Mac Mini M1 + 4K monitor = Eye strain and headache

[nost]

Hello group,

Something strange is happening to me ... a few months ago I had an iMac 27 (2560 x 1440 resolution) and it was starting to have some speed problems. I decided to go for a Mac Mini M1 (mega speed difference OMG) and bought a monitor.

I wanted to have a nice image quality, like with my iMac so I bought a 4K monitor which is LG 32UN650-W (3840 x 2160 resolution).

Since I use the Mac Mini with the 4K monitor I have such a headache when I work. A big headache!

I changed the orientation of my desk to not face the window anymore, I changed the brightness of the screen, contrast, activated the dark mode, checked the frequency (60Hz), ... I'm thinking about selling my monitor even if in my eyes it is perfect.

I searched on Google, saying to myself at 45 years old, I may be too old, the text is too small, I may need bifocals and I came across two publications of people in the same situation including this one where a person has headaches when plugging his 4K monitor on his Mac M1 but no headaches when he plugs it on PC (see: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252755528)

- Does anyone here have the same problems as me? M1 + 4K = Eye strain and headache
- Do I "downgrade" my screen to a smaller resolution because the picture is too good for my brain?
- Or do you have the quick fix other than Tylenol to suggest to me?


Thanks to you ?

 

[velocityg4]

At 45 you're certainly in the age group to see an optometrist.

I can't find any mention of PWM with that monitor. You could try maxing out the brightness to see if it still causes a headache. As full brightness should disable PWM. If it is there.

You can also try adjusting scaling in the settings app.

 

[Krevnik]

I’m a bit younger, but still avoid 32” 4K screens because of eye strain issues. Going from ~110 PPI to ~132 PPI just pushes text a bit too small for me on the Mac.

Adjusting scaling can help, to a point, but may make things a bit too large too. Ironically, Windows has better scaling options for this specific size of 4K screen.

 

[dimme]

You may be better of with a 2K monitor or adjust you resulation to 2K on the 4K monitor. The latter may give you fuzzy text. I had to replace my 27"iMac alost. I ordered a M1 mini, but could not find a display that worked for me, so I cancelled the mini order and got the m1 iMac. I and very happy with the display.

 

[velocityg4]

You may be better of with a 2K monitor or adjust you resulation to 2K on the 4K monitor. The latter may give you fuzzy text. I had to replace my 27"iMac alost. I ordered a M1 mini, but could not find a display that worked for me, so I cancelled the mini order and got the m1 iMac. I and very happy with the display.

MacOS has been designed for HiDPI since Mojave. They changed how the OS renders fonts. So, text looks a little fuzzy on non-HiDPI displays (anything under 2160p). 4K with scaling is how the OS is meant to be set and will give clearer text than a non scaled display.

There was initially a lot of people complaining and looking for workarounds involving using Terminal. More or less people gave up, got used to it or switched to 4K.

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

It took me 3 days to get used to the 4k resolution on my new monitor, with the small unscaled texts.
And my monitor is 48", not the tiny 32".
But in the end, I gave up and scale the text 150%. Looks much better scaled.

 

[pshufd]

My M1 mini is hooked up to a Dell 27 inch 4k monitor and a Dell 25 inch QHD display. I run native resolutions on both.

I'm in my 60s and use Terminal glasses (actually a bifocal of Terminal and Reading) and can read the screens without problems. If there is something that is too small, then I make things bigger in the application or just drag the window to the QHD monitor.

I've heard that the vast majority of people can't use 4k at 27 inches with native resolution.

I also run a Windows box with two 27 inch 4k displays. I don't have problems with any of them.

 

[0128672]

I also have an M1 mini connected via DP to a Dell U2718Q 4K display and use the Default for Display setting (shown here as Scaled only to display the Looks Like numbers). I'm no spring chicken, and I normally wear reading glasses, but can work very comfortably without glasses on this display. This is on the Monterey beta.

I haven't tested this recently, but does the default setting change if you connect via HDMI versus DisplayPort?

 

[Tagbert]

I searched on Google, saying to myself at 45 years old, I may be too old, the text is too small, I may need bifocals and I came across two publications of people in the same situation including this one where a person has headaches when plugging his 4K monitor on his Mac M1 but no headaches when he plugs it on PC (see: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252755528)

At 45, you very likely will start having trouble with accommodation - the adjustment for different focal lengths. That often about when people start needing bifocals or progressives. You should see an optometrist to get an exam. I do recommend that if you do need glasses that you get 2 pair. one with bifocals or progressives for general use. (I prefer progressives) and a second pair for the monitor.

The distance and viewing angle for a monitor are in an inconvenient range. It's too close for the distance vision which it at the top of the glasses, but a little far for the near vision area of bifocals which is at the bottom. Progressives have some intermediate range, but it is also lower on the glasses. You will find yourself needing to tilt your head back to properly see the monitor. I just got a second pair of glasses with a simple prescription calibrated for where my monitor is. It is a big relief, I can see the monitor clearly without needed to look through only part of the glasses and I can hold my head in a comfortable angle.

Even if you don't have eye issues, this larger monitor may be causing you to tilt your head more and that could contribute to headaches. You many need to raise your chair and desk or lower the monitor or something to compensate.

 

[jerryk]

At 45, or even late 30s, you are likely experiencing some vision issue. Presbyopia (loss of near focusing due to aging) is real and unavoidable, except by dying . As others have suggested, I would visit an optometrist and get evaluated.

As for a solution, I am older and have 3 pairs of glasses. One for distance when driving at night, one for reading, and one for computer work. This last pair is set to bring text and other objects on the screen into sharp focus at 18-24 inches. Also, I have 20/20 vision when measured in daylight and do not need glasses most of the time.

 

[mysticmanix]

Hmm I'm having this problem.

Started using my M1 Macbook air connected to a Dell U3219Q whereas I usually use my Lenovo Thinkbook connected to it. The "default resolution" is listed as 3840 x 2160, but that's ridiculously tiny. I changed to 2048 x 1152, and the entire day I've been having headaches. The text doesn't appear blurry and I don't feel I'm straining to read, but it's definitely giving me headaches and making me nauseous. Also tried 1920 x 1080 and feel the same thing.

 

[pshufd]

Hmm I'm having this problem.

Started using my M1 Macbook air connected to a Dell U3219Q whereas I usually use my Lenovo Thinkbook connected to it. The "default resolution" is listed as 3840 x 2160, but that's ridiculously tiny. I changed to 2048 x 1152, and the entire day I've been having headaches. The text doesn't appear blurry and I don't feel I'm straining to read, but it's definitely giving me headaches and making me nauseous. Also tried 1920 x 1080 and feel the same thing.

Try 3,008 x 1,692. That's what I'm using right now on 27 inch 4k. The next step down is QHD.

 

[mysticmanix]

Try 3,008 x 1,692. That's what I'm using right now on 27 inch 4k. The next step down is QHD.

Same thing still.

That thread that OP linked to is what I'm experiencing exactly, I literally timed myself using my Windows laptop connected to my monitor for 20 mins and headaches went away. Then I switched back to my Air connected to my monitor and within 5 minutes I started feeling headaches again. But it's fine if I'm using my Air as a laptop as it's own as I have been the past 6 months.

Just to make sure after I woke up this morning without headaches I started using my monitor again connected to my Mac Air and I started getting nausesous within 3 minutes. Utterly bizzare, and I don't know what setting it is.

 

[pshufd]

Same thing still.

That thread that OP linked to is what I'm experiencing exactly, I literally timed myself using my Windows laptop connected to my monitor for 20 mins and headaches went away. Then I switched back to my Air connected to my monitor and within 5 minutes I started feeling headaches again. But it's fine if I'm using my Air as a laptop as it's own as I have been the past 6 months.

Just to make sure after I woke up this morning without headaches I started using my monitor again connected to my Mac Air and I started getting nausesous within 3 minutes. Utterly bizzare, and I don't know what setting it is.

There are monitor setups which make things harder on my eyes but nothing makes me feel sick. In general, if I don't like the way something looks, I try something else. For Macs, my best screen experiences are with the 27 inch iMacs, 5k or 2k.