2013 macbook pro external display resolution

zyfar · 9 Oct 2013 at 17:59

I have a 2013 MacBookPro 13" I use with an external monitor, I purchased a thunderbolt to HDMI cable to hook my macbook up to my 27" display. It all works fine but I'm getting a lower resolution than I should.

I'm currently getting 1900x1080, I believe I should be getting 2560x1440 on my 27" display.

I'm using currently using this adaptor to connect my MBP and external display.

Do I need another kind of cable to get my resolution higher? After reading this I'm wondering if I need to do so.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

slinxy · 9 Oct 2013 at 21:00

the normal res for HD is normally 1920x1080, depending on the aspect ratios of your monitor screen. So the adapter is doing as its suppose to do. seems to me like another adapter is needed or a monitor that supports thunderbolt.

Thanks for showing me that adapter, it is cheap and I may have to get one for myself, thou I've already have several apple thunderbolts to .... adapters.

zyfar · 9 Oct 2013 at 21:33

I actually use this monitor so I'm assuming it should be fine to display large resolution. My only thought is that the adaptor needs to be different, but what type?

slinxy · 9 Oct 2013 at 21:46

- Panel Size: 27" Diagonal IPS Panel
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440 (WQHD)
- Pixel Pitch: 0.2331 mm
- Display Colors: 16.7M
- Brightness (cd/m2): 350cd/m2
- Contrast Ratio (Typ.): 1000:1
- Dynamic Contrast Ratio (Typ.): 80,000
- Response time (ms): 6ms
- Viewing Angle, H/V: 178 degree(H) / 178 degree(V)
- Input Signal: HDMI (Max resolution on HDMI is 1920x1080), Dual Link DVI-D, DP (Display Port), VGA (D-sub 15pin)
- HDCP Support: YES
- Internal Speaker: Built-in Stereo Speakers
- Wall Mount: VESA 100 x 100 mm
- Net / Gross Weight: 7.6 / 10.3 Kg
- Monitor Dimension (W*H*D mm): 645 × 487 × 172 mm
- Carton Dimension (W*H*D mm): 720 × 510 × 130 mm
- 3yr Warranty return to base with OcUK

max res on that monitor via hdmi is at 1920x1080, in this case both monitor and adapter are at its limits.

uniQ · 9 Oct 2013 at 21:58

Your choices are:
Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort
Mini DisplayPort to Dual DVI

zyfar · 9 Oct 2013 at 22:55

Thanks for the reply guys, I've just had a quick google for the adaptors and the first one I found was from the apple site £85 for a larger resolution, really? Can anyone help recommend me a cheaper option? Hah!

allosunshine · 9 Oct 2013 at 23:11

zyfar said:
Thanks for the reply guys, I've just had a quick google for the adaptors and the first one I found was from the apple site £85 for a larger resolution, really? Can anyone help recommend me a cheaper option? Hah!

£4.99 HERE from OCUK themselves.

Tweaker · 9 Oct 2013 at 23:54

I bought a 27inch viewsonic monitor a month ago or so, thought it was great, then I got a thunderbolt display at work. In comparison, I noticed my viewsonic was blurry in some places, turns out these cheap cables don't quite do the job. I actually bought the apple dual link adaptor today, much improved in colours and the sharpness. Decided to see what was under the £5 cable, not what you would call quality.

slinxy · 10 Oct 2013 at 06:57

If only the apple displays where a sensible price or there was a cheaper version of that display. I would be quite happy to play around £400 per monitor and daisy chain two or three of them together via thunderbolt.

Caged · 10 Oct 2013 at 11:05

How is your monitor connected? You mentioned you're using Thunderbolt to HDMI and then linked to a Belkin Mini-DP to DP adapter, so which is it?

Either way you need to input either DisplayPort or Dual-Link DVI. DisplayPort is going to be the cheaper adapter since your laptop already outputs it.

Something like this should be all you need:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CB-089-OK

zyfar · 10 Oct 2013 at 13:40

Caged said:
How is your monitor connected? You mentioned you're using Thunderbolt to HDMI and then linked to a Belkin Mini-DP to DP adapter, so which is it?

Either way you need to input either DisplayPort or Dual-Link DVI. DisplayPort is going to be the cheaper adapter since your laptop already outputs it.

Something like this should be all you need:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CB-089-OK

Sorry my mistake, I'm not using a thunderbolt instead I'm using that one I linked, the Mini-DP.

That's the one I have gone with anyway, thank's for the heads up mate

.

zyfar · 12 Oct 2013 at 11:50

Apologies for the double post but I have just received the http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=CB-089-OK and now I can get the correct resolution! Thanks OcUK!

Logsi · 12 Oct 2013 at 12:19

As said above you either need the dual link dvi cable or a displayport cable.

There is a problem inherent in OS X that makes it think displayport monitors are actually TV's which means it then displays a different colour space and sharpness. To resolve this issue you need to follow this guide here to force the RGB colour space. If you go to system profiler and look for your monitor it may say it's a television and cause issues.

http://ireckon.net/2013/03/force-rg...ix-the-picture-quality-of-an-external-monitor

I went through so many adapters and while the dual link dvi was good, i didn't like having this bulky adapter which took up a USB and also it costing £50 was a bit of a pain. I'm now using a Mini DP to DP cable and it's perfect when using the hack above. It only cost £5 too instead of £50.

I think this is the problem Tweaker is having above. It's a digital signal so cost of cables is irrelevant.

EDIT - As you can see in the image below, OSX assumes my LG 27EA83 is a television instead of a monitor and displays a different colour space instead of RGB. This is with a forced EDID override now.