Yesterday, “Apple provided developers with the first beta for the upcoming release of OS X Mavericks version 10.9.3,” Mark Gurman reports for 9to5Mac.
“Apple did not disclose any new features coming in 10.9.3, but we have discovered that the update includes notable enhancements for users with Macs connected to 4K-resolution monitors,” Gurman reports. “With 10.9.3, Mac users can now natively set their 4K monitors to run the Mac operating system at a pixel-doubled ‘Retina’ resolution.”
“Before this update, users with Macs connected to a 4K display would simply experience their content on a larger scale with window elements spread out,” Gurman reports. “Macs on 4K displays essentially were given ~4000 lines of room to accomplish their tasks… In addition to the changes for running Macs pixel-doubled on 4K screens, multiple users are reporting that 10.9.3 has unlocked the late-2013 Retina MacBook Pro to be capable of driving 4K Macs with a refresh rate of 60Hz.”
Read more, and see the screenshots, in the full article here.
Smoother graphics would be good and I do appreciated it in my MBP retina.
However if you have that setting does not that then prevent viewing 4K content in native view? Kinda defeats the purpose.
You can also adjust the label sizes in non-retina mode so that it is easier to read. The only item that you can not adjust size is the menu bar.
I suppose this means that 4K is going to be more popular for regular users who want sharper displays. Price of course will come dow not make this mainstream.
I suspect you don’t understand how HiDPI works. The only things that are pixel doubled are those that don’t have enough detail to make use of the extra pixels. 4K videos and photographs will make use of however many pixels your display has, regardless of whether or not you turned on HiDPI mode.
I have a Mac mini driving my HDTV and I turned on HiDPI mode on it (so it treats the display as 960×540) so I could read the text from my couch. Photos and HD content are rendered using the full 1920×1080 resolution.
http://atariage.com/forums/blog/148/entry-9862-hidpi/
Apple needs to get the job done with true screen resolution independence. This may require more graphics horsepower than is available from iMacs and Macbook Air systems, but the top of the line rMBP and the new MacPro should certainly be able to support it.
This “pixel doubling” is just a false step. It’s a complete kluge. Apple has been working on true screen resolution independent graphics implementations since the late 90s. After more than 15 years it’s about time Apple got it done!
Additionally, the author of this article either made a huge mistake or simply does not understand monitor resolution. “4K” (really UHDTV) and real 4K do NOT have “~4000 lines of room to accomplish their tasks”. Both are 2160 lines with either 3840 or 4096 horizontal pixels per line, respectively.
I don’t know why people down voted you, SS. Your post is spot-on.
As the other response said, you don’t understand how HiDPI works.
Maybe I’m lost as to what was being said, but aren’t both 3840 and 4096 both ~4000? That seems like completely appropriate rounding to me.
Are there hardware limitations here? Even if there are not, this is obviously a transitional technology, just like fusion drives, that give us a taste of what is to come. I think this is a very good thing.
At least they didn’t end-of-life anything overnight without warning, like they did with their software, waiting for all the professional users to go away because they can’t wait two years to get features they need next Wednesday, and then add back features that their now less-sophisticated user community wants.
I’ts pretty good work from Apple to work on their Osx so fast.
The update from Maverics 10.9.2 works well on my Imac late 2012.
But it works a little slower i think then Mountain Lion 10.5.8 and Maverics 10.9 itself.
Maybe i’t has to do with more security fixes as well.
On my new Mecbookpro late 2013 who came with Maverics pre installed,i see no difference in the speed after the service updetes of Maverics.
I think also Maverics is more designed for use with the newer Hasswell chipset on newer Macs then the older Ivy Bridge chipset on older Macs.