MacBook Air M2-M4 Display Eye Strain: HiDPI Scaling Algorithm Issue with Notch Screens?

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MacBook Air M2-M4 Display Eye Strain: HiDPI Scaling Algorithm Issue with Notch Screens?

I'm experiencing significant eye strain with my MacBook Air M2 (also M4), and I've noticed similar feedback from other community members. I've tried various solutions from tutorials and forums, but none have worked effectively for me.

Since MacBook Air M2 and newer models use LCD screens with built-in blue light protection, hardware shouldn't be the issue. I suspect the problem might be related to Apple's HiDPI scaling algorithm, particularly with non-integer scaling ratios on notch screens. The additional display area from the notch might be affecting the scaling calculations.

Temporary Solution Found:

I discovered that setting the resolution to a non-notch option (like 1280×800) provides immediate and significant relief. This resolution uses exact 2x integer scaling, which seems to eliminate the scaling artifacts.

Question for the Community:

Has anyone from Apple or the community encountered similar issues or have insights into HiDPI scaling behavior on notch displays?

Additional Settings I've Combined:

Disabled color dithering
Disabled wallpaper and window blending
Adjusted color temperature

System Info:

MacBook Air M2
macOS Sequoia 15.6.1 (24G90)

MacBook Air, macOS 15.6

Posted on Oct 11, 2025 1:59 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Sanjay910

Level 1

8 points

Oct 11, 2025 3:26 AM in response to siqiuliu

It’s very possible that what you’re experiencing is related to how macOS handles HiDPI scaling on notch-equipped Retina displays.

On MacBook Air M2 and newer models, most “More Space” display modes use non-integer scaling ratios (for example 1.5× or 1.75×). This forces the system to render the screen at an intermediate resolution and then downsample it to fit the panel. That process introduces fractional pixel interpolation and temporal dithering, which can produce subtle flicker or blur—often enough to cause visual fatigue in sensitive users.

When you switch to 1280×800, the scaling factor becomes an exact 2× integer match (1280×800 → 2560×1600). In this mode, each logical pixel maps cleanly to four physical pixels, eliminating interpolation and greatly reducing strain. The small vertical offset from the notch area does not require resampling, so rendering is cleaner.

If this behavior consistently improves comfort, it’s worth submitting a report through Feedback Assistant https://feedbackassistant.apple.com(Displays → HiDPI scaling and notch rendering) and including your macOS build number. Apple’s display engineering team can verify whether the current scaling algorithm on notch models contributes to the issue.

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Answer 2

siqiuliu Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 11, 2025 2:37 AM in response to siqiuliu

[Edited by Moderator]

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