Resolution question?

[Centst]

I need to recommend an iMac and screen size. The problem is they normally scale down the resolution one setting, to see everything better. This is on an older iMac and when you do the resolution still fills out the screen 17".

I went to Best Buy and while they didn't have the new ones I checked lowering the resolution and it doesn't scale without distorting or adding black bars to the sides making the viewing area smaller than the screen. Is there no way to lower the resolution and keep it full screen without distortion? Thanks.

 

[Hellhammer]

It depends on what resolution you choose. If you get the 27", you can scale it down to 1920x1080 and fill the whole screen. You have to make sure the resolution matches the aspect ratio of the screen. E.g. 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 are 16:9 so if you used e.g. 2048x1538, it would not fill the screen because that is 4:3.

List of resolutions

 

[Centst]

Thanks Hellhammer,

Are there resolutions below the 1920x1080 that will scale to 16x9? It looks like the 21" comes with that resolution, but wondered if both 21" - 27" could scale down more if needed.

 

[Hellhammer]

Thanks Hellhammer,

Are there resolutions below the 1920x1080 that will scale to 16x9? It looks like the 21" comes with that resolution, but wondered if both 21" - 27" could scale down more if needed.

1600x900, 1280x720, 1024x576... Not sure what resolutions the 21.5" iMac support but it should support at least 1280x720 because my iMac supports 1280x800 (16:10 aspect ratio). Likely 1600x900 as well because my iMac support 1600x1000. Maybe someone with 21.5" can tell us what resolutions it supports or you can check that in a store as well

 

[Thermonuclear]

The new 21.5 inch iMac has eleven different picks in the Resolutions window ranging from 640 x 480 to the native 1920 x 1080.

Sadly, it does not have 960 x 540. That would be nice at it would be a perfect 2 to 1 linear remap of the native resolution. That resolution and other non-supported resolutions might be forcible with third party software.

 

[Centst]

Appreciate the info. Hopefully someone has the 21.5" resolutions like you mentioned. Haven't had time to make it to the store since.

 

[Centst]

That was quick! It sounds like one of these would work. What's strange is when I checked the resolutions at Best Buy they only listed 3 resolutions I believe. They were last years models though.

 

[Thermonuclear]

That was quick! It sounds like one of these would work. What's strange is when I checked the resolutions at Best Buy they only listed 3 resolutions I believe. They were last years models though.

Only three picks are available in the Monitors menu bar icon. But all eleven are seen in the System Preferences panel.

The 1280 x 720 pick is fairly decent.