MacBook Pro Retina Display Specifications
The 2880x1800 resolution is the native panel resolution of the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina display, a configuration that Apple maintained across multiple generations. The 16-inch MacBook Pro models use a slightly different native resolution of 3456x2234, but the 2880x1800 remains a critical reference point for the Apple laptop ecosystem. At its default scaled setting, macOS renders the display at an effective resolution of 1440x900 with a 2x device pixel ratio, meaning every logical pixel is drawn with four physical pixels. This produces the razor-sharp text and interface elements that define the Retina experience. Web developers targeting Apple's professional user base must account for this 2x DPR in their image and asset strategies.
macOS Scaling Options and CSS Viewports
macOS provides five scaled resolution options for the 15-inch MacBook Pro: 1024x640, 1280x800, 1440x900 (default), 1680x1050, and 1920x1200. Each setting changes the effective CSS viewport while maintaining 2x rendering quality. At the default 1440x900 setting, web content sees a viewport of 1440px wide with a DPR of 2.0. Many professional users choose the 1680x1050 or 1920x1200 scaling for more screen real estate, which changes the effective viewport accordingly. When testing web applications for MacBook Pro, cover at least the 1440px and 1680px viewport widths. Use the CSS query @media (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), (min-resolution: 192dpi) to target Retina-class displays.
Retina-Ready Image Delivery
On a Retina MacBook Pro, standard 1x images appear noticeably soft and blurry. Every image visible to the user should ideally be served at 2x its displayed CSS dimensions. For a product photo displayed at 400x300 CSS pixels, provide an 800x600 pixel source image. The srcset attribute makes this straightforward: 
. For background images in CSS, use the image-set() function: background-image: image-set(url('bg.jpg') 1x, url('bg@2x.jpg') 2x). Be mindful of file sizes, as 2x images contain four times the pixel data. Aggressive compression and modern formats like WebP are essential to keep page weight manageable.
Design and Development Workflow for Retina
When designing for Retina displays, work in your design tool at 2x the intended CSS dimensions and export assets at both 1x and 2x scales. Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD all support automatic multi-scale export. For icons and simple illustrations, use SVG format which renders perfectly at any pixel ratio without needing multiple bitmap sizes. For CSS borders and dividers, 1px borders on a Retina display are rendered as two physical pixels thick, which appears intentional and crisp. To achieve a true hairline (single physical pixel) border, use 0.5px width, which Safari and Chrome on macOS render correctly. Test your designs on an actual Retina display rather than relying solely on browser zoom or device emulation, as color rendering and anti-aliasing behave differently on physical hardware.