Running smaller resolutions on 4K monitor?

[jkteddy77]

My next upgrade I want is a 4k monitor early next year as soon as cheaper and better quality models come out.

My concern is that I may need to run some games below 4k, in lower resolutions, but I\'d rather do that since when technology finally catches up, I won't have to buy another monitor, I'll already have 4k.

My question is what is the range of resolutions I could run on a 4k monitor? I know there is 1200p, 1440p, 1600p, and even 3200x1800p, but can I switch to them all?
Am I bound to aspect ratios with a UHD monitor, or can I use a lot of resolutions like 16:10 or 8:5 like 1600p even though UHD is 16:9??

It bothers me that in AMD's new VSR, I can change to 1200p, 1440p, even some odd 2048x1536p or something like that, and 3200x1800p, but NOT 2560x1600p :/
You apparently need a 1920x1200p monitor to get 2560x1600p in VSR, so it's all bound by aspect ratio's and is VERY limited.
There seems to be like 4 more resolutions in total above 1080p I'm able to access...
Is this all VSR is for my R9 290? I have seen Nvidia's DSR support every resolution under the sun, even on 500 and 600 series GPU's...
Not impressed with this new AMD driver yet...

Is this just AMD's VSR or are there some resolutions like 1600p that a 4k monitor just won't be able to use or won't scale well too? I'd love to just see like a full list of supported resolutions that Windows would allow me to use in changing Desktop screen Resolution, but I don't have a 4k monitor to see them all with :/

How would a 4k monitor scale in gaming with 1080p, 1440p, 1600p? Which resolutions would look sharper or blurrier than they should be?

 

[jafrankl]

Really depends on the 4k model. Some models use the different input cables to determine resolution, while others can be changed in settings. Even if you displayed at 4k, could you not have the game scale down in its settings? You might end up with some black borders in that case, but it might save time and cable swapping. Also, I think you are either confused about monitor display types and resolutions, or just posted in a way that's hard for me to read. Here's a nice chart to look at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_resolution#mediaviewer/File:Vector_Video_Standards8.svg

 

[-Lone-]

I was only able to set my settings from 4:3, 16:9, and 16:10 on my Samsung UHD monitor. Then I was only able to set my resolution from 3840 x 2160, 2560 x 1440, 1920 x 1080, and somega below that. But setting anything higher or lower than 3840 x 2160 (native resolution) will result in cutting off the edges of the screen. Like the frame of the screen will be on top of the windows logo on the bottom left corner, or not be able to see the X on the top right corner to close your browser or something, or you'll only be able to see half of your spells if they're very close to the edge in the game, or cutting off the subtitles so you can only see half of the letters. I hope you get what I'm trying to say, lol

 

[jkteddy77]

I was only able to set my settings from 4:3, 16:9, and 16:10 on my Samsung UHD monitor. Then I was only able to set my resolution from 3840 x 2160, 2560 x 1440, 1920 x 1080, and somega below that. But setting anything higher or lower than 3840 x 2160 (native resolution) will result in cutting off the edges of the screen. Like the frame of the screen will be on top of the windows logo on the bottom left corner, or not be able to see the X on the top right corner to close your browser or something, or you'll only be able to see half of your spells if they're very close to the edge in the game, or cutting off the subtitles so you can only see half of the letters. I hope you get what I'm trying to say, lol

Hmm, so 2560x1600p was not available to you on your Samsung 4k model? I see that many have no issues running 2560x1440p, 1920x1200p, and 1920x1080p, but I was wondering if 1600p was available on 4k panels.

I'm not too worried about using higher or lower resolutions on a 4k monitor since I can always adjust the scaling of the monitor in CCC so that it fits to the screen.

Odd that lower resolutions would extend past the outside edges of the screen :/ did common resolutions like 1440p, 1200p, 1080p do that or just really odd resolutions?

Is 4k worth it? would I be okay on say high settings with a second 290, or should i wait for like the 300 series?

 

[-Lone-]

Any resolution that is not set to its native resolution will be cut off. 4k is worth if your system can handle it smoothly, if you don't mind waiting, then yeah, I'd wait for the 390x.

 

[jkteddy77]

Any resolution that is not set to its native resolution will be cut off. 4k is worth if your system can handle it smoothly, if you don't mind waiting, then yeah, I'd wait for the 390x.

Hmm, that's weird.
Your CCC drivers should scale the resolution to fit your screen in your My Digital Flat Panels options in Catalyst.
You should be able to go to Properties (Digital flat panels) in Catalyst and check he box that says fill screen instead of maintain aspect ratio. (it won't stretch that much, it should still be very close to the real resolution)
Then, go to Scaling Options and change your Under/Overscan to correct the edges I think.

What about different resolutions in gaming? does it look okay? Those scale correctly or do they cut off the edges too?
Something's up, cause I know people run 1440p or 1080p on 4k monitors in gaming a lot.

 

[-Lone-]

Well, you could try to scale it, there's no guarantee that it will work. I always tend to stick with the native resolution of my displays so I get the least amount of problems. From the games I have played like Mass Effect trilogy, Plants vs Zombies garden warfare, Oblivion, Skyrim, etc...they've all been cut off on the edges. I have heard that only "some" games doesn't get affected by this, but not all or most. The guy didn't say which ones, just that only some won't be affected but most will.

 

[jkteddy77]

Well, you could try to scale it, there's no guarantee that it will work. I always tend to stick with the native resolution of my displays so I get the least amount of problems. From the games I have played like Mass Effect trilogy, Plants vs Zombies garden warfare, Oblivion, Skyrim, etc...they've all been cut off on the edges. I have heard that only "some" games doesn't get affected by this, but not all or most. The guy didn't say which ones, just that only some won't be affected but most will.

Hmm, that's weird.
Your CCC drivers should scale the resolution to fit your screen in your My Digital Flat Panels options in Catalyst.
You should be able to go to Properties (Digital flat panels) in Catalyst and check he box that says fill screen instead of maintain aspect ratio. (it won't stretch that much, it should still be very close to the real resolution)
Then, go to Scaling Options and change your Under/Overscan to correct the edges I think.

I have used this many times to get smaller resolutions, and even virtual 1440p to match up very well on my 1080p monitor. Near perfect scaling and very little issues in games and programs. I've always had black bars though, not having the picture go over the edges of the monitor. That might even be some option in your actual monitor's settings, because that was what my 1080p HDTV used to do before I changed its settings.

 

[-Lone-]

Well, like I said, you could try it, and my aspect ratio thing in my CCC is like stuck, lol. But it doesn't bother me since I always use the native resolution. If it works with no problems, then that's great There's no harm done in trying, right? 😀

 

[jkteddy77]

Well, like I said, you could try it, and my aspect ratio thing in my CCC is like stuck, lol. But it doesn't bother me since I always use the native resolution. If it works with no problems, then that's great

haha, well with 2 295x2's, you're good in 4k for everything, haha.

I found the magic box that made any resolution fit my screen without stretching was GPU Upscaling in the Monitor Properties of CCC.

If I go 4k, hopefully by then I'll have enough GPU power to not worry.
Was curious incase I can't fully driver 4k when i get one, since they're like $100 more than a 1440p or 1600p, I see no point in buying a lower native resolution.

 

[-Lone-]

Yeah, a 4k display does come with 1.07 billion colors, so that's really nice Maybe 2x 390x could run 4k smoothly, who knows. But what I like about AMD GPUs is the liquid cooling. So much better than air cooled 😀