What Is 'Resolution' for Displays or Images? GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > MS Office 38 38 people found this article helpful
What Is 'Resolution' for Displays or Images?
By Wendy Russell Wendy Russell Writer Brock University Former Lifewire writer Wendy Russell is an experienced teacher specializing in live communications, graphics design, and PowerPoint software. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 7, 2019 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email MS Office Powerpoint Word Excel Outlook The term resolution describes the number of dots, or pixels, that an image contains or that can be displayed on a computer monitor, television, or other display device. These dots number in the thousands or millions, and the higher their number, the greater the image's clarity and quality. Resolution in Computer Monitors
A computer monitor's resolution refers to the approximate number of pixels the device is capable of displaying. It's expressed as the number of horizontal dots by the number of vertical dots; for example, an 800 x 600 resolution means the device can show 800 pixels across by 600 pixels down. In total, this screen displays 480,000 pixels. Phillip Suddick/Getty Images Common computer monitor resolutions include: 1366 x 7681600 x 9001920 x 10802560 x 14403840 x 2160 (often referred to as 4k resolution) Resolution in TVs
For televisions, resolution is similar but is expressed a bit differently. TV picture quality focuses more on pixel density than it does the gross number of pixels. In other words, the number of pixels per unit of area (generally an inch) dictates the picture's quality, rather than the total number of pixels. Thus, a TV's resolution is expressed in pixels per inch (PPI or P). The most common TV resolutions are 720p, 1080p, and 2160p, all of which are considered high definition. Resolution in Images
The resolution of an electronic image (photo, graphic, etc.) refers to the number of pixels it contains, usually expressed as millions of pixels, or megapixels (MP). Digital cameras and smartphone cameras are usually rated by the number of megapixels in the images they capture. The greater an image's resolution, the better its quality. As with computer monitors, the measurement is expressed as width by height, multiplied to yield a number in megapixels. For example, an image that is 2048 pixels across by 1536 pixels down (2048 x 1536) contains 3,145,728 pixels; in other words, it's a 3.1-megapixel (3MP) image. The Takeaway
Whether referring to computer monitors, TVs, or images, resolution is an indicator of the clarity and quality of a display or image. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Choose a Computer Monitor How to Buy a TV in 2022 What Is the Screen Door Effect? How to Make High-Resolution Images OLED vs. LED: Which TV Display is Better? How to Fix Screen Burn on Any Screen HDR vs. 4K: What's the Difference? How Many Pixels in an Inch (PPI)? How to Take High-Resolution Photos How to Resize an Image in Photoshop What's an LCD? (Liquid Crystal Display) What Is 4K Resolution? Overview and Perspective of Ultra HD 720p vs. 1080i vs. 1080p Small Photo Camera Image Quality Settings Tips Guide to Tablet Displays The 9 Best Computer Monitors, Tested by Lifewire Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies