor.

  • by DSCHANA,

    DSCHANA DSCHANA Dec 20, 2015 11:48 AM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 20, 2015 11:48 AM in response to Lanny

    Hi Lanny

     

    Thanks for helping, do you know if the Macbook 12inch (2015) will drive a ultrawide monitor with 3440 x 1440 pixels at 60Hz such as the Samsung S34E790C 34-Inch Curved LED Monitor for example? This appears to be somewhere in between the 2k supported at 60Hz and the 4K at 30Hz.


    Many thanks



     

  • by Ken Purczynski,

    Ken Purczynski Ken Purczynski Jan 2, 2016 7:58 AM in response to expntly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 2, 2016 7:58 AM in response to expntly

    I'm having trouble understanding the issues other folks are having.  I'm using the Apple USB C AV adapter and connecting to my Dell 2514q @ 30Hz via HDMI and it seems to work without issue.  I don't experience any mouse lag or delay in dragging windows.  The Dell 2514q seems to respond as well as my native laptop display, as far as I know.

     

    I've had one or two videos that played a little choppy, but Netflix runs without issue.  And sometimes it takes a few extra clicks on the keyboard to get the monitor/Macbook to come out of sleep.

     

    These are minor irritations, though, in order to getting to what amounts to a 24" retina screen.  I knew the MacBook 12 was going to involve compromises in the performance area when I purchased it, so no gripes there. 

     

    Of course, I've never seen an external display running at @60Hz.  Maybe I don't know what I'm missing.

     

    Has anybody with the issues with DisplayPort connections simply tried connecting with the HDMI adapter instead?

     

    -ken

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