1080p, 1440p, 4K: Which monitor resolution should you choose?

The difference between 1080p, 1440p, and 4K monitors lies primarily in the number of pixels and the refresh rate. While 1440p monitors have more than 1.5 times as many pixels as their 1080p counterparts, 4K monitors offer four times as many pixels compared to 1080p models.

That said, 4K monitors often have significantly lower refresh rates than the other two screen types. 1080p monitors are inexpensive and can achieve high refresh rates, but they require less powerful hardware components to run PC games. They’re great for budget-minded users and straightforward productivity tasks, but have difficulty displaying higher resolution media content correctly.

1440p monitors are considered the “sweet spot” for work and play alike, giving you drastically crisper visuals and more screen space to work with since the pixels are more densely packed. They can also achieve high refresh rates, but require a more powerful graphics card than 1080p screens. Although 1440p monitors cannot display 4K content at full quality, the quality is noticeably higher than a 1080p screen.

4K monitors give you excellent picture quality and plenty of screen space, but they require a very powerful graphics card for gaming purposes. The biggest limitation is that they cannot display low-resolution media well — 1080p videos and games look stretched-out across all those pixels. They are also more expensive than their lower-resolution counterparts, especially if you want a 4K display that refreshes at higher 120Hz or 144Hz speeds. Those look absolutely delightful but don’t come cheap. That said, basic 4K displays can now be found for between $200 and $300, so the price of 4K entry isn’t anywhere as steep as it used to be.

When choosing the right monitor, you should focus on your individual needs. For gaming and work, 1080p as well as 1440p monitors are suitable, while 4K screens are ideal for high-resolution media content and extensive graphic work. No matter what the purpose, there is always a screen that will meet your needs.

If you want to go even further down the monitor rabbit hole, we’ve got tons of helpful articles that can guide your way:

• Monitor buying guide: How to choose your next display
• Should you upgrade your monitor? 5 signs it’s time
• Best monitors 2023: Gaming, 4K, HDR, and more
• The best gaming monitors
• The best 4K monitors
• The best home office monitors
• Ultrawide vs. dual monitors: Which should you choose?

This article was translated from German to English and originally appeared on pcwelt.de.