With today’s availability of the 2023 Mac mini and MacBook Pro, two machines capable of running 8K displays, Apple has released guidance on using these high-resolution displays with your Mac. In addition, these new Macs support higher 4K refresh rates up to 240Hz and expanded support for variable refresh rates (VRR).
Support for higher-resolution displays comes from the inclusion of Apple’s new M2 Pro chip, a faster and more powerful version of the original M2 chip that launched last year on the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M2 Pro/Max chip is coming to all 2023 MacBook Pro configurations and some Mac mini configurations. For Mac mini users, be sure to buy a model with an M2 Pro chip if you want to hook up an 8K display, as entry-level configurations come with the more economical base M2 chip.
In addition to newer Mac hardware, you’ll also need an external display with 8K or 4K/240Hz capability. Currently, there aren’t many 8K desktop monitors available, at least none that have the necessary HDMI connectivity, although there are a number of 8K TVs available.
Apple also says you need an Ultra High Speed 48Gbps HDMI cable to take advantage of 8K or 4K/240Hz output. Apple recommends bypassing adapters and plugging the HDMI cable directly into the HDMI port on your monitor or TV. Although it doesn’t explicitly say so in its support documentation, the HDMI port on the end of the display must be HDMI 2.1 compatible, as older versions of HDMI lack the necessary bandwidth.
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