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Apple Cinema Display (30-inch DVI) might show 1280 x 800 as maximum resolution

When you connect an Apple Cinema Display (30-inch DVI) to your computer, you may find that the highest available resolution is 1280 x 800 even though the optimum resolution for the display is 2560 x 1600. This can happen if the display has a single-link DVI connection instead of a dual-link DVI connection.

Connect the display to a dual-link DVI port to access the higher resolutions available to the display. The following product combinations should give you the best resolution.

Computer

Video card

Best port or adapter for optimum resolution

Mac Pro (Late 2013)

Dual AMD FirePro D300

Dual AMD FirePro D500

Dual AMD FirePro D700

Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter

Mac Pro (Mid 2012 and older)

Power Mac G5 (all models)

NVIDIA GeForce GT 120

ATI Radeon HD 4870

ATI Radeon HD 5770

ATI Radeon HD 5870

DVI port or Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter

ATI Radeon X1900 XT

NVIDIA Quadro FX4500

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT

NVIDIA Quadro FX5600

Either of the two DVI ports

ATI Radeon 9650

DVI port 2 only

NVIDIA GeForce 6600 LE

NVIDIA GeForce 6600

NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT

DVI port 1 only

ATI Radeon X850 XT

NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL

NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT DDL

DVI port

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009) and later

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) and later

MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009) and later

MacBook Air (Late 2008) and later

MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008)

MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009) and later

Equipped with a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt port

Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter

iMac (Early 2009) and later

Mac mini (Early 2009) and later

Equipped with a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt port

Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter

Notes:

  • Make sure that you are using a compatible video card or built-in port that provides dual-link support. Compatible video cards must include a dual-link DVI port.

  • When you use a Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter you must use a dual-link compatible adapter.

Learn more

Older products not listed in this article may not provide a dual-link DVI connection and may not be able to support the Apple Cinema Display (30-inch DVI) at its native resolution (2560 x 1600). Such products will be limited to the maximum resolution available with a single-link DVI connection for this product, which is 1280 x 800 (half of the 2560 x 1600 native resolution). Displays that are not manufactured by Apple that require a dual-link DVI connection will similarly be limited to half the maximum resolution when used with a single-link DVI connection.

For more information on the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter, see About the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter.

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