In today’s gaming era, it’s better to have a higher resolution in a monitor or TV. And this is recommended by tech geeks too. Especially if you are using a computer or a USB powered monitor, you will easily find the difference of various resolutions as you are sitting at right close to it. As 8K monitors are still in process and will not available in the near future, 4K displays are the targets in recent times.
What is a screen resolution?
A screen resolution is the measure of Pixels by considering the width and height. For example, if a monitor has 1280 x 720P resolution that means its width has 1280 Pixels and height has 720 Pixels; the total number of pixels which the screen has is 1280 x 720 = 921600.
There are some popular screen resolutions like;
- 8K (Full Ultra HD, 4320P, FUHD, 7680 x 4320), (Not yet available)
- 4K (Ultra HD, 2160P, UHD, 3840 x 2160)
- 1440P (Quad HD, QHD, WQHD, 2560 x 1440)
- 2K (Full HD, FHD, 1080P, 1920 x 1080)
- 720P (HD, 1280 x 720)
The higher resolution you have, the better and sharp images you will see. As the 720P resolutions are not available anymore, so you will not get a new or even old second-hand 720P monitor from the market.
What is a Pixel?
A pixel is an illumination of an image. That means a pixel is an area in which the images or videos are composed. It is the basic unit of the programmable color on a computer screen. Pixel does not come with any definite size, but it relies on the panel size and the type of resolution used on it.
Why is screen resolution important?
When you choose a monitor or TV, especially if it will be your second portable display, then you should know about its maximum resolution capabilities. This is very important because if you are working on dual display setup, then they should match each other’s resolution capabilities. This helps you to have a desired viewing experience. Here I have compared the different screen resolutions like 1440P Vs 1080P, 2K Vs 4K, 8K Vs 4K, 720P Vs 1440P which narrates the information on the capabilities of a gaming display.
Having knowledge of all the screen resolution types will surely help you to choose the most suitable for your needs. So, let’s take a look at the comparison.
Contents
1440P Vs 1080P
As stated before, 1440P is a type of Quad HD resolution measured as 2560 x 1440 Pixels. It offers four times more resolution than a 720P HD resolution. Today, many gaming monitors, smartphones, and other devices come with 1440P QHD resolution. And this happens mainly due to the refresh rate of the display can be increased to 144Hz with a compatible graphics card.
The 1080P (2K) provides five times better and sharper images than the 720P HD resolution. Yes, you can use this for your gaming needs and other purposes, but it offers the best performance with the older gaming consoles like PlayStation 1, PS 2, Nintendo GameCube, etc. Though it mainly helps to have a 60Hz refresh rate for the computer monitors, with the latest graphics cards, you can increase it up to 144Hz.
- If you have a 27-inch monitor, then 1080P will give 81.59 Pixels Per Inch (PPI) while the 1440P will provide 108.79 PPI on the same.
- Both have the 16:9 aspect ratio.
- When you upgrade or buy a new gaming PC equipment, then the resolution matters. Like to maintain a 60Hz refresh rate on WQHD, you will need an AMD R9 390 or NVIDIA 970 GTX graphics card. And to maintain the same, 2K needs NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti or AMD R9 290.
2K Vs 4K
When we compare 2K with 8K, 2K (1080P) is the most common PC resolution used today. According to a survey, almost 46% of total computers in the world use 2K resolution. This FHD is favorable amongst the gaming nerds. It offers excellent support for the 60FPS refresh rate for the monitor which is best for almost all the games played today. All such great features come at a hard-to-beat price which is another great advantage.
When we discuss 4K, we talk about the latest, most advanced, and currently the top resolution for the monitors. For movie lovers, the 2160P is the best resolution to have. It surely has a higher image quality than all the current monitor resolutions available in the market. Though 4K is rare and you can’t get it easily, the specially built Ultra HD Blue-rays and UHD streaming content on Amazon, Netflix will enhance your video streaming experience without any doubt.
- Though 4K is better, as the majority of monitor technologies, TV, and cinema screens meant for 2K, it is more preferable than 4K.
- 1080P monitors are cheaper and creating the 2K DCP (Digital Cinema Prints) is faster than of 4K.
- When it comes to image quality and viewing experience, 4K is better because it has doubled vertical and horizontal resolution than of 2K.
4K Vs 8K
As the name suggests, the 4K video has 4000 horizontal pixels. It provides a clearer and sharper quality of the picture, and this is the main reason the movie watchers prefer to use 4K TVs and projectors. It allows to zoom in a picture and reframe it without losing the quality by an inch.
8K provides doubled horizontal resolution than 4K. It provides vivid, sharp images in such a perfect manner that even if you stand right in front of an 8K UHDTV, you will not see any pixel block. It surely offers an enhanced and exciting visual experience.
- The 8k monitor has 33-Million pixels while the 4K works on 8-Million pixels.
- 4K provides 550 horizontal viewing angle, while 8K offers 1000 for the same.
- 4K supports 5.1 audio channel, while 8K supports up to 22.2 audio channels.
720P Resolution
Providing the doubled clarity than the standard definition TVs i.e. 360P, the HD 720P resolution is the minimum requirement to play a high-definition content. All the modern TVs, gaming displays, and consoles stream on higher resolution these days, but that doesn’t mean 720P is no more. Still, channels like ESPN, Fox, ABC, and all their partners broadcast content on 720 Pixel resolution. It is the cheapest and smallest HD resolution which can be seen on older TV sets, USB powered monitors, cell phones, and other media streaming devices.
Which screen resolution is best for gaming?
Different resolutions meant for different purposes. There are also other recommendations present like 5K, 6K and 7K displays which can be seen in some rare devices and platforms. They provide good graphics working abilities, but the budget is a big consideration that everyone takes. When we talk about gaming, the choice of screen resolution becomes more important. It effects not only on the game play but also plays a significant role in choosing other required to build a perfect gaming PC.
If you prefer low range PCs like dual-core processors and primary graphics cards, you can go with the 1080P monitors with the 60FPS rate. For the users who have mid range devices like quad-core CPU with slightly higher versions of graphics, the 1080P with 90Hz to 120Hz monitor will be a good option. And for the higher ranges, 1080P with 120 to 144Hz gaming monitor is the best choice to go with. You can also go with the 1440P monitors or 4K displays, but they require a big task to match with the frame rate capability of the screen.
People also ask
Now, we shall answer a few common questions on this topic.
1) Is there a big difference between 1440p and 4K?
Not really. 1440p is usually the better choice for gaming with a good refresh rate (above 100).
2) Is there a big difference between 720p and 1080p?
There is some difference between 720p and 1080p. 1080p images are clear and smooth. However, the difference is more clear in 1080i.
3) What resolution is better – 1440p or 1080p?
1440p is a better resolution.
4) Is 1440p vs 4K noticeable?
Not really.
5) Is 720p good quality?
Yes, it is quite good for regular viewing.
6) Is 2K the same as 1440p?
Yes, it is.
7) Is 720p bad quality?
No, it is not. It is good enough for YouTube videos, working on MS Word, and playing 2D games. Only if you are into highly interactive, fast-paced games will you need better resolution.
8) What is full HD resolution?
Full HD or FHD is 1920 x 1080 pixels.
9) Is 720p okay for gaming?
This depends on the type of games you play. For regular games on a small screen, 720p should be okay.
10) Is full HD better than HD?
Yes, it is.
11) Is full HD still good?
Of course, it is.
The choice is yours, you can go with the most advanced and greatest screen resolution available at no bar prices like 4K or 1440P, or can go with the most common resolution like 2K or 1080P, which can get at affordable rates yet offering similar to high-quality image results.
Let me know which resolution you will like to go with and which fits your needs. Hit the comment section below.