[biz-engineer]

Recently purchased a 32" 4K display. I'm finding some scaling issues with Win10.
If I set Win10 display scaling to 100%, the 4K image resolution is fantastic, but text in image PP apps, browser and other apps is very small.
If I set Win10 display scaling to 150% recommended setting, the text is scaled up, but images are also up-scaled, more like some image samples are skipped and appear less sharp at equivalent size compared to 100% scaling.
I confirmed this Win10 behavior by selecting 350% scaling instead of 150%. At 350% scaling in Win10, images are pixelated! How can this be that there is no massive number of customers complaining against Microsoft?
Is 4K only working well with Apple computers?

Is 4K tech ready or actually not yet ready?

[BigMackCam]

For a couple of years I owned an HP mobile workstation with 15.6" 4K display, and I battled with exactly the problem you describe.

My recommendation is to use HD resolution setting for editing and other general work, then switch to 4K resolution when viewing finished images or streaming video. That's what I did, and it was a workable - if clunky - solution.

4K tech is ready, for sure, but operating system and application support is still catching up. When I replaced that HP machine with my current Lenovo laptop, I chose a 17" HD-resolution model because 4K was simply getting in the way. It looks nice, sure, but it can be more of an inconvenience than it's worth...

[biz-engineer]

Windows scaling isn't bad at 125% and 150%. It's an issue when sharpening images, because the scaling operation soften image representation, so we end-up sharpening too much.

I realize, even 4K videos are actually compressed for some videos I can't tell the difference between 4K and HD.
About 8K, not supported by most graphic cards, except the most recent designs. I'm glad I didn't buy the DELL 8K that costs 3 grands.

[sbc]

It has been like this since the 1st iteration of Win10. I am always waiting for an update that never comes. Now Win11 is launching soon.

[BigMackCam]

Windows scaling isn't bad at 125% and 150%. It's an issue when sharpening images, because the scaling operation soften image representation, so we end-up sharpening too much.

I'm not talking about using Windows' scaling, but setting the display resolution to HD from within Windows, then setting it back to 4K when needed. It may do exactly the same thing as the "make everything bigger" setting, or it may be different - I honestly don't know. Either way, display resolution was what I used.

Regarding sharpening, when working at HD resolution you'll get used to how much sharpening is needed for display at 4K. After all, you already sharpen for print on a display with much lower resolution, right? It's the same thing really...

EDIT: Now I think about it, setting the resolution (rather than using scaling) in Windows should result in the monitor scaling the output, which could be better optimised in this respect. Again, I'm not certain of that... but it would seem to make sense.

[biz-engineer]

I'm not talking about using Windows' scaling, but setting the display resolution to HD from within Windows, then setting it back to 4K when needed. It may do exactly the same thing as the "make everything bigger" setting, or it may be different - I honestly don't know. Either way, display resolution was what I used.

Ah ah I see the trick, tried it, so everything gets back to HD size.

What I used is different from what I found by google search. With the Windows scaling option, there is a way to force Apps to scale, right click on the App executable > Properties > Compatibility > Change High DPI settings > High DPI scaling override > Override high DPI scaling behavior > Scaling performed by System

Changing this setting with scale text in a specific application, the side effect for image viewing is that zooms ratios change as well and it has some effect on image sharpness. That's what I noticed with FastStone Image viewer.

---------- Post added 21-08-21 at 12:30 ----------

I was incorrect regarding Windows10. Win10 isn't the problem. Only some applications don't rescale their UI to 4K. And Murphy's law applies, my two most used applications Faststone Viewer (Free) and Silkypix Pro 10 (costs $130, yes) don't rescale. All the other apps such as Gimp, Rawtherapee, PDCU, Topaz Sharpen AI, Hugin, MS ICE, Photomatix, all scale properly to 4K.

[BigMackCam]

I was incorrect regarding Windows10. Win10 isn't the problem. Only some applications don't rescale their UI to 4K. And Murphy's law applies, my two most used applications Faststone Viewer (Free) and Silkypix Pro 10 (costs $130, yes) don't rescale. All the other apps such as Gimp, Rawtherapee, PDCU, Topaz Sharpen AI, Hugin, MS ICE, Photomatix, all scale properly to 4K.

Yup, as I said, operating systems and applications are catching up. It's not that long since Darktable only offered a maximum 200% magnification, which was fine when working at HD resolution, but not much use at 4K (especially on smaller displays). Thankfully, it offers up to 1600% now...

[Crooski]

With Silkypix 10 you can choose the scaling yourself at Settings (select skin)

[stevebrot]

but text in image PP apps, browser and other apps is very small.

Sadly, that is what you are paying for with a 4K display and why I generally caution against buying such for photo editing. As noted above, reverting to a lower resolution is your option.

Too bad buying guides don't point that out.

EDIT: Now I think about it, setting the resolution (rather than using scaling) in Windows should result in the monitor scaling the output, which could be better optimised in this respect. Again, I'm not certain of that... but it would seem to make sense.

I think you may be correct.

Steve

[biz-engineer]

With Silkypix 10 you can choose the scaling yourself at Settings (select skin)

It didn't know about that, I tried it and it works great. I'm glad you posted here, it solved my problem. Thank you very much.

Too bad buying guides don't point that out.

I've read a number of reviews. They usually discuss monitors for gaming and don't talk about photo editing. Scaling works almost for all applications now. Even Faststone viewer should work with 4K since version 5.6, I'm using 7.5.
27" QHD (2560x1440) wide gamut should be the best choice for photo editing, and cheaper than 4K 32". But 4K is more "future proof", and the display definition is excellent

[Crooski]

It didn't know about that, I tried it and it works great. I'm glad you posted here, it solved my problem. Thank you very much.

No problem I'm happy to help

[stevebrot]

27" QHD (2560x1440) wide gamut should be the best choice for photo editing, and cheaper than 4K 32". But 4K is more "future proof", and the display definition is excellent

You mean something like this...BenQ SW270C Photographer 27"? Yes, that should do the job or at least BenQ thinks so.

FWIW...One can tell the monitors intended for photo editing in that they are often offered bundled with display calibration devices.


Steve

[biz-engineer]

You mean something like this...BenQ SW270C Photographer 27"? Yes, that should do the job or at least BenQ thinks so.

That's right, it looks like they know something about the case of photo editing. That said, I'm quite happy with my choice, issues also have something to do with how we adapt to change. I learned something in the process: maybe 4K is future but an overkill for a monitor, and wide gamut is a benefit for editing color photographs. For the price I paid, I basically traded a bit a color gamut for 32" and 4K. Purely for photo edition, the extra color gamut is more valuable. For watching 4K video, the 4K monitor is better. My eye sight can't see even a hint of pixel at 32"/4K resolution (~139 ppi), which tells me 2560x1440 would have been fine, while my eyes immediately see the difference between sRGB and DCI-P3. DCI-P3 vs Adobe RGB, my new DCI-P3 monitor color profile loses a bit of color gamut for the greens, but is slightly larger (or same) in the red and blue areas.