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Which is better, the 1080p or the 1440p that’s the question? Our guide will help you choose the best display with the right resolution that precisely fits your needs. So keep your doubts at bay and keep reading to know everything.
The 1440p resolution provides 1.6 million more pixels than the standard 1080p, but resolution alone does not guarantee better display quality. Sure higher 2560x1440p resolution results in better, more prominent, and higher quality visuals; there are other crucial factors at play too. You also have to consider the screen size, the aspect ratio, and the pixel density.
1080p is still the standard of the resolution, provides decent enough visual quality, and is also less demanding for GPU. However, more and more people are moving to the higher 1440p resolution for a more vivid display and better picture quality.
Table of Contents
- 1920×1080 vs 2560×1440
- 1920×1080 vs 2560 x 1440: For Everyday Use
- 1920×1080 vs 2560×1440: For Professionals
- 1920×1080 vs 2560×1440: For Gaming
- Bottom Line
1920×1080 vs 2560×1440
So, is the move from 1920×1080 to 2560×1440 worth it? Also, what other benefits do the higher 1440p bring, and at what cost? Besides, what are the other factors that influence the resolution? Let’s find out the answer to these questions.
Screen Resolution
Screen resolution at its most basic is the number of pixels a display can produce. Millions of pixels combine to create images on the screen. Any screen resolution value represents the number of pixels the display can produce both horizontally and vertically. For example, a resolution of 1920×1080 means the screen displays 1920 pixels horizontally and 1080 pixels vertically.
When you multiply the two values of a resolution, you get the total number of pixels the display can accommodate. So 1920 x 1080 resolution means 2,073,600 pixels, while 2560×1440 resolutions display will be able to produce 3,686,400 pixels. You can expect an increase of about 1.6 million pixels.
Clearly, the bigger the resolution, the higher the number of pixels that the screen can display. More pixels mean more visual details available on the screen and more clear and crisp images. However, resolution alone will not produce better visuals, and there are two other crucial factors: aspect ratio and pixel density.
Aspect Ratios
The aspect ratio of the screen tells us about the number of horizontal and vertical pixels. It also gives you an idea of the shape of the monitor.
In earlier days of modern monitors, the aspect ratio of 4:3 was more prevalent, and the monitors were nearly square-shaped. However, monitors these days are way bigger and generally come in the aspect ratio of 16:9, which means there will be 16 horizontal pixels for every 9 vertical pixels displayed on the screen.
There is another way of determining the aspect ratio, that is in terms of screen resolution. You take the Highest common factor of the screen’s height and width in pixels and then divide the resolution with the resulting value. You will get the screen’s aspect ratio in terms of resolution.
Aspect Ratio = Width / Height
Pixel Density
As stated above, the resolution alone does not tell you how sharp the images on the screen will be because it does not take into account the screen size. That’s where the pixel density comes in.
Pixel density is generally denoted by PPI and represents the number of pixels per inch of the screen space.
To better illustrate the importance of pixel density, let’s take an example. We take two monitors of different size – let say 27 inches and 32 inches with the same full HD 1080p resolution.
| Resolution | Total Pixels | 27″ Monitor | 32″ Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 x 1080 | 2,073,600 | 81 PPI | 68 PPI |
| 2560 x 1440 | 3,686,400 | 108 PPI | 91 PPI |
As the number of pixels is the same, they will be spread out on the larger 32-inch screen and will be more densely packed in the smaller 27-inch screen. Therefore the smaller screen will produce sharper images for the same resolution as the larger screen. The higher the PPI, the better the image quality.
From the above example, it’s evident that the bigger screen needs more pixels to maintain the image quality. That’s why besides resolution, pixel density is another very critical factor to determine the quality of a monitor.
A pixel density of around 110 PPI is the sweet spot that most users aim for. You can easily get the sweet spot of PPI with full HD 1080p resolution for a smaller monitor. However, if you want a bigger monitor, the higher 1440p resolution will get you the most optimum visual quality.
One more point to keep in mind is that pixel density will only produce noticeable differences up to a certain extent. A pixel density of 300 PPI is the limit; beyond that, the human eyes will not be able to perceive the benefits of higher pixel density. So it’s better to aim for the sweet spot of 100 PPI to keep the visual output to its optimum quality.
1920×1080 vs 2560 x 1440: For Everyday Use
For the everyday use of a monitor, which is mostly limited to watching movies or surfing the web, the resolution of content plays a more defining role than the monitor’s resolution.
Most of the content available these days is still in the standard 1080p resolution. Watching them on a higher resolution screen will not improve quality.
That said, more and more content is being upgraded to higher resolutions. Besides, a 1440p screen will scale the 1080p content for full-screen viewing without downplaying the quality. So for everyday use, too, if you go for 1440p resolution, you can enjoy the content without compromising the quality.
1920×1080 vs 2560×1440: For Professionals
For professionals, a higher resolution of 2560×1440 is certainly more beneficial. As the higher resolution increases the screen’s real estate, it allows the screen to accommodate more information.
You can have multiple windows open side by side without any overlap or view a larger section of your code without scrolling down if you are a programmer. It will help you multitask and boost productivity.
Besides, the higher resolution also means crisper and highly detailed image quality. An aspect very crucial if you are a content editor or a designer. If you are a professional, the resolution of 1440p is better than the full HD 1080p provided you stick to the 25 to 27-inch screen size.
1920×1080 vs 2560×1440: For Gaming
Finally, the big question, which resolution will be best for gaming? At first glance, the 1440p with a higher pixel count looks more promising for the same size monitors than the 1080p resolution.
You will have sharper visuals and more screen space to make out even the tiniest of details—both are crucial for a better gaming experience. However, before making a jump for the higher 1440p resolution, you should take a look at the power of your GPU. You should note that your GPU has to work more intensely to keep up with more pixel count.
If your GPU is not powerful enough, a higher pixel count will drastically impact its performance, and the outcome will be a lower frame rate. Your game will not be as smooth as it should have to be.
That said, if you have a decent gaming rig, the 1440p resolution will be ideal for enjoying games to the fullest.
Bottom Line
From the above discussion about 1920×1080 vs. 2560×1440, it’s evident that many factors impact the screen resolution.
However, 1080p is still workable for everyday use, while for professionals, 1440p clearly outrank the standard full HD resolution.
Gaming is altogether a different turf and is largely impacted by the GPU. However, here too, 1440p seems ideal, provided you have a decent enough GPU unit.
