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Do Macs only support 4K/5K displays? Portable monitor test
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Around this time every year, I always feel like adding a few new gadgets. This year, phones and computers are all far from cheap, but when it comes to monitors, there's a much wider range of options to choose from.
A couple of days ago, I picked up a 15.6-inch portable monitor (with a three-year nationwide warranty).
I already have a 27-inch 4K monitor at home, so this time I just wanted to add a small secondary screen for my Mac, dedicated to AI Agent tool windows, to cut down on the hassle of switching back and forth.
The two screens looked just right side by side, and I assumed I could simply connect it to the Mac and use it comfortably.
To my surprise, quite a few problems showed up in actual use — text rendering was not sharp enough, parameter adjustments were not flexible enough, and managing multiple screens was also a bit of a hassle.
That's when I thought of BetterDisplay, a Mac display management tool available on the LIZHI.SHOP software store, and downloaded it right away to give it a try — it really solved a lot of problems.
Here's my honest, firsthand experience!
Make the picture sharper
The display settings that come with macOS only let you adjust resolution, refresh rate, and rotation, which clearly isn't quite enough.
Besides offering more resolution and scaling combinations, BetterDisplay's most practical feature is the ability to enable HiDPI with one click, making text and the interface look noticeably finer.
It can't turn a 1080p screen into a 4K one, but it does visibly improve how things look.
▲ Before and after enabling HiDPI
If the colors on an external display look off, you can also fine-tune advanced settings such as RGB / YCbCr and bit depth — all without ever touching the monitor's own clunky buttons.
Make multiple displays easier to manage
During everyday work, sometimes you only want to use the external monitor (I used to look down at the MacBook screen so often that it was already affecting my neck health).
So is it enough to just turn that screen's brightness all the way down?
In fact, that's not the same as disconnecting the display — the system still treats it as an available screen, and some windows will still end up on it.
What about just closing the lid?
With the lid closed, the built-in keyboard and trackpad become unusable, and you'd have to hook up a separate set of peripherals — a hassle.
BetterDisplay supports one-click disconnect for displays, including the built-in screen, and lets you reconnect with one click when needed — no need to close the laptop just to turn off a screen.
▲ Turn off the built-in display with one click
▲ What it looks like after turning it off
It also brings more flexible brightness control.
For example, whichever screen the pointer is on, pressing the brightness keys (F1 and F2) adjusts that screen right away — no need to open menus over and over.
Keep your settings from jumping around
After you unplug and replug a display or connect a dock, settings like resolution and refresh rate occasionally get changed or reset, and you have to adjust them all over again — really annoying.
BetterDisplay Pro supports a configuration protection feature that safeguards the settings for each display.
When the system or other software changes these parameters, BetterDisplay automatically reverts the values to the set you configured.
More practical features
BetterDisplay also supports volume control and HDR switching, along with a rich set of features such as virtual screens, picture-in-picture, and screen streaming.
If you've already added an external display to your Mac, especially if you often work across multiple screens, I believe you'll come to like this app too — it really does make everyday operations more convenient.
You can get a genuine license for BetterDisplay through the LIZHI.SHOP software store. Before purchasing, you can double-check the version and license details — a clear source also means greater peace of mind.
The software offers a 14-day trial with full functionality. It's recommended to try it on your own device first and make sure it meets your needs before buying.
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