Do you know which resolution you need for your Projector, Television, or Monitor? Is 1080p better? or Is it 2160p that you should consider? There are plenty of resolutions, you have heard about such as HD, FHD, UHD, 720p, 1080p, 2160p, 4320p, 4K, and more. You must have clarity about these terms when buying a new laptop, TV, Monitor, or Projector.
In this post, we provide a quick overview and explain in simple terms what these acronyms stand for, and how they affect your purchasing decisions. We will also try to answer- What is 2160p? Why is 4K not called 2160p? and Differences about – 2160p vs 4K
Let’s start with a question. What is 2160p?
What is 2160p? Is 3840 x 2160 (4K) resolution good?
To understand what is 2160p resolution, first, you need to know what the resolution means.
What is display resolution? The simple answer is that the resolution is the number of pixels on the screen. This is the number of pixels in each horizontal direction (width) and the number of pixels in each vertical direction (height). It is usually quoted as width × height, with the units in pixels.
How to calculate the resolution of the display?
The pixel density is calculated by dividing the total number of pixels in the display by the screen’s diagonal size.
For example, A 4K display with 3840 x 2160 pixels is a 4K display with 3840 x 2160 pixels.
Now, What is 2160p? A screen that has 2,160 pixels vertically(height). A 2160p screen has a standard resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels.
The 2160p resolution means that the screen is capable of displaying a picture that has twice the number of pixels compared to a 1080p screen.
If you watch a video on a 2160p screen, you will see sharper and crisper pictures. 2160p resolution is very high.
Some common Display Resolutions: At a glance
Here are some most common resolutions that can be used by TV or Projectors:
- 480p = 640 x 480 – standard definition video resolution, known as “SD”
- 720p = 1280 x 720 – high-definition video resolution, known as “HD”
- 1080p = 1920 x 1080 – the highest standard of high-definition video resolution, known as “FHD”
- 1440p = 2560 x 1440 – four times the “HD” resolution, known as “QHD”
- 4K or 2160p = 4096 x 2160 or 3840 x 2160 – four times the “FHD” resolution, known as “4K” or “UHD”
- 8K or 4320p = 7680 x 4320 – four times the “4K” resolution, known as “8K”
Related: Different Projector Resolutions Explained: A Detailed Guide
What is 4K?
The term “4K” means 4,000 pixels. Similarly, the term “8K” means 8,000 pixels. A 4K resolution display is a high-definition display capable of displaying images at a resolution of about 4,000 by 2,000 pixels.
The resolution for 4K is 4096 x 2160 or 3840 x 2160. Both resolutions are standardized as 4K because both resolutions have or are closer to approx 4,000 pixels to display(4K pixels). So they’re technically the same and are considered “4K”.
4K resolution offers four times the pixels of 1080p resolution, which means it provides higher quality video than 1080p resolution. The image is sharper and clearer than 1080p.
In fact, the 4K resolution is so impressive that you might think you are watching a movie. You will notice details on the screen that will make you feel like you are in a movie theater.
Why is 4K not called 2160p?
The reason why 4K is not called 2160p: 2160p vs 4K
As we’ve discussed above, the number of resolutions for true 4K or UHD is approx 4,000 or more. The 2160p has 3840 x 2160 resolutions.
The reason why 4K is not called 2160p is because the term 3840 x 2160 has closer to 4000 pixels. This means that the number of horizontal pixels i.e. 3840 is about 4,000 pixels and can be technically considered the same as 4K after rounding it off.
What is 2K?
A resolution is defined as the number of pixels that a display device can manage to show on its screen. 2K resolution has a resolution of approximately 2,000 pixels.
2K resolution is one of the most popular resolutions in the movie projection world today. It is standardized by DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives).
In Digital Cinema Initiatives, 2048 × 1080 is the dominant resolution for 2K format. It has a resolution of 2,048 pixels in the horizontal direction and a resolution of 1,080 pixels in the vertical direction.
For the consumer market, the highest standard of 2K video resolution is 1920 × 1080, also known as “1080p” or “FHD”
What is 4320p?
The 4320p resolution is referred to as “8K“. The 8K has 7680 x 4320 resolutions which are 16 times more than the 1080p and 4 times more than 4K.
At the moment, it is not possible to view 8K content with your PC monitor. It is only possible to view such content with an expensive TV. The resolution of 8K looks amazing. It has a higher resolution than any other display resolution.
What is 1440p?
Some new displays offer a resolution of 2560 x 1440, which is nearly four times the resolution of 1080p, or HD (1920×1080). The resolution 2560 x 1440 is also known as “QHD“
When you use a projector or a television with a screen that displays in QHD resolution, you will notice that the pixels of images or movies will appear to be much closer together than they would be on a display that supports lower resolutions. This is because the size of each pixel is smaller on a higher-resolution screen. When you look at a high-quality TV or a projector, the image you see will appear sharper and more detailed.
What is 1080p?
One of the most common resolutions is 1920 x 1080. We can call this the Full HD or “FHD” resolution. FHD is much sharper than a standard definition (SD) resolution of 640 x 480.
One of the benefits of using FHD is that it allows you to watch movies and shows with higher quality than those on a lower resolution. If you are playing games, this resolution should be what you can expect.
This resolution is also what most smartphones offer. The higher the number the better. This means that you will be able to see more details on the screen. A higher resolution means a sharper picture.
What is 720p?
The term “720p” stands for “HD” or “High Definition” and is 720 pixels in height. It has a resolution of 1280 x 720. This means a 720p display would show you 720 pixels vertically and 1280 pixels horizontally. If you have an HD-ready TV or Projector, you can view photos that have a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.
The resolution of 1280 x 720 is usually known as “HD Ready”. The term “HD Ready” refers to the ability of the display to show video in a higher resolution. An HD resolution is a resolution that is greater than a standard definition or SD.
2160p vs 4K: FAQs
Is UHD the same as 4K?
UHD or Ultra High Definition comes with a standard resolution of 3840×2160 pixels. UHD resolution has not exactly 4000 pixels which are meant by the term 4K. The true resolution for 4K is 4096×2160.
However, in the consumer market, the UHD resolution is referred to as 4K resolution because it has closer to 4000 pixels.
Which is better 4K or UHD?
The true resolution for 4K is 4096×2160 and for UHD is 3840×2160. In UHD resolution the number of pixels is less than that in 4K. So If you have a 4K resolution, it has more than 4000 pixels. Therefore, it looks very clear, sharp, and detailed. It looks like you are looking through a camera.
You will be able to see more details in 4K resolution than in UHD. The colors are brighter and clearer in 4K than in UHD. You can enjoy watching the content on a much bigger screen. You don’t have to worry about getting small fonts and other details.
You can fit more content on the screen. This can help you to easily watch all the content you want to display.
Is 3440 × 1440 the same as 4K?
No, the 3440 x 1440 resolution is not the same as 4K because the 4k resolution has approx three million more pixels. It is about 25 percent higher.
The 3440×1440 display is an ultra-wide screen that provides you with a bigger image. You will be able to see more information on the screen when you are watching TV or playing your favorite games. It is like having two TVs, one on top of the other.
Is 3840 x 2160 the same as 4K?
2160p vs 4K:
The true numbers of 4K or UHD resolution are at least 4000 pixels or more. For the 3840 x 2160 resolution when we count the number of horizontal pixels, it is about 160 pixels short of 4,000 pixels. So It clarifies that 3840 x 2160 is not exactly the same as 4K.
But, In the television and consumer market, the resolution 3840 x 2160 is considered as 4K because the horizontal pixels of this resolution are much closer to 4000 pixels, again the concept of “4K”.
In the movie projection industry, 4096 x 2160 is the dominant resolution which is also known as DCI 4K (or true 4K).
Is 7680 x 4320 the same as 8K?
The number 8K refers to 8000 pixels. So a screen that is able to display that much pixels should be considered 8K. Thus in 7680 x 4320 resolution, the number of horizontal pixels is 7680 which is closer to 8000K. So technically it is defined as 8K.
8K resolution has a total of 33 million pixels. 8K is the highest resolution available on TVs.
The resolution of 8K is so high that it requires new technology. 8K TVs are also referred to as Ultra High Definition or UHD TVs.
They are usually bigger than normal TVs and have extremely high resolutions. At this point, the only way that you can watch 8K content is on a big-screen expensive TV.
Is 2K resolution the same as 1440p?
The 1440p display
The 1440p screen has a vertical resolution of 1440 pixels. 1440p screen has a display with 2,560 horizontal and 1,440 vertical pixels. The p stands for progressive scan. The 1440p is also referred to as Quad HD or “QHD”.
The 2K display
Technically, a display that can show approx 2000 pixels wide is referred to as a 2K display. But as you can see in the resolution of 2560 x 1440, the number of horizontal pixels is 2560 which is higher than 2K. So in the consumer market, the 2560 x 1440 display is categorized as 2.5K.
A lot of people think that 2K resolution is the same as 1440p and it is often incorrectly referred to as 2K. But 2K resolution is not the same as 1440p. It’s the same as 2048 × 1080.
Is FHD the same as 1080p?
With a 16:9, the 1080p display offers you a Full-HD widescreen. It is the most common aspect ratio. The full HD or FHD screen has a resolution of 1920 x 1080. It makes your movie or TV shows look sharper and clearer than a standard resolution.
The 1080p is also informally denoted as 2K. An FHD wider screen can make your viewing experience more enjoyable. You can watch movies and TV shows in different ways with a wider screen.
It is also possible to play games on a bigger wider screen because the buttons and other game elements can be displayed in a larger size. You can also use a wider screen to watch your favorite sports more easily.
Explore More:
- What is a projector? How to choose the best projector?
- What is a 4K Projector? How to Find the Perfect 4K Projector?
- How Do 3D Projectors Work? [A 3D Projector Guide]
- 1600×900 vs 1920×1080 – What You Need to Know
- 4:3 vs 16:9 Projector Screen: A Guide on Projector Aspect Ratio
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this article helped you to answer the question “What is 2160p?” and “What are the differences between 2160p vs 4K“. In addition to that, you also learned the terminology used by the different types of displays such as HD, FHD, UHD, 720p, 4K, 8K, and more. If you want to buy a new TV, Monitor, or Projector, you should know about these terms. This will help you know what to expect.
As an experienced Software Engineer in a Projection-Based Technology Company, I love sharing my Knowledge to utilize and help others to learn more about Projectors. Thus one can get the right Projector for their needs.
