I recently was flipping through a computer store flyer and checked out some of the laptops. As I read through the specs of the laptops I was immediately drawn to the screen resolution. I was expecting to see the resolution stated in pixels, but it was not. Instead they used the name associated with the resolution.
I am not up to date on the new names of the resolution, and to me they don’t help identify the resolution of a monitor as easily as stating the pixel dimensions. To help sort this out I will provide the screen resolutions and pixel dimensions in this post.
Screen Resolutions
The table below lists the screen resolution names, pixel dimensions and aspect ratio. I have included some of the obsolete resolutions to provide a complete list.
| Name | Pixel Dimensions (Aspect Ratio) |
|---|---|
| CGA (Color Graphics Adapter) | 320×200 (3:2) |
| QVGA (Quarter Video Graphics Array) | 320×240 (4:3) |
| VGA (Video Graphics Array) | 640×480 (4:3) |
| WVGA (Wide Video Graphics Array) | 800×480 (5:3) 854×480 (16:9) |
| SVGA (Super Video Graphics Array) | 800×600 (4:3) |
| WSVGA (Wide Super Video Graphics Array) | 1024×600 (5:3) |
| XGA (Extended Graphics Array) | 1024×768 (4:3) |
| WXGA (Wide Extended Graphics Array) | 1280×768 (5:3) 1280×800 (8:5) 1360×768 (16:9) 1366×768 (16:9) |
| XGA+ (Extended Graphics Array Plus) | 1152×864 (4:3) |
| WXGA+ (Wide Extended Graphics Array Plus) | 1440×900 (8:5) 1440×960 (3:2) |
| SXGA (Super Extended Graphics Array) | 1280×1024 (5:4) |
| WSXGA (Wide Super Extended Graphics Array) | 1680×1050 (8:5) |
| SXGA+ (Super Extended Graphics Array Plus) | 1400×1050 (4:3) |
| WSXGA+ (Wide Super Extended Graphics Array Plus) | 1680×1050 (8:5) |
| UXGA (Ultra Extended Graphics Array) | 1600×1200 (4:3) |
| WUXGA (Wide Ultra Extended Graphics Array) | 1920:1200 (8:5) |
| QXGA (Quad Extended Graphics Array) | 2048×1536 (4:3) |
| WQXGA (Wide Quad Extended Graphics Array) | 2560×1600 (8:5) |
| QSXGA (Quad Super Extended Graphics Array) | 2560×2048 (5:4) |
| WQSXGA (Wide Quad Super Extended Graphics Array) | 3200×2048 (8:5) |
| QUXGA (Quad Ultra Extended Graphics Array) | 3200×2400 (4:3) |
| WQUXGA (Wide Quad Ultra Extended Graphics Array) | 3840×2048 (17:9) |
Have Your Say
- What resolution do you use for your monitor?
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on August 13, 2008 at 2:25 pm
1280 x 1024
hehe
i hate widescreen
mess up my games resolution!
on August 16, 2008 at 11:47 am
SXGA+ 1400 x 1050, which is the highest resolution on this IBM Thinkpad T43. I used to be a 1024 x 768 person but that resolution sucks on this laptop. When I’m at work I have a second monitor that’s set to 1280 x 768. So if I need to look at anything closer up I drag its window over to the external monitor.
on August 16, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Maxxed at WSXGA+ for me. I’d go higher if my laptop allowed it.
on August 17, 2008 at 5:26 am
correction, I meant “I have a second monitor that’s set to 1280 x 1024″ at the office. I’d go blind if I didn’t have that
on July 6, 2010 at 11:10 pm
WQUXGA
(Wide Quad Ultra Extended Graphics Array)
….Seriously? In a couple years we’re gonna end up with something like QEQCQDXWEQ-GA…
on July 8, 2010 at 10:27 pm
I know. I don’t know anyone that can actually provide the name to their screen resolution without looking it up. Life was much simpler with EGA, VGA and SVGA.
on January 7, 2011 at 11:31 am
I use 1920×1080. I was very surprised to see it wasn’t listed here as to my knowledge at least it is a very common screen resolution. although i believe it would fall under WXGA (Wide Extended Graphics Array)
on January 7, 2011 at 12:35 pm
The monitor I use at home also has a 1920×1080 resolution. That resolution is simply HD 1080.
on October 3, 2011 at 9:08 am
One can never have too large a desktop. I have three WQXGA (Wide Quad Extended Graphics Array), three 30″ displays. Two are orientated vertically on either side of the main display which is orientated horizontally. Even with this there are some days when I could use more space.
on October 3, 2011 at 10:15 am
That is a lot of desktop real estate. What exactly do you work on where you need so much room? I get buy with my single 24″ monitor.
on October 3, 2011 at 4:47 pm
I am a software engineer and an amateur photographer and genealogist. I usually have my main app open on the center monitor, and on one or both of the side monitors I will have reference material.
on October 4, 2011 at 8:16 am
Sounds like a great setup that works. I am an amateur photography, when I get the chance. Genealogy seems to be a hot topic these days – I know that because my wife has started to research her family.
on October 15, 2011 at 10:33 pm
Has anyone caught on yet that this was originally was from 3 years ago? We’ve come a long way, for now.
on October 16, 2011 at 5:16 pm
It was originally from three years ago, but in reality the resolutions have changed so the post is still relevant.