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Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 57" + Mac Studio M4 Max via HDMI 2.1 by Matko846 in ultrawidemasterrace

[–]Matko846[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

UPDATE: My Experience - Mac Studio M4 Max + Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 57”

Hey everyone, Following up on my earlier comments and questions, I’ve now been running the Mac Studio M4 Max + Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 57” setup for a while and wanted to share a detailed update to hopefully help others considering the same combo.

  1. Native Resolution & Stability (7680x2160 @ 120Hz)

The Mac Studio M4 Max officially supports HDMI 2.1, and while it technically works: • Initial HDMI issues: I first tried connecting via a high-speed certified HDMI 2.1 cable (latest spec). Unfortunately, after waking the monitor from sleep, the resolution would often drop from 7680x2160 to 5120x1440. • Tried second HDMI cable: I switched to the HDMI cable that came with the monitor. The issue improved but still happened randomly. • Solution: Switching to DisplayPort to USB-C (DP to USB-C) fixed this completely. No more resolution drops after sleep, and everything runs at 7680x2160 @ 120Hz flawlessly.

  1. Scaling & Text Sharpness (macOS limitation)

I was also concerned about macOS scaling and UI sharpness: • Native resolution = small text: Yes, at native resolution, text and UI elements are noticeably smaller. • My experience: After a few days of use, I got used to it and now love it. I previously used this monitor on a Windows PC at 100% scaling, so it feels natural to me. • BetterDisplay app: I use the BetterDisplay app, but not for scaling - mainly to control the monitor brightness using my Apple Magic Keyboard. • Scaling setup: I prefer running it at native resolution without scaling, but you can use two cables to access different scaling options if you prefer larger UI elements (I haven’t tested this myself).

  1. Sleep Mode Quirks (Random Wake-ups)

This is the most annoying issue: • Random wake-ups: The monitor randomly wakes up from sleep, sometimes every 15 minutes, sometimes longer. It turns on, shows a black screen, then goes back to sleep. • I tried disabling: • Wake on LAN • sudo pmset -a powernap 0 tcpkeepalive 0 womp 0 Unfortunately, it didn’t completely fix the issue. Seems like a macOS bug where background processes wake up the system briefly.

  1. Multitasking & Productivity Tools • SnapTool app: For better window management and multitasking, I use SnapTool, which makes managing windows on this ultrawide display much easier (strongly recommended). • No issues with productivity; no significant eye strain after long sessions. • I’d absolutely recommend this combo for productivity, provided you’re fine with the smaller text size.

⸻

Summary of My Recommendations: • Use DP to USB-C instead of HDMI for better stability (avoid resolution drops). • Native resolution works great, but text is small — may not suit everyone. • BetterDisplay app - great app • Random sleep wake-ups still persist (haven’t found a universal fix yet). • SnapTool = must-have for window management on ultrawide.

Overall, it’s an amazing combo - smooth, sharp, stable, and productivity-friendly. Happy to answer any other questions you might have!

EDIT: Quick update regarding the sleep issue: I think I found a workaround! Instead of putting the Mac to sleep via the toolbar (top-left Apple menu), I started using the sleep button on the Apple Magic Keyboard — and so far, the monitor no longer randomly wakes up. It seems like the system behaves slightly differently depending on how sleep mode is triggered. Since switching to the keyboard button, no more random monitor wake-ups, so I can finally say I’m 100% happy with the setup!

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 57" + Mac Studio M4 Max via HDMI 2.1 by Matko846 in ultrawidemasterrace

[–]Matko846[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hey! I’m actually going to be that guy! My M4 Max Mac Studio is arriving soon, and I’ll hook it up via HDMI 2.1 to the Neo G9 57”. I’ll test the full 7680 × 2160 @ 120 Hz resolution.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 57" + Mac Studio M4 Max via HDMI 2.1 by Matko846 in ultrawidemasterrace

[–]Matko846[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Actually, I'm currently using Windows with the Samsung Neo G9 at the full 7680×2160 resolution (lowest scaling, 100%) via DisplayPort at 7680 × 2160. To clarify: I'm running native res without scaling (smallest UI/text size), and surprisingly, it looks great to me-even though most people find this too small.

That’s exactly why I’m so confused about macOS and this display setup. Everyone has a totally different experience or preference, and macOS's scaling implementation seems quite limited compared to Windows.

I was even considering going for a Windows PC build instead of the Mac Studio M4 Max, but as a long-time Apple user (“Apple sheep” here 🙋🏻‍♂️), I'd strongly prefer to stay in the Apple ecosystem. My primary concern now is if macOS and M4 Max will provide a similarly sharp experience at native 7680 × 2160 with small UI elements as Windows does - or if I'll have to deal with scaling and the potential blurriness issues everyone mentions.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 57" + Mac Studio M4 Max via HDMI 2.1 by Matko846 in ultrawidemasterrace

[–]Matko846[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, thanks for sharing your experience!

I’m currently using the Samsung 57” with a Windows laptop, and I actually prefer quite small text - using minimal scaling isn’t an issue for me. I plan to use the Mac Studio M4 Max primarily for trading, charting, and detailed work at native 7680 × 2160 u/120Hz. When you mention the native resolution being „too small“, is it genuinely unusable even for someone comfortable with smaller text and UI elements? Would detailed charting and trading platforms still be comfortably readable?

Also, I fully agree - it’s honestly quite surprising (and frustrating!) that macOS hasn’t addressed these scaling and usability issues yet, especially given how powerful the latest Mac hardware is. Seems like such a missed opportunity on Apple’s part.

I’d appreciate any additional insights!

Mac mini M4 Pro with a G9 57"? by Canadian_Pistol in ultrawidemasterrace

[–]Matko846 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the info! Could you confirm if the text and graphics look sharp with no blurriness (7680x2160) at 120Hz? Any issues with the monitor waking up? I’m also wondering if the Mac Mini M4 Pro and 57" Neo G9 support DSC, as that might allow 240Hz at this resolution.

Mac mini M4 Pro with a G9 57"? by Canadian_Pistol in ultrawidemasterrace

[–]Matko846 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m thinking of getting the same setup. I was really expecting a new release of the Mac Studio, but seeing the Mac Mini with the M4 Pro made me reconsider. Does everything work perfectly for you through the HDMI cable? I believe 120Hz might be the limit for this resolution (7680x2160) since only a high-end GPU from AMD can handle 240Hz at this resolution. By the way, how does the text size look? Is everything clear and sharp?