4K laptop screen running at 1080p looks blurry

[smasher248]

I have an MSI GS60 laptop with 4K display, but it cause dpi scaling problems on some programs, i want to run it at 1080p on windows display, but now it looks blurry, when a normal 1080p screen of the same size doesnt, why is this?

 

[engineer5261]

because of scaling

 

[JeffDaemon]

If your 4k reolution (you didnt say which one) is not a multiple of 1080p, the image needs to be interpolated.

 

[jaguarskx]

Yeah, it is due to interpolation where the video card needs to estimate how pixels should be placed on the LCD screen to emulate 1080p. That's the reason why I avoid 4k resolution screens when I shop around for laptops. Plus 4K screens are a big battery drain.

 

[smasher248]

why would scaling cause blurriness? cant it just use 4 pixels for 1, as its a 4:1 scale?

 

[jaguarskx]

Because the panel is not setup to do that. Therefore, interpolation is used instead.

 

[JeffDaemon]

why would scaling cause blurriness? cant it just use 4 pixels for 1, as its a 4:1 scale?

alot of people use the term 4k, even though it is not 3840x2160. Op hasn't cleared up what resolution he used.