Retina MacBook Pro Apps Expose Full Resolution

When Apple introduced the Retina MacBook Pro, the logic behind the increase in resolution was the same as with the iPhone 4 and 4S. The user interface would remain the same, with graphical elements instead appearing crisper and sharper. While there are a few options to dabble with in the Display settings, Apple doesn't allow users to expose the full 2880x1800 resolution for increased real estate. There are a couple of workarounds for the problem, however.

The first is using an application such as SwitchResX, which allows you to set custom resolutions in Mac OS X. Setting up a 2880x1800 option allows you to take advantage of the full resolution. SwitchResX is a paid solution, but there are free alternatives such as Change Resolution. That application was created by a user on the Wineskin forums, and will also expose the full resolution of the Retina MacBook Pro.

Thanks to BootCamp, Windows 7 can also take advantage of the large resolution. The default Windows graphics driver won't allow you to select the highest option, but installing the relevant NVIDIA drivers will open up the setting.

[via MacRumors]