Projectors are increasingly popular devices, used in a variety of settings. When selecting a projector, one of the most important factors to consider is its resolution.
Different projector resolutions can provide different levels of detail and clarity. But what is the best resolution for a projector?
And how does it compare to other common resolutions like 720p and 1080p? This blog post will answer those questions and provide you with all the information you need to choose the right resolution for your needs.
What Is The Best Resolution For A Projector? 2022 Guide Lines
What is resolution?
Resolution refers to the sharpness and detail of an image projected by a projector. Aspect ratio is the relationship between width and height, where 4:3 and 16:9 are the most common formats. Just like with resolution, there is a large variation of aspect ratios in modern projectors.
Let’s start with the basics. Resolution is often described in terms of horizontal pixel count, measured in pixels or megapixels (millions of pixels). For example, a 1920×1080 projector has a resolution of 1080p which means 1,920 pixels running horizontally and 1,080 runnings vertically for a grand total of 2 million pixels on the screen.
By the way, there’s also a vertical pixel count, which you might see on some projectors; it can be found
by multiplying the horizontal pixel count by 1.2 (1080 x 1.2 = 1,320). Many people claim that this is not necessary and should be ignored – I tend to agree with them.
A more detailed description of the term resolution
The term resolution is a term that has many different meanings throughout the technological world. When it comes to media and computers, resolution refers to the resolution of the display and the number of image elements (dots or pixels) that can be displayed both vertically and horizontally by the screen.
In this case, resolution refers to the number of pixels that can be displayed in height and width. This statement also applies to digital content.
The higher the resolution, the crisper the image and the higher the PPI value because there’s a larger number of pixels in every inch. Pixels per inch (PPI) refers to the numbers of pixels that are displayed per inch in an image. This is different from the displays resolution, a term that determines the number of pixels in a display.
If the image has too few pixels the image can turn out to look chunky or large if the image is stretched, which results in it looking pixelated.
Image resolution refers to the total number of pixels a digital image displays and is expressed as width and height proportions. An image with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, has 2,073,600 pixels in total, and can be referred to as a 2 megapixel image.
What is Projector Native Resolution?
A projector’s native resolution is the number of pixels it can project natively without any scaling.
Let’s say a projector has a 1920×1080 resolution. In this case, the projector is a 1920x1080p projector and can display a maximum of 1080 lines of vertical pixels. However, a 1920×1080 image has a total pixel count of 2.07 million pixels, which is more than the projector can display on its own.
Therefore, the projector needs to know how many pixels it must project per line, and that number is called pixel-by-line or ppl. For example, if the projector has a ppl of 1.2, then it must project 240 pixels for every line to make up for the 1080 lines.
This is known as the up-scaling factor. If it has a ppl of 0.8, then instead of projecting 240 pixels per line, it must project 160 pixels per line.
Note: Some people may refer to up-scaling as down-scaling due to the effect of the projector down-scaling the 1080 pixels to a lower resolution.
Also, note that some projectors have a native pixel count different than 1920x1080p. For example, a 2048×1152 projector has a resolution of 2048 pixels wide and 1152 pixels high (total pixel count: 2,359,296).
A more detailed description of the term native resolution
Projectors that use microdisplays, regardless of if they’re LCD, LCOS, or DLP chips, has a finite number of pixels on the microdisplays. The fixed array of pixels is what is called the projectors native resolution. Native resolution, is the true, actual, physical resolution the projector has. The projector, an imagined one, will only be able to display the number of pixels it has on the chips or panels.
Maximum resolution, on the other hand, has nothing to do with a projector’s physical display. It has to do with signal formats. Video and computer signals have a wide number of formats for resolution. Every single projectors has programming that allows them to recognize a wide range of the different signals.
With that being said, maximum resolution refers to the highest display resolution that a projector can interpret and display.
How to convert non-native signal formats to native resolution
When projectors receive signals that don’t match their native resolution, they must convert the signal to the native resolution’s format to display the content correctly. This is a process known as scaling.
Take, for example a projector with a 1280 by 720 native resolution that has the capability of displaying HDTV 1080i signals. This means the projector’s physical pixel matrix has 1280 pixels in width and 720 pixels in height. Each frame of the video on an HDTV 1080i signal, however, contains 1920 by 1080 pixels, which is much more that the projector has in its physical display. To display the 1080i signal the projector has to compress the content to its 1280 by 720 format. It does so because it’s programmed to perform the compression from 1920 by 1080 to 1280 by 720. Also, if the 1920 by 1080 is the projector’s highest capable resolution that can be compressed then this is also the projector’s maximum resolution.
If the incoming signal is smaller the projector’s native resolution then the projector must scale/expand the signal up from the smaller signal to the higher signal the projector natively is able to display.
You lose something in scaling, always
When converting non-native signals to native resolutions, this is called approximation. When this is done, the projector is essentially estimating what the signal would be if the signal were created in the native resolution of the projector in the beginning. When doing this, the projector can’t add new information to content’s original signal. The best thing it can hope to do is make very close approximation while not losing much detail for the picture in the process. Contrary to what you may think, when XGA projectors scale television signals up from 640 by 480 to 1024 by 768, it doesn’t add sharpness or detail. In reality the image will look a bit softer than it would if the projector’s native display were 640 by 480 and scaling weren’t necessary to begin with.
Scaling engines have gotten very accurate with video content nowadays. Often scaled video images look just as crisp and clear as they would if they were displayed in their own native format. This, however, isn’t as true for computer data signals.
It is common for native XGA resolution projectors to have SXGA listed as their maximum resolution. All this means is that one can give a 1280 by 1024 computer resolution to the projector. When the projector compresses the signal into its native 1024 by 768 display, the image will appear a bit fuzzier than it likely would if the signal were XGA native in the beginning.
Is a Higher Resolution Better?
The short answer is yes. The High-resolution projectors more pixels a picture has, the sharper and more detailed it will be. For many years, 1080p was the highest resolution in consumer projectors and it’s still very common.
However, today we have 4K resolution projectors with pixel counts of 4096×2160 or 3840×2160. These projectors have a staggering 8 million pixels – four times the resolution of 1080p! With this many pixels, it’s very difficult for the human eye to distinguish individual ones. This means that you’ll see extremely sharp and detailed picture quality with 4K projectors.
What is the best Projector resolution?
4K is without question the best resolution, but it also comes with a price premium. 1080p projectors are very affordable, and if you’re not planning on watching any 4K content, it’s highly recommended that you choose a 1080p projector.
But, the best resolution also depends on what you’re planning on using your projector for.
Listed below are some of the more common projector resolutions:
- SVGA: Stands for Super Video Graphics Array and is a resolution of 800 by 600 pixels
- XGA: Stands for Extended Graphics Array and is a resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels
- WXGA: Stands for Wise Extended Graphics Array and is a resolution of 1280 by 800
- FHD: Stands for Full HD and is a resolution of 1080p or 1920 by 1080 pixels
- WUXGA: Stands for Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array and is a resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels
- 4K UHD: Stands for 4K Ultra HD and is a resolution of 3840 by 2160 pixels
There are also a few 8K projectors out there (or being developed).
The best projector resolution depends on what the projector will be used for.
Business and Education projector use
Because projector use in education and business settings can vary it isn’t very simple to make a decision on the right resolution.
It’s suggested that you get a projector ranging from the lowest resolution SVGA to the highest which is 4K. If you’re going to be displaying multimedia content you’ll probably want to stick with 1080p though.
The average aspect ratio for content scene in home theaters is 16:9. With that being said 4K UHD and 1080p are two of the best resolutions to choose from for home theater use.
What is 480p resolution?
480p is the lowest resolution that you can find on old projectors. It was common several years ago, but it’s since been phased out. The 480p resolution can be described as a “composite” resolution because it is a standard video format.
If you have an old VHS player or camcorder, you’ll know that it outputs 480p video. And this image quality is very low.
To put this into perspective, a 480p projector has a native resolution of 640×480. This is usually abbreviated to WXGA, which has a resolution of 1280×768. By today’s standards, this is a very low resolution with just over one million pixels.
There are also 720p projectors that have a pixel count of 1280×720, commonly abbreviated to XGA – this is still a decent resolution and you can find them quite easily.
What is 720P resolution?
720P Projector Resolution is a shorthand name for 1280×720 resolution. 720 P has a pixel count of 921,600 pixels which is the equivalent of a 32-inch TV at this resolution of 1280 x 720.
720p projectors are becoming harder to find, but they are still available in the market and 1080p is much more popular today. They only use half the pixels (921,600) compared to 1080P (2,073,600).
This means that when projecting at 720p, the pixels are smaller. The resolution is usually not a limiting factor when choosing between 720P and 1080P, but rather the differences in lumens, contrast ratios, and cost.
Is 720p resolution HD?
720p is not HD. The term “HD” refers to High Definition, which has a pixel count of 1,920×1,080 (1080p).cWhen 1080P video projectors were first released they were very expensive and 720p technology was much cheaper.
This allowed 720P projectors to be competitively priced but still offer great picture quality. Now that the 1080P HD projector has come down in price 720P technology has been phased out and there are almost no new 720p projectors available.
Is the 1080p projector good?
1080p projectors are great because they offer a much higher resolution than 720P, but they are actually the standard in digital cinema. Note that this is called DCI and it has a resolution of 1,920×1,080p.
Theater projector typically has very high contrast ratios and the best image quality you can find. The biggest problem with 1080p HD resolution projectors is that they can be very expensive – especially when you consider what great 720p images cost.
What is 1080i resolution?
1080i is an abbreviation for “interlaced” which you might see listed next to the resolution of your TV. An interlaced signal sends only half of the picture at a time – it alternates between showing the odd rows and the even rows. This saves bandwidth but isn’t as good as a progressive scan.
This is where 1080p projectors come in, they can show full HD signals without sacrificing quality. Professionals often use 1080p projectors because it lets them work at their maximum productivity since there’s no need to convert or downscale any signals.
With 1080p projectors, you get the same resolution as you would with a full HD TV – but for a much lower price and with a higher contrast ratio and colour accuracy.
1440p projector resolution?
1440p is 2,560×1,440 resolution which is also known as Quad HD. It has three times the pixels of 720P and two times the pixels of 1080p.
1440p projectors are used in large venues such as commercial cinemas and sports bars, but they can also be found in selected homes. They provide a much higher resolution than 1080P and even rival some Full HD projectors. If you want to achieve 4K-quality images, this is the resolution you need.
4K projector resolution?
4K or, UHD is a very popular term at the moment, but what does it mean and where did it come from? 4K projectors have a native resolution of 3,840×2,160 which means that they offer four times as much detail as 1080P projectors.
4K projectors are a good choice for a home entertainment system because they can produce detailed images that really show off your Blu-ray collection, plus they can play 4K+ content from a variety of sources.
4K projectors are also being used in large commercial theatres because they have four times the number of pixels as Full HD projectors, meaning that viewers get an experience that’s very close to watching something on a cinema screen.
Is 1080P the same as 2K?
1080P and 2K are essentially the same things, but 1080P is used as a shorthand for Full HD. 2K just refers to a resolution of 2,048×1,080 pixels which is exactly double 1080P.
900P is a new technology from Sony that can redefine your presentations and provide incredibly sharp images 900p is a new technology that offers excellent picture quality for a fraction of the price of 1080P. It is also known as Quad HD and has a resolution of 1,920×1,080.
The term Quad HD is used because it has four times as many pixels as 720p (1,280×720). As with all new technologies, prices are still high but they will come down eventually.
Projectors like this can be used almost anywhere you need to install a projector because their resolution is not any lower than full HD. They can also display 1080P and UHD signals without any problem.
Entry-level 4k projector.
The Main Entry-level 4k projectors are the Sony VPL-VW320ES, Optoma UHD60, and Epson Home Cinema 4000.
The Optoma UHD60 is the third generation 4K projector from the company, which adopts the Texas Instruments 4K chipset for image processing support. This allows it to support the latest HDR and wide color gamut content.
The Epson Home Cinema 4000 offers 3,000 lumens of brightness and promises around 10,000 hours of lamp life. It also features support for HDR and has a contrast ratio of 200,000:1.
The Optoma UHD51A is an entry-level 4K projector that comes as a result of the collaboration between Optoma and Texas Instruments (TI). The UHD51A features TI’s latest 4K DLP chipset which provides 3840×2160 native resolution, HDR compatibility, and a wide color gamut.
Entry-level native 4k projector.
The Optoma UHD50 is a short-throw 4K projector that provides around 2,000 lumens of brightness. It also comes equipped with a TI 4K DMD chipset, a contrast ratio of 200,000:1, and up to 10,000 hours of lamp life.
The Epson Home Cinema projectors 4000 provides 3,000 lumens of brightness and promises around 10,000 hours of lamp life. It also features support for HDR and has a contrast ratio of 200,000:1.
The Sony VPL-VW520ES is a short-throw 4K projector equipped with a laser light source, which is claimed to last for 20,000 hours in normal mode and 30,000 in Eco mode. The projector is compatible with S-4K and HDR and has a contrast ratio of 100,000:1.
Is there an 8K projector?
There is no 8K projector in the market at the moment. 8K, in this case, means “eight-thousand”, or 4320p. While there are a few 8K TVs on the market, no 8K projectors have been announced yet.
XGA projector resolution?
XGA is 1,024 pixels wide by 768 pixels high. It’s used for projectors with a native resolution of 1024×768.
What resolution projector do I need?
This is a big question, but the best answer is this: it depends on how you’re using the projector.
Typically, projectors between 800×600 and 1200×800 are considered entry-level resolution projectors. For home theatres with seating further than 10 feet away from the screen, an XGA or SVGA projector may be all that you need to enjoy a big-screen experience in your own home.
Projectors with resolutions higher than XGA are typically used for commercial applications, such as movie theatres and presentation rooms. In these cases, the projector’s ability to fill a large space with rich images is more important than its price or compact size, so generally, these projectors are capable of much higher brightness.
How do you choose projector resolution?
Consider these three factors when choosing a projector’s resolution:
1: How far away will the projector be from the screen?
Remember that XGA is 1024×768, so if your room has an eight-foot widescreen and your seats are 13 feet back, you’ll need at least an XGA resolution projector to get a crisp, clear image.
2: How big is the screen?
If you are planning on projecting onto a 200-inch diagonal screen, it will have roughly six times the area of an 80-inch TV. That means that if your goal is to fill the entire wall with images, you’ll need at least twice the resolution of XGA for it to appear as clear and crisp as that TV.
3: What will you use the projection for?
This is perhaps the most important factor to consider when choosing a projector’s resolution. For home theatre viewing, where your seating distance is maybe 10 feet or more from the screen, high-definition projectors offer the best image quality for the money. On the other hand, if you are using it for presentations or commercial purposes, XGA resolution will likely suffice.
144p – 8K Difference of Each Video Resolution
What Is The Best Resolution For A Projector: Conclusion paragraph
The best resolution for your projector depends on your needs. If you are planning to use it in a home theatre, go for 1080p or higher. If it will be used for commercial purposes, XGA resolution is more than enough.
What Is The Best Resolution For A Projector? Related FAQ’s
Are There Any 8K Projectors?
No, not yet. There are a few 8K TVs on the market but no 8K projectors have been announced yet.
What Is XGA?
XGA is 1,024 pixels wide by 768 pixels high. It’s used for projectors with a native resolution of 1024×768.
Is The Higher The Resolution, The Better?
Not always. 4K is not four times better than full HD. It depends on how far away the projector is from the screen. If you are using your projector in a home cinema, the projector should be close to or below six feet away from the screen. Otherwise, the image usually gets too large to be viewed comfortably by everyone in the room.
Is 1080i The Same As 1080p?
1080i is not the same as 1080p. I stands for interlaced, and the p stands for progressive. Interlaced means two fields of 540 lines are drawn rapidly one after another. Progressive means the entire frame with all 720 or 1080 lines is drawn at once.
What Is The Difference Between 4K, Ultra HD, And UHD?
These three terms are synonymous. They refer to displays with a resolution of 4K (4,096 x 2,160). A 4K projector can display all resolutions of UHD.
Do I Have To Worry About Converting 4K To 1080p?
Converting an image from 4K to 1080p is not necessary since all projectors have the ability to natively display 4K.
Do I Have To Worry About Converting 1080p To 4K?
You do not need to worry about converting 1080p to 4K since the projector should be able to natively display both formats.
What Is LCoS?
LCoS stands for liquid crystal on silicon. It is a type of digital micromirror device (DMD).
What Is DLP?
DLP stands for digital light processing. It is a type of DMD that uses thousands of microscopic mirrors to reflect the light into the lens.
What Is DMD?
A DMD is a small chip that contains more than 1 million hinge-mounted micromirrors to reflect the light into the lens.
What Is D-ILA?
D-ILA stands for Direct-Drive Image Light Amplifier. This technology uses a stationary lens to focus the light from the lamp to a spinning color wheel that deflects the colors into the lens.