A display resolution standard is a commonly used width and height dimension (display resolution) of an electronic visual display device, measured in pixels. This information is used for electronic devices such as a computer monitor. Certain combinations of width and height are standardized (e.g. by VESA[1][2]) and typically given a name and an initialism which is descriptive of its dimensions.
The graphics display resolution is also known as the display mode or the video mode, although these terms usually include further specifications such as the image refresh rate and the color depth. The resolution itself only indicates the number of distinct pixels that can be displayed on a screen, which affects the sharpness and clarity of the image. It can be controlled by various factors, such as the type of display device, the signal format, the aspect ratio, and the refresh rate.[3]
Some graphics display resolutions are frequently referenced with a single number (e.g. in "1080p" or "4K"), which represents the number of horizontal or vertical pixels. More generally, any resolution can be expressed as two numbers separated by a multiplication sign (e.g. "1920×1080"), which represent the width and height in pixels.[4] Since most screens have a landscape format to accommodate the human field of view, the first number for the width (in columns) is larger than the second for the height (in lines), and this conventionally holds true for handheld devices that are predominatly or even exclusively used in portrait orientation.
The graphics display resolution is influenced by the aspect ratio, which is the ratio of the width to the height of the display. The aspect ratio determines how the image is scaled and stretched or cropped to fit the screen. The most common aspect ratios for graphics displays are 4:3, 16:10 (equal to 8:5), 16:9, and "21:9". The aspect ratio also affects the perceived size of objects on the screen.[5]
The native screen resolution together with the physical dimensions of the graphics display can be used to calculate its pixel density. An increase in the pixel density often correlates with a decrease in the size of individual pixels on a display. Some graphics displays support multiple resolutions and aspect ratios, which can be changed by the user or by the software.[6] In particular, some devices use a hardware/native resolution that is a simple multiple of the recommended software/virtual resolutions in order to show finer details; marketing terms for this include "Retina display".
- ^ "VESA Coordinated Video Timings (CVT) Standard – Version 1.2" (PDF). VESA. February 8, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
- ^ "VESA Coordinated Video Timings (CVT) Standard – Version 1.2" (PDF). VESA. February 8, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2023. pp. 10–11:
VESA CVT 1.2 recommends only 4:3, 16:10 (8:5), and 16:9 aspect ratios for newly introduced display resolutions. Exceptions will be made only in the case of a long-established industry standard (e.g., the 1280 x 1024 format, which is a 5:4 aspect ratio), or in the case of a clear need.
- ^ "Display resolution". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
- ^ "What Is Display Resolution?". Lifewire. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
- ^ "How to calculate the optimum monitor size at any resolution". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
- ^ "Screen Resolutions and Why They Matter". How-To Geek. Retrieved 2023-04-27.