What resolution should I choose for my video games, 720p or 1080p?

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You may have questioned the difference between playing video games in 720p and 1080p. Here, we will analyze the difference in terms of screen resolution or pixel density. This way, you can determine if investing in more powerful hardware to switch from 720p to 1080p is really worth it.

Difference in image quality

Visually, distinguishing between 720p and 1080p can be difficult for the human eye. Many users will not perceive a big difference between a Full HD screen and a 720-pixel-high HD screen. However, some more demanding players will notice a greater smoothness and clarity in the case of 1080p if you pay attention.

It is true that as the resolution decreases, the image quality also decreases, as the number of pixels also decreases. This becomes more evident on large screens, where the lack of pixel density will make the image look worse if you look at it closely. That’s why in this article we have decided to examine the difference between playing in 720p vs 1080p in terms of quality and consider other perspectives as well.

Availability of high-resolution content

Availability and creation of content are other factors to consider when choosing between 720p and 1080p. The FCC considers both resolutions as high definition. However, as mentioned earlier, 1080p has more pixels than 720p, making it more suitable for large screens.

But not only the number of pixels is important, it is also crucial to verify if there is enough content for a particular resolution. Currently, you will find a lot of content in 1080p on different streaming platforms, video games, DVDs, etc. However, a few years ago, the availability of 1080p content was not as common as that of 720p.

At present, although 1080p content is superior to 4K, this scenario will change over time and there will be more 4K content, then 8K and so on.

Availability of content on Youtube

On Youtube, at the moment, most videos are available in 720p, although there are also some in a higher quality. With the improvement in image quality and resolution of screens, even of mobile devices, higher quality content can be offered to viewers.

If you know how to verify the resolution of your monitor, you can adjust accordingly to receive the best picture quality possible.

Considerations about gaming performance

Playing at 720p is better in terms of gaming performance because having fewer pixels requires less hardware resources to process the image. If your hardware is older or you have a slower Internet connection and play via streaming, playing at 720p may be a more suitable option than playing at 1080p. However, if your hardware is more up-to-date and can handle higher resolutions natively, playing at 1080p can provide a smoother and enhanced experience due to the extra vertical pixels compared to 720p.

Conclusion on playing video games at 1080p or 720p

In terms of video games, it’s undeniable that playing at 1080p provides a superior experience, due to the larger number of vertical pixels compared to 720p, smoothing out the image. Additionally, current technology is capable of handling higher resolutions natively, and forcing a reduction in resolution could result in a higher resource load. Therefore, currently playing at 720p only makes sense if it’s done via streaming with a slower Internet connection or if the hardware is older.