Graphic display resolutions
The graphics display resolution describes the width and height dimensions of a display, such as acomputer monitor, in pixels. Certain combinations of width and height are standardized and typically given a name and aninitialism that is descriptive
of its dimensions. A higher display resolution means that displayed content appears sharper and smaller (depending on the physical size of the display).
Contents[hide]
|
Aspect ratio vs. Available resolution
Computer and entertainment displays have historically been dominated by 3 common aspect ratios: 4:3 (=16:12), 16:10, and 16:9. The 4:3 aspect ratio generally reflects older or industrial market products, and the 16:9 aspect ratio tends to reflect the newest
mass market computer monitor, laptop, and entertainment products displays. The move to wider aspect ratios in mass market products has a large impact on the display resolutions that are easily available in mass market products. In many cases the resolutions
listed in the sections below may have a small market and may only be seen in specialized industrial or computer market products, or may not be available for sale.
The 4:3 aspect ratio was common in older television cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, which were not easily adaptable to a wider aspect ratio. When good quality alternate technologies became available (i.e., liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and plasma displays),
the common computer displays and entertainment products moved to a wider aspect ratio, first to the 16:10 ratio. The 16:10 ratio allowed some compromise between showing older 4:3 aspect ratio broadcast TV shows, but also allowing better viewing of widescreen
movies. However, the broadcast entertainment industry gradually moved to a 16:9 aspect ratio, which may in part was driven by a desire for further improvement of viewing widescreen movies compared to the 16:10 aspect ratio. By about 2007, virtually all mass
market entertainment displays were 16:9, with 1920x1080 resolution appearing in the most heavily marketed entertainment products by 2011.
The computer display industry maintained the 16:10 aspect ratio longer than the entertainment industry, but by 2011 the computer display industry had moved to the 16:9 aspect ratio. The 16:10 aspect ratio in computer monitor applications has value in allowing
better viewing of side by side pages of text, compared to the 16:9 aspect ratio. However, in the 2003-2009 period, computers were increasingly marketed as dual use products with uses in the traditional computer applications, but also as means of viewing entertainment
content, and as a result the computer monitor and laptop industry moved to the 16:9 aspect ratio due to cost savings of standardizing on a common display format with the entertainment industry product line. By 2010, virtually all computer monitor and laptop
manufacturers had also moved to the 16:9 aspect ratio, and the availability of 16:10 aspect ratio in mass market computer monitors and laptop products had become very limited. An artifact of the move to the 16:9 aspect ration is that the highest resolution
available in laptop computers moved downward between 2006 and 2011; i.e., in 2006 laptops were commonly available at up to 1920x1200 resolution, but in 2011 the peak resolution available in virtually all laptops is 1920x1080.
Multiple display standards compared.
Video graphics array
QQVGA (160×120)
Quarter-QVGA (QQVGA or qqVGA) denotes a resolution of 160×120 or 120×160 pixels, usually used in displays of handheld devices. The term Quarter-QVGA signifies a resolution of one fourth the number of pixels in aQVGA display (half the number
of vertical and half the number of horizontal pixels) which itself has one fourth the number of pixels in aVGA display.
The acronym qqVGA may be used to distinguish quarter from
quad, just like qVGA.[1]
[edit]HQVGA (240×160)
Half-QVGA denotes a display screen resolution of 240×160 or 160×240 pixels, as seen on theGame Boy Advance. This resolution is half of QVGA, which is itself a quarter of
VGA, which is 640×480 pixels.
[edit]QVGA (320×240)
A graphic which shows the resolution of QVGA compared to VGA. Click for actual size.
The Quarter Video Graphics Array (also known as QuarterVGA,QVGA, or
qVGA) is a popular term for a computer display with 320×240display resolution. QVGA displays are most often used in mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), and some handheld game consoles. Often the displays are in a “portrait” orientation
(i.e., taller than they are wide, as opposed to “landscape”) and are referred to as 240×320.[2]
The name comes from having a quarter of the 640×480 maximum resolution of the originalIBM
VGA display technology, which became a de facto industry standard in the late 1980s. QVGA is not a standard mode offered by the VGA BIOS, even though VGA and compatible chipsets support a QVGA-sized Mode X. The term refers only to the display's
resolution and thus the abbreviated term QVGA or Quarter VGA is more appropriate to use.
QVGA resolution is also used in digital video recording equipment as a low-resolution mode requiring less data storage capacity than higher resolutions, typically in stilldigital cameras with video recording capability, and somemobile phones. Each frame
is an image of 320×240 pixels. QVGA video is typically recorded at 15 or 30frames per second. QVGA mode describes the size of an image in pixels, commonly called the resolution; numerousvideo file
formats support this resolution.
While QVGA is a lower resolution than VGA, at higher resolutions the "Q" prefix commonly meansquad(ruple) or four times
higher display resolution (e.g., QXGA is 4 times higher resolution than
XGA). To distinguish quarter from quad, lowercase "q" is sometimes used for "quarter" and uppercase "Q" for "quad", by analogy withSI prefixes like k/K and m/M, but this is not a consistent usage.[3]
[edit]WQVGA (432×240)
Wide QVGA or WQVGA is any display resolution having the same height in pixels as QVGA, but wider. This definition is consistent with other 'wide' versions of computer displays.
Since QVGA is 320 pixels wide and 240 pixels high (aspect ratio of 4:3), a WQVGA screen might be 384 pixels wide for 8:5 aspect ratio, 400 for 5:3 (such as theNintendo 3DS screen), or 432 for 9:5. As withWVGA, exact ratios of N:9 are not practical because
of the way VGA controllers internally deal with pixels. For instance, when using graphical combinatorial operations on pixels, VGA controllers will use 1 bit per pixel. Since bits cannot be accessed individually but by chunks of 16 or an even higher power
of 2, this limits the horizontal resolution to a 16-pixel granularity, i.e., the horizontal resolution must be divisible by 16. In the case of 16:9 ratio, with 240 pixels high, the horizontal resolution should be 240 / 9 x 16 = 426.66 which is not a multiple
of 16. The closest is 432, which is where the '432' comes from.
WQVGA has also been used to describe displays that are not 240 pixels high, for exampleSixteenth HD1080 displays which are 270 or 272 pixels high or displays like 480×272. This may be due to QVGA having the nearest screen height.
WQVGA resolutions are commonly used in touch screen mobile phones, such as 240×400, 240×432, and 240×480. For example, the Sony Ericsson Aino and the Samsung Instinct both have WQVGA screen resolutions - 240x432. Other devices
such as the AppleiPod nano also use a WQVGA screen, 240×376 pixels.
[edit]HVGA (480×320)
HVGA (Half-size VGA) screens have 480×320 pixels (3:2 aspect ratio), 480×360 pixels (4:3 aspect ratio), 480×272 (~16:9 aspect ratio) or 640×240 pixels (8:3 aspect ratio). The former is used by a variety ofPDA
devices, starting with the SonyCLIÉ PEG-NR70 in 2002, and standalone PDAs by Palm. The latter was used by a variety of handheld PC devices. VGA resolution is 640×480.
Examples of devices that use HVGA include the Apple iPhone 3GS/3G/2G, BlackBerry Bold 9000, HTC Dream, HTC Hero,HTC Wildfire S,LG GW620 Eve,MyTouch 3G Slide, Nokia 6260 Slide, Palm Pre,
Samsung M900 Moment, and Sony Ericsson Xperia X8.
Texas Instruments produces theDLP pico projector which supports HVGA resolution.[4]
HVGA was the only resolution supported in the first versions of Google Android, up to release 1.5.[5] Other higher and lower resolutions are now available starting on release 1.6, like
the popular WVGA resolution on the Motorola Droid or the QVGA resolution on the HTC Tattoo.
Three dimensional computer graphics common ontelevision throughout the1980s were mostly rendered at this resolution, causing objects to have jagged edges on the top and bottom when edges were not anti-aliased.
[edit]VGA (640×480)
Video Graphics Array
Video Graphics Array (VGA) refers specifically to the display hardware first introduced with theIBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987,[6] but through its
widespread adoption has also come to mean either an analog computer display standard, the 15-pin D-subminiature VGA connector or the
640×480 resolution itself. While this resolution was superseded in the personal computer market in the 1990s, it is becoming a popular resolution on mobile devices.[7]
VGA is still the universal fallback troubleshooting mode in the case of trouble with graphic device drivers in operating systems.
[edit]WVGA (800×480)
Wide VGA or WVGA an abbreviation for
Wide Video Graphics Array is any display resolution with the same 480 pixel height as
VGA but wider, such as 800×480, 848×480, or 854×480. It is a common resolution amongLCD projectors and later portable and hand-held internet-enabled devices (such asMID and Netbooks) as it is capable of rendering web sites designed
for an 800 wide window in full page-width. A well-known example is theASUS Eee PC 700 series, but also the Dell XCD35, Nokia770, N800,N810 andN900 models.
As of 2011, mobile phones with WVGA display resolution are becoming more common. A list of mobile phones with WVGA displays is available.
[edit]FWVGA (854×480)
FWVGA is an abbreviation for Full Wide Video Graphics Array which refers to a display resolution of 854×480 pixels. 854×480 is approximately the 16:9aspect ratio ofanamorphically "un-squeezed" NTSC DVD widescreen video and
considered a "safe" resolution that does not crop any of the image. It is calledFull WVGA to distinguish it from other, narrower WVGA resolutions which require cropping 16:9aspect ratiohigh-definition video (i.e. it is full width, albeit with
considerable reduction in size). The 854 pixel width is rounded up from
853.333...3. 480 x 16⁄1 x 9 =7680⁄9 =
8531⁄3. Since a pixel must be a whole number, rounding up to 854 ensures inclusion of the entire image.[8]
As of 2011, mobile phones with FWVGA display resolution are becoming more common. A list of mobile phones with FWVGA displays is available.
[edit]SVGA (800×600)
Super Video Graphics Array
Super Video Graphics Array
Super Video Graphics Array or Ultra Video Graphics Array,[9] almost always abbreviated to
Super VGA, Ultra VGA or justSVGA or
UVGA is a broad term that covers a wide range ofcomputer display standards.[10]
Originally, it was an extension to the VGA standard first released by IBM in 1987. Unlike VGA—a purely IBM-defined standard—Super VGA was defined by theVideo Electronics Standards Association (VESA), an open consortium set
up to promote interoperability and define standards. When used as a resolution specification, in contrast toVGA orXGA for example, the termSVGA normally refers to a resolution of 800
× 600 pixels.
[edit]WSVGA (1024×576/600)
The Wide version of SVGA is known as WSVGA, featured on
Ultra-Mobile PCs, netbooks, and tablet computers. The resolution is either 1024×576 or 1024×600 with screen sizes normally ranging from 7 to 10 inches. The aspect ratio is approximately 5:3 or 16:9. Some netbooks with
11.6 inch screens use 1366×768 (16:9 aspect ratio).
[edit]Extended graphics array
[edit]XGA (1024×768)
XGA, the Extended Graphics Array, is an
IBM display standard introduced in 1990. Today, it is the most common appellation of the 1024×768 pixelsdisplay resolution,[dated
info] but the official definition is broader than that. It was not a new and improved replacement forSuper VGA, but rather became one particular subset of the broad range of capabilities covered under the
"Super VGA" umbrella.
The initial version of XGA expanded upon IBM's VGA, adding support for two resolutions:
- 800×600 pixels with high color (16 bits per pixel; i.e.. 65,536 colors).
- 1024×768 pixels with a palette of 256 colors (8 bits per pixel)
Like its predecessor (the IBM 8514), XGA offered fixed function hardware acceleration to offload processing of 2D drawing tasks. XGA and 8514 could offload line-draw, bitmap-copy (bitblt), and color-fill
operations from the host CPU. XGA's acceleration was faster than 8514's, and more comprehensive in that it supported more drawing primitives and XGA's 16 bits per pixel (65,536 color) display-mode.
XGA-2 added Truecolor mode for 640×480, high color mode and higher refresh rates for 1024×768, and improved accelerator performance. All XGA modes have a4:3aspect ratio rounded
to 8 pixels.
XGA should not be confused with EVGA (Extended Video Graphics Array), a contemporaneous VESA standard.
[edit]WXGA (1280×768)
| Resolution | Usage | Aspect ratio |
|---|---|---|
| 1280×720 | Monitors, older LCD TVs | 16:9 |
| 1280×768 | Monitors | 15:9 (5:3) |
| 1280×800 | Monitors | 16:10 (8:5) |
| 1360×768 | LCD TVs | 16:9 (approx.), actually 85:48 |
| 1366×768 | LCD and PDP TVs and monitors | 16:9 (approx.), actually 683:384 |
Wide eXtended Graphics Array (Wide XGA or WXGA) is a set of
non standard resolutions derived from the XGA
display standard by widening it to a
wide screen aspect ratio. WXGA is commonly used for low-end
LCD TVs and LCD computer monitors for widescreen presentation.
When referring to televisions and other monitors intended for consumer entertainment use, WXGA is generally understood to refer to a resolution of1366(1365.333)×768, with an aspect ratio of 16:9. In 2006 this was the most
popular resolution forliquid crystal display televisions while XGA was for Plasma TVs flat panel displays.[11]
When referring to laptop displays or monitors intended primarily as computer displays, WXGA is most commonly used to refer to a resolution of1280×800 pixels with an aspect ratio of 16:10.[12]
This resolution is particularly popular for most laptops with a 14" or 15" screen. The exact resolution this refers to is somewhat variable, however, as the 1280xnnn resolutions were among the first widescreen resolutions commonly used, and term entered
use (especially for laptop displays) before the broad standardization 16:10 for widescreen computer displays.
Overall, several resolutions have been labeled as WXGA. These are the most common resolutions given the label (in ascending order by total number of pixels):
- 1280×720[13]
- 1280×768[14]
- 1280×800[15][16]
- 1360×768
- 1366×768[17]
1280×720 provides perfectly square pixels at an aspect ratio of 16:9, while the additional pixels in 1280×768 and 1280×800 must be ignored to give the 16:9 ratio without vertical stretching of the image. 1360×768 and 1366×768 come very close to 16:9, displaying
exactly square pixels if 1360×765 pixels of the display are used.
Recent widespread availability of 1280×800 pixel resolution LCDs for laptop monitors can be considered anOS driven evolution from the formerly popular
1024×768 screen size. In Microsoft Windows operating system specifically, the
task bar when fit to the bottom of the screen occupies about 30 pixels, allowing a programwindow sized 1024×768 pixels to fit on screen without obstruction(800-768=32). Operating theWindows Sidebar
in Windows Vista can use the remaining width of 256 pixels (1280-1024).
720p is a relatedHDTV video display resolution measuring 1280×720 pixels.
1440×900 resolution displays have also been found labeled as WXGA; however, the correct label is actuallyWSXGA or WXGA+.
[edit]XGA+ (1152×864)
XGA+ stands for eXtended Graphics Array Plus and is acomputer display standard. XGA+ is often used on 17 inch desktop CRT monitors. XGA+ is usually understood to refer to the
1152×864 resolution with an aspect ratio of 4:3. As widescreenLCD are getting increasingly popular, this resolution is decreasing in use, but it is the native resolution of some 17 inch 4:3 LCD displays.
Historically, the resolution relates to the earlier standard of 1152×900 pixels, which was adopted bySun Microsystems for the Sun-2 workstation in the early 1980s. This resolution is close to the maximum practical which, using onebyte per pixel, can fit
into a video memory or frame-buffer of onemegabyte. However, its aspect ratio is 3.84:3 (1.28:1). WhenApple Computer defined a standard resolution for 21-inch CRT monitors, intended for use as Two-Page Displays on theMacintosh
II computer, Apple selected instead 1152×864, which is the highest 4:3 resolution below one million pixels.
XGA+ is the next step after XGA (1024×768), although it's not approved by any standard organizations. The next step with an aspect ratio of 4:3 is 1280×960 ("SXGA-") or SXGA+ (1400×1050).
[edit]WXGA+ (1440×900)
WXGA+ and WSXGA are non-standard terms referring to computer display resolutions. Usually they refer to a resolution of 1440×900,[citation
needed] but occasionally manufacturers use other terms to refer to this resolution (for example,[1]). The
Standard Panels Working Group refers to the 1440×900 resolution as WXGA(II).[18]
WSXGA and WXGA+ can be considered enhanced versions of WXGA with more pixels, or as widescreen variants of SXGA. The aspect ratios of each are 16:10 (widescreen).
WXGA+ (1440×900) resolution is common in 19" widescreen desktop monitors (a very small number of such monitors usesWSXGA+), and is also optional, although less common, in laptop LCDs, in sizes ranging from 12.1" to 17".
[edit]SXGA (1280×1024)
SXGA is an acronym for Super eXtended Graphics Array referring to a standardmonitor resolution of 1280×1024 pixels. This display resolution is the "next step" above the XGA resolution that
IBM developed in 1990.
The 1280×1024 resolution is not the standard 4:3 aspect ratio, but 5:4 (1.25:1 instead of 1.333:1). A standard 4:3 monitor using this resolution will have rectangular rather than square pixels, meaning that unless the software compensates for this the picture
will be distorted, causing circles to appear elliptical. There is a less common 1280×960 resolution sometimes unofficially called "SXGA-" (to avoid confusion with the "standard" SXGA) that preserves the common 4:3 aspect ratio.
SXGA is the most common native resolution of 17" and 19" LCD monitors. An LCD monitor with SXGA native resolution will typically have a physical 5:4 aspect ratio, preserving a 1:1pixel aspect ratio.
Apple Computer referred to displays with this resolution as "two-page displays", because they could be used to display twoA4 pages side-by-side at a resolution of 72dots per inch.[citation
needed] Sony manufactured a 17" CRT monitor with a 5:4 aspect ratio designed for this resolution. It was sold under the Apple brand name.
SXGA is also a popular resolution for cell phone cameras, such as the Motorola Razr and most Samsung and LG phones. Although being taken over by newer UXGA (2.0 megapixel) cameras, the 1.3 megapixel is the most common for the time being.[citation
needed]
Any CRT that can run 1280×1024 can also run 1280×960, which has the standard 4:3 ratio. Displaying any 4:3 resolution on a 5:4 monitor, like a TFT with a native resolution of 1280×1024, will look stretched. But on a TFT, displaying any other resolution than
the native one is not a good idea anyway, as the image needs to be interpolated to fit in the fixed grid display (and some TFT displays do not allow a user to disable this and use a letterbox format).
The 1280×1024 resolution became popular because at 24-bit color it fit well into 4
MB of video RAM. At the time, memory was extremely expensive. Using 1280×1024 at 24-bitcolor depth allowed using 3.75MiB of video RAM, fitting nicely withVRAM chip sizes which were available
at the time (4 Mib).[citation needed]
- 1280 pixels×1024 pixels = 1,310,720 pixels
- 1,310,720 pixels×8 bits/pixel = 10,485,760 bits
- 10,485,760 bits ÷ 8 bits/byte = 1,310,720 bytes ÷ 1,0242 Bytes/MiB = 1.25MiB
- 1,310,720 pixels×24 bits/pixel = 31,457,280 bits
- 31,457,280 bits ÷ 8 bits/byte = 3,932,160 bytes ÷ 1,0242 Bytes/MiB = 3.75MiB
[edit]SXGA+ (1400×1050)
SXGA+ stands for Super eXtended Graphics Array Plus and is acomputer display standard. An SXGA+ display is commonly used on 14 inch or 15 inchlaptop
LCD screens with a resolution of 1400×1050 pixels. An SXGA+ display is used on a few 12 inch laptop screens such as theThinkPad X60 & X61 (both only as tablet) and theToshiba Portégé M200 and M400, but these are far less common.
Sony also used SXGA+ in their Z1 series, but no longer produce them as wide screen has become more predominant.
There is a widescreen version of SXGA+ called WSXGA+ with a resolution of 1680×1050. This is a common native resolution of 19-22 inch wide-aspect LCD monitors, and is also available on many laptops.
It is the next common step in resolution after SXGA, although it is not approved by any organization. The most common resolution immediately above is calledUXGA (sometimes also known as UGA) which has 1600×1200 pixels.
In desktop LCDs, SXGA+ is used on some low-end 20" monitors, whereas most of the 20" LCDs use UXGA (standard screen ratio), or WSXGA+ (widescreen ratio).
[edit]WSXGA+ (1680×1050)
WSXGA+ stands for Widescreen Super eXtendedGraphics
Array Plus and is a computer display standard. A WSXGA+ display is commonly used on Widescreen 20", 21", and popular 22" LCD monitors from numerous manufacturers (and a very small number of 19" widescreen monitors), as well
as widescreen 15.4" and 17"laptop LCD screens like the
Thinkpad T61 and the Apple 15" MacBook Pro. The resolution is 1680×1050 pixels (1,764,000 pixels) and has a 16:10 aspect ratio.
WSXGA+ is the widescreen version of SXGA+, but it is not approved by any organization. The next highest resolution (for widescreen) after it isWUXGA, which is 1920×1200 pixels.
[edit]UXGA (1600×1200)
UXGA is an abbreviation for Ultra eXtended Graphics Array referring to a standardmonitor resolution of 1600×1200 pixels (totaling 1,920,000 pixels), which is exactly four times the defaultresolution
of SVGA (800×600) (totaling 480,000 pixels). Dell Computer refers to the same resolution of 1,920,000 pixels as
UGA. It is generally considered to be the next step aboveSXGA (1280×960 or 1280×1024), but some resolutions (such as the unnamed 1360(1365.333)×1024 andSXGA+ at 1400×1050) fit between the two.
UXGA has been the native resolution of many fullscreen monitors of 15" or more, including laptop LCDs such as the ones inThinkPad A21p, A31p, T42p, and T43p; Dell Inspiron 8000/8100/8200; Panasonic Toughbook CF-51; and the original Alienware Area 51m. However,
in more recent times, UXGA is not used in laptops at all but rather in desktop UXGA monitors that have been made in sizes of 20" and 21.3". Some 14" laptop LCDs with UXGA have also existed, but these were very rare.
There are two different widescreen cousins of UXGA, one called UWXGA with 1600×768(750) and one calledWUXGA with 1920×1200 resolution.
[edit]WUXGA (1920×1200)
WUXGA stands for Widescreen Ultra eXtended Graphics Array and is adisplay resolution of 1920×1200 pixels (2,304,000 pixels) with a 16:10 screenaspect ratio.
It is a wide version of UXGA, and can be used for viewing high-definition television (HDTV) content, which uses a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 1920x1080 resolution.
The 16:10 aspect ratio (as opposed to the 16:9 used in widescreen televisions) was chosen because this aspect ratio is appropriate for displaying two full pages of text side by side.[19]
WUXGA resolution is equivalent to 2.3 megapixels. An 8-bit RGB WUXGA image has an uncompressed size of around 6.6MiB. This was the highest resolution that was ever commonly available in the computer display industry, but its use had been almost completely
ended by 2010 as the computer industry moved to the 16:9 aspect ratio (i.e., 1920x1080 is the highest resolution available from most laptop and computer monitor manufacturers). This resolution is currently available in a few high-endLCD televisions andcomputer
monitors, the latter of which are typically in the size range of approximately 23"–28" for desktop monitors, but has become almost completely unavailable on notebook monitors. A small number of 22" WUXGA desktop monitors exist (i.e., Lenovo L220x and Samsung
T220P). WUXGA use predates the introduction of LCDs of that resolution. MostQXGA displays support 1920×1200 and widescreen CRTs such as the Sony GDM-FW900 and Hewlett Packard A7217A do as well.
The next lower resolution (for widescreen) before it is WSXGA+, which is 1680×1050 pixels (1,764,000 pixels, or 30.61% fewer than the WUXGA); the next higher resolution widescreen is an unnamed 2304×1440 resolution (supported by the above GDM-FW900 & A7217A)
and then the more commonWQXGA, which has 2560×1600 pixels (4,096,000 pixels, or 77.78% more than WUXGA).
There are two wider formats called UWXGA 1600×768 (25:12) and UW-UXGA that has 2560×1080 pixels, a 2.37:1 or 21.333{21⅓}:9 or 64:27 aspect ratio.
[edit]Quad-extended graphics array
| Computer standard | Resolution | Ratio | Ratio: decimal | Pixels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QWXGA (Quad WSVGA) | 2048×1152 | 16:9 | 1.778 | 2.4M |
| QXGA | 2048×1536 | 4:3 | 1.333 | 3.1M |
| WQXGA | 2560×1600 | 16:10 | 1.6 | 4.1M |
| QSXGA | 2560×2048 | 5:4 | 1.25 | 5.2M |
| WQSXGA | 3200×2048 | 25:16 | 1.5625 | 6.6M |
| QUXGA | 3200×2400 | 4:3 | 1.333 | 7.7M |
| WQUXGA | 3840×2400 | 16:10 | 1.6 | 9.2M |
The QXGA, or Quad eXtended Graphics Array, display standard is a resolution standard in display technology. Their high pixel counts and heavy display hardware requirements mean that there are currently fewCRT and LCD monitors
that have pixel counts at these levels. These terms are currently reserved for the highest-end consumercomputer display hardware for those buying LCDs.
WQXGA is often found in 30" displays like the Dell 3008WFP and the Apple Cinema Display. As of this date, there are few WQXGA displays in the consumer marketplace, but their price is higher than most displays used by graphic professionals, and their refresh
speed is not close to that used in current consumer displays. It is unlikely that WQXGA, or next-generation
HXGA, displays will be commonplace anytime soon. It should also be noted, however, that many standard 21"/22" CRT monitors can be used at theQXGA resolution. Some of the highest-end 19" CRTs also support this
resolution.
Last year WQXGA made its debut in a handful of home theater projectors targeted at the Contant Height Screen application market. Both Digital Projection Inc and projectiondesign released models based on a Texas Instrument DLP chip with a native WQXGA resolution,
alleviating the need for an anamorphic lens to achieve 1:2.35 image projection.
[edit]QWXGA (2048×1152)
QWXGA (Quad Wide eXtended Graphics Array) is adisplay resolution of 2048×1152 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio. A few LCD QWXGA monitors are available with 23 and 27 inch displays, such as theAcer B233HU (23") and B273HU
(27"), theDell SP2309W, and theSamsung 2343BWX.
[edit]QXGA (2048×1536)
QXGA (Quad eXtended Graphics Array) is a display resolution of 2048×1536 pixels with a
4:3 aspect ratio. The name comes from it having four times as many pixels as an XGA display. As of 2007, this is the highest non-experimental and non-widescreen resolution, and the number of monitors that can display images
at this resolution are somewhat limited, especially among LCDs. The number of CRT monitors offering this resolution has actually dropped off, as CRT makers such as NEC and Sony have stopped offering their higher end models. Examples of LCDs with this resolution
are theIBM T210 and the Eizo G33 and R31 screens, but in CRT monitors this resolution is much more common; some examples include theViewSonic G225fB,NEC FP2141SB or Mitsubishi DP2070SB, Iiyama Vision Master Pro 514, and Dell and
HP P1230. Of these monitors, none is still in production. A related display size isWQXGA, which is a
wide screen version. CRTs offer a way to achieve QXGA cheaply. Models like the Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 2045U and IBM ThinkVision C220P retailed for around 200 USD, and even higher performance ones like the ViewSonic PerfectFlat
P220fB remained under 500 USD. As recently as last year, many off-lease P1230s could be found on eBay for under 150 USD. The LCDs with WQXGA or QXGA resolution typically cost 4 to 5 times more for the same resolution.IDTech manufactured a 15" QXGA IPS panel.
NEC had sold laptops with QXGA screens in 2002-2005 for Japanese market.[20][21]
[edit]WQXGA (2560×1600)
WQXGA (Wide Quad eXtended Graphics Array) is adisplay resolution of 2560×1600 pixels with a 16:10 aspect ratio. The name comes from it being a wide version of QXGA and having four times as many pixels as anWXGA (1280×800)
display.
Before 2007, devices that could display this resolution were very rare, but many manufacturers have since come out with a 27"-30" model that is capable of WQXGA, albeit at a much higher price than lower resolution monitors of the same size. Several mainstream
WQXGA monitors are available with 30 inch displays, such as the Apple Cinema Display, the Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP-HC, Dell UltraSharp 3008WFP and Dell UltraSharp 3011, theHewlett-Packard LP3065, theGateway XHD3000, and theSamsung 305T. Specialist manufacturers
likeEizo, Planar Systems, Barco (LC-3001) and possibly others offer similar models.
One feature which is currently unique to the 30" WQXGA monitors are their ability to function as the centerpiece and main display of a three-monitor array of complementary aspect ratios, with twoUXGA (1600×1200) 20" monitors turned vertically on either side.
The resolutions are equal, and the size of the 1600 resolution edges (if the manufacturer is honest) is within a tenth of an inch(16" vs 15,89999"), presenting a "picture window view" without the extreme lateral dimensions, small central panel,
asymmetry, resolution differences, or dimensional difference of other three-monitor combinations. The resulting 4960×1600 composite image has a 3.1:1 aspect ratio.
Of course, this also means one UXGA 20" monitor in portrait orientation can also be flanked by two 30" WQXGA monitors for a 6320×1600 composite image with a 11.85:3 (79:20, 3.95:1) aspect ratio.
[edit]QSXGA (2560×2048)
QSXGA (Quad Super eXtended Graphics Array) is a display resolution of 2560×2048 pixels with a 5:4aspect ratio. Grayscale monitors with a 2560×2048 resolution, primarily for medical use, are available fromPlanar Systems (Dome
E5),Eizo (Radiforce G51),Barco (Nio 5,MP),WIDE (IF2105MP),
IDTech (IAQS80F) and possibly others.
A similar resolution of 2560×1920 (4:3) was supported by a small number of CRT displays via VGA such as the Viewsonic P225f when paired with the right graphics card.
[edit]WQSXGA (3200×2048)
WQSXGA (Wide Quad Super eXtended Graphics Array) describes adisplay standard that can support a resolution up to 3200×2048 pixels, assuming a 1.56:1 (25:16) aspect ratio. As of July 2008, the Coronis Fusion 6MP DL by
Barco supports 3280×2048 (approx. 16:10).
[edit]QUXGA (3200×2400)
QUXGA (Quad Ultra Extended Graphics Array) describes adisplay standard that can support a resolution up to 3200×2400 pixels, assuming a 4:3 aspect ratio.
[edit]WQUXGA (3840×2400)
The IBM T221 display
WQUXGA (Wide Quad Ultra eXtended Graphics Array) describes adisplay that supports a resolution of 3840×2400 pixels, which provides a 16:10 aspect ratio. This resolution is exactly four times 1920×1200 (in pixels).
In June 2001, WQUXGA was introduced in the IBM T220 LCD
monitor using a LCD panel built by
IDTech. LCD displays that support WQUXGA resolution include:
IBM T220, IBM T221 (models DG1, DG3, DG4, DG5), Iiyama AQU5611DTBK, ViewSonic
VP2290,[22] ADTX MD22292B andIDTech MD22292 (models B0, B1, B2, B5, C0, C2). IDTech was the original equipment manufacturer
which sold these monitors to ADTX,IBM, Iiyama, and ViewSonic.[23]
Most display cards with a DVI connector are capable of supporting the 3840×2400 resolution. However, the maximum refresh rate will be limited by the number of DVI links which are connected to the monitor. 1, 2, or 4 DVI connectors
are used to drive the monitor using various tile configurations. Only the IBM T221-DG5 and IDTech MD22292B5 support the use of dual-link DVI ports through an external converter box.
Many systems using these monitors use at least 2 DVI connectors to send video to the monitor. These DVI connectors can be from the same graphics card, different graphics cards, or even different computers. Motion across the tile boundary(ies) can showtearing
if the DVI links are not synchronized. The display panel can be updated at a speed between 0 Hz and 41 Hz (48 Hz for the IBM T221-DG5, and IDTech MD22292B5). The refresh rate of the video signal can be higher than 41 Hz, or 48 Hz, but the monitor will not
update the display any faster if graphics card(s) do so.
There was one series of WQUXGA displays in the consumer marketplace, but it was discontinued in Q2 of 2005. That series of displays had prices which were well above even the higher end displays used by graphic professionals. In addition, the lower refresh
rates, 41 Hz and 48 Hz, made them less attractive for many applications.
As of January 2007, none of the WQUXGA monitors (IBM, ViewSonic, Iiyama, ADTX) are in production anymore. Toshiba announced its intention to market a new WQUXGA 22" monitor in November 2007.[24]
However, it has not done so to date. Neither Toshiba nor public speculation on the Internet[citation needed]
has provided any new information since the November 2007 press release.
WQUXGA is the maximum resolution supported by DisplayPort 1.2, though actually displaying such a resolution on a device with DisplayPort 1.2 is dependent on the graphics system in much the same way devices with VGA connectors do not necessarily maximize
that standard's highest possible resolution.
[edit]Hyper-extended graphics array
| Computer standard | Resolution | Ratio | Pixels |
|---|---|---|---|
| HXGA | 4096×3072 | 4:3 | 12.6M |
| WHXGA | 5120×3200 | 16:10 | 16.4M |
| HSXGA | 5120×4096 | 5:4 | 21M |
| WHSXGA | 6400×4096 | 25:16 | 26M |
| HUXGA | 6400×4800 | 4:3 | 31M |
| WHUXGA | 7680×4800 | 16:10 | 37M |
The HXGA display standard and its derivatives are a standard in display technology. Their high pixel counts and heavy display hardware requirements mean that there is currently nomonitor that singly displays
at these levels. These terms are currently reserved fordigital camera hardware. An example can be found inHIPerSpace of a case where multiple WQXGA displays must be stacked to exceed HXGA or WHXGA resolution.
[edit]HXGA (4096×3072)
HXGA an abbreviation for Hex[adecatuple] Extended
Graphics Array is a display standard that can support a resolution of 4096×3072 pixels (or 3200 pixels) with a 4:3 aspect ratio. The name comes from it having sixteen (hexadecatuple)
times as many pixels as anXGA display. As of 2011, there are no displays that can render images at such high resolution but several digital cameras can record such images. A related display size is WHXGA, which is awide screen
version.
[edit]WHXGA (5120×3200)
WHXGA an abbreviation for Wide Hex[adecatuple] ExtendedGraphics
Array is a display standard that can support a resolution of roughly 5120×3200 pixels with a 16:10 aspect ratio. The name comes from it being a wide version of HXGA, which has sixteen (hexadecatuple)
times as many pixels as anXGA display. As of 2011, there are no displays that can render images at such high resolution but several digital cameras can record such images. It would require fourWQXGA devices to display at this resolution. A resolution of 5120×3072
should, in theory, also qualify as WHXGA, if such a display were to be made.
[edit]HSXGA (5120×4096)
HSXGA, an abbreviation for Hex[adecatuple]
Super ExtendedGraphics Array, is a display standard that can support a resolution of roughly 5120×4096 pixels with a 5:4 aspect ratio. The name comes from it having sixteen (hexadecatuple)
times as many pixels as anSXGA display.
As of January 2007, there is no display with a maximum resolution 5120×4096. If this display were to exist, it would have a maximum resolution 10 times that of the 1080 ATSC HDTV video standard.
[edit]WHSXGA (6400×4096)
WHSXGA, an abbreviation for Wide Hex[adecatuple]
Super Extended Graphics
Array, is adisplay standard that can support a resolution up to 6400 x 4096 pixels, assuming a 1.56:1 aspect ratio. The name comes from it having sixteen (hexadecatuple) times as many pixels as anWSXGA
display.
[edit]HUXGA (6400×4800)
HUXGA, an abbreviation for Hex[adecatuple]
Ultra ExtendedGraphics Array, is a display standard that can support a resolution of roughly 6400×4800 pixels with a 4:3 aspect ratio. The name comes from it having sixteen (hexadecatuple)
times as many pixels as anUXGA display.
[edit]WHUXGA (7680×4800)
WHUXGA an abbreviation for Wide Hex[adecatuple]
Ultra Extended Graphics
Array, is adisplay standard that can support a resolution up to 7680×4800 pixels, assuming a 16:10 aspect ratio. The name comes from it having sixteen (hexadecatuple) times as many pixels as aWUXGA display.
A WHUXGA image consists of 36,864,000 pixels (approximately 37 megapixels). A monitor of 7680×4320 would also qualify as a WHUXGA display.UHDTV video requires a display of similar resolution (7680×4320) for properly displaying UHDTV content, which is 16 times
the pixel count of the 1080 ATSC HDTV video standard.
[edit]Multiples of 720 and 1080
[edit]nHD (640×360)
nHD is a display resolution of 640×360 pixels which is exactly oneninth of a full
HD 1080p frame and one quarter of a 720p frame. 2x2 nHD frames will form one 720p frame and 3x3 nHD frames will form one 1080p frame.
One drawback of this resolution is that the vertical resolution is not an even multiple of 16 which is a commonmacroblock size forvideo codecs. Video frames encoded with 16x16 pixel macroblocks would be padded to 640x368 and the added pixels would be cropped
away at playback. The same is true for qHD and 1080p but the relative amount of padding is more for lower resolutions such as nHD.
To avoid storing padding data some people prefer to encode video at 624x352. When such video streams are either encoded from HD frames or played back on HD displays in full screen mode (either 720p or 1080p) they are scaled by non-integer scale factors.
True nHD frames on the other hand has integer scale factors.
[edit]qHD (960×540)
qHD is a display resolution of 960×540 pixels which is exactly onequarter of a full
HD 1080p and three quarters of a 720p frame, in a 16:9 aspect ratio.
This resolution began to become popular for high-end smartphone displays in early 2011. Mobile phones like theHTC Sensation (unlocked internationally), HTC Sensation 4G (T-Mobile USA variant), andHTC EVO 3D (Sprint) have
the qHD display resolution.
[edit]WQHD (2560×1440)
The WQHD, or Wide Quad High Definition, display standard is a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels in a 16:9aspect ratio. It is four times the pixel resolution of the720p HDTV video standard, hence the name. Their high pixel counts
and heavy display hardware requirements mean that there are currently fewLCD monitors that have pixel counts at these levels. It is a resolution found in some displays, such as the Dell UltraSharp U2711, NEC MultiSync PA271W, and the 27"iMac.[25][26][27]
In autumn 2006, Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO) announced a 47" 1440 LCD panel to be released in Q2 2007;[28] the panel was planned to finally
debut at FPD International 2008 in a form on autostereoscopic 3D display.[29]
[edit]QFHD (3840×2160)
QFHD (Quad Full High Definition) is a non-standard display resolution of 3840×2160 pixels arranged in a 16:9 aspect ratio. It is four times the resolution of the 1080p HDTV video standard, hence the name (Quad meaning 4).
In early 2008, Samsung revealed a proof-of-concept 82-inch LCD TV set capable of this resolution[30] and LG has demonstrated an 84-inch display.[31]
Eyevis produces a 56" LCD named EYELCD 56 QHD HD whileToshiba makes the P56QHD,Mitsubishi Electric the 56P-QF60LCU, and Sony the SRM-L560, all which can deliver a resolution of 3840×2160.[32]
Landmark also has produced a 56" QFHD monitor, the M5600 [33].
CMI has built a 27.84" 158 PPI QFHD IPS panel for medical displays since November 2010.[34]
[edit]Comparison chart
| x (width) |
y (height) |
Mega- pixels |
Aspect ratio |
Percentage of difference in pixels | Typical sizes |
Non-wide version |
Note | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Wide XGA | WSXGA | WSXGA+ | WUXGA | WQXGA | |||||||
| Wide XGA | 1366 | 768 | 1.049 | 1.778 |
| |||||||