Melissa Forrester Is 1080p better than 720p? Image resolution, or the number of pixels, is one of the most important criteria that decides the quality of a TV or laptop. 1080p and 720p are the common screen format known as HDTV.
So, what are the differences between these two formats? Will switching from 720p to 1080p change your watching experience significantly? Which is the best image resolution for you?
This post will discuss all these issues and provide you with an in-depth and helpful answer. Continue reading, and I will show you!
Contents
What Is 1080p?
A 1080 TV means that its screen has 1920 pixels in height and 1080 pixels in width, making a total of 2 million pixels on display. Although it has many names like WUXGA, BT.709, 1080p is commonly known as FHD or Full HD.
This format is prevalent on many media devices like laptops, tablets, TVs, and even projectors. The “p” letter stands for “progressive” or the true line of 1080p.
Although higher image resolutions like 4K, QHD, or 8K have been invented, 1080p is still one of the most popular screen resolutions. It is compatible with many video formats on streaming services, game settings, and monitors.
What Is 720p?
Like 1080p, the 720p or standard HD format has the same aspect ratio of 16:9.
It has 1280 pixels in height and 720 pixels in width. This format applies to many broadcasting standards, such as HDV Playback, SMPTE 292M, or AVCHD.
As 1080p has become the lowest acceptable for many game settings and streaming formats, standard HD is no longer an ideal and prevalent option for choosing the display resolutions.
720p vs 1080p
The images and videos in 1080p are slightly sharper and smoother than in 720p. Furthermore, 720p is no longer a standard resolution for video format and game settings, which gives you inconveniences in the usage process.
Why Is 1080p Better?
1080p monitors have two times higher pixels than lower formats like 1366 x 768 (WXGA) or 720p. Most 1080p media devices like TVs or laptops can display all the pixels of Bluray films and TV broadcasts.
Meanwhile, researchers forecast that the manufacturers will no longer produce the media devices with 720p resolution in only a few years.
Related: Is 1080p Better Than 1080i?
Compatibility
Although many broadcasts are still available in 720p and Full HD, they will move to 1080p soon. The standard HD format will no longer be compatible with this content.
As the number of products decreases, games, movies, and streaming services are gradually moving away from this format. On the other hand, 1080p is still a popular gaming and video watching format.
For example, modern smartphones nowadays usually film at Full HD resolution or higher. Furthermore, the majority of technologies in the market are available in the Full HD format.
You can easily find the 1080p devices that utilize advanced technologies such as fixed-pixel (LCoS, LCD, and DLP).
Screen Resolution
Monitors with higher resolutions or a higher number of pixels will deliver sharper and more realistic images. The 1080p monitors have up to 2 million pixels in total, while the figure for the 720p format is only 921,600 pixels.
For this reason, there’s no doubt that the 1080p format will give you better image quality, sharpness, and a more satisfying watching experience.
Although you won’t notice the difference at a quick glance, switching from HD to Full HD will bring much more satisfaction to your watching experience. However, a standard HD TV is not always worse than a Full HD TV.
Image resolution only plays a part in the sharpness and smoothness of the pictures. You have to consider other factors like the screen size, refresh rate, and the frame rate of the broadcasted content.
Gaming
1080p makes a huge difference when it comes to gaming. It is not only compatible with the majority of game settings, but the Full HD format also brings more smooth and realistic gameplay.
Meanwhile, you can encounter some blur or image distortions when playing games in standard HD.
Related: Is 1080p Good For Gaming?
Price
In the past, media devices with FHD format used to be very costly when the display resolution technologies were not advanced enough. Users had to pay a large amount of money to purchase an FHD TV compared to 720p devices.
Nowadays, the advance in technology has narrowed the gap significantly. However, 1080p devices are still more expensive, at about $300-500$ costlier.
Which Format Should You Choose?
Based on the provided comparisons, I can conclude that the 1080p image resolution is slightly better than standard HD. It gives sharper image quality, higher resolution, and compatibility.
So my recommendation is the 1080p, which is still prevalent in the next years when more advanced formats like 4K and QHD get more popular. Especially when you want to use a big TV, Full HD is undeniably an ideal option.
However, don’t be too worried if you are using a device with standard HD format. The difference in image quality is not that noticeable if you don’t sit too close to the TV screen.
If you feel that the HD format still delivers a satisfying and decent watching experience, there’s no need to upgrade yet, at least in the next few years.
People with a tight budget can stick to their HD devices as they still work fine at the moment.
Final Thoughts
If you sit two meters away from a 50-inch TV screen, the difference between 720p and Full HD is not that noticeable.
However, 1080p is still an ideal option in the upcoming years with greater image resolution, compatibility, and technologies.
I hope that the information provided in this post can help you make a wiser purchase decision. Thank you for reading!
