#Macbook air video out to tv full#
#Macbook air video out to tv pro#

If you want to buy the official Apple adapter, it’s normally $69.99 on Apple’s website but it’s going for $61 on Amazon at the time of this writing. Should you click an affiliate link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.) Official Adapter costs $60-70 # (DISCLOSURE: This post includes affiliate links. The model number is written on the adapter but is very faint and small, so you might have to squint 👀 If you’re using this adapter and seeing only 4K 30Hz resolution options, make sure you’ve got the newest model.

Model A1621 supports HDMI 1.4b and 4K up to 30 Hz.

Model A2119 is the newest model that supports HDMI 2.0 and up to 4K 60 Hz.

Both these adapters look exactly the same as the below image, but only one supports 4K 60Hz. There are actually two Apple USB-C adapters, and this is where Apple makes it more challenging than it needs to be. Apple sells a USB-C adapter that lets you plug in an HDMI cable. Still, the majority of users have legacy type connections i.e. This is great if you want to reduce the number of cables because the USB-C cable can also charge the MacBook.

#Macbook air video out to tv full#

In recent MacBook models, Apple has removed the full HDMI ports and replaced them with USB-C Thunderbolt ports that perform video-out duties. Step 2: Make sure you’ve got the right adapter # So, this is the first order of business to tackle and find out if your machine can support 4K external display and, more importantly, at 60 Hz. Both these 2016 models support 4K resolution ( 3840 by 2160 pixels or higher), but the 2016 MacBook only supports running an external display at 30 Hz. Notice the difference above in the bolded text. Up to two displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors One display with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at millions of colors and: Here are two examples of the 2016 models.ĭual display and video mirroring: simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels at 30Hz on an external display, both at millions of colors Then the supported resolution’s are usually specified in the “Video Support” section. NOTE: You’ll need to specify the year and screen size (13, 15, 16 inches etc.) to match your machine. A search query like the following will usually bring up the correct model.Īpple macbook 13 inch 2016 technical specifications The best place to check is on Apple’s Support website.

The first step is to make sure your MacBook supports outputting 4K signal to an external monitor.

Step 1: Check if your MacBook supports 4K resolution # To figure out a solution, here’s what I recommend. MacBook only runs the 4K resolution at 30 Hz aka animations and mouse movement is choppy.MacBook does not allow you to select a 4K resolution when connected to a 4K monitor.Here are two kinds of problems you might encounter: To run a 4K monitor at 60 Hz requires the right combination of hardware, cables, and adapters.

#Macbook air video out to tv pro#

A higher refresh rate results in a smoother picture, which is why an iPad Pro screen that refreshes at 120 Hz is smoother to use. The refresh rate on the MacBook retina displays is 60 Hz, which means the screen updates with new images 60 times each second. This, though, is the root of the problem. Now, the external display can be on par with the retina screens' crispness and clarity. 4K monitors have only recently become mainstream. The problem starts when we start hooking up an external monitor to match the clarity and DPI of the MacBook’s retina screen i.e., a 4K or 5K monitor. It’s no fault of our MacBook’s though - this is the tradeoff we make for portability. With many of us knowledge workers working from home in the COVID-19 era, our trusty Apple MacBook’s retina displays often need a bigger friend to take over the display duties.