Ultrawide 3440*1440 (LG 34WN750 ) vs LG 32UN880 4K monitor/ Why different clarity on same visual ppi

[joevt]

So in my 32 inch will macos double the resolution to 6016*3384 and then downscale to 4k? Same like 27 inch 2650*1440? If that's the case then gpu will have to do a lot of work everytime.

Yes. 6016x3384 will be scaled down to 4K. I don't think you'll notice a difference in GPU performance. What Mac and GPU will you be using this with?

Or It only happens if there is not any integer between scaled resolution and native resolution. Can someone explain the theory behind this.

Any resolution that is not the native resolution of the display is either a scaled resolution or a timing. Scaled resolutions are scaled up or scaled down by the GPU to the native timing of the display (or whatever timing you have set as the base resolution)
GPU scaling doesn't require integer ratios.
GPU scaling is indépendant of retina (HiDPI) mode setting.

SwitchResX can show what type each mode is (scaled or not scaled and HiDPI or not HiDPI) and it has an option to override the default base resolution.

 

[mehulparmariitr]

What Mac and GPU will you be using this with?

macbook pro 2019 intel -

2.4 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB
64 GB RAM

SwitchResX can show what type each mode is (scaled or not scaled and HiDPI or not HiDPI) and it has an option to override the default base resolution.

Can SwitchResX help with a 3440*1440 ultrawide monitor to see text clearly. Or the native ppi is 110 only, so much can't be done?

 

[joevt]

Can SwitchResX help with a 3440*1440 ultrawide monitor to see text clearly. Or the native ppi is 110 only, so much can't be done?

much can't be done - unless you can prove the problem is specific to the display and does not occur with another display using a non-hi-dpi mode. That is unlikely.
I mean, is the problem with the lo dpi, or is the problem that the display doesn't do lo dpi well? To prove the latter, you need to know if there exists a display that does lo dpi well and that it can do lo dpi well with your setup.

 

[Amethyst1]

Can SwitchResX help with a 3440*1440 ultrawide monitor to see text clearly. Or the native ppi is 110 only, so much can't be done?

You could try creating a HiDPI mode, say, 2752×1152 (by creating a scaled mode twice as wide and twice as tall, i.e. 5504×2304) and see if text rendering is enough of an improvement to make you happy. Since the HiDPI mode is bound to be lower than the native resolution, you’ll sacrifice screen estate for text clarity though.

 

[mehulparmariitr]

You could try creating a HiDPI mode, say, 2752×1152 (by creating a scaled mode twice as wide and twice as tall, i.e. 5504×2304) and see if text rendering is enough of an improvement to make you happy. Since the HiDPI mode is bound to be lower than the native resolution, you’ll sacrifice screen estate for text clarity though.

Why 2752×1152 resolution? It will give me only 88 simulated ppi.

 

[mehulparmariitr]

much can't be done - unless you can prove the problem is specific to the display and does not occur with another display using a non-hi-dpi mode. That is unlikely.
I mean, is the problem with the lo dpi, or is the problem that the display doesn't do lo dpi well? To prove the latter, you need to know if there exists a display that does lo dpi well and that it can do lo dpi well with your setup.

I can't experiment since I will have to buy it from Amazon only and there is no return policy :/ I guess will have to go with 32 4k 140ppi only.

 

[Amethyst1]

Why 2752×1152 resolution? It will give me only 88 simulated ppi.

Right. It was just an example. You can experiment with higher modes. 3440×1440 HiDPI, while not sacrificing any screen estate, isn’t likely to be much of an improvement over standard 3440×1440 though.

 

[mehulparmariitr]

Right. It was just an example. You can experiment with higher modes. 3440×1440 HiDPI, while not sacrificing any screen estate, isn’t likely to be much of an improvement over standard 3440×1440 though.

Oh even the native resolution I can turn into hidpi using this software. Seems cool. Let me check some blogs or videos if anyone has done that and is there an improvement.

 

[Amethyst1]

Oh even the native resolution I can turn into hidpi using this software. Seems cool. Let me check some blogs or videos if anyone has done that and is there an improvement.

I’ve tried it at 2560×1440 and 3840×2560 and could barely see a difference on the screen. But please give it a try for yourself.

 

[mehulparmariitr]

I’ve tried it at 2560×1440 and 3840×2560 and could barely see a difference on the screen. But please give it a try for yourself.

To attach two 4k usb c monitors, Do I have to simply attach it to two thunderbolt ports of laptop? Or it won't work as some people pointed in google? I have a macbook pro 2019 intel.

 

[Amethyst1]

To attach two 4k usb c monitors, Do I have to simply attach it to two thunderbolt ports of laptop? Or it won't work as some people pointed in google? I have a macbook pro 2019 intel.

Yep.

 

[mehulparmariitr]

Yep.

yep as in it will work or not? ?

 

[Amethyst1]

yep as in it will work or not? ?

Sorry. I meant “should work just fine”.

 

[mehulparmariitr]

I got my Lg 32Un880 4k with 140 ppi and man it disappointed badly. Text is not very clear like DELL U2720 with 163 ppi. Now returning it. Or can I do something with switchresx software?

 

[Amethyst1]

I got my Lg 32Un880 4k with 140 ppi and man it disappointed badly. Text is not very clear like DELL U2720 with 163 ppi. Now returning it. Or can I do something with switchresx software?

macOS is running at 3008×1692 HiDPI. Apart from looking through the monitor’s menu to confirm it’s running at the native resolution and to see if you can find a way to “somehow” improve the image, that’s the way it is at 136 ppi.

 

[joevt]

I got my Lg 32Un880 4k with 140 ppi and man it disappointed badly. Text is not very clear like DELL U2720 with 163 ppi. Now returning it. Or can I do something with switchresx software?

View attachment 1947397

Use the monitor's menu to make sure it's running at 4K using RGB.
Or use the AGDCDiagnose command (if you have an Intel Mac):
/System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/MacOS/AGDCDiagnose -a > "AGDCDiagnose_a.txt" 2>&1

You have a 4K display. It doesn't get better than that unless you go LG UltraFine 5K or Apple Pro Display XDR.

 

[mehulparmariitr]

Use the monitor's menu to make sure it's running at 4K using RGB.
Or use the AGDCDiagnose command (if you have an Intel Mac):
/System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/MacOS/AGDCDiagnose -a > "AGDCDiagnose_a.txt" 2>&1

You have a 4K display. It doesn't get better than that unless you go LG UltraFine 5K or Apple Pro Display XDR.

I guess return is the only option. Didn't think there would be so difference between 140 and 163 ppi. Would be looking for a 27 inch 4k+ display now.

 

[mehulparmariitr]

Use the monitor's menu to make sure it's running at 4K using RGB.
Or use the AGDCDiagnose command (if you have an Intel Mac):
/System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/MacOS/AGDCDiagnose -a > "AGDCDiagnose_a.txt" 2>&1

You have a 4K display. It doesn't get better than that unless you go LG UltraFine 5K or Apple Pro Display XDR.

What is the hype about switchresx and rdm softwares. what do they do actually and can they help me?

 

[Amethyst1]

What is the hype about switchresx and rdm softwares. what do they do actually and can they help me?

They allow you to select or create custom HiDPI modes macOS doesn’t show out of the box, for instance. This is tremendously useful to me.

 

[mehulparmariitr]

They allow you to select or create custom HiDPI modes macOS doesn’t show out of the box, for instance. This is tremendously useful to me.

okay but they can't make my text look clear because Native ppi is 140 only.

 

[fgengineer]

You have a 4K display. It doesn't get better than that unless you go LG UltraFine 5K or Apple Pro Display XDR.

Unfortunately, there is no competition with high PPI displays.

I have been spoiled by Apple displays. I have the 5k ultrafine and the MacBook Pro M1 pro and I prefer the MacBook Pro display. I have an LG 4K display side by side with the 5k and the 4K looks worse.

My goal is to wait until apple developer conference. If I don’t hear of any new monitor that can compete with the XDR display, I will get the XDR.

 

[mehulparmariitr]

Unfortunately, there is no competition with high PPI displays.

I have been spoiled by Apple displays. I have the 5k ultrafine and the MacBook Pro M1 pro and I prefer the MacBook Pro display. I have an LG 4K display side by side with the 5k and the 4K looks worse.

My goal is to wait until apple developer conference. If I don’t hear of any new monitor that can compete with the XDR display, I will get the XDR.

Is there so much difference between 4k and 5k. Can you show me an example - a pic, video or some example on youtube?

 

[orl2222]

I just picked up a Mac mini m1 saturday.I have rare form of OMPD, or ocular muscular dystrophy. This affects my eyes for seeing text clearly at times. I hooked my mini to my 43" Hicense 4K TV via HDMI. I did scale it up, since the TV is 4k. the text look crystal crisp and clear. No blurring. I still have room for plenty of room for applications. Granted the TV is not the highest compared to a 5K monitor. I had to play with the color settings of the TV to get the picture right to my liking. Very impressed, no flickering, or pink screens. When running a windows machine with a 1650 ti card I had to set it for full screen videos to avoid flicker. I must say that I'm impressed with apple's scaling. Haven't used a Mac since 2014.

 

[Amethyst1]

Is there so much difference between 4k and 5k.

Having both a scaled-up 28.2" "4K" (163 ppi) and a pixel-perfect 27" 5K (218 ppi) monitor side-by-side, I can immediately see an obvious difference. The "4K" doesn't look bad by any means, but the 5K is noticeably sharper.

 

[joevt]

Is there so much difference between 4k and 5k. Can you show me an example - a pic, video or some example on youtube?

Some people mistakenly run their 5K displays at 4K (because wrong cable or missing a DisplayPort connection and macOS doesn't actually tell you the output resolution) and don't know that they could be getting better quality because 4K looks good enough. I guess the best thing to do is show a picture using both timings on a 5K display using a 2560x1440 HiDPI mode in both cases.