Help! HiDPI on Internal Display with 2560x1440 WQHD (Monterey 12.2.1)

[audioarchetype]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post on the forums. If this is posted in the wrong section, I apologize. I searched for a post that addressed my specific issue but could not find it. My problem is that I'm trying to enable HiDPI for my internal laptop display, which has a native resolution of 2560x1440 (WQHD). Right now, I'm just setting the scaling to 1600x900 but it looks awfully blurry without HiDPI. Before I continue, here is some information about my build.

Lenovo X1 Carbon Gen 6
Intel Core i7-8650u Processor
16gb 2133 MHz LPDDR3
Intel UHD Graphics 620
WD SN750 2TB NVME SSD (replaced the stock ssd)
Intel 8265 WIFI/Bluetooth

Mac OS 12.2.1 Monterey
OpenCore boot loader created with the following guide:

GitHub - tylernguyen/x1c6-hackintosh: READMEs, OpenCore configurations, patches, and notes for the Thinkpad X1 Carbon 6th Gen 2018 Hackintosh

READMEs, OpenCore configurations, patches, and notes for the Thinkpad X1 Carbon 6th Gen 2018 Hackintosh - GitHub - tylernguyen/x1c6-hackintosh: READMEs, OpenCore configurations, patches, and notes...

github.com

Home

macOS on the Thinkpad X1 Carbon 2018/6th Generation, powered by OpenCore.

tylernguyen.github.io

Added the Intel WIFI and Bluetooth Kexts itlwm.kext and IntelBluetoothFirmware.kext
Current config.plist attached

OK, so what have I tried so far?

- SwitchResX
- did not work. When I try to use the 1600x900 HiDPI setting, my system completely ignores it
- I tried creating a custom resolution, did not work

- BetterDummy
- Tried creating a dummy display with 16:9 aspect ratio and set my internal display to mirror it
- Through BetterDummy, I tried every single available HiDPI resolution setting
- For most of them, when I tried changing the resolution, it used the regular resolution instead of selecting the HiDPI one
- For example, I select 1600x900 HiDPI and it switches it to 1600x900 (low) instead
- For the higher resolutions like 4K or 5120x2880 in HiDPI mode, they ALMOST work except it always displays in 16:10 aspect ratio instead of 16:9 (why??????)
- Selecting 2560x1440 HiDPI just displays 2560x1440 (low)
- In conclusion, every single setting with this app either switches to the scaled (low) resolution with no HiDPI, or displays HiDPI with 16:10 aspect ratio

- Registering a custom display with vendor/model ID in Library/Displays/Overrides

Scaled Resolutions for your MacBooks external monitor | by codeclou

Display Override PropertyList File Parser and Generator with HiDPI support

codeclou.github.io

- This did not work at all, I don't think it works with Monterey

So, I guess I'm wondering if there's some way to force a native resolution of 2560x1440 with 1600x900 HiDPI scaling in my EFI's config.plist in the Output section. I see that there are some other monitor settings there, like force resolution. Or maybe there is a Terminal hack or another application I can try. Any advice is much appreciated, thanks for taking the time to read this.

 

[Feartech]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post on the forums. If this is posted in the wrong section, I apologize. I searched for a post that addressed my specific issue but could not find it. My problem is that I'm trying to enable HiDPI for my internal laptop display, which has a native resolution of 2560x1440 (WQHD). Right now, I'm just setting the scaling to 1600x900 but it looks awfully blurry without HiDPI. Before I continue, here is some information about my build.

Lenovo X1 Carbon Gen 6
Intel Core i7-8650u Processor
16gb 2133 MHz LPDDR3
Intel UHD Graphics 620
WD SN750 2TB NVME SSD (replaced the stock ssd)
Intel 8265 WIFI/Bluetooth

Mac OS 12.2.1 Monterey
OpenCore boot loader created with the following guide:

GitHub - tylernguyen/x1c6-hackintosh: READMEs, OpenCore configurations, patches, and notes for the Thinkpad X1 Carbon 6th Gen 2018 Hackintosh

READMEs, OpenCore configurations, patches, and notes for the Thinkpad X1 Carbon 6th Gen 2018 Hackintosh - GitHub - tylernguyen/x1c6-hackintosh: READMEs, OpenCore configurations, patches, and notes...

github.com

Home

macOS on the Thinkpad X1 Carbon 2018/6th Generation, powered by OpenCore.

tylernguyen.github.io

Added the Intel WIFI and Bluetooth Kexts itlwm.kext and IntelBluetoothFirmware.kext
Current config.plist attached

OK, so what have I tried so far?

- SwitchResX
- did not work. When I try to use the 1600x900 HiDPI setting, my system completely ignores it
- I tried creating a custom resolution, did not work

- BetterDummy
- Tried creating a dummy display with 16:9 aspect ratio and set my internal display to mirror it
- Through BetterDummy, I tried every single available HiDPI resolution setting
- For most of them, when I tried changing the resolution, it used the regular resolution instead of selecting the HiDPI one
- For example, I select 1600x900 HiDPI and it switches it to 1600x900 (low) instead
- For the higher resolutions like 4K or 5120x2880 in HiDPI mode, they ALMOST work except it always displays in 16:10 aspect ratio instead of 16:9 (why??????)
- Selecting 2560x1440 HiDPI just displays 2560x1440 (low)
- In conclusion, every single setting with this app either switches to the scaled (low) resolution with no HiDPI, or displays HiDPI with 16:10 aspect ratio

- Registering a custom display with vendor/model ID in Library/Displays/Overrides

Scaled Resolutions for your MacBooks external monitor | by codeclou

Display Override PropertyList File Parser and Generator with HiDPI support

codeclou.github.io

- This did not work at all, I don't think it works with Monterey

So, I guess I'm wondering if there's some way to force a native resolution of 2560x1440 with 1600x900 HiDPI scaling in my EFI's config.plist in the Output section. I see that there are some other monitor settings there, like force resolution. Or maybe there is a Terminal hack or another application I can try. Any advice is much appreciated, thanks for taking the time to read this.

have you tried this:
https://github.com/xzhih/one-key-hidpi ?

 

[audioarchetype]

have you tried this:
https://github.com/xzhih/one-key-hidpi ?

Thank you! I hadn't tried it out before but I tried it now and it works fairly well. It's still not giving me true HiDPI based on my native resolution but it's slightly sharper.

 

[audioarchetype]

Thank you! I hadn't tried it out before but I tried it now and it works fairly well. It's still not giving me true HiDPI based on my native resolution but it's slightly sharper.

After using the utility that you directed me to, I opened BetterDummy again and all of the HiDPI resolution options are now working correctly! So if anyone runs into the same problem, the solution may be One Key HiDPI + BetterDummy.

1. Get One Key HiDPI
https://github.com/xzhih/one-key-hidpi
2. Get BetterDummy

GitHub - waydabber/BetterDisplay: Unlock your displays on your Mac! Smooth scaling, HiDPI unlock, XDR/HDR extra brightness upscale, DDC, brightness and dimming, dummy displays, PIP and lots more!

Unlock your displays on your Mac! Smooth scaling, HiDPI unlock, XDR/HDR extra brightness upscale, DDC, brightness and dimming, dummy displays, PIP and lots more! - GitHub - waydabber/BetterDisplay:...

github.com

3. Run hidpi.command
- select option 1 Enable HIDPI
- select the icon that you want to show in Preferences > Display (iMac, MacBook Pro, etc)
- select the native resolution of your monitor
4. Wait until the script finishes and then restart your computer
5. Install BetterDummy and run it (it will open in your menu bar)
6. From the icon, select Create New Dummy > 16:9 (or whatever aspect ratio is relevant to you)
7. If all of your open windows disappear, you may need to open Preferences through Apple Icon > System Preferences
8. Go to Preferences > Display
9. From Display Preferences, select the dummy display in the left column and use the following settings
- Use As: Main Display
- Optimize For: Dummy
10. Select the primary display and use the following settings
- Use As: Mirror for Dummy
- Optimize for: Dummy
11. Go back to the BetterDummy icon in your menu bar > Select resolution > Anything under HiDPI Resolutions

Note that some of them will be supported by the dummy display profile that One Key HiDPI created while others will not. I found that 1600x900 HiDPI works perfectly for my 14" laptop with WQHD 2560x1440 resolution.

 

[ANorz]

Hello audioarchetype,

do you have any issue with a sleep mode? I have tried "one-key-hidpi", but my desktop has been displayed not properly (but it is OK without sleep...)