Apple's latest M4 Mac lineup is facing mounting criticism from users experiencing compatibility problems with ultrawide monitors, particularly those featuring 5K2K (5120 x 2160) resolution displays.
Users across Apple Community forums and Reddit have documented that M4 Macs fail to properly support certain ultrawide monitors, resulting in blurry text and degraded interface quality. The problem appears to affect both Mac mini and MacBook Pro M4 models.
A key issue is the absence of HiDPI mode support when these monitors are connected to M4 Macs. HiDPI, which enhances display sharpness, functions normally on older Intel-based Macs and previous Apple Silicon models but is unavailable on the new M4 systems.
"The HiDPI option is missing on my Mac Mini M4, making everything look worse compared to my M1 MacBook Pro where it works perfectly," reported one affected user.
While some users have attempted fixes using third-party applications like BetterDisplay to enable HiDPI functionality, these workarounds can introduce new problems such as reduced refresh rates, dropping from 75Hz to 60Hz.
Apple has not yet addressed these widespread display compatibility issues. Until an official fix becomes available, potential buyers using ultrawide 5K2K monitors may want to postpone their M4 Mac purchases.
The situation highlights an unexpected backward step in display compatibility for Apple's newest Mac generation, particularly affecting professional users who rely on high-resolution ultrawide monitors for their work.