What Is TV Resolution?

Nathan Rizzuti Avatar

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Updated Jun 27, 2022 11:14 PM

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The television has come a long way since it first debuted at the World’s Fair in 1939. Nowadays, the best TVs deliver stunning images that make viewers feel part of the action. But what is it that makes this possible? Below, we’ll discuss just what is TV resolution and how it impacts your viewing experience.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • TV resolution is the individual pixel count that makes up the whole screen.
  • Resolution is calculated by multiplying horizontal rows of pixels by vertical columns of pixels.
  • The higher a TV’s resolution, the more accurately and realistically it will render a given image.

And if you’re having issues with ghost-like images on your screen, read up on what OLED burn-in is. If you determine that your TV needs repair, you’ll need to have your television warranty information handy.

How to Find the TV Resolution

If you’ve ever been to a department store and glanced at the placards describing the different TVs, you’ve seen many large bold letters and numbers talking about the latest screen resolution. But with such a large array of terms present within the world of gadgetry, you may have brushed it off as another hockey marketing phrase.

Insider Tip

Check the various streaming services to see who’s offering content in 4K. Many streaming services have increased their 4K offerings over the past few years.

But in reality, image resolution is an integral part of determining the quality of a TV’s color accuracy and overall picture quality.

Resolution is based on how many individual pixels make up the screen. The resolution formula is the total number of pixels within one column (vertical resolution) multiplied by the total number of pixels in one row (horizontal resolution). The resulting number tells you the total resolution.

What Do the Different Definitions Mean?

The most common resolution for modern TVs is 4K Ultra-HD. The 4K HD resolution is 3840 x 2160, which means there are 3840 pixels in one horizontal row and 2160 pixels in one vertical row. Overall, this resolution provides a dynamic range of colors and is a great video display for just about any viewing experience.

What Is the Best TV Resolution?

Currently, the top consumer resolution is the 8K picture quality. However, the effects of these higher-resolution screens are often difficult to detect with the human eye and can only be noticed on super large screens and during extremely fast-paced action scenes.

Why Do Pixels Matter

The more pixel density a screen has, the crisper the image produced. In addition, a high pixel density allows a screen to capture varying shades of color because every single pixel is working to provide a more lifelike picture. This is why a native resolution with a higher pixel count is always more desirable.

Warning

Although a TV’s native resolution is one way to tell how good the overall image will be, other factors are to consider when choosing image quality, such as refresh rates and type of display.

F.A.Q.S

Can I change my TV’s resolution?

There is no way to change a TV’s resolution, as this would require you to add pixels to the screen.


What Is a Normal TV Resolution?

At this point, both 1080p (Full HD) resolutions and 4K HD resolutions are commonplace in stores and homes.


What exactly is an OLED TV?

An OLED TV is a method of lighting up a TV screen. Where most TVs use a LED backlight to light all the pixels, with OLED, each pixel lights up on its own. This technology provides richer colors and more lifelike images.


STAT: A standard 4K TV has over 8 million individual pixels. (source)

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