The acronyms associated with smartphone displays seem a little unusual, but if you want to know what all those numbers and abbreviations mean regarding such displays, we've got you covered. Would you like to understand what a particular display type is best suited for, and what the differences in screen resolution mean? Read our article!
Permission
When we talk about smartphone displays, one aspect that must be taken into account is screen resolution. This category includes three aspects: display size (in inches), number of pixels of the entire screen, and display pixel density (pixels per square inch, ppi). If you know the screen size, you can determine how many pixels there are in a square inch. You can easily find out the ppi of your phone using a pixel density calculator.
Below we publish the main characteristics of the displays, and they will start with HD resolution or higher, since most modern smartphones are equipped with just such screens. You may also want to pay attention to the stated “nits,” which serve as an indicator of the brightness of the displays.
| Permission | Number of pixels (horizontal-vertical | Designations | Device examples |
| True 4K | 4096 x 2160 | 4K, Cinema 4K, True 4K | No |
| 4K Ultra HD | 3840 x 2160 | 4K, Ultra HD, 4K Ultra HD | Sony Xperia Z5 Premium |
| 2K | 2560 x 1440 | 2K | HTC 10, Nexus 6P, Moto Z, Galaxy S8, LG V20 |
| 1080p | 1920 x 1080 | Full HD, FHD, HD High Definition | OnePlus 3, Sony Xperia X, Huawei P9, iPhone 7 Plus |
| 720p | 1280 x 720 | HD, High Definition | Moto G4 Play, Galaxy J3, Xperia M4 Aqua |
HD
The abbreviation HD translated from English means “high resolution”. HD is defined at a pixel value of 1280 x 720 pixels. No matter how big the display is, as long as the above values remain, it is an HD display. We can conclude that the smaller the HD screen, the higher the pixel density, and, theoretically, the better the image. So, just having an HD display doesn't mean much, since the picture quality on a 5-inch screen will be different from the picture on a 10-inch panel (remember: display sizes are measured by its diagonal to account for different aspect ratios).
For example, on a 4.3-inch screen the pixel density will be 342 ppi. The 4.7-inch screen will have a lower density at 312 ppi, although both of these displays are still HD. According to Apple, 300 ppi is the optimal value when the human eye can no longer distinguish individual pixels at a certain viewing distance (and on a certain display size).
Full HD
Full HD is the next step and is now the standard for smartphone screen resolution, although 2K (QHD) is gaining popularity on high-end devices, with the Oppo Find 7 and LG G3, the first commercially available devices, having QHD screens.
Full HD has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Again, pixel density will depend on how large the display is overall. Smartphones with a 5-inch screen have a pixel density of about 440 ppi, and a 5.5-inch display will have no more than 400 pixels per inch.
QHD, Quad HD or 2K
QHD is equivalent to the definition of Quad HD and is 4 times the parameters of the HD format. This means that you can fit the same number of pixels as 4 HD displays into one QHD display of the same size. The number of pixels for the QHD format is set at 2560x1440. A 5.5-inch screen of this format has a pixel density of 538 ppi. By comparison, a 5.5-inch Full HD display contains 400 pixels per square inch.
Definitions also often refer to a smaller number of pixels, so HD is sometimes called 720p, Full HD, respectively, 1080p, etc. In terms of QHD, the name 2K comes from the fact that the larger number of pixels is greater than 2000, and this situation can look a little confusing (in fact, such a format should be called 2.5K for the sake of accuracy).
Many modern phones from major manufacturers (Samsung, Motorola, Huawei) are equipped with 2K displays as standard.
4K or Ultra HD
Similar to the 2K format, the name 4K also comes from the larger number of pixels. In technical terms, this means 4096 pixels for 4K and only 3840 pixels for Ultra HD. Although these two terms are often used interchangeably, they are actually slightly different.
The Ultra HD screen format has parameters of 3860 x 2160 pixels, and 4K – 4096 x 2160 pixels. Both definitions of the above formats are often reduced to 2160p, and the difference in pixels is relatively small (nevertheless, it is still there).
One of the first phones with a 4K display was the Xperia Z5 Premium, released by Sony, which has a 5.5-inch screen with Ultra HD resolution. This manufacturer characterizes the format of this display as 4K, but in fact, the term Ultra HD is more appropriate here, rather than “true” 4K. However, the Z5 Premium has a screen density of 806 ppi - much more than many top smartphones can offer, and even more than what the human eye actually needs.
Screen Resolution Trends
While smartphone screens continue to get bigger, the race between phone manufacturers for 4K displays that we expected a year ago has not happened. Today there are only two models with screens of this format, and both from Sony – Z5 Premium and Xperia XZ Premium. Instead, 2K displays have become the norm at the top end of smartphones, rather than higher resolution options. This, among other reasons, has a lot to do with power issues, since larger displays with higher resolutions require more power. With battery life a hot topic these days, phone makers don't seem to be in much of a hurry to take things a step further. However, 2017 could very well be the year when we see more smartphones with Ultra HD displays.
Display Types
Smartphones use various types of displays: LCD, OLED, AMOLED, Super AMOLED, TFT, IPS and a number of other less common ones, for example, TFT-LCD. One of the most commonly used smartphone screens is IPS-LCD. What does this mean?
LCD
The abbreviation LCD stands for “liquid crystal display,” and the name directly refers to the array of liquid crystals illuminated by a backlight. The ubiquity and relatively low cost of LCD panels make them a popular choice for smartphones and many other electronic devices. LCDs also look good in bright sunlight because the entire display is illuminated from below, but it doesn't have the color accuracy of other displays that don't require a backlight.
Smartphones today use both TFT and IPS displays. TFT stands for Thin Film Transistor, an advanced version of LCD that uses an active matrix (like AM in AMOLED). The term "active matrix" means that each pixel of the screen is connected to a transistor and a capacitor separately.
The main advantage of TFT is its relatively low cost and increased contrast level compared to conventional LCD displays. The disadvantages of the TFT LCD screen are higher power consumption, less wide viewing angles and worse color rendition. Due to these reasons and the falling cost of alternatives, TFT displays are now becoming less common in smartphones.
The letters IPS literally mean "in-planar switching" and this technology is an improvement on conventional TFT displays, providing better color reproduction and better viewing angles. This is achieved by using two transistors for each pixel, combined with a more powerful backlight than other types of non-LCD displays. Typically, IPS panels use less power than a standard TFT display.
By the way, there are other acronyms that can be seen along with the letters IPS, for example, IPS-NEO. In this case, it is a patented name for a technology created by the Japanese company JDI that can prevent backlight scattering. Displays with this technology function the same as any other IPS-LCD screens.
AMOLED
AMOLED stands for Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode. All this may seem complicated, but in reality it is not. We have already encountered active matrix in TFT LCD technology, and OLED is just a term for another thin film display technology.
OLED is an organic material that, as its name suggests, emits light when electricity is passed through it. Unlike backlit LCD panels, OLED displays are always "off" until individual pixels are charged with electricity. This means that the above displays have richer blacks and use less power when black or dark colors are displayed on the screen. However, light themes on AMOLED panels use more power than LCD displays with similar themes. Note that OLED screens are significantly more expensive than conventional LCD displays.
Since black pixels are "off" on OLED displays, the contrast level is higher than on LCD panels. AMOLED screens also have a very high refresh rate, but the downside is that they are not as easily visible in direct sunlight as backlit LCDs. Other factors to consider are screen burn-in and diode degradation (since they are organic). On the plus side, AMOLED displays are thinner than LCD panels and can still be flexible.
What's the difference between OLED, AMOLED and Super AMOLED?
OLED stands for "organic light-emitting diode" and an OLED display consists of a thin sheet of electroluminescent material, the main advantage of which is its own emission. In view of this, no backlight is required, and this circumstance helps to reduce energy consumption. OLED screens are most often AMOLED screens when used in smartphones or TVs.
As we mentioned above, the letters AM in the AMOLED acronym stand for "active matrix", which is different from passive matrix OLED (P-OLED), the latter not being very common in smartphone displays.
Super AMOLED is the name given by Samsung to its displays, which were previously used exclusively in top-end device models, but are now also found among cheaper devices. Similar to IPS LCD, Super AMOLED improves on the basic AMOLED foundation by embedding a touch layer directly into the screen itself rather than on top of it. As a result, Super AMOLED panels have better readability in bright light than AMOLED displays, plus they consume less energy. As the name suggests, Super AMOLED is simply an improved version of AMOLED. Let us add that this is not some kind of advertising gimmick - Samsung panels are periodically recognized as one of the best in the world.
Retina
Retina is another marketing term coined by Apple. A Retina display is not characterized by any one specific characteristic, other than that it must have sufficient resolution that the human eye cannot distinguish pixels at normal viewing distances, and have a pixel density of at least 300 ppi. As we already know, Apple doesn't measure ppi values the same way as other phone makers. Measurement specifics are likely to vary depending on display size and resolution. Apple popularized the Retina concept with the release of the model
iPhone 4, a 3.5-inch IPS LCD screen with a resolution of 960 x 640, which equals 330 pixels per square inch.
Considering that 5.5-inch QHD displays are quite common on top Android phones these days, and devices like the S7 Edge have 534 ppi panels, Apple has ultimately abandoned its belief that 300 ppi is more than enough. As a result, this led to the fact that the iPhone 6 Plus received a Full HD display with a pixel density of 401 ppi. iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have 326 ppi and 401 ppi respectively.
Which display type is better?
As we've already seen, each term is not limited to a specific manufacturer: AMOLED is not always associated with Samsung, and Retina is not necessarily associated with Apple. The IPS LCD displays found in iPhones are now manufactured by LG. Samsung has developed panels for the iPad, and not all devices from this manufacturer are equipped with AMOLED screens. This is not exactly the case when it is appropriate to ask which display is better - it is a kind of compromise between the pros and cons.
The point of all this is this: the numbers and technical parameters are worth considering when comparing the displays on two smartphones, although the actual performance of these displays is more important. It is impossible to measure a display on paper - that is, you need to see it in reality to understand whether it is cold or too warm for you, whether you like its saturation, brightness, contrast, viewing angles, etc. Finally, you'll need to pay attention to your usage habits and choose the appropriate screen accordingly: if you work at a desk all day and are confined to the sofa at night, then the daylight benefits of an LCD display probably aren't too important to you. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, then the above type of display will suit you. Perhaps you're looking to squeeze every drop of power out of your battery, or you're simply crazy about vibrant colors and rich contrast, then take a look at AMOLED panels.
What is your favorite type of display? Have you noticed the difference between different types of displays? Tell us about it in the comments.
When you go to a store to buy a device with a display, be it a phone or a TV, you come across some rather confusing terms. You better understand them before making the right decision. One of the main characteristics is the screen resolution you need.
We will explain to you the difference between the standard terms and better to tell one model from another, we are here to explain the differences between the standard terms and the resolutions they correspond to, but do not forget that the sharpness of your display, pixels per inch, depends on the resolution and screen size .
In other words, a 2560 x 1440 pixel display will look sharp on a smartphone, but it won't look as great when stretched across 40 or 50 inches of space. Just remember that more pixels doesn't always mean a sharper screen, as dimensions are important too.
HD AND FULL HD
Let's start from the end, HD is High Definition. The term was first applied to televisions and meant having 720 rows of pixels or higher - a common resolution combination is 1280 x 720 pixels.
Full HD raised the number of rows to 1080 and the typical resolution became 1,920 x 1080 pixels.
QHD, WQHD and 2K
Full HD screen resolution did not remain for long; the next step was Quad High Definition, or QHD - 2560 by 1920 pixels. This is standard on many flagship phones right now. It is noteworthy that the name Quad was used for a reason - four 1280 x 720 pixel displays fit into one QHD.
Many phones still use Full HD. It is very difficult to find a difference in image quality on a 5 or 6 inch display. But the presence of Full HD in the technical characteristics still looks attractive. That's why many phone manufacturers are going for it.
The same technical characteristics are inherent in WQHD or Widescreen Quad High Definition, but in this case, attention is also focused on the 16:9 aspect ratio, which guarantees high image quality. But in fact, the specification of WQHD and QHD is the same.
The next one is 2K. The term is used quite loosely in the industry. But from a technical point of view it can refer to any display larger than 2000 pixels (2048 x 1080 for example). However, WQHD and QHD are often referred to as 2K because they are half the height and width of 4K.
4K and UND
4K first appeared as a cinema standard with 4096 by 1160 pixels, hence the name 4K. But in consumer electronics it has changed to 3840 x 2160 pixels. So there are 4,000 out of stock. But at the same time, 4K can accommodate four Full HD.
UND or Ultra High Definition means the same as 4K - 3840 by 2160 pixels. Some share these terms, but most use 4K for both gaming devices and TVs.
What awaits us in the future
These were the main terms that you will encounter in your online travels in search of the devices you need.
But there are others. Some manufacturers are pushing ahead with 5K (5120 x 2880 pixels) and 8K (7680 x 4320 pixels). But even with massive screens, it's hard to tell whether the human eye can really tell the difference.
If you go to a store to buy any kind of display device, from a smartphone to a TV, you will be faced with some rather confusing terms and letter abbreviations that you must be able to decipher in your head to understand exactly what resolution. screen you are dealing with.
This is the only way you can distinguish one model from another. In this article we want to explain the differences in standard terms and screen resolutions that are used to describe these devices. Do not forget that image clarity, the number of pixels per inch, depend on both the screen resolution and its size.
In other words, a picture on a display that has 2560x1440 pixels will look very sharp on a smartphone, but will not be so if it is stretched on the screen of a 40 or 50 inch TV. Just remember that more pixels does not always equate to sharper images, as image dimensions matter too.
Let's start at a lower level: HD or High Definition. When the term first appeared, in relation to televisions it meant any display that had 720 rows of pixels or more, and usually corresponded to a screen with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels.
The Full HD level has already increased the number of rows to 1080 and corresponds, as a rule, to a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. In the early years of HD television, references to Full HD were found in both 1080i interlaced and 1080p progressive scan televisions. Interlace technology was a throwback to older televisions, in which one field showed the even lines of the picture, and the next field displayed the odd lines, dividing each frame of the picture into two.
Progressive scan 1080p, on the other hand, paints the full picture for each frame and is therefore considered preferable. These days, you'll almost always only see 1080p (unless "i" or "p" are mentioned at all). And if no letters are specified, then this most likely corresponds to 1080p scan. 
QHD, WQHD and 2K
Display resolutions didn't stay at Full HD for long, and the next step up the ladder was Quad High Definition, or QHD, the 2560x1920 pixel standard on many flagship phones today.
You can fit four 1280x720 screens inside a QHD screen, which is why the word "Quad" is used, meaning a group of four similar objects.
Many phones still use Full HD, and the question "can you see the difference on a 5 or 6 inch screen?" is controversial. This suggests that this feature of a phone definitely looks better on its specification sheet, which is why many phone manufacturers have gone for this improvement.
It's often confusing that a similar description is sometimes given to WQHD or Widescreen Quad High Definition to emphasize the 16:9 aspect ratio. Indeed, both WQHD and QHD refer to the same specification feature.
There's also 2K resolution, sometimes specified by manufacturers, and technically speaking it can refer to any display whose larger side of the screen exceeds two thousand pixels (for example, if the screen has 2048x1080 pixels).
However, WQHD and QHD are also often labeled as 2K because they are half the height and half the width of 4K. So there are three different designations for the same display resolution. 
4K and UHD
4K resolution first appeared as a cinema standard in a 4096 by 2160 pixel format, hence its name 4K. But in consumer electronics it has morphed into a 3840 by 2160 pixel format, which doesn't have four thousand pixels in its specification, but is four times the resolution of Full HD (you can fit four Full HD screens into one 4K screen).
UHD (or Ultra High Definition) also means 3840 by 2160 pixels. Some people like to keep the distinction between 4K and UHD, but the term 4K is used so often for game consoles and TVs these days that it is used as shorthand for 3840x2160 resolution.
Many hardware makers put the "4K UHD" label on their products to cover both capabilities, while technically the "2160p" label could also be used to denote both 4K and UHD.
There are so many pixels in 4K (over 8 million) that there's no point in packing them into a smartphone display (although some have tried). You will most likely see this resolution only on large monitors and TV screens.
Other display resolutions
The permissions described in this article are the main types that you may encounter in your online travels, but there are others, and Wikipedia has a full list of them. Some manufacturers already offer 5K (5120x2880) or 8K (7680x4320), but it's unclear whether the human eye will really be able to tell the difference even on the largest screens. Therefore, whether these formats will ever actually be used remains to be seen.
Permission QHD, also known as Quad High Definition. It represents a screen resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. In PC monitors this resolution is also called 2K. The "resolution" parameter explains how many pixels are on the display in width and height (the more, the better when choosing a PC monitor). QHD displays have a resolution of 2560 x 1440. The resolution gets its name from its size, which is 4 times larger than standard resolution HD (High Definition) 720p or 1280 x 720.
You may also notice that the resolution QHD already called WQHD. That is, Wide Quad High Definition. These two abbreviations are essentially the same thing. WQHD is a marketing ploy that emphasizes widescreen resolution.
The QHD screen transmits images noticeably better than models Full HD (FHD)(1920 x 1080), which are much more common. However, on laptops, a QHD screen will consume much more power.
| 8K | 7680×4320 |
| 5K | 5120 x 2880 |
| 4K | 3840 x 2160 (standard monitor resolution) 4096 x 2160 (official cinema resolution) |
| Ultra HD (UHD) | 3840 x 2160 |
| Quad HD (QHD) or Wide Quad HD (WQHD) | 2560 x 1440 |
| 2K | 2560 x 1440 (standard monitor resolution) 2048 x 1080 (official cinema resolution) |
| WUXGA | 1920 x 1200 |
| Full HD (FHD) or 1080p | 1920 x 1080 |
| HD or 720p | 1280 x 720 |
| qHD or Quarter High Definition | 960 x 540 |
What is qHD resolution?
Many people confuse QHD and qHD resolution. What is their difference or are they the same thing? Let's figure it out.
Some of you have already noticed in the table that these are really two different extensions, with different numbers of pixels on the display. And everything turns out to be quite simple when you know. qHD quarter or 1/4 Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080).
What is 4K?
Another format that causes confusion for everyone. 4K or 4K Ultra HD has a resolution of 3840x2160. That's four times the pixels of 1080p Full HD (1920x1080).
This is why many people think that "Quad HD" is 4K. But do you understand why this is a mistaken opinion? 4 times more than Full HD, not just HD.
Today 4K Ultra HD screens are all over the news. All flagship smartphones, tablets, and TVs receive this resolution.
A couple of years ago we saw the release of the Samsung Galaxy S7, Sony Xperia Z5, Apple iPhone 6 and LG G5, which are capable of recording 4K video at around 30 frames per second. This is a fairly common feature of premium phones to this day. The speed just increased to 60 frames per second.
And again there is a lot of confusion, which requires a specially written article on this subject. As you can see from the table above 4K Ultra HD has the same number of pixels as Ultra HD (UHD), namely 3840 x 2160. And here you need to understand it specifically. Interesting? Then let's go to the article - or read further about 5K and 8K. At the end there will be a reminder about 4K.
Screen resolution
What is 5K?
And what is it? Is it really time to write off 4K as an outdated technology? Permission 5K gives us 5120 x 2880 pixels on the screen.
Today, few monitors have this resolution. For example, there's Apple's 27-inch iMac and LG's 27-inch Ultrafine 5K monitor, which also displays at 5120 x 2880. Several games benefit from that high resolution. Unless you're a graphics professional, then you'll likely be happy with a lower resolution screen. Relax! The time has not yet come for widespread use of 5K. But there is one “BUT” - permission 8K :)
What is 8K?
You might immediately think that the resolution 8K has twice as many pixels as 4K. But no, you are wrong. The new standard can fit all the pixels from four 4K screens, or as many as 16 Full HD TVs. Permission 8K has 7680x4320. And you are now thinking - if time 5K didn't come , then and 8K Yes sir. And here you are wrong again :). New TVs with this resolution are already being produced at full speed. Digital technologies are developing so quickly that we simply do not have enough money to update our equipment and be on the crest of the digital wave. Today it is almost impossible, but what will happen tomorrow?
Have you forgotten about the problem yet?
At the beginning of 2020, concave screens are increasingly gaining popularity. Today this is the standard of the present.