Why does Apple offer full "native resolution" at all if it functionally locks buyers out of it?

But that doesn't entirely make sense to me, at least not intuitively. If I display all of the available pixels, by definition that will be sharper, right? That's why they included all those pixels in the screen in the first place. Put another way, if it is sharper to show fewer pixels, why have a 2560x1664 at all?

Maybe it is a matter of semantics. All of my applications (like picture viewing) are getting 2560x1664 to work with and those pixels will map 1:1 with pixels in, say, an image I am creating, but Apple is describing the results for purposes of the settings panel as 1280x832. Is that accurate?

I also want to be clear that 1) I am seeking to understand, not bash. I like the machine a lot, and I've bought several other MacBooks and a few desktops over the decades, and 2) I am extremely technical - I've been in infrastructure for 30+ years, and currently write software for the management of cloud infrastructure (building and managing large numbers of globally distributed kubernetes clusters) for a living. I just stopped paying attention to desktop and laptop device tech a good while ago. So I get what people are saying about what is happening behind the scenes. It's the UX/what is being communicated by the resolution choices window that is confusing me. I'm taking it at face value, and it appears that it is not accurate at face value.

OK, got it. For clarity, I was indeed talking about a scenario in which I would be looking at a part of an image, or doing other graphic work with an intended 1:1 mapping.

So with all of that, what is the 2560x1664 mode actually for? Or perhaps a better (and subtly different) question to ask is: what is it generally used to do?

To your first paragraph: Yes, I know. I've tried it, and that led me to my original post. But the option is listed, so I am asking for what that option is used.

To your second paragraph, is it similar, or exactly the same? I took your previous response as saying there was no difference.

That's fair. To frame it differently, I am trying to understand what function is served by the choice.

I have indeed asked! I'll let you know if I get an answer. The phone support person with whom I spoke did not know.

Good detail point. What I really mean is the ability to use all of the resolution available.

Noted and noted!