Common resolutions
The number before the p is the height in pixels for a standard 16:9 frame; the p stands for progressive scan. Vertical video swaps the dimensions, so Full HD vertical is 1080 × 1920.
- 480p (SD): 854 × 480
- 720p (HD): 1280 × 720
- 1080p (Full HD): 1920 × 1080
- 1440p (QHD, often called 2K): 2560 × 1440
- 2160p (4K, UHD): 3840 × 2160
- 4320p (8K): 7680 × 4320
Resolution is not the same as quality
Sharpness on screen depends on bitrate, codec and the source as much as on pixel count. A 1080p stream starved of bitrate looks worse than a well-encoded 720p one. Screen size and viewing distance matter too: on a phone, the difference between 1080p and 4K is essentially invisible.
What each resolution costs
Pixel count rises fast: 1080p has 2.25 times the pixels of 720p, and 4K has four times those of 1080p. Bitrate, storage and delivery volume rise with it, though not quite in proportion. Viewers need roughly 3 Mbps of connection for 720p, 5 Mbps for 1080p and 25 Mbps for 4K.
Choosing a maximum resolution
- Match the source: upscaling adds cost, not detail
- Match the screens: a mobile-first audience gains little above 1080p
- Match the content: film and sport benefit from 4K on televisions; talk and tutorials rarely do
- Use it as a tier difference: HD on the standard plan, 4K on the premium one
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