tft lcd 1920x1080 resolution windows 10 free sample

Windows apps can run on any device running Windows, which includes tablets, desktops, TVs, and more. With a huge number of device targets and screen sizes across the Windows ecosystem, rather than optimizing your UI for each device, we recommended designing for a few key width categories (also called "breakpoints"):

While most TVs are physically quite large (40 to 65 inches is common) and have high resolutions (HD or 4k), designing for a 1080P TV that you view from 10 feet away is different from designing for a 1080p monitor sitting a foot away on your desk. When you account for distance, the TV"s 1080 pixels are more like a 540-pixel monitor that"s much closer.

XAML"s effective pixel system automatically takes viewing distance in account for you. When you specify a size for a control or a breakpoint range, you"re actually using "effective" pixels. For example, if you create responsive code for 1080 pixels or more, a 1080 monitor will use that code, but a 1080p TV will not--because although a 1080p TV has 1080 physical pixels, it only has 540 effective pixels. Which makes designing for a TV similar to designing for a small screen.

When your app runs on a device, the system uses an algorithm to normalize the way UI elements display on the screen. This scaling algorithm takes into account viewing distance and screen density (pixels per inch) to optimize for perceived size (rather than physical size). The scaling algorithm ensures that a 24 px font on Surface Hub 10 feet away is just as legible to the user as a 24 px font on 5" phone that"s a few inches away.

You can ignore the pixel density and the actual screen resolution when designing. Instead, design for the effective resolution (the resolution in effective pixels) for a size class (for details, see the Screen sizes and breakpoints article).

When creating screen mockups in image editing programs, set the DPI to 72 and set the image dimensions to the effective resolution for the size class you"re targeting.

XAML scales across a range of devices with scaling plateaus of 100%, 125%, 150%, 175%, 200%, 225%, 250%, 300%, 350%, and 400%. The base unit is 4 because it can be scaled to these plateaus as a whole number (for example; 4 x 125% = 5, 4 x 150% = 6). Using multiples of four aligns all UI elements with whole pixels and ensures UI elements have crisp, sharp edges. (Note that text doesn"t have this requirement; text can have any size and position.)

Screen resolution is crucial for designers, photographers and artists. When you"re working on digital creations, your monitor is one of the most important tools you own since it shows you what"s happening while you work as well as the final result.

The screen resolution of your monitor can have a huge impact on how your work is displayed, and on how comfortably you can work without straining your eyes, so it"s important to know what screen resolution your monitor has, and what screen resolution to choose when you"re upgrading your kit.

If your screen resolution is too high, icons and texts may appear too small and your hardware may be put under additional strain as the monitor struggles to hit the high resolutions. But if your screen resolution is set too low, it can result in poor image quality that takes up too much workspace and can also harm the results of your work.

In this guide, we"ll explain why screen resolution is so important for designers and how it can affect your results, how to check the screen resolution of your current monitor, and how to buy the best monitor for your needs

What do we mean when we talk about screen resolution? The monitor that"s connected to your PC – or built into your laptop – displays images using pixels, which are essentially small squares of light that change colour. Computer screens are made up of thousands of pixels. By changing the colours of those pixels in certain patterns, screens can show images, photos, text and all kinds of graphics.

The numbers that we use when we talk about screen resolution are the number of pixels a screen can show horizontally and vertically. A screen that has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (a popular resolution often known as 1080p or Full HD), can display 1,080 pixels vertically, and 1,920 pixels horizontally.

The higher the number of pixels a screen can show, the sharper and more detailed the image quality. But, the number of pixels that a screen can show isn"t the only factor involved when it comes to image quality. There"s also pixel density. Monitors come in all kinds of sizes, as well as resolutions. You"ll often find monitors of different sizes that have the same number of pixels, for example a 24-inch monitor and a 32-inch monitor both with a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080. The image quality on the smaller monitor can often look sharper and more vivid because of its pixel density. This is measured in PPI (Pixels Per Inch). The smaller screen will have a higher number of pixels per inch than the larger screen.

The higher the PPI, the better the image quality, so while it might be tempting to choose the largest screen possible, if you"re looking for the best image quality, consider getting a smaller monitor with a higher resolution rather than a larger monitor with a lower resolution.

It"s worth bearing in mind that the screen resolution that your monitor advertises isn"t the only resolution it can display. The published resolution is known as the native resolution of the screen and is the resolution that looks best on the display. You can change the resolution of the screen, although you can only change it to a lower resolution than the native resolution, not higher.

For example, if you buy a 4K (also known as an Ultra High Definition) screen, with a resolution of 3840 x 2160, and you find the resolution is too high, you can set your PC, Mac or laptop to display at a lower resolution, for example 1920 x 1080.

If you want to check the native resolution of your monitor or laptop screen, the process is pretty easy, although it differs depending on whether you use a Windows machine or a Mac or MacBook.

If you use Windows on your PC or laptop, you can check the screen resolution (and change it) by right-clicking on an empty space on the desktop and clicking "Display settings".

In the window that opens, you"ll see "Display resolution" with the current resolution listed underneath. If it says "(Recommended)" next to the resolution, that means it"s the native resolution for your display and the one that will probably look the best.

If you want to change the screen resolution, click the down arrow next to the resolution. This will show a list of all the other display resolutions your screen can handle. Click one, and the resolution will be applied – temporarily at least.

Because changing the resolution to something that your screen doesn"t support can cause problems, Windows will show you what the resolution looks like and ask you if you want to keep it. If you do, click "Keep changes". Otherwise, click "Revert" to change the resolution back to what it was before. You can also choose to do nothing, and after 15 seconds your device will revert to the previous resolution. This is useful if you accidentally choose a resolution that your display can"t handle, leading to it displaying a blank screen. Simply wait 15 seconds, and the old resolution will come back.

The easiest way to find the display resolution on your Mac or MacBook is to click the Apple icon in the top left-hand corner of the screen. On the menu that appears, select "About This Mac". A window will pop up, and at the top you"ll see "Displays." Click there, and you"ll see the size and resolution of your screen.

To change the display resolution on your Mac"s screen, click on "Displays Preferences" in the bottom right-hand corner of the open window. In the new window that pops up, select "Scaled" next to where it says "Resolution". Choose the resolution based on whether you want larger text or more space.

So, what screen resolution should you go for? The answer to that question varies depending on the sort of work you"ll be doing and what kind of machine you"ll be working on.

Let"s start with the kind of work. If you"re a graphic artist or 3D modeller, then the minimum resolution you should opt for is 1360 x 768. However, if you can, we recommend going for 1920 x 1080. That extra resolution will give you a bigger canvas to work on, and it will improve the image quality.

For people working with complex 3D models, such as architects, animators or game developers, going above 1920 x 1080 can begin to put a real strain on your machine"s GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). If you want to go for a higher resolution, make sure your hardware can handle it, otherwise you may find your PC performs very slowly when trying to render at those high resolutions.

For video editors, we recommend 1920 x 1080 as a minimum. This is because 1080p is the standard high-definition resolution for videos, so if you"re working with 1080p video, you"ll want a screen that can display that natively. If you work with 4K video, then go for a screen resolution of 3840 x 2160 since this will allow you to play back 4K footage natively.

For photographers, we"d recommend going for the highest resolution you can afford. Still images don"t require as much graphical grunt to display on high-resolution screens, and most photographs are taken at well above 1080p resolutions. For example, a camera that takes 21-megapixel photos is actually capturing images at 5,104 x 4,092 resolution. Even a 4K monitor won"t display that natively, but the higher the resolution of the screen, the better (and more accurately) your photos will appear.

The resolutions we mention above apply to standard widescreen monitors with a 16:9 aspect ratio. However, some devices have different aspect ratios – and therefore different display resolutions.

For example, the 15-inch MacBook Pro has a 2,880 x 1,800 resolution screen. That makes it a lot sharper than a standard 1080p display. Meanwhile, the Surface Laptop 3(opens in new tab) has a 15-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and 2,496 x 1,664 resolution. Again, that makes it a better display than a standard 1080p screen, though not quite as sharp as the screen on the MacBook Pro.

Other excellent laptops with high screen resolutions recommended for digital creatives include the Surface Book 2(opens in new tab) (with a 3,240 x 2,160 resolution), the Dell XPS 15(opens in new tab), which comes with either a 2,560 x 1,080 screen, or a 3,840 x 2,160 display.

Check out our pick of the best laptops for graphic design(opens in new tab) for more great laptops with high-resolution screens.The best deals on 4k monitors

With the revival of the “Start Menu” from Windows 8 to Windows 10, this user-friendly desktop UI (user interface) realizes a more operable multi-display function. Let’s take a look at how we can use this multi-display tool on a Windows 10 notebook or desktop PC.

On July 29 2015, Windows released their new operating system “Windows 10.” Devices equipped with Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 were given one year to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, and so the migration to the new OS (operating system) Windows 10 is happening much faster than previous Windows operating systems. Even corporate users who emphasize stability over innovation, will proceed to slowly migrate towards Windows 10 when Windows 7 support ends in 2020.

When using Windows 10 in your notebook PC or desktop computer you’ll notice one major change – the revival of the desktop UI. This UI was revived after the complete removal of the Start Menu in Windows 8/8.1 - previously present in Windows 7 and earlier - was met with mixed reactions. The latest UI has become much easier to use, with the modern UI “tile format” being integrated with a virtual desktop feature in order to enhance multitasking and workability.

With the new focus on the desktop UI, Windows 10 has naturally improved the display settings. For example the “multi-display” function (Multiple displays connected to one’s PC for simultaneous use) has been greatly improved. Let’s go through some of these surprisingly not well known Windows 10 multi-display functions found on both notebook PCs and Desktop PCs.

Example: EIZO LCD display FlexScan EV2455 connected to 13.3" 2in1 notebook PC (VAIO Z). Projecting the 13.3" notebook PC display to a 24.1" WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) external display greatly enhances one’s work efficiency.

Example: The expanded display of two EIZO FlexScan EV2455 monitors connected to a desktop PC. Aligning two 24.1" WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) monitors side by side achieves a combined resolution of 3840 x 1200 pixels.

Setting up a multi-display environment on Windows 10 is incredibly simple. When you connect a second display to your PC, Windows automatically detects the display and displays the desktop UI.

In this case we opened the multi-display function from the desktop UI by selecting the OS “Project” menu. From the taskbar, click on the Action Center (bottom right of screen) and select “Project,” or if you want to use the shortcut keys, press the Windows Key andP key and the “Project” menu will appear. There are four types of display methods that can be chosen. If you want to expand the desktop UI over two screens, select the “Extend” option.

If you scroll down to the bottom of the “Display” menu there is an “advanced display settings” link. If you click on this, you can set the resolutions of the display monitors. Additionally, if you click on the “Advanced sizing of text and other items” link, you can change the settings for more detailed things like the size of items and text.

As shown above, Windows 10 has a new settings application installed which we recommend you use. But you can also use the “control panel” found in Windows 8 and earlier. To any familiar PC user, the conventional method of using the control panel to display various settings is still possible.

In Windows 10, the Snap Assist function that sticks the window to the edge of the screen is available, and even more convenient. If you drag the window to the left or right of the screen, the window will expand to fill half of the screen. This is also possible in the extended desktop function where two windows can be placed onto the left and right sides of each monitor, making a total of four open windows. This can also be accomplished with the shortcut keys Windows + left or right arrow.

After snapping the window to either the left or right using Snap Assist, the vacant area on the opposite side will list all other available windows that can be selected to fit that space. This is also a new feature of Windows 10.

In Windows 10, after a window has been snapped to either the left or right side using the snap function, the empty area in the opposite side will display all other available windows as thumbnails. Choose one of these windows and it will fill that side of the screen.

Furthermore in Windows 10, if a window is moved to one of the four corners of the screen, it will shrink to 1/4 the size of the screen, so that four windows can be displayed at once. Additionally, in a multi-display environment, if you are displaying too many windows and your desktop has become messy, click and drag the window you want to view and quickly shake it to minimize all other windows. You can also press Windows and Home.

The above image shows the difference between the “All taskbars,” “Main taskbar and taskbar where window is open,” and “Taskbar where window is open” settings. The Windows 10 voice-enabled personal assistant “Cortana,” time icons and the notification area will always display on the first monitor.

If you connect an external display to a notebook PC, being able to create a large-screen, high resolution dual-display environment can significantly improve one’s work efficiency. These days products with high density pixel displays larger than full HD are becoming more common, but if a notebook PC with a screen size of 13 or 14 inches is displayed on one of these high resolution displays, the screen will end up shrinking so that it’s difficult to read, and so it has to be enlarged by 150% or 200%. Therefore it’s not that resolution = workspace, but rather that your workspace is limited to the size of your screen.

But an external display with a mainstream 23 – 24" full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) or WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) model, connected to a notebook PC, will display in a similar size to the notebook PC making it familiar to the user, and providing a lot of work space.

For example you could do things like compare multiple pages at once in a web browser; create a graph on a spreadsheet and paste it into a presentation while reading a PDF document; do work on one screen and watch videos or view a social media timeline on the other; play a game on one screen while reading a walk-through on the other, or use an external color management monitor to check for correct colors. Using an external monitor in addition to your notebook PC allows all of these things to be done seamlessly without having to switch between windows.

Example: An EIZO 24.1 inch WUXGA display (FlexScan EV2455) connected to a high-spec 2in1 VAIO Z notebook PC (from here on the examples will display the same set-up). The VAIO Z notebook display has a high definition resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, but because the screen is only a “mobile” 13.3 inches, on Windows it is expanded to 200%. Adding this to the FlexScan EV2455’s 24.1 inch 1920 x 1200 pixel display, gives a vast area of work space. Of course, because the FlexScan EV2455 has a large screen and 1920 x 1200 pixels, the notebook’s display can be displayed at 100% without needing to increase the 1920 x 1200 pixels. This makes for comfortable browsing of multiple web pages as shown.

If an LCD display’s height adjustment range is wide, you can create a vertical multi-display environment like this, reducing the required width of your working space. The image gives the example of a VAIO Z and FlexScan EV2455, but if you tilt the screen of the VAIO Z, the FlexScan EV2455 can be made to not overlap as shown; naturally creating two screens.

It should be noted that in Windows 10, the “tablet mode” cannot be used in a multi-display environment. In Windows 8/8.1 a notebook PC could display the modern UI start screen while an external display could display the desktop UI, but in Windows 10 the multi-display environment is restricted to only using the desktop UI. This is one of the revived functions that were found to be most useful in Windows 7.

Although the notebook PC has become mainstream in recent years, the desktop PC is still popular for users who require high-performance or work efficient computers. So to these users who want to take advantage of their high-powered PCs and increase their productivity, we recommend the multi-display environment. Using large, high resolution displays in a multi-display environment gives you an unbeatable advantage.

Because there are no screen size or resolution restrictions like in a notebook PC, the desktop multi-display environment can use a flexible combination of screen sizes and resolutions according to your location, budget or application. If so inclined, using the previous EIZO monitor, a resolution of 5760 x 1080 pixels could be made from 3 monitors, 5760 x 2160 pixels from 6 monitors, and many more variations can be made.

Of course even a non-high-spec environment can find improvement in their work efficiency by using two mainstream 23 – 24 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)/WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) monitors, compared to just the one monitor.

An example of how a multi-display environment can be used in the business scene. The left display can display tables and calculations of statistical data, while comparing the graphs, and the right screen can be used to summarize the findings in a document. If this were just one monitor, you would be constantly switching between windows, but with two monitors you can see all the necessary data without needing to switch between windows; improving work efficiency and reducing transcribing errors.

Most commonly when people want to build a multi-display environment, they start with one monitor, and then later add another one. Ideally, it’s best to purchase multiple monitors of the same model in the beginning. This way the screen size and resolution can be aligned, but also the color and aesthetics will match. But perhaps more importantly, because the monitors are the same age, any defects in the screen such as color variations can be found early-on by comparing the two monitors next to each other.

The 24.1-inch WUXGA display FlexScan EV2455 that we used, uses an IPS LCD panel with wide viewing angles and a glare reducing screen. Furthermore it has a narrow-frame design of only 6.2 mm (1 mm bezel and 5.2 mm black border). Therefore two monitors side by side will only have a gap of 12.4 mm, so you can make an almost noiseless multi-display environment. Another feature is the automatic dimming function (Auto EcoView) which leads to less eye fatigue, and less power consumption.

Earlier we introduced the set-up procedure for Windows 10 “multi-display,” and also showed some concrete examples. Whether you use a notebook PC or the more conventional desktop PC, if you want to increase the work efficiency of Windows 10, using multi-display is highly effective.

For screen sizes (typically in inches, measured on the diagonal), see Display size. For a list of particular display resolutions, see Graphics display resolution.

This chart shows the most common display resolutions, with the color of each resolution type indicating the display ratio (e.g. red indicates a 4:3 ratio).

The display resolution or display modes of a digital television, computer monitor or display device is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It can be an ambiguous term especially as the displayed resolution is controlled by different factors in cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, flat-panel displays (including liquid-crystal displays) and projection displays using fixed picture-element (pixel) arrays.

It is usually quoted as width × height, with the units in pixels: for example, 1024 × 768 means the width is 1024 pixels and the height is 768 pixels. This example would normally be spoken as "ten twenty-four by seven sixty-eight" or "ten twenty-four by seven six eight".

One use of the term display resolution applies to fixed-pixel-array displays such as plasma display panels (PDP), liquid-crystal displays (LCD), Digital Light Processing (DLP) projectors, OLED displays, and similar technologies, and is simply the physical number of columns and rows of pixels creating the display (e.g. 1920 × 1080). A consequence of having a fixed-grid display is that, for multi-format video inputs, all displays need a "scaling engine" (a digital video processor that includes a memory array) to match the incoming picture format to the display.

For device displays such as phones, tablets, monitors and televisions, the use of the term display resolution as defined above is a misnomer, though common. The term display resolution is usually used to mean pixel dimensions, the maximum number of pixels in each dimension (e.g. 1920 × 1080), which does not tell anything about the pixel density of the display on which the image is actually formed: resolution properly refers to the pixel density, the number of pixels per unit distance or area, not the total number of pixels. In digital measurement, the display resolution would be given in pixels per inch (PPI). In analog measurement, if the screen is 10 inches high, then the horizontal resolution is measured across a square 10 inches wide.NTSC TVs can typically display about 340 lines of "per picture height" horizontal resolution from over-the-air sources, which is equivalent to about 440 total lines of actual picture information from left edge to right edge.

Some commentators also use display resolution to indicate a range of input formats that the display"s input electronics will accept and often include formats greater than the screen"s native grid size even though they have to be down-scaled to match the screen"s parameters (e.g. accepting a 1920 × 1080 input on a display with a native 1366 × 768 pixel array). In the case of television inputs, many manufacturers will take the input and zoom it out to "overscan" the display by as much as 5% so input resolution is not necessarily display resolution.

The eye"s perception of display resolution can be affected by a number of factors – see image resolution and optical resolution. One factor is the display screen"s rectangular shape, which is expressed as the ratio of the physical picture width to the physical picture height. This is known as the aspect ratio. A screen"s physical aspect ratio and the individual pixels" aspect ratio may not necessarily be the same. An array of 1280 × 720 on a 16:9 display has square pixels, but an array of 1024 × 768 on a 16:9 display has oblong pixels.

An example of pixel shape affecting "resolution" or perceived sharpness: displaying more information in a smaller area using a higher resolution makes the image much clearer or "sharper". However, most recent screen technologies are fixed at a certain resolution; making the resolution lower on these kinds of screens will greatly decrease sharpness, as an interpolation process is used to "fix" the non-native resolution input into the display"s native resolution output.

While some CRT-based displays may use digital video processing that involves image scaling using memory arrays, ultimately "display resolution" in CRT-type displays is affected by different parameters such as spot size and focus, astigmatic effects in the display corners, the color phosphor pitch shadow mask (such as Trinitron) in color displays, and the video bandwidth.

Most television display manufacturers "overscan" the pictures on their displays (CRTs and PDPs, LCDs etc.), so that the effective on-screen picture may be reduced from 720 × 576 (480) to 680 × 550 (450), for example. The size of the invisible area somewhat depends on the display device. Some HD televisions do this as well, to a similar extent.

Many personal computers introduced in the late 1970s and the 1980s were designed to use television receivers as their display devices, making the resolutions dependent on the television standards in use, including PAL and NTSC. Picture sizes were usually limited to ensure the visibility of all the pixels in the major television standards and the broad range of television sets with varying amounts of over scan. The actual drawable picture area was, therefore, somewhat smaller than the whole screen, and was usually surrounded by a static-colored border (see image to right). Also, the interlace scanning was usually omitted in order to provide more stability to the picture, effectively halving the vertical resolution in progress. 160 × 200, 320 × 200 and 640 × 200 on NTSC were relatively common resolutions in the era (224, 240 or 256 scanlines were also common). In the IBM PC world, these resolutions came to be used by 16-color EGA video cards.

One of the drawbacks of using a classic television is that the computer display resolution is higher than the television could decode. Chroma resolution for NTSC/PAL televisions are bandwidth-limited to a maximum 1.5MHz, or approximately 160 pixels wide, which led to blurring of the color for 320- or 640-wide signals, and made text difficult to read (see example image below). Many users upgraded to higher-quality televisions with S-Video or RGBI inputs that helped eliminate chroma blur and produce more legible displays. The earliest, lowest cost solution to the chroma problem was offered in the Atari 2600 Video Computer System and the Apple II+, both of which offered the option to disable the color and view a legacy black-and-white signal. On the Commodore 64, the GEOS mirrored the Mac OS method of using black-and-white to improve readability.

The 640 × 400i resolution (720 × 480i with borders disabled) was first introduced by home computers such as the Commodore Amiga and, later, Atari Falcon. These computers used interlace to boost the maximum vertical resolution. These modes were only suited to graphics or gaming, as the flickering interlace made reading text in word processor, database, or spreadsheet software difficult. (Modern game consoles solve this problem by pre-filtering the 480i video to a lower resolution. For example, Final Fantasy XII suffers from flicker when the filter is turned off, but stabilizes once filtering is restored. The computers of the 1980s lacked sufficient power to run similar filtering software.)

In the PC world, the IBM PS/2 VGA (multi-color) on-board graphics chips used a non-interlaced (progressive) 640 × 480 × 16 color resolution that was easier to read and thus more useful for office work. It was the standard resolution from 1990 to around 1996.800 × 600 until around 2000. Microsoft Windows XP, released in 2001, was designed to run at 800 × 600 minimum, although it is possible to select the original 640 × 480 in the Advanced Settings window.

Programs designed to mimic older hardware such as Atari, Sega, or Nintendo game consoles (emulators) when attached to multiscan CRTs, routinely use much lower resolutions, such as 160 × 200 or 320 × 400 for greater authenticity, though other emulators have taken advantage of pixelation recognition on circle, square, triangle and other geometric features on a lesser resolution for a more scaled vector rendering. Some emulators, at higher resolutions, can even mimic the aperture grille and shadow masks of CRT monitors.

In 2002, 1024 × 768 eXtended Graphics Array was the most common display resolution. Many web sites and multimedia products were re-designed from the previous 800 × 600 format to the layouts optimized for 1024 × 768.

The availability of inexpensive LCD monitors made the 5∶4 aspect ratio resolution of 1280 × 1024 more popular for desktop usage during the first decade of the 21st century. Many computer users including CAD users, graphic artists and video game players ran their computers at 1600 × 1200 resolution (UXGA) or higher such as 2048 × 1536 QXGA if they had the necessary equipment. Other available resolutions included oversize aspects like 1400 × 1050 SXGA+ and wide aspects like 1280 × 800 WXGA, 1440 × 900 WXGA+, 1680 × 1050 WSXGA+, and 1920 × 1200 WUXGA; monitors built to the 720p and 1080p standard were also not unusual among home media and video game players, due to the perfect screen compatibility with movie and video game releases. A new more-than-HD resolution of 2560 × 1600 WQXGA was released in 30-inch LCD monitors in 2007.

In 2010, 27-inch LCD monitors with the 2560 × 1440 resolution were released by multiple manufacturers, and in 2012, Apple introduced a 2880 × 1800 display on the MacBook Pro. Panels for professional environments, such as medical use and air traffic control, support resolutions up to 4096 × 21602048 × 2048 pixels).

The following table lists the usage share of display resolutions from two sources, as of June 2020. The numbers are not representative of computer users in general.

In recent years the 16:9 aspect ratio has become more common in notebook displays. 1366 × 768 (HD) has become popular for most low-cost notebooks, while 1920 × 1080 (FHD) and higher resolutions are available for more premium notebooks.

When a computer display resolution is set higher than the physical screen resolution (native resolution), some video drivers make the virtual screen scrollable over the physical screen thus realizing a two dimensional virtual desktop with its viewport. Most LCD manufacturers do make note of the panel"s native resolution as working in a non-native resolution on LCDs will result in a poorer image, due to dropping of pixels to make the image fit (when using DVI) or insufficient sampling of the analog signal (when using VGA connector). Few CRT manufacturers will quote the true native resolution, because CRTs are analog in nature and can vary their display from as low as 320 × 200 (emulation of older computers or game consoles) to as high as the internal board will allow, or the image becomes too detailed for the vacuum tube to recreate (i.e., analog blur). Thus, CRTs provide a variability in resolution that fixed resolution LCDs cannot provide.

As far as digital cinematography is concerned, video resolution standards depend first on the frames" aspect ratio in the film stock (which is usually scanned for digital intermediate post-production) and then on the actual points" count. Although there is not a unique set of standardized sizes, it is commonplace within the motion picture industry to refer to "nK" image "quality", where n is a (small, usually even) integer number which translates into a set of actual resolutions, depending on the film format. As a reference consider that, for a 4:3 (around 1.33:1) aspect ratio which a film frame (no matter what is its format) is expected to horizontally fit in, n is the multiplier of 1024 such that the horizontal resolution is exactly 1024•n points.2048 × 1536 pixels, whereas 4K reference resolution is 4096 × 3072 pixels. Nevertheless, 2K may also refer to resolutions like 2048 × 1556 (full-aperture), 2048 × 1152 (HDTV, 16:9 aspect ratio) or 2048 × 872 pixels (Cinemascope, 2.35:1 aspect ratio). It is also worth noting that while a frame resolution may be, for example, 3:2 (720 × 480 NTSC), that is not what you will see on-screen (i.e. 4:3 or 16:9 depending on the intended aspect ratio of the original material).

This chart shows the most common display resolutions, with the color of each resolution type indicating the display ratio (e.g. red indicates a 4:3 ratio).

Wide QXGA:Apple Cinema HD 30, Apple 13" MacBook Pro Retina Display, Dell Ultrasharp U3011, Dell 3007WFP, Dell 3008WFP, Gateway XHD3000, Samsung 305T, HP LP3065, HP ZR30W, Nexus 10

Many of these resolutions are also used for video files that are not broadcast. These may also use other aspect ratios by cropping otherwise black bars at the top and bottom which result from cinema aspect ratios greater than 16∶9, such as 1.85 or 2.35 through 2.40 (dubbed "Cinemascope", "21∶9" etc.), while the standard horizontal resolution, e.g. 1920 pixels, is usually kept. The vertical resolution is usually a multiple of 8 or 16 pixels due to most video codecs processing pixels on such sized blocks. A widescreen FHD video can be 1920 × 800 for a 12∶5 ratio or 1920 × 1040 for roughly 1.85 × 1, for instance.

LCD panels" resolutions are often quoted in terms of raw subpixels, misnamed "pixels" in manufacturer"s specifications. Each real pixel includes one subpixel for each of three colors, so calling subpixels "pixels" inflates the claimed resolution by a factor of three. This bit of marketing obfuscation is calculated as horizontal resolution × vertical resolution × 3. For example: 640 × 480 VGA is 921,600 subpixels, or 307,200 pixels, 800 × 600 SVGA is 1,440,000 subpixels, or 480,000 pixels, and 1024 × 768 XGA is 2,359,296 subpixels, but only 786,432 full-color pixels.

External monitors with large display sizes have a clear advantage in their size alone because they can easily accommodate several application windows next to each other. With a little practice, programme windows can be quickly and clearly arranged next to each other using shortcuts. Working with these types of desktop monitors makes work more efficient and more comfortable. This saves valuable time and is also healthier and more ergonomic as texts and graphics are displayed in a larger, clearer size, which reduces eye strain. More information is available next to each other and you don’t have to constantly change between different programme windows.

We recommend screens with the highest possible resolution to ensure the sharpest image reproduction. Due to the fact screens of the same size have a higher detail sharpness at high resolutions, the following simple rule of thumb applies: the higher the detail resolution, the better. This drastically improves readability, which is particularly important when working at a screen all day.

Detail resolution is measured in ppi (pixel per inch). This value describes the distance between the individual pixels and is therefore also called pixel density. To come back to the rule of thumb: the higher the pixel density, the finer the details that can be displayed on the monitor and the sharper the image.

Some users shy away from high-resolution monitors because they are concerned that the higher detail resolution also means that the font or the menus and user interfaces will be smaller. While this phenomenon was indeed associated with high pixel density in the early days of 4K monitors, this problem is now a thing of the past. Software manufacturers of operating systems and programs now offer scaling functions that allow you to scale fonts and menus to your preferences, giving you the benefit of a sharp display without having to compromise on your usual font size.

23/24-inch screen in 16:9 format: resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (also known as Full-HD). 23/24-inch screens with a 16:10 aspect ratio are even better. This comes with a resolution of at least 1920 × 1200 pixels (WUXGA). The extra lines can make working more comfortable for you because you don’t have to scroll as much and you can easily view and edit two A4 pages that are almost in their original size side-by-side, for example.

27-inch screen: resolution of at least 2560 × 1440 pixels (WQHD), preferably 3840 x 2160 (also referred to as UHD 4K). This pleasant combination of screen size and resolution offers much more room to work compared to Full-HD, especially if you use several windows simultaneously.

32-inch screen: a resolution of 3840 × 2160 pixels (UHD 4K) and aspect ratio of 16:9 offers you the most space and an optimal display size for your contents and for dividing up your screen area.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. For special applications such as graphic design software or CAD/CAM, for example, we generally recommend 4K or UHD resolutions.

To ensure that the display you’ve chosen works as it should with your computer, your PC or laptop must have a suitable graphics output for image output in the desired resolution and with the correct signal type. Old analogue connections (connected via VGA/DSub sockets) sometimes do not even allow Full-HD signals without interference. The following ports are recommended for resolutions above Full-HD: HDMI, DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort or USB-C. This means it is essential to check the computer’s available video outputs when selecting the right monitor.

Computers with a DisplayPort (DP) or Mini DisplayPort (Mini DP) are ideal because these outputs easily support higher resolutions with high refresh rates. In addition, the sound is also transmitted directly when necessary for the intended use.

If your computer only has an HDMI port, you may be limited in your choice of monitor. In this case, the version of your HDMI port will be important because older versions do not readily support 4K UHD resolutions or can limit the refresh rate to 30 Hz, for example. Click here for information on the specifications of different HDMI versions

Today’s computers are often also equipped with a USB-C output. In these cases, it is important that this port also supports the so-called DisplayPort Alternate Mode (DP Alt Mode) and therefore the transmission of video signals. If this is the case, these ports also process higher resolutions without any problems.

The monitor’s image should always be easy to read. Unfortunately, many monitors and laptops have glossy display panels built in. Sometimes, there are even reflective protective glasses in front of the actual panel. This leads to unwanted reflections. In addition to the actual monitor image, the viewer often sees reflections of lamps or windows that are behind them, or even reflections of themselves. These unnecessary interferences make working with screens considerably more exhausting, distracting and, in the worst case scenario, can even affect your posture. To prevent these disruptive reflections, you should make sure that the monitor you use while working from home has a matt panel surface and is therefore effectively anti-reflective.

The EV2760 stands out with its high resolution, anti-reflection coating and flicker-free screen. The monitor offers a wide range of connection options thanks to one HDMI, one DVI-D and two DisplayPort signal inputs as well as four USB downstream ports. 68.5 cm (27 Inches)

The 22.5” EV2360 with a 16:10 aspect ratio delivers a pin-sharp resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. A true all-round monitor for the office. 57.2 cm (22.5 Inches)

One of my Windows hacks is to try unchecking hide resolution that monitor can"t display. I"ve tried to do that on my 18" Lenovo 1600x900 resolution and doing that, it showed selections for 1776x1000 and 1920x1080 resolutions. When I clicked those, however, things started looking a bit awkward.

Screen resolution is a measurement based on the number of pixels on a display. The higher the number of pixels, the clearer the text and images on the screen. The resolution you can use on your computer depends on the capabilities of both your monitor and your video card. Operating systems automatically select the best possible resolution that both your monitor and video card can handle. When you find the resolution, you"ll see it displayed as Width x Height in pixels (e.g., 1920 x 1080), or using terms like 4K/UHD (which means 3840 x 2160) or Full HD/1080p (which means 1920 x 1080). This wikiHow teaches you how to find out the resolution on your Windows PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

The USB-C port on the Asus ProArt PA247CV makes it a fantastic 24-inch 1080p IPS display to use alongside a notebook PC. The 65 watts of charging over USB-C means it will charge most laptops, and the sturdy, adjustable stand means you can use the monitor in a variety of configurations. It’s fairly color accurate out of the box, with great contrast and especially nice reproduction of white and grays, so you shouldn’t notice weird tinges of color when staring deeply into your blank Google Doc page. It also has a USB hub that can add four USB ports to your laptop.

For less than $175, the Asus VA24DCP is a capable 24-inch 1080p IPS display that has full USB-C charging at 65 watts. It’s a great basic monitor for those who want something to hook up to their laptop or PC to browse the internet and get some office work done, as its colors look good for day-to-day use, and it has better contrast than many higher-cost monitors. For $100 less than our top pick, you’re giving up a better, more adjustable stand, a USB hub, and some color accuracy, but if those aren’t important to you, this is a nice monitor for a great price.

The Dell UltraSharp U2421E is a 24-inch monitor with a 1920×1200-pixel resolution, rather than the typical 1920×1080. These extra 120 vertical pixels mean a little less scrolling in large documents or spreadsheets, and more room for your apps and games without taking up more space on a desk. The U2421E comes with a higher price than our 1080p picks, but it has incredibly accurate colors, a USB-C port with 90W of charging for high-powered ultrabooks and the MacBooks Pro, and a USB hub that includes an additional USB-C port.