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Recently, I bought a new monitor to use as an external display. I even asked a question about the compatibility on this forum.

Now, I am trying to configure things. Unfortunately, the experience has been a bit annoying so far. Part of the problem seems to be this message from the monitor system:

enter image description here

As text to help further research:

The screen is not currently set to the recommended resolution. Configure the PC resolution to 2560x1080/60Hz. (The 2560x1080/60HZ resolution may not be supported on some PCs.)

Current resolution: 1920x1080/60Hz

Recommended resolution 2560x1080/60Hz

It is especially frustrating because I only have the options below to configure it:

enter image description here

I do have 60Hz. But, I only have 1920x1080. There is no 2560x1080.

As a palliative fix, I tried accessing the settings menu on the LG external monitor device. They present two options: (i) Full Wide and (ii) and Original.

On Full Wide, things look a bit stretched out, horizontally speaking.

See the PrintScreen (not sure it captures the stretched out feeling, hence I will also send a picture from a phone):

enter image description here

enter image description here

Alternatively, the monitor also offers another option for Aspect Rate called "Original".

On this one, only part of the screen is used. Things do not look stretched out this time:

enter image description here

I do not know much about monitors. And I believe I underestimate the challenge of compatibility.

If my understanding is correct, it seems to be a pure physics problem. The MacBook Air is a light rectangle (close to a square), but the monitor is way more stretched out horizontally. Hence, this incompatibility.

Is my understanding correct? Is there any palliative action I could take for better experience?

;;

UPDATE

Since it was asked by user @DavidAnderson, I am using an adaptor called Dell Adapter - USB-C to HDMI/VGA/Ethernet/USB 3.0 DA200 to the USB-C to HDMI.

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    Did you install the software? I ask because I do not see the icon on the menu bar. If you did install the software, did you use the software to check for monitor firmware updates?
    – David Anderson
    Commented Jan 21, 2023 at 16:31
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    One would think since the monitor can be used with two different computers simultaneously, that you could connect both HDMI inputs to the same computer and the computer would think there are two monitors each at say 1280x1024.
    – David Anderson
    Commented Jan 21, 2023 at 16:40
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    Can you specify which adaptor your are using?
    – David Anderson
    Commented Jan 21, 2023 at 16:56
  • Thanks @DavidAnderson, which is software is that? Where was the recommendation to install it?
    – Pedro Delfino
    Commented Jan 22, 2023 at 17:40
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    Pedro: According to the adaptor specifications, this adaptor only goes up 1920x1080 and there is no mention of being Mac compatible. Also, adaptor is fairly old. At least 2015, if not older.
    – David Anderson
    Commented Jan 23, 2023 at 6:05

3 Answers 3

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The OSD of the monitor tells you everything you need to know:

The 2560x1080/60HZ resolution may not be supported on some PCs.

Not every computer (read that to mean every GPU) can support the monitor’s native resolution at every refresh rate. That’s unfortunately, the reality of the situation in your case.

Can your MBA drive this monitor?

Yes. Optimally? No.

The only palliative solution is to use it with the boxed appearance you’ve shown in your images.

As for the linked question/answer, there are a couple comments about it having a “weird resolution.” It is a weird resolution. That should have been a red flag item to investigate prior to moving forward.

Now, keep in mind that the MacBook Air M1 can drive up to a 6K display at 60Hz. That doesn’t mean it supports every resolution less than that at 60Hz. Going forward, the best course of action would be to ask LG for all the supported resolutions and refresh rates as well as compatibility with your computer.

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    I don't have any evidence whatsoever, but are you sure of this? Is it not possible to get it working with either software like Better Display or an active (whatever that means) display port to HDMI adapter. Maybe both?
    – Gilby
    Commented Jan 22, 2023 at 9:50
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    I’m very sure. I can’t speak to betterdisplay, but in a past life, i have spent an inordinate amount of time trying to get MacBooks working with non-standard displays. I had an Apple engineer on site (worked for a school) and he couldn’t make it work. For our digital signage project, we had to switch to custom PCs with NVIDIA GPUs because computers integrated GPUs (Dells included] couldn’t drive the large screens
    – Allan
    Commented Jan 22, 2023 at 14:17
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    An active dsplay adapter just recreates the video signal. A passive one just reorders the signals to “match” your monitors input. Either way it won’t work. Remember, Apple engineers spend lots of time figuring out what works best. You might be able to override it, but it may look and perform horribly.
    – Allan
    Commented Jan 22, 2023 at 14:21
  • Thanks for taking the time to respond to my comment
    – Gilby
    Commented Jan 22, 2023 at 21:57
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The MBA can support a variety of resolutions with a different ratio from its own built-in screen: your assumption that it needs to be of similar shape is not accurate.

However, there are limits to sizes and ratios it supports.

It is interesting that the display says its resolution "may not be supported on some PCs". I did comment that the LG display does have an unusual ratio.

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I know the feeling, bro! I had the same issue, I bought an Ultra-wide, checked compatibility in advanced, theoretically, it should work, but it's just weird.

When old Apple HD Cinema Display were a thing, MacBooks needed a DVI adapter for the regular display sizes, but to get the 30" one to work a dual link adapter was needed, and it had an extra usb. I think it is related to to this, but never tried it; just for the records.

My macbook is older, with a thunderbolt/MiniDP (it surprise me to read you have the same problem with the usb C thunderbolt...). I'm quite persistent and tried almost everything. The solution I found is an adapter I bought for a PC while looking to make 2 independent HDMI's from 1, it's a Chinese brand-less one; 1 DP in, 2 HDMI out, +1 microUSB for extra energy (I think this is what does the magic... I tried active adapters, and got higher resolution even than I needed but, not the specific one we need, same with software solutions). Get one of those, I think there's a better one from Manhattan (didn't try); look for one capable to make video wall not just mirror. Use only 1 of the 2 HDMI's out; check if there's any version of it with usb C instead of my DP one for in –which I had to use another adapter into to make it miniDP–.

I know people might try to help, but offering unproven theories it's useless and ends up frustrating the user and anyone one subsequently read it... I hope I helped you like like nobody did with me :'

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