10 Jun 2k vs. 4k, who wins the race ?
A video resolution is the number of pixels that make up a frame in a video in it’s width and height format while, a pixel is the smallest element of a digital image.
It is one of the small dots in the organisation of millions of other dots that makes up the picture which implies that more the pixels, the higher the resolution and crispier the video frame appears.
Therefore, 1080p known as full H.D or 2.K is composed of two million pixels( 1920 x 1080)
While 4K (aka. Ultra H.D) has over 8 million pixels ( 3840 x 2160 ) Therefore, a 4k has around 4 times more resolution than 1080p and produce a clearer picture.
Resolution table
| RESOLUTION | RESOLUTION | HORIZONTAL PIXELS | VERTICAL PIXELS | COMMON NAMES |
| 2K | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 | 2 million + | H.D, Full H.D, 1080 P |
| 4K | 3840 x 2160 | 3840 | 8 million + | 2160 p Ultra H.D |
4k get’s it’s label from the pixel width of a frame , not it’s height – so 4K refers to a pixel width of 2160.
4k technology is able to produce the most ultra H.D intricate of details in a noticeably higher contrast fashion.
When often times a recording will need to be scaled down to a lower resolution. Tests have shown that when a 4K is down scaled to 2K. The picture is noticeably more detailed once paid closer attention to. 2K is mainly adopted by the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) film industry. It is generally used for 19:10 aspect ratio screens.
While the, 4K resolution has some variations. One of them is the one adopted by Digital Cinema Initiatives, with a 4096 x 2160 ratio.
Viewing Distance
The human eye is capable of resolving various densities of PPI. This ability is greatly affected by the distance between the viewer and the display (viewing distance).
the smaller the screen’s diagonal size, the more dense the pixels. Meaning, a person would need to be closer to the display in order to discern a difference between resolutions.
Display size and viewing distance help to determine scenarios where 4K can actually add value to an application.
Finally, Which Resolution Should You Choose? 2K or 4K
Your decision between 2K or 4K is heavily dependent on the application and viewing distance.
If you plan to buy a 4K monitor for your computer (assume a 2-3 ft viewing distance @ 27 inches), the 4K monitor will always be better than 2k. The same could be said for larger displays at shorter viewing distances.
However, as you increase the viewing distance, the perceivable benefit of 4K drops off markedly.
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