The technical jargon surrounding display resolutions is getting more complicated by the day, even for tech-savvy consumers. So to end the confusion, we bring you a detailed explainer on display resolutions by pitting 720p vs 1080p vs 4K vs 8K against each other. In this article, we will see what they mean and how they’re different from one another. We will also discuss whether 8K TVs are worth the premium circa 2021.

Today, buyers are bombarded with terms like 2K, 4K, 8K, QHD, UHD, FHD and more, while trying to buy TVs, smartphones, and computer displays. Adding to the confusion are the new “+” designations used by smartphone-makers who advertise HD+ and FHD+ screens for their devices. So in this article, we will tell you about the difference between 720p vs 1080p vs 4K vs 8K, so that you can make an informed decision before buying your next big-screen TV.

  • “P” is for Pixels
  • Display, Image or Video Resolution
  • 720p (HD)
  • 1080p (FHD or Full HD)
  • 1440p (Quad HD or QHD)
  • 4K (UHD or Ultra HD)
  • 8K (UHD or Ultra HD)
  • What Does “+” Stand For in 720p HD+, 1080p FHD+ or 4K UHD+?
  • What is PPI?
  • 1080p vs 4K vs 8K: Availability and Content

“P” is for Pixels

To understand display resolutions, the first thing you need to know is what “p” stands for in 720p or 1080p. It refers to “pixels,” which are the building blocks of electronic displays. It is the smallest addressable element in a picture represented on a screen or paper. Each pixel represents a part of the original image, which typically consists of anywhere between a few thousand to several billion pixels.

Display, Image, or Video Resolution

Resolution measures the number of pixels in an image, video, or display panel. So 720p, 1080p, 4K, etc., refer to the number of pixels along the y-axis (vertical axis), typically in a 16:9 aspect ratio, unless otherwise stated. That means displays, images, or videos have 16 pixels along the horizontal axis for every 9 pixels along the vertical axis (or its multiples). Similarly, a panel with a 20:9 aspect ratio in a smartphone, for example, will have 20 pixels along its length for every 9 pixels along its width.

720p HD is the ‘original’ HD standard and has since been superseded by much higher resolutions. It typically refers to a 16:9 panel with 720 pixels along its width and 1280 pixels along its length. Hence, the standard is also often written as 1280 x 720. While it is only considered ‘basic’ HD today, 720p is still the primary display resolution standard in entry-level TVs and smartphones. It also remains a common standard for broadcast HDTV in many countries around the world.

Otherwise referred to as Full HD or FHD, 1080p offers almost twice the resolution of 720p HD. It was also the standard in the HDTV market for the better part of the last decade. Like 720p, 1080p also refers to 1080 pixels along the horizontal axis in landscape mode, with typically 1920 pixels vertically in a 16:9 panel. It is written as 1920 x 1080, assuming a universal 16:9 standard. Full HD 1080p remains the mainstream standard for high-resolution, especially for gaming and broadcast television.

Not to be confused with qHD or quarter HD (960 x 540), the all-caps ‘QHD’ standard refers to ‘Quad HD,’ which is exactly four times the pixel density of 720p HD. In a typical 16:9 panel, the Quad HD resolution (also referred to as 1440p) would translate to 2560 x 1440 pixels, which means it is significantly sharper than the 1080p standard. It used to be relatively common in high-end gaming monitors a few years ago but has now given way to 4K UHD resolution in high-end systems.

4K (UHD or Ultra HD): Is 4K Better than 1080p?

This is the latest high-resolution standard that is only available in a handful of premium TVs. It refers to an image or display resolution with a length of approximately 8,000 pixels. 8K UHD refers to a resolution of 7680 × 4320 and offers four times the number of pixels as 4K and 16 times that of 1080p. It is the highest resolution defined in the Rec.2020 UHDTV standard. All major consumer electronics manufacturers have been launching 8K TVs for the past few years. However, given the costs associated with creating and transmitting 8K content, it is unlikely to become mainstream anytime soon.

Ever since the 16:9 display standard was adopted in TVs and computer monitors almost two decades back, pixel resolutions have always been written assuming that aspect ratio. However, with resolutions such as 18:9 (2:1), 20:9, and 21:9 (7:3) becoming more common in modern smartphones and ultra-wide gaming monitors, manufacturers now add a “+” to the traditional resolutions to depict the additional pixels.

For example, in modern smartphones with a 20:9 aspect ratio, ‘FHD+’ translates to 2400 x 1080 pixels instead of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Similarly, an HD+ device will have 1600 x 720 pixels in a 20:9 panel or 1440 x 720 in an 18:9 (2:1) panel. Essentially, the width retains 720 or 1080 pixels, while the number of pixels along the length increases based on the aspect ratio. HD+, FHD+, or UHD+ displays typically have similar sharpness to HD, FHD, and UHD devices, respectively, but the actual sharpness depends on the PPI or Pixels per Inch.

Pixels per Inch (PPI) is the ultimate measure of how sharp a display truly is. That’s because true sharpness doesn’t come from more pixels per se, but it depends on how densely those pixels are packed. So a 1080p FHD or 4K display on a smartphone will be many times sharper than a television with identical resolution. In fact, an HD or HD+ screen on a smartphone with a 6-inch display will still be sharper than a gigantic FHD screen at a stadium. That’s because the former will pack more ‘pixels per inch’ as compared to the latter.

It wasn’t long ago that you only had to decide between and SD (Standard Definition), HD (High Definition), and HD-ready displays when it came to buying televisions. Those days, however, are long gone. Today, with so many different resolutions vying for your attention at multiple price points, it can be a bit overwhelming for most mainstream consumers. So hopefully, you found this article helpful in cutting through the tech jargon and offering a basic understanding of 720p vs 1080p vs 4K vs 8K display resolutions.