Compatibility checker
Will it work on my Mac?
There's no trial, so check here first. Pick your Mac, how the monitor connects and the monitor, and see what to expect, with the numbers behind it.
Guidance, not a measurement. Guidance only. Hand-built from Apple's published tech specs and the HDMI and DisplayPort link rates in PRD F3. Check your exact model on support.apple.com/specs; the app reads your real setup. Data updated .
Limited · high confidence
4K at 30 Hz, not 60 Hz
- Needs
- 12.54 Gbps
- HDMI 1.4
- 8.16 Gbps
- 4K at 60 Hz needs 12.54 Gbps, but HDMI 1.4 carries 8.16 Gbps.
- Fix: use the Mac's own HDMI port (HDMI 2.1) or a direct USB-C cable.
- This Mac drives up to 2 external displays on its own.
- On M4 and M5 Macs, macOS doesn't offer the sharp “looks like 3840×2160” size on 4K monitors; the largest sharp size it lists is smaller. iKnowMyDisplay's Sharp 4K fix adds it, where your Mac supports it.
How this works
Each mode needs a certain amount of bandwidth, worked out from standard reduced-blanking timing: 4K at 60 Hz with 8-bit colour needs 12.54 Gbps. Each link carries a fixed amount: HDMI 1.4 8.16 Gbps, HDMI 2.0 14.4, DisplayPort HBR3 on four lanes 25.92. If the mode doesn't fit, macOS picks a lower refresh rate. The numbers are explained in 4K monitor stuck at 30 Hz.
iKnowMyDisplay does the same with your real setup: it reads the port, each hop and what the monitor reports, and says where a fact isn't reported by macOS. It runs on Apple silicon Macs with macOS 15 Sequoia or later. If it doesn't help, you have 14 days to get your money back.