Custom screen resolution for M1 MacBooks

Why do you have to cut us users more and more? Since 2013 I use a custom resolution of 1920x1200 HiDPI on my MacBook Pro 13" with help of SwitchresX. Currently these isn’t working anymore on Apple Silicon MacBooks. For me and many other users this is unacceptable behaviour and completely destroys the Mac experience. At a price of 2300€ incl. Apple Care, I would expect that I can at least adjust this little thing as I want it to be?! So for me the MacBook Pro with Apple Silicon is a total bad buy. I need this solution for my daily work to earn my money and Apple thinks that they have to patronize their users, technically without any sense and reason. This is really the last and makes Apple really unsympathetic! Where is the problem to let a user decide which resolution he wants on a device he paid for?!? Why do you always have to jail everything and take freedom away?! That makes me so mad, I would like to throw the MacBook in the trash. It's always the same, a very cool device, but Apples dictatorship.
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oklhost
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Really? It only me who is interested running higher resolutions on 13“ MacBooks?!
Posted by
oklhost
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I've been using RDM and works great, look it on git by avibrazil, I just tried in the M1 (apple mini) and I am getting so nicely 5120 x 1440 120hz! on the G9, truly awesome.
Posted by
atie
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I meet the same problem. I bought macbook pro M1 last month, and I cannot connect it to my display with a 2K resolution, it really hurt my eyes! I have been search a solution for enable HIDPI with the 2K display, however there is no way at all, all the tools ever are able to use now failed with silicon, So I have to spend another 1000$ on a 5K display?It's really not humanize.
Posted by
gamekingkyo
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@atie, yes, but it doesn't work with all displays e.g. the internal one. search reddit/mac for "your help is needed", not allowed to post the url here.
Posted by
oklhost
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I just did what @atie did. That is the way to go.
Posted by
Jtcorks
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Did you get the solution yet? I really really need 1920x1200 this resolution. Otherwise, my MacBook is completely useless for me. I bought my MacBook around 2 months ago, still I can not use it just because of this resolution issue. I have been searching on the internet almost everyday, still I don't find any working solution. Somebody please help!
Posted by
asif2369
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You can use "Disable Monitor".

https://github.com/Eun/DisableMonitor

It suits all your needs.

I can go up to 2560x1600x30@60 native resolution on my Macbook Air M1.

Have a nice day.
Posted by
FatihArat
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I just tried RDM as recommended by @atie above and it is working. I didn't try the gui for it but I used the terminal command. It doesn't seem to include the specific resolution the OP was looking for though. Here are the resolutions it shows. It's an old program, so I expect these are that the OS allows.

I see in the gui version RDM.app, that it lists the same things in the menu bar. Very convenient!

Code Block bash
❯ ./SetResX --modes
mode: {resolution=800x600, scale = 1.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=825x525, scale = 2.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=840x525, scale = 1.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=1024x640, scale = 2.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=1024x768, scale = 1.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=1152x720, scale = 1.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=1280x800, scale = 2.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=1280x800, scale = 1.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=1440x900, scale = 2.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=1440x900, scale = 1.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=1650x1050, scale = 1.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=1680x1050, scale = 2.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=2048x1280, scale = 1.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=2560x1600, scale = 1.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=640x480, scale = 1.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}
mode: {resolution=720x450, scale = 2.0, freq = 60, bits/pixel = 16}


I made these zsh aliases:

Code Block 
hires () {
	~/Applications/SetResX --width 2048 --height 1280 --scale 1.0
}
hihires () {
	~/Applications/SetResX --width 2560 --height 1600 --scale 1.0
}
normalres () {
	~/Applications/SetResX --width 1680 --height 1050 --scale 2.0
}

Posted by
BernieBernstein
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You might want to try BetterDummy to create any HiDPI resolution you'd like, even on sub-4K external displays (which do not allow HiDPI by default on M1 macs).

Posted by
Steve4442
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  • It's the best solution! Free version currently allows to change default display resolution to matching scale HIDPI resolutions. No need to keep app running. In BetterDisplay go to Displays tab and add custom scaled resolutions that support HIDPI, reboot to enable, then override default display resolution with one of these added values, then reboot to apply. To find all HIDPI resolutions easily, create a dummy matching display scale(16:10 is for 13' m1 air).

    —
    FreshCheekiBreeki

  • Are you able to create custom resolutions without the black bars at the side?

    If so, how?

    —
    SETE1
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Howdy - I'm using RDM (Retina Display Manager), have since I got my first Retina system when they launched in 2011 or so. It works with the MacBook M1 Pro 16", the maximum resolution I get is 3456x2234. I don't expect it to continue to work after Intel processors are phased out, I hope that the author (on GitHub) updates it for M1. I'm also considering forking it and/or join the project as a contributor, because no, you aren't the only one who feels short-changed by the HiDPI resolutions. They are a waste of screen real estate. Cheers!

Posted by
xi5hnik
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  • Can you choose a resolution with different aspect ratio like 16x9 on that Mac with RDM?

    —
    kostiathekos
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One more thing re: RDM -- the software figures out the available resolutions from the hardware configuration, screen dimensions, etc. I like 2560@1440 (same as my Thunderbolt display), but in the MacBook M1 Pro 16 it's not available. I use 2560@1600 as the closest resolution to what I'm used to. Cheers!

Posted by
xi5hnik
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Just install the free Easyres: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/easyres/id688211836?mt=12

Posted by
SteveJobsGhost
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  • I follow and good results.

    —
    Gaz11z12
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yea, this sucks. You used to be able to hold Option while clicking on scaled mode, and that used to give extra resolutions ... funny how you own the machine, but are not allowed to use native resolution of the screen

Posted by
Tomasz_3dfx
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