BetterDisplay

BetterDisplay is a great solution for those using Macs with external displays, especially 1440p monitors. You might have noticed that Macs sometimes struggle with external displays, particularly when it comes to clarity and resolution. The issue is that they don’t let you pick HiDPI resolutions on displays that aren’t 4K native. This can result in a blurry image on your QHD monitor.

How BetterDisplay Works

So, how does BetterDisplay help? It creates a virtual display that runs at native 4K resolution! You can then mirror this virtual display onto your actual monitor. This means you get access to HiDPI resolutions for scaling, which gives you a much clearer and sharper visual experience.

Setting Up BetterDisplay

Using BetterDisplay is pretty easy. Just launch the app and go to the menu bar. From there, you can create a dummy display, where you can choose the aspect ratio you need. Then, head over to your macOS display preferences. You'll need to mirror this virtual display's content to your physical monitor.

Selecting Resolutions

Once you've enabled mirroring, hold down the Option key while selecting the Scaled option in display settings. This will allow you to see more resolution choices! Pick one that works best for your setup—1080p is usually good for a 24-27" 1440p monitor.

Alternative Solutions

If you're looking for another way around these issues, some folks use an HDMI dongle with their Mac to trick it into thinking it's connected to a 4K display. However, this method has its downsides too—it takes up an HDMI port and limits your resolution options.

The Benefits of Using BetterDisplay

The beauty of using BetterDisplay is that it offers more HiDPI resolutions than you'd normally have access to without the hassle of extra hardware like dongles. Plus, it allows higher resolution screenshots and better zoom capabilities on any non-4K monitor!