Mac mini M4 Pro Display Resolutions

Question

Mac mini M4 Pro Display Resolutions

I have a MacBook Pro M1, and a 5k LG monitor with 5120 x 2160 res. When I use it I can use the "default" setting which is 3840 x 1620 and it is perfect for me.

I just got a new Mac mini M4 pro. Its default for the same monitor is 3360 x 1418, and the resolution kinda sucks. But there is only one high res option at 5120 x 2160 which is way too small to see things.

Is there a way around this that I am not aware of? would the same issue be on the studio? I do not understand where the limitation comes from unless it has something to do with the MacBook Pro m1 having a certain res on the built in display. But that would make me think the mini should be able to do that res no matter what because there is no built in display.

both are using same thunderbolt cable.

Also both are using same OS version.

here is the options :

Thanks,

Brandon

Posted on Nov 14, 2024 6:58 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 16, 2024 3:33 AM in response to brandonfromsaint charles

Full 5K is 5120x2880 pixels. Your monitor has 5120x2160 pixels – in other words, ultra-wide aspect ratio obtained by "adding stuff to the sides of a 4K monitor" or "chopping off part of the top and bottom of a 5K monitor."

So I'm guessing it is a LG 40" UltraWide (40WP95C) WUHD 5K2K Nano IPS Curved Monitor .

If so, it has a pixel density of roughly 139 PPI. Text in non-Retina, native mode, would be uncomfortably small.

At your preferred setting, text would be almost exactly the same size as on a 27" 2560x1440 monitor.
At the "like 3360x1418" setting, text would be almost exactly the same size as on a 24" 1920x1080 monitor.

I'm not sure why your preferred setting went away – whether this is just a software issue (one that a future macOS update might remedy, or that you might be able to overcome with third-party resolution switching software) - or a change in the video support of M4-family processors (relative to M1/M2/M3-family chips).

For what it's worth, "like 3840x1620" would imply the use of an internal canvas that had 7680x3240 pixels. A 32" Apple 6K Pro Display XDR has a native resolution of 6016x3384 pixels. So the mode which you want to use would require a canvas with about 22% more pixels than the total number of pixels on a 32" 6K display.

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Answer 2

dhwalt

Level 1

18 points

Nov 16, 2024 3:12 AM in response to brandonfromsaint charles

M4 Mac Mini + Studio Display

Display 5120 * 2880

Default 2560 * 1440

You have a native 5120 * 2160 so a different aspect ratio. Try Show all resolutions on the Display prefs and see what is available? Failing that take a look at SwitchResX or EasyRes or etc.

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Answer 3

Nov 16, 2024 3:51 AM in response to Servant of Cats

Servant of Cats wrote:

For what it's worth, "like 3840x1620" would imply the use of an internal canvas that had 7680x3240 pixels. A 32" Apple 6K Pro Display XDR has a native resolution of 6016x3384 pixels. So the mode which you want to use would require a canvas with about 22% more pixels than the total number of pixels on a 32" 6K display.

On the other hand, as long as you limit yourself to two displays, the Technical Specifications for the M4 Pro Mac mini seem to say that one of them can have "up to 8K resolution at 60 Hz … over Thunderbolt or HDMI."

I would think that an 8K output would have the ability to handle the internal canvas for Retina "like 3840x1620" mode. But maybe I'm wrong …

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