720p vs 1080p vs 1440p vs 4K vs 8K – Which Should I Choose?

Choosing a new display, but not sure which resolution you should pick? Is 4K or 8K worth it? What about 1440p? This guide will help you make the right pick.

Answer:

You should choose a monitor resolution according to your budget, computer configuration, and the desired frame rate.

By all means, don’t get a 720p monitor, as 1080p is the standard and quite affordable nowadays.

Go for 1440p or 4K only if you are sure that your PC will be able to handle it.

The higher the resolution, the better, right? You get more pixels, which means a better image quality with more vivid details, as well as extra screen real estate.

However, there are some advantages to a lower resolution display too. Since it’s less demanding to drive, you can achieve higher frame rates and, therefore, smoother performance.

For everyday use, such as web surfing, working with spreadsheets, etc., this isn’t an issue. Even with an entry-level gaming graphics card (or a modern CPU with integrated graphics), you can smoothly get by for regular desktop use.

For gaming, on the other hand, there are many things to take into consideration. All of which we’ll cover in this article – but first, let’s deal with the basics.

What Is Screen Resolution?

720p vs 1080p vs 4k

An essential aspect of choosing a new monitor is the maximum supported resolution (native resolution). The resolution is basically the number of pixels in the width and the height.

A 1920×1080 resolution means that you have a width consisting of 1920 pixels, and a height of 1080 pixels, totaling 1920 * 1080 = 2,073,600 pixels.

The most popular widescreen resolutions are:

  • 1280×720 (HD, 720p)
  • 1920×1080 (FHD, Full HD, 1080p)
  • 2560×1440 (QHD, WQHD, Quad HD, 1440p)
  • 3840×2160 (UHD, Ultra HD, 4K, 2160p)
  • 7680×4320 (8K Ultra HD, 8K, 4320p)

Additionally, you may stumble upon ultra-wide resolutions that have a 21:9 aspect ratio as opposed to the standard 16:9 – such as 2560×1080 (UltraWide Full HD),  3440×1440 (UltraWide Quad HD), and 3840×1600 (UltraWide Quad HD+).

Sometimes, certain resolutions feature a 16:10 aspect ratio for extra vertical screen space, often beneficial for productivity. These are 1920×1200, 2560×1600, and so on.

There are also 32:9 ‘super’ ultrawide monitors with screen resolutions of 7680×2160, 5120×1440 and 3840×1080 or 3840×1200. These are basically as wide as two 16:9 monitors put side by side, but without the bezels in between them.

While there are 8K monitors and TVs already available now, you shouldn’t get one as they are costly, and you’ll hardly find any 8K content anyway.

Also, don’t get a 720p display, as 1080p is a big improvement and the standard for new content; what’s more, it’s quite affordable nowadays.

Screen Size & Pixel Density

1080p monitor vs 4K (Scaling)

Another vital fact to take into account when looking for a new display is the relation between the screen size and the resolution, also referred to as the pixel density or pixels per inch.

For instance, the 1080p resolution won’t look the same on a 24-inch monitor and a 27-inch monitor. Because the screen is smaller, there will be more pixels per inch, and hence the picture will be more vibrant and clear.

Too low pixel density will make tiny items such as icons appear pixelated, while text will be smudgy. If the pixel density is too high, everything will appear small, but you will be able to scale the interface and get a more detailed picture.

Refer to the chart below to find the optimal viewing distance for certain screen size/resolution ratios at which individual pixels aren’t distinguishable from one another.

You can also use this PPI calculator.

4k vs 1440p

Screen Resolution For Gaming

In video games, it’s not always all about the picture quality.

Many players willingly sacrifice image quality for better performance. This is particularly the case with competitive FPS games.

Certain gaming monitors offer a higher refresh rate than the standard, such as 144Hz, 240Hz, 360Hz, 540Hz, etc., which allows them to display the frame rates faster for a lot smoother gameplay.

The higher the framerate, the more demanding CPU/GPU requirements are at a given resolution. That’s why many gamers opt for 1080p 144Hz gaming monitors instead of 1440p 60Hz. Or, for that matter, a 1440p 240Hz display rather than 4K 144Hz, etc.

In the end, it all comes down to your personal preference.

Would you like a better image quality? Go for the higher resolution display.

If you play fast-paced and competitive games, you’ll find that a higher refresh rate monitor will make your gaming experience more enjoyable rather than one with a higher resolution.

Finally, you have to make sure that your PC gear will meet the requirements of your desired resolution/frame rate for certain video games.

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Rob Shafer

Rob is a software engineer with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver. He now works full-time managing DisplayNinja while coding his own projects on the side.