Resolution on 4k monitor - scaling

steinooo · 9 Jan 2025 at 12:28

Hi, are there any tips on how to get the menu bar etc not tiny but using a 4k monitor please?

My resolutions settings didn’t have the word “scaled” to choose from

nlel1975 · 9 Jan 2025 at 12:32

You should have an option that looks ok, have you tried them all and can’t find one to settle on? In which case you might need BetterDisplay

steinooo · 9 Jan 2025 at 20:20

nlel1975 said:
You should have an option that looks ok, have you tried them all and can’t find one to settle on? In which case you might need BetterDisplay

I settled in 1440p but it feels a waste of the resolution like I should have got a 1440p monitor.

The windows of most apps I can get acceptable (but still not great, e.g gmail has weird big wriiting) but the Mac top bar itself has text and icons so tiny it’s ridiculous

Sorry for any wrong terminology I am fairly new to macOS

nlel1975 · 10 Jan 2025 at 12:22

Go into system report if it’s says resolution is 5120x2880 but UI looks like 2560x1440 then it’s running in Retina mode and is decent on a 4K monitor.

Here’s mine…

steinooo · 10 Jan 2025 at 13:38

nlel1975 said:
Go into system report if it’s says resolution is 5120x2880 but UI looks like 2560x1440 then it’s running in Retina mode and is decent on a 4K monitor.

Here’s mine…

Thanks will try this. Never seen that screen you’ve shown

nlel1975 · 10 Jan 2025 at 13:50

steinooo said:
Thanks will try this. Never seen that screen you’ve shown

Click on the Apple logo at top left of screen, choose About This Mac, then choose More info... then select System Report, check in the Graphics/Displays

Feek · 10 Jan 2025 at 14:31

Or just cmd-space, type system information and hit enter

steinooo · 14 Jan 2025 at 09:14

nlel1975 said:
Go into system report if it’s says resolution is 5120x2880 but UI looks like 2560x1440 then it’s running in Retina mode and is decent on a 4K monitor.

Here’s mine…

It says apple m1
PHL 329p1:
5120x2880
Ui looks like 2560x1440 @ 60Hz

nlel1975 · 14 Jan 2025 at 14:23

steinooo said:
It says apple m1
PHL 329p1:
5120x2880
Ui looks like 2560x1440 @ 60Hz

Congratulations you’re running a good resolution on your 4K monitor, don’t feel bad about it being 2560x1440 it’s in Retina mode which makes up for it.

steinooo · 16 Jan 2025 at 21:53

nlel1975 said:
Congratulations you’re running a good resolution on your 4K monitor, don’t feel bad about it being 2560x1440 it’s in Retina mode which makes up for it.

I think I understand lol. I’m used to it now and am enjoying it just can’t help think I’m missing out and “wasting” resolution…..

nlel1975 · 17 Jan 2025 at 14:10

steinooo said:
I think I understand lol. I’m used to it now and am enjoying it just can’t help think I’m missing out and “wasting” resolution…..

I have my Windows 11 machine set to 3840x2160 but it's scaled to 150% which means it's actually running at 2560x1440. A Mac running at 2560x1440 in Retina mode will look sharper.

SpellowHouse · 17 Jan 2025 at 14:38

Ultimate Windows Tweaker allows you to adjust the Taskbar size to whatever you want, including the size of the icons.

nlel1975 · 17 Jan 2025 at 14:55

SpellowHouse said:
Ultimate Windows Tweaker allows you to adjust the Taskbar size to whatever you want, including the size of the icons.

Figures there would be a way to make Windows look better, if you're prepared to **** about with 3rd party software.

a66as · 4 Apr 2025 at 20:48

nlel1975 said:
I have my Windows 11 machine set to 3840x2160 but it's scaled to 150% which means it's actually running at 2560x1440. A Mac running at 2560x1440 in Retina mode will look sharper.

I have my windows machine running at 4k 150% UI, I am going to connect my mac later and try this to see if it looks the same or sharper. am sure the text will still look better on a windows machine as its not a true 200% retina because for that you would need to set the resolution at 1920x1080

a66as · 5 Apr 2025 at 01:56

You was correct I connected my Mac to a 4k 32 inch screen and scaled at 2560x1440 and it looked quite decent, very close to what my windows laptop looks like at 4k 150%. from what I remember it didn't look this good on Sonoma unless its just my eyes

LiE · 6 Apr 2025 at 09:14

4K scaled to look like 1440p on a 27” monitor looks good. Text is crisp and clear and the UI renders well. 5K would be better of course but there’s a balance. Choosing 4K means I can use a high refresh rate monitor, so I run 144hz 4k 27” on macOS (I have 2 macs actually connected to this monitors KVM).

JollyJamma · 7 Apr 2025 at 09:50

steinooo said:
I settled in 1440p but it feels a waste of the resolution like I should have got a 1440p monitor.

The windows of most apps I can get acceptable (but still not great, e.g gmail has weird big wriiting) but the Mac top bar itself has text and icons so tiny it’s ridiculous

Sorry for any wrong terminology I am fairly new to macOS

I am also new to OSX and the whole scaling thing is a pain.

I installed BetterDisplay in the end but there are so many things that OSX does that need third party apps to fix that it's crazy to think that Apple are just happy to go with the current OS behaviour instead of giving people the option.

I don't like that OSX opens a new folder when I open a folder. If you have 3 tiers+ of folders, it gets annoying and choosing the tab option is OK I guess but what if I don't want 3+ tabs either?

There are so many other behaviours that are weird too.

Windows isn't perfect but it's at least consistent in it's approach to things system wide e.g., setting folder behaviour for all folders in Windows is easy, not so much in OSX and you have settings for the same thing in different parts of the settings menu too.

If I'd spent £2000+ on a MBP or something, I'd be ******.

R4z0r · 11 Apr 2025 at 11:51

JollyJamma said:
I am also new to OSX and the whole scaling thing is a pain.

I installed BetterDisplay in the end but there are so many things that OSX does that need third party apps to fix that it's crazy to think that Apple are just happy to go with the current OS behaviour instead of giving people the option.

I don't like that OSX opens a new folder when I open a folder. If you have 3 tiers+ of folders, it gets annoying and choosing the tab option is OK I guess but what if I don't want 3+ tabs either?

There are so many other behaviours that are weird too.

Windows isn't perfect but it's at least consistent in it's approach to things system wide e.g., setting folder behaviour for all folders in Windows is easy, not so much in OSX and you have settings for the same thing in different parts of the settings menu too.

If I'd spent £2000+ on a MBP or something, I'd be ******.

Agree on needing so many third party apps, it’s frustrating. Apple are so dogmatic with their way of doing things.

That said, I still prefer macOS, even with the extra apps, than windows.

Cromulent · 11 Apr 2025 at 12:50

R4z0r said:
Agree on needing so many third party apps, it’s frustrating. Apple are so dogmatic with their way of doing things.

That said, I still prefer macOS, even with the extra apps, than windows.

Honestly I can use just about anything but I do miss the customisation options in Linux.

JollyJamma · 11 Apr 2025 at 13:15

R4z0r said:
Agree on needing so many third party apps, it’s frustrating. Apple are so dogmatic with their way of doing things.

That said, I still prefer macOS, even with the extra apps, than windows.

Yeah I’m getting used to OSX and make no mistake, Windows isn’t perfect (in OS adverts? A system search that can’t find anything? Assumptions that Windows works properly across millions of hardware configs which leads to a ton of instability?).