MBP Retina bad display on external Dell display

My MBPr LCD display is great: crisp and clear.
However, when I connect my desktop Dell display, the result is washed out and difficult to read fonts.
I've tried with both mini-DVI and mini-VGA. The mini-VGA is perhaps marginally better, but in both
cases is borderline unusable.
Any clues?
Thanks!

I've a 2011 MBA, 2008 MBP and a Dell U2410 24" 1920x1200-native setup with zero problems, until I replace the aging MBP with rMBP. Now I get the same issue as the OP.
I've searched extensively, but "blurry images, washed-out colors, smudgy text" isn't very scientific/concrete so it's not easy to have a clear-cut case. On this same issue (I believe), I've found the following threads:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4119545
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=15565120
I'm trying to document the issue as much as possible, with photos taken off the display. (I've found screen capture doesn't work). They're posted at http://goo.gl/XLdMf
Further background
The same mini-DP to DP cable is used to connect MBA, rMBP (and my previous 2008 MBP) and have been in service since I've the Dell. No issues at all, except the rMBP.
I've tried HDMI-HDMI from rMBP to Dell. Same lousy display quality.
The Dell U2410 accepts DP, HDMI, DVI and VGA inputs.
On the monitor itself, I can press a few buttons to ask for display info. In both cases, the Dell reports it is displaying in 1920x1200 @ 60Hz. (So this rules out the problem of trying to display 1920x1080 on a 1920x1200 native display).
I've done a Factory Reset on the Dell, to no avail.
When the MacBookAir4,2 (2011 MBA) is connected, a range of resolutions is available:1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, 1920x1200x 1600x1200, 1600x1000, 1344x1008, 1344x840, 1280x1024, 1280x960, 1280x800, 1024x768, 1024x640, 960x600, 800x600, 800x500, 720x576, 640x480
When MacBookPro10,1 (rMBP) is connected, only 3 choices present itself:1920x1200, 1600x1000, 1280x800
Comparing the 2 Colors tab photos, notice how, when the rMBP is connected, the fonts have a white shadow all around the black fonts.
Comparing the 2 Display tab photos, look at the "1920" in the selected "1920x1200" option. Notice how, when the rMBP is connected, the bottom of the "1", "9", "2", "0" are smudged together

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joshcali wrote:
actually.... it doesn't.
the 1920 is simulated, and apple doesn't recommend it.
Apple doesn't offer the option of full resolution (2880x1800) and says everything other than 1440 x 900 won't look as good as 1440x900.
so while you can set the monitor to 17" resolution (1920x1080) it has to simulate it on a 2880x900 screen and has to blur and reinterpolate elements to make it work
they've really messed it up for anyone wanting true HD resolution for professional reasons.
Indeed. Everything except 2880x1800, which is unavailable without SwitchResX, and 1440x900, which comfortably fits one pixel of the image into a four pixel square of the Retina Display, must be simulated or scaled. However, while the scaling is real, the 17" "simulation" looks as good, to my eye at least, as my wife's MBP 17". Going smaller will test one's eyes probably as much as Apple's scaling algorithms so the tradeoff for greater screen real-estate may turn out not to be as bad as we'd think. All I need is a MBP Retina Display and SwitchResX to find out...

Screen real-estate on the 15" MBP Retina display

The 15" MacBook Pro Retina Display has a remarkable 2880x1800 pixel resolution, compared to the 27" LED display's 2560x1440. Normally, screen real-estate is defined as how much stuff (windows, menu bar items, bookmark lists, etc) you can fit on the screen, with a larger (that is, more pixels) screen being able to show more stuff using its native resolution.
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I'm aware that's not a simple question because, for example, I understand that an HD Movie could be displayed pixel for pixel even if everything else outside that window is scaled. Moreover, the use of vector graphics complicates the matter further. But for things like menu lists and word processing documents, can the MBP's Retina display be set to what we understand to be 1 to 1?

joshcali wrote:
actually.... it doesn't.
the 1920 is simulated, and apple doesn't recommend it.
Apple doesn't offer the option of full resolution (2880x1800) and says everything other than 1440 x 900 won't look as good as 1440x900.
so while you can set the monitor to 17" resolution (1920x1080) it has to simulate it on a 2880x900 screen and has to blur and reinterpolate elements to make it work
they've really messed it up for anyone wanting true HD resolution for professional reasons.
Indeed. Everything except 2880x1800, which is unavailable without SwitchResX, and 1440x900, which comfortably fits one pixel of the image into a four pixel square of the Retina Display, must be simulated or scaled. However, while the scaling is real, the 17" "simulation" looks as good, to my eye at least, as my wife's MBP 17". Going smaller will test one's eyes probably as much as Apple's scaling algorithms so the tradeoff for greater screen real-estate may turn out not to be as bad as we'd think. All I need is a MBP Retina Display and SwitchResX to find out...

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