Computer and TV monitor manufacturers often use acronyms to define their hardware’s capabilities and this is something that common people like us don’t understand. Well, if you are in this category, your doubts are going to get clear by the end of this article.
To be more specific, we want to discuss different types of screen resolutions like HD, Full HD, UHD, 8k. that are available in the market. Plus, you will see a separate section where we have compared these resolutions so the next time you buy a display device, you know what to go for. So, without much further ado, let’s begin.
Table of Contents
HD Ready:
In the simplest terms, HD Ready can be explained as the resolutions that can support an image of 720 pixels.
The pixels of a screen are measured by estimating the height and width. So, if a display device holds a resolution of 720 x 1280, this means its height is 720p and width is 1280p. Depending on where you live, HD Ready’s definition can slightly be different. For Instance:
- In Europe – HD Ready for television means that your TV has the capabilities to show 720 pixels images. Here, the digital tuner doesn’t play an important role in getting an HD READY logo on your TV, the TV should be able to output 720p and it will get the print.
- In the USA – your television comes with an integrated digital tuner and supports up to 720p. Your television will have an HD READY logo, however, this logo could also be printed on the computer, projectors, and other monitors which don’t even have a digital tuner.
Today, the minimum default resolution in display devices is 720p. This means TVs, computer monitors, projectors, and almost any similar devices will easily support 720 pixels.
Full HD:
Full High Definition resolution in a display device means it has the capabilities to show an image of 1080 pixels at 1920 x 1080. A Full HD resolution is common in widescreen TVs and computer monitors with an aspect ratio of 16:9
4K:
This is the most common resolution in new television and computer monitors. Don’t get confused by other names given to this resolution. It goes by Ultra HD or UHD. It has four times the resolution from 1080p or Full HD.
In simple terms, a 4K can be defined as a horizontal display resolution with approx. four thousand pixels.
8K:
If you say a TV is an 8K, this means it has a screen resolution of eight thousand pixels. 8K or Super High Vision is a successor of 4K and is the highest resolution as per 2020 standards.
An 8K screen resolution means 7680 x 4320 pixels and a total pixel of approximately 33 million. Currently, Super High Vision is not available on most television but, in a few years, it will become common.
Here is a table for better understanding of Resolutions.
| Resolution Name | Other Names | Horizontal Pixels x Vertical Pixels |
|---|---|---|
| HD Ready | 720p, HD, High Definition, HD TV | 1280 x 720 |
| Full HD | 1080p, FHD, Full HD 1080p, High Definition | 1920x1080 |
| 4K | Ultra-High Definition, UHD, UHD 4K | 3840x2160 |
| 8K | Super High Vision, UHD-2. UHD 8K | 7680x4320 |
720p vs. 1080i:
Now, you may get confused if you see a device that has specifications written as – ‘HD Ready 720p’ and it ‘Display 1080i.’ First, let us clarify what ‘p’ and ‘i’ stands for.
The ‘p’ in HD Ready 720p stands for Progressive Scan and ‘i’ in the HD Ready 1080i stands for Interlaced Scan. Progressive and Interlaced scans are two different methods that help the TV to display each frame of the video.
Here is a simple way to understand – 1080p resolution display 1080 horizontal lines in one frame whereas, 1080i displays half the horizontal lines in one frame and half horizontal lines in the next frame. The whole idea is to trick the eyes that there is one single picture, but sooner or later the quality is exposed.
Bear in mind that 1080p is Full HD, but 1080i is not. Any specification saying ‘i’ can be a sign of sales tricks used in the showroom. So, the bottom line is – 1080i does not have a better quality than 720p.
Difference Between 4K UHD and Full HD and 8K?
Let’s begin this section by understanding the difference between Ultra HD and 4K resolution.
4K resolution is the term that originated in cinema-standard or professional production. The native resolution of 4K is 4096 x 2160 which is four times than its predecessors 2K (2048 x 1080). It also refers to the fact that, in a 4K resolution, the horizontal pixels are roughly four thousand.
Ultra-High Definition, on the other hand, is considered to be a consumer format that comes with a slightly lower resolution i.e. 2160 x 3840. It is not the same as 4K resolutions of cinema standard yet manufacturers advertise their product with 4K label. And this is why these words are used interchangeably.
A Full HD resolution offers 1920 x 1080 pixels and is most common in video content, Blu-ray Players, and many televisions. It is also known as 1080p or FHD and is a successor of HD or 720p.
Talking about an 8K resolution, it is the latest and highest display resolution in the market that supports up to eight thousand pixels. An 8K screen represents a resolution of 7680 x 4320. Commercially, manufacturers like Samsung, Sony, and LG are convincing the market that 8K is worth the investment.
What About Gaming in Full and 4K?
As a simple rule, the higher the resolution the sharper the image, and the better will be the experience. So, if you are planning to switch from 1080p to a 4K machine just to play the desired game, go ahead.
Some of the best consoles to play games in 4K are PS4 Pro, Xbox Series X, and PS 5 that supports games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Uncharted 4, Gear 5, and competitive games like Battlefield, FIFA, Call of Duty, and much more.
4K gaming consoles tend to have a refresh rate of 120 Hz and more. However, a cheaper console may have 60 Hz which is fine.
What kind of cables will I need for 4K?
To begin with, a standard HDMI cable and DisplayPort should do the trick. HDMI cables come in 4 variants:
- High Speed with Ethernet
- High Speed without Ethernet
- Standard Speed without Ethernet
- Standard Speed with Ethernet
High-speed cables can transfer 4K video at 24fps while, standard speed HDMI cables can handle 1080i but may not be able to handle the bandwidth of 4K. The data transfer speed will also depend on the connector. The latest HDMI specification is 2.0 which transfers 4K video at 120 fps and 8K video at 60 fps.
Another cable you can use is the DisplayPort which gives the output of 4K at 60 fps.
Conclusion
When it comes to screen resolution there are four major categories that had or are serving in this modern age. We are talking about HD, Full HD, 4K, and 8K resolution.
The latest and highest resolution that we have is 8K that supports up to eight thousand pixels. HD or 720p is the minimum resolution that you will get in most display devices and could be found in old televisions, and computer monitors. However, the most common resolution is Full HD i.e. 1080p and 4K.
To summarize the article in one line we would say – if you want sharper images, smooth quality, and a better experience go for a higher resolution screen. Good luck!
