Whether you work or play on your PC, you always want to have the best experience in terms of picture quality and resolution. In this article, we will compare two popular screen resolutions, namely 1080p and 1440p, also known as 1920x1080 vs 2560x1440 screen sizes.
Let's first start by examining both resolutions and understanding how they work and how they deliver their images to your PC monitor or TV set.
Monitors with 1920 x 1080 Pixels vs 2560 x 1440 Pixels – Understanding Your Screen Resolution
When looking at specs for any screen size, including those mentioned in this post, you will typically find that they are measured in pixel format, i.e., 1920 x 1080 vs 2560 x 1440. The pixels represent the smallest physical unit of a screen which when combined can deliver a complete image to your eyes. So when these two resolutions are compared, the higher number always represents a larger area or size for this complete image.
In this case, if we look at both screen sizes and try to understand them in terms of what they mean in real life, it becomes apparent that 2560 x 1440 is bigger in terms of the total number of pixels on your display.
Amazon Bestsellers of 1920 x 1080 screen and 2560 x 1440 screen
What does bigger actually mean in real life? Well, the best way to think about any monitor or TV set is to imagine an old-fashioned grid of 9 smaller boxes which can be arranged in a 3x3 fashion. If your screen size was 1920 x 1080, it would mean that you have 5 of these small boxes sitting side by side for a total of five rows on your display. Similarly, if your screen size is 2560 x 1440, you will have 7 of these small boxes sitting together to make up seven rows of smaller boxes.
So when you are looking at the number on paper the higher resolution always means more pixels/boxes are available to form an image on your display. This does not translate into better picture quality or overall experience though. Such conclusions must be drawn after understanding what kind of input resolutions support and how they deliver their output image via connections like VGA/DVI/HDMI etc.
1920x1080 vs 2560x1440 - Understanding Input, Output Resolution
The one key difference between traditional screen resolutions like 1920 x 1080 and 2560 x 1440 is that the latter supports higher input resolution, i.e., you can feed any video source into your device at a much larger size before it scales down to its native display resolution. This means that if you are using an older PC monitor or TV set which supports only VGA connectivity but cannot accept anything beyond 1920 x 1080, you will get picture quality inferior to what would have been displayed on a screen with support for inputs up to 2560 x 1440 pixels. On the other hand, if you are looking for great picture quality without having to upgrade your display, most modern TVs can easily accept 1080p input signals and will scale them up to the native 2560 x 1440 size for a better viewing experience.
Popular 2560x1440 aspect ratio
1920x1080 monitor vs 2560x1440 screen – Who Wins?
If you are trying to decide between these two screen sizes, it is helpful to look at the bigger picture and understand how they work in real-life scenarios. If you need a bigger screen area with great picture quality but don't want to upgrade your PC monitor or TV set, choose a screen size of 1920 x 1080 pixels. On the other hand, if you already have a big screen that supports inputs up to 2560 x 1440 pixels, there is no reason not to go with this higher resolution. You might even consider buying a new TV if your existing model cannot accept such high-resolution signals. You also get more room to play with for work and other tasks on large screens like these.
Why does monitor resolution matter?
A monitor with a higher resolution shows sharper images. You can see more details on a 4K monitor than on a Full HD monitor. A 4K screen is particularly beneficial for film fans, creative designers, and avid gamers. A full HD computer monitor is often used for general use. QHD is exactly in between.
One of the first and most important decisions you make before buying a monitor is about its sharpness. Together with the screen size, it determines how detailed the image is. The resolution you should choose mainly depends on what you intend to use the monitor for.
Full HD: games, Netflix, internet, email, and word processing.
QHD: Gaming, Netflix, editing photos and videos as a hobby.
4K: games, Netflix, professional graphic design.
5K: Future proof, gaming, Netflix, professional graphic design.
Ultrawide: additional screen space, multitasking, Netflix, watching movies.
Game Battlefield 1920x1080 vs 2560x1440
How to Choose Your Monitor Resolution
If you're not sure what monitor resolution is best for you, take a look at your PC or laptop and check out its screen size. Then check the resolutions supported by your graphics card. Scan through these options until you find one that matches the size of your current screen. For example, if your current device has an 18-inch display with a maximum resolution of 1280 x 1024 pixels, make sure your next monitor has the same number of pixels across its horizontal axis (1280) but more rows down its vertical axis (~1024). The new model will have exactly the same physical dimensions as the old one but twice as many pixels in both directions. This means it will display much sharper images.
Supported resolutions for different screen sizes:
17 inch: 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1080 and 2560 x 1440
19 inch: 1280x1024, 1440 x 900, 1680 x 1050 and 1920 x 1080.
22 to 24 inches: All resolutions from 1366 x 768 to 3840 × 2160 (4K).
27 to 30 inches: All resolutions from 1920 x 1080 to 5120×2880 (5K).
32 inches and larger: All resolutions up to 5120×2880 (5K) or even 7680×4320 (8K if you can find one!).
Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels): gaming, web surfing, email and word processing
Full HD creates the least sharp resolution. It can be used for general purposes such as emailing, surfing the Internet, viewing photos, word processing, or working on spreadsheets. This does not require a particularly high resolution. You can watch Netflix series in full HD quality and YouTube videos in 1080p. You can also play games in a maximum of Full HD resolution. This is suitable for inexperienced gamers or fanatical e-athletes. Because the lower the resolution, the smoother your game is.
Popular Full HD Display
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QHD: Gaming, hobby editing of photos and videos
QHD, also known as Quad HD or 2K, is 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. This resolution thus offers a perfect balance between Full HD and 4K. On a QHD monitor, you see images twice as sharp as on a Full HD monitor. This is useful if you are using Photoshop or want to edit a 1440p video. Gaming in QHD offers crisp playback without the need for a priceless graphics card. QHD is also very suitable for playing games.
If you are serious about your game graphics but don't want to invest in a 4K monitor, QHD is the best choice. This resolution offers more than enough information for an amazing gaming experience. However, do not be disappointed if you still notice some artifacts while playing in Ultra HD (4K) resolution since this often requires very powerful hardware.
QHD has become very popular among gamers and Pro users who require top performance.
Popular QHD
Do you prefer the sharpest pictures? Then choose a 4K screen.
4K: gaming, professional graphics
With 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, 4K is twice as sharp as QHD and four times as sharp as Full HD. 4K is best known for watching movies. Indeed, to watch a UHD movie, you need a 4K monitor. With 4K, creative professionals can see every detail when editing photos or videos. Die-hard gamers will be delighted thanks to razor-sharp characters and lifelike landscapes. The only downside is the hefty price tag attached to 4K monitors.
Just like with Full HD monitors, the lower the resolution, the more you notice any irregularities in-game graphics.
It's worth mentioning that there are still many games that do not run in 4K or offer limited support.
4K has become very common among gamers and Pro users who need top performance.
If you cannot afford to buy a 4K monitor, go for a QHD display. It is often cheaper and offers very good picture quality.
Popular 4K
5K: Professional editing
4K is just not enough for some people. A new level has been set with a resolution of 5,120 x 2,800 pixels: the so-called 5K resolution. When viewing 4K content on a 5K screen, you still see crisp images - but they are only half as sharp as when they are displayed on a native 5K monitor. The big difference is in the way images are processed and handled by the computer. If you regularly work with huge image libraries or edit videos, then a full 5K display gives you extra headroom to do your job without worrying about memory limitations or waiting hours for an operation to be completed.
If professional video editing is your and money does not matter, then a 5K monitor is the only option. We have to bear in mind that these monitors are very expensive and require a seriously powerful PC to operate at full speed. In addition, programs need to be designed for 5K screens to work properly.
If you want the very best screen performance regardless of price, then go with a 5K display.
Popular 5k
Ultrawide QHD: surfing the web, watching movies or TV series, editing large spreadsheets or photos/videos
An ultrawide screen offers extra screen space compared to traditional monitors due to its size and format. The image below visualizes the difference in size and aspect ratio:
The Ultrawide screen makes it perfect for multitasking. You can watch movies with a friend on one screen and work with Excel on the other. The large curved screens even make it suitable as an alternative to a TV (and provide you with benefits such as USB ports, speakers, and lots of connectivity options). Games also look great on an ultrawide monitor with the vertical resolution, since this is very close to the common 21:9 cinema format.
Ultrawide monitors are perfect for enjoying immersive entertainment and ultra-precise game control.
Popular Ultrawide
Final words: Resolution vs. monitor size
A resolution is a certain number of pixels regardless of the screen size. A 32-inch full HD screen, therefore, appears significantly less sharp than a 22-inch full HD screen. Therefore, pay particular attention to the pixel density. It indicates the number of pixels per inch, regardless of its size. From 90 ppi you can expect a sharp picture. Also, note that symbols and text get smaller the larger the resolution. This offers more space on the screen but makes it less legible.
FAQ
1920x1080 vs 2560x1440
1920×1080 amounts to 2,073,600 pixels while 2560×1440 or WQHD has 3,686,400 — that's 78% more pixels! Both resolutions have 16:9 aspect ratio. The best way to illustrate the difference between the two resolutions is by comparing how they look on the same-sized display, let's say a 27-inch monitor.
Is 1920x1080 the same as 1440p?
Why is it called 1440p? Those familiar with the nomenclature for resolutions probably know that the number refers to the height, in pixels, of the resolution. So, just as 1920×1080 is shortened to 1080p, 2560×1440 gets shortened to 1440p.
Is 2560x1440 considered 4K?
2560x1440 — QHD/WQHD (Quad HD) / 1440p. 3840x2160 — UHD (Ultra HD) / 4K 2160p. 7680×4320 — FUHD (Full Ultra HD) / 8K 4320p.
Is 2560x1440 considered 2K?
2K displays are those whose width falls in the 2,000-pixel range. More often than not, you'll find 2K monitors with a display resolution of 2560x1440, that's why it's often shortened to 1440p. However, this resolution is officially considered Quad HD (QHD). As such, many monitors claim their resolution as 2K QHD.
Is 1440p worth it over 1080p?
Is 1440p really better than 1080p? From our personal experience in the comparison of 1080p vs 1440p, we can conclude that 1440p is better to 1080p because it provides a larger screen surface workspace footprint, greater image definition sharpness accuracy, and more screen real estate.
Is there a noticeable difference between 1440p and 4K?
There is not a huge amount of difference between 4k and 1440p anyway even with a larger screen, but above all, 1440p is a much better gaming experience all around.
Is PS5 4K?
In short, yes, the PS5 is native 4K and can output UHD resolutions of 3840 x 2160p (4K) when using any of the best 4K TVs or monitors. Of course, the PS5 will be able to output a 4K resolution at 120fps thanks to the HDMI 2.1 standard, which means the best HDMI 2.1 monitors should work with Sony's newest console.
What resolution is 1920x1080?
In the case of a monitor with an industry-standard Full HD 1080p resolution, this display has a resolution of 1920 x 1080. This means that the screen will have a width of 1,920 pixels while the height of the screen will be 1,080 pixels. This results in a grand total of 2,073,600 pixels on-screen.
Why is 4K not 2K?
UltraHD is considered part of the 4K family of resolutions because it is on the order of 4,000 pixels wide. Terms like 480p/720p/1080p had their origin in television (the "p" meaning "progressive," as opposed to "i" for "interlaced"), but terms like 2K and 4K came from cinema.
What resolution is 1440p60?
QHD (Quad HD) or WQHD (Wide Quad HD) is the designation for a commonly used display resolution of 2560 × 1440 pixels in a 16:9 aspect ratio.
What resolution is better 1080p or 1440p?
In the comparison 1080p vs 1440p, we can define that 1440p is better than 1080p as this resolution provides more screen surface workspace footprint, more sharpness accuracy in image definition, and larger screen real estate.
Which is better 1080p or 1440p?
In general, 1080p only looks good on 24-inch or smaller displays. Go any larger, and you will start to see pixelation (individual pixels become visible), which diminishes the quality of on-screen content. On the other hand, 1440p allows you to rock a much larger display with acceptable sharpness.
Is there a big difference between 1080p and 1440p?
At this aspect ratio, a 1440p monitor will have 78% more pixels than a 1080p monitor of the same size. What this means is that for the same screen size, a 1440p resolution will pack more information than a 1080p resolution.
Can you tell the difference of 4k for a 27-inch monitor?
At 27 inches you can but the difference is very minimal. Going from 1080p to 1440p has a much more noticeable improvement to image quality than going 1440p to 4k at 27 inches. And yes I have owned both.
Can you tell the difference between 1440p and 4k at 27 inches?
Yes, that's my setup. One 1440p/144hz IPS and one 4k/60hz IPS. I can definitely see a difference, everything is much sharper on the 4k.
Does 4k look good on 1440p?
4k content will look the same as 1440p content on a 1400p screen. 4K video will still look better than 1440p video. Unless the 1440p video file was a downconvert from 4K, then that's just the same thing. When you downscale a digital photo from native resolution to monitor resolution, it looks better.
Is 1366x768 a HD?
1366x768 is Full HD resolution only. 1920x1080 is 2K resolution. This resolution makes photos, videos, and text display more details and smoother than Full HD.
Does 32k exist?
Since the human eye is calculated to see 576 megapixels (32k resolution) and be able to distinguish 1000 fps, around 300 is useful since the brain cannot process too much information at once, we might get it in a decade or two.
What resolution is the human eye?
Find out how well a human eye compares to a cell phone camera. According to scientist and photographer Dr. Roger Clark, the resolution of the human eye is 576 megapixels. That's huge when you compare it to the 12 megapixels of an iPhone 7's camera.
Can PS5 run 8K?
The simple answer to this question is yes, the PS5 can support 8K, however, it is not that straightforward. The PS5 currently, has the capability to support games at an 8K resolution and has an HDMI 2.1 slot, allowing you the potential to play games in 8K at 60fps.
Does PS5 upscale to 8K?
A large FAQ released on the PlayStation Blog shortly before the PS5 launch stated: “PS5 is compatible with 8K displays at launch, and after a future system software update will be able to output resolutions up to 8K when content is available, with supported software.”
Is Netflix better on PS5?
Without getting bogged down in the technical differences between 4K and UHD, to all intents and purposes, the PS5 will play Netflix in 4K. … There really wouldn't be any difference in quality terms between watching Netflix on your console, and other streaming devices, such as an Apple TV, a Roku box, or a Fire Stick.
What's better 1440p or 4K UHD?
If you're an avid PC gamer, 1440p is often a better choice than 4K. As long as your graphics card and monitor can handle it, 1440p can provide a better experience than 1080p would—without anywhere near as many problems as you'd get trying to play on 4K. Sometimes, we choose to buy a monitor for work-related purposes.
Is 2160p same as 4K?
The term "2160p" could be applied to any format with a height of 2160 pixels, but it is most commonly used in reference to the 4K UHDTV resolution of 3840 × 2160 due to its association with the well-known 720p and 1080p HDTV formats.