720p or 1080p stand for resolutions, which certain devices can display. In this article, we will explain, what the differences between 720p or 1080p resolutions are.
720p vs 1080p: What is a resolution?
The resolution of 720p or 1080p resembles the pixels on your display, for example on your TV, Smartphone or Tablet. The higher the number, the sharper the display, if the size of the display stays the same. Pixels are fluid crystals, which get illuminated and then show different colors. When a display has a resolution of 720p, then it has 1280 pixels in width and 720 pixels in height.
720p vs 1080p: characteristics of 720p
720p is called HD-resolution with 1280×720 pixels. Even though it is a lower quality compared to 1080p and more outdated, its usage in certain situations can still be useful.
- If you have a smaller display, for example a TV smaller than 36 inches, using 720p is working out because there is only a small difference. But once the size of the screen gets bigger, the low quality is clearly recognizable.
- Using the highest resolution is ideal, but this is not always possible, for example because of a weak internet connection. If you have a weaker internet connection, 720p can minimize delay because fewer data needs to be transmitted.
720p vs 1080p: characteristics of 1080p
1080p stands for Full-HD-resolution and the exact number of pixel is 1920×1080. This is the most common resolution, mainly in PC-monitors, smartphones and also TVs.
- 1080p is a useful resolution for bigger TVs with 40 inches or more because there are more pixels on this bigger surface than with 720p. This causes the picture to be sharper.
- 1080p is also the main resolution for streaming, for example for livestreams or movies. If your internet is good enough, try to always stream your content with this resolution. Sometimes, 4K-resolution is also available, but bear in mind that your device also needs to be able to display it.
- When you are buying a new TV, monitor or something similar, try to aim at least to get 1080p.
Felix Stoll
I am Felix Stoll, born in 2003, and since 2019, I am writing online articles for various websites like Chip, Focus and How2forU in German and English. Through this, I can follow my passion for writing texts and also my interest in technology. Besides that, I am studying at a German high school in Bavaria. In my freetime, I am doing sports and like to take photos, which you can spot on my Instagram profile.
