Show Monitor Resolutions with xrandr
One of the things still left to be done on my Ubuntu laptop is to get the full resolution output on my LG 5K monitor. This is still work in progress, but one of the most useful tools for getting there is xrandr.
What is RandR
You may know that most of Linux laptops and desktops are using X11 or Xorg graphics system for providing core functionality to higher level graphics environments like Gnome, MATE or KDE.
RandR is one of the most common modules of X11/Xorg, it’s a plugin implementing basic Resize, Rotate and Reflect – RandR for short.
xrandr command
xrandr is a great command line utility that provides low-level management of your displays, detecting monitor resolutions and adding new display modes.
Here’s the most basic way of using xrandr: simply run it without parameters to see all the attached graphics devices and their resolutions:
greys@xps:~ $ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 4096 x 2304, maximum 8192 x 8192
eDP-1 connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
3840x2160 60.00 + 59.98 59.97
3200x1800 59.96 59.94
2880x1620 59.96 59.97
2560x1600 59.99 59.97
2560x1440 59.99 59.99 59.96 59.95
2048x1536 60.00
1920x1440 60.00
1856x1392 60.01
1792x1344 60.01
2048x1152 59.99 59.98 59.90 59.91
1920x1200 59.88 59.95
1920x1080 60.01 59.97 59.96 59.93
1600x1200 60.00
1680x1050 59.95 59.88
1600x1024 60.17
1400x1050 59.98
1600x900 59.99 59.94 59.95 59.82
1280x1024 60.02
1440x900 59.89
1400x900 59.96 59.88
1280x960 60.00
1440x810 60.00 59.97
1368x768 59.88 59.85
1360x768 59.80 59.96
1280x800 59.99 59.97 59.81 59.91
1152x864 60.00
1280x720 60.00 59.99 59.86 59.74
1024x768 60.04 60.00
960x720 60.00
928x696 60.05
896x672 60.01
1024x576 59.95 59.96 59.90 59.82
960x600 59.93 60.00
960x540 59.96 59.99 59.63 59.82
800x600 60.00 60.32 56.25
840x525 60.01 59.88
864x486 59.92 59.57
800x512 60.17
700x525 59.98
800x450 59.95 59.82
640x512 60.02
720x450 59.89
700x450 59.96 59.88
640x480 60.00 59.94
720x405 59.51 58.99
684x384 59.88 59.85
680x384 59.80 59.96
640x400 59.88 59.98
576x432 60.06
640x360 59.86 59.83 59.84 59.32
512x384 60.00
512x288 60.00 59.92
480x270 59.63 59.82
400x300 60.32 56.34
432x243 59.92 59.57
320x240 60.05
360x202 59.51 59.13
320x180 59.84 59.32
DP-1 connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
2560x2880 60.00
DP-2 connected primary 4096x2304+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 600mm x 340mm
3840x2160 60.00 +
4096x2304 60.00*
3200x1800 60.00
2560x1440 60.00
640x480 59.94
Understanding the xrandr output
Structured output lists multiple monitors connected: eDP (embedded Display Port – this is used for the primary laptop screen) and DP-1/DP2 – which are Display Ports for external connections.
I have highlighted the 4K resolution I’m getting so far, and think additional trickery would be needed to get this monitor show its true 5K (5120×2880) resolution. Stay tuned!