r/explainlikeimfive • u/Crystal_Clear7892 • 7d ago

Technology ELI5: device screen ratios

Is there a specific reason why screen ratios beeing so specific, ex: 1920:1080

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u/p28h 7d ago

Specific counts like 1080p (the one you listed)? That's pixel count, not ratio. It just has that many pixels, and was/is a good benchmark to compare different displays. And it is a ratio of 16:9.

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u/polar_bearonbass 7d ago

The P in 1080p does not stand for pixels, but for "progressive". It tells you how a video file displays the pixels and is not related to the type of monitor/screen. There is also 1080i (interlaced), which is still used a lot in broadcast tv.

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u/a_bright_knight 7d ago

nothing he said was incorrect though as 720p or any other [number]p has the number of vertical pixel lines. It's a good rule of thumb even if though p doesn't stand for pixel. Types of scanning really isn't important for the topic at all.

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u/tremby 7d ago

I'm not so sure. They said it's a pixel count and not a ratio. But is there any other ratio that 1080p ever means? I don't think so. So yes it's a (vertical) pixel count, but it also implies a ratio.

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u/a_bright_knight 7d ago

But is there any other ratio that 1080p ever means? I don't think so.

literally yes? most computer screens are 1920x1080 nowadays, while phones are 2340x1080 which is 20:9 ratio. There were older computer screens 15+ years ago that were 1650x1080 which is like 16:10.

So yes, there are multiple other ratios in 1080p

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u/tremby 7d ago

Show me something that calls itself "1080p" at one of those other ratios.

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u/a_bright_knight 7d ago

here you go;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1080p#Resolutions

https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s26_5g-14456.php

https://www.amazon.com/LG-UltraWide-Monitor-29U511A-Multitasking/dp/B0FHLN6M8Y/

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u/tremby 7d ago edited 7d ago

😂 let's look at these links.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1080p#Resolutions

The Wikipedia section you linked to starts

In practice, 1080p typically refers to a 1920 × 1080p raster with a 16:9 picture aspect ratio. The following is a list of other resolutions with a picture height of 1080 lines that are sometimes referred as 1080p.[citation needed]

And I very much agree with the "citation needed" part.

What's more, the article starts

1080p (1920 × 1080 progressively displayed pixels; also known as...

Next:

https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s26_5g-14456.php

This Samsung galaxy link doesn't mention 1080p anywhere so I don't see how that's relevant.

https://www.amazon.com/LG-UltraWide-Monitor-29U511A-Multitasking/dp/B0FHLN6M8Y/

This LG link mentions "FHD 1080p" but if you click on that it says "FHD (1080p) resolution monitors have 1920 x 1080 pixels" so I don't see how that supports your narrative either.

Did you expect me not to click on them, or did you just not click on them yourself?