4K monitors & MacBook Air

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4K monitors & MacBook Air

I've got a MacBook Air (Early 2015) and need an external 4K monitor for it. Monitors suddenly got complicated. Earlier there was just VGA and DVI. VGA is probably all but obsolete, but now monitors come with DVI, DisplayPort, and HDMI interfaces. And the MacBook Air has a Mini DisplayPort (Thunderbolt) port. What do I need to buy? I've got an Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter that I was using with a borrowed monitor. Must I get a DVI monitor? Can I use a DisplayPort monitor or an HDMI monitor? Cables can be purchased to convert from Thunderbolt to DisplayPort or Thunderbolt to HDMI. Will they work with the MacBook Air?

MacBook Air

Posted on Mar 4, 2018 4:16 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 4, 2018 9:14 PM in response to kaz-k

I'm concerned about the adapter. Previously I was using a $99 dual-link DVI adapter from Apple. Is a $9 Thunderbolt to HDMI adapter from Amazon all I need? (For a monitor with HDMI input.) Apple sells a Thunderbolt to HDMI adapter for $35. With such a large disparity in adapter prices, I worry that there is something I don't know about adapters.

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Answer 2

Mar 12, 2018 7:54 PM in response to kaz-k

I bought an LG 4K monitor and connected it with a mini-displayport to displayport cable. It works. But now the screen saver never turns on and the computer never sleeps. I can manually activate the screen saver and manually make the computer sleep, but those things never happen automatically.

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Answer 3

kaz-k

Level 8

49,038 points

Mar 4, 2018 7:36 PM in response to required desired alias

Yes, the 2015 MacBook Air supports 4K displays at 60Hz | Ars Technica

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Answer 4

kaz-k

Level 8

49,038 points

Mar 4, 2018 7:55 PM in response to required desired alias

You need to get Thunderbolt to HDMI adapter or Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt cable, it depends on the 4K monitor you are considering to get.

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Answer 5

HAnilsen

Level 2

226 points

Mar 5, 2018 4:38 PM in response to required desired alias

Dual Link DVI only supports up to 2560x1600. While both DisplayPort and HDMI supports up to 4K, so you can buy the adapter depending on what kind of monitor you have.

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4K monitors & MacBook Air

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