HiDPI on Linux: High resolution displays with high pixel densities (pixels) look amazing compared to conventional screens. The big problem for PC users is that many of the software they use are not designed for this level of pixel density.
For example, if you are using GNOME 3 on Linux, your first contact with the screen will make you look for your glasses. (Windows faces similar problems with high DPI screens.)
Below we will see what we can do, but at first we need to understand the problem:
Have you ever wondered why the screen Retina της Apple φαίνεται τόσο έντονη; Είναι απλό: επειδή έχει πολύ περισσότερα εικονοστοιχεία (pixels) σε κάθε ίντσα της οθόνης από μια τυπική οθόνη. Αυτό ονομάζεται υψηλή πυκνότητα pixel-per-inch (ppi) ή υψηλή πυκνότητα εικονοστοιχείων. Τα εικονοστοιχεία ανά ίντσα χρησιμοποιούνται συχνά εναλλακτικά με τις κουκκίδες ανά ίντσα (dpi), παρόλο που υπάρχει διαφορά μεταξύ των δύο. Οι οθόνες με υψηλή τιμή ppi συχνά αναφέρονται και ως HiDPI, (υψηλή πυκνότητα, υψηλή ανάλυση ή high density, high resolution, or in Apple terminology, Retina).
In the past, if you wanted more pixels, you usually had to buy a larger screen because of screen technology limitations. As a result, many softwares are programmed for a relatively low pixel density. If now this software, used on a HiDPI screen, will open in a 1.024 pixel width window, as it always did.
This creates problems on screens with denser pixels. Take for example a 15-inch screen that has a surface of 13,3 inches. On this screen, the 1.024-pixel window will appear at 6,18 inches wide with a screen resolution of 1920 × 1080 (165,63 ppi).
It should be noted that no Linux desktop environment offers real support (fractional scaling) for HiPI screens. In Gnome an attempt has been made by 3.26.
Gnome seems to do pretty good scaling. There are two settings. One setting is "Window scaling". Sets the size, but you can only use integers (1, 2, 3). If your screen has the right resolution, all is well. However, if you have a WQHD monitor and use "2" for example, everything will be huge. At the value of "1", windows, graphics, and icons do not change.
The other setting is the “Scaling factor”. It works mainly for fonts, but also for Firefox applications, Thunderbird and others. Both of the above settings are in the gnome-tweak tool. The module works exactly the same way (also based on GTK3).
KDE is also very good for scaling. You will need to set the DPI to scaling the text and some other items.
MATE does not scaling, as does XFCE4.
The best DEs are GNOME and Budgie-desktop with for 4K scaling. KDE is very good if you have time to set it up.
Sources (read more)
- Archlinux Wiki on HIDPI
- GNOME Fractional (and multi-monitor) Scaling Hackfest, the report
- Almost perfect HIDPI experience on Linux (Xorg)
