What Is 1440p Resolution (1440p RES)
Between Full HD and 4K, the QHD or 1440p resolution is a high-quality resolution. High-definition video is becoming more popular on computers and smartphones, but it is not commonplace like 1080p or 4K video.
1440p resolution is the shortened nomenclature for 2560x1440p and it is a high-definition video standard between 1080p and 4K.
There are many explanations for this, and it is worthwhile to look into them. Even while TVs explored making 1440p resolution the next norm after 1080p, the current standard is now 4K, with 8k resolution starting to replace it since 2022.
When it comes to screen resolutions, 1440p may be the most overlooked. However, it is not lacking in features in any way.
We have already compared the 1440p resolution with 1080p and 4K. Currently, we will analyze the future expected for this video resolution.
1440p Resolutions (1440p RES)
There are different 1440p resolutions
| COMPARISON OF 1440p RESOLUTIONS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | Display aspect ratio | Megapixels |
| 5120 × 1440 | (32:9) | 7.37 |
| 3440 × 1440 | (43:18) | 4.95 |
| 3200 × 1440 | (20:9) | 4.61 |
| 3120 × 1440 | (39:18) | 4.49 |
| 3040 × 1440 | (19:9) | 4.38 |
| 2960 × 1440 | (37:18) | 4.2699 |
| 2880 × 1440 | (18:9) | 4.15 |
| 2560 × 1440 | (16:9) | 3.69 |
| 2304 × 1440 | (16:10) | 3.32 |
| 2160 × 1440 | (3:2) | 3.11 |
| 1920 × 1440 | (4:3) | 2.76 |
1440p Resolution Naming Convention
Those who are acquainted with resolution nomenclature are aware that the numbering designation in the name represents the resolution’s height in pixels. As a result, 2560×1440 has been shrunk to 1440p, similar to how 1920×1080 was shrunk to 1080p.
1440p Resolution: Progressive vs Interlaced
There are two types of display resolutions: progressive (1440p) and interlaced (2560x1440i). The ‘p’ in this example indicates a progressive display (1440p resolution).
The interlaced resolution is depicted on the screen in alternating frames, with even-numbered frames showing just even lines and the other way around. The human eye can see a complete image of the screen while switching between these two modes, but the “flicker” effect experienced by older CRT displays occurs when this is done.
Progressive resolutions, on the other hand, continuously depict all of the lines, resulting in a significantly higher-quality image.
That is why we will study only the industry standard of the “progressive resolution” with the letter “p”.
1440p Resolution vs QHD vs WQHD vs UWQHD
1440p resolution is a synonym of QHD and they can be utilized interchangeably while 1440p is the most common name as it is shortened from the 2560x1440p definition.
It is often referred to as Quad High Definition, or QHD, due to the fact that it is four times the size of the standard definition, 720p (that is as we know 1,280 x 720 HD).
Additionally, 1440p may be referred to as WQHD, or Wide Quad HD, suggesting with ts nomenclature that its aspect ratio is 16:9 rather than 4:3. So the naming WQHD is correct.
However, it should not be confused with UWQHD or Ultra-Wide Quad HD. UWQHD on the other hand obtains a resolution of 3440×1440, which is not the same as 1440p resolution and should be named simply: UWQHD.
1440p Resolution vs 4K
We have studied thoroughly the difference between 1440p and 4K in this article. We have changed some definitions since our 2022 update considering new refresh rates, latencies, and the product portfolio from NVIDIA such as the GTX 3060 and higher
In the comparison 1440p vs 4K, we can define that 4K resolution is technically superior to 1440p resolution as it has more pixels that are the objective measure to determine the technical difference under examination (1) (4) (6).
With that said, we define that for certain user requirements (5) 1440p is the best option when we study the relationship between the costs and benefits (3), while 4K stands as the best option for some profiles of gamers, cinema, and television streaming as it fulfills better their user requirements (2).
1440p 60FPS
1440p at 60FPS is analyzed in detail here. It is considered one of the standard setups and requires a certain combination of GPU and CPU.
Whereas the CPU indicates the achievable FPS, the GPU indicates the graphical settings that can be achieved.
Therefore, considering the GPU, a 144hz screen will be more demanding than a 60hz panel if the user intends to achieve 144 FPS with disregard of the consideration of the graphical processing unit.
Hence, 144hz 1080p requires technically more CPU potency than for example 4K resolution at 60hz. It is not possible to define that 1080p at 144Hz is like 1440p at 60Hz because CPU and GPU have to be considered separately,
1440p or 4K For Gaming
In the comparison 1440p or 4K for gaming, we recommend 1440p resolution if you utilize a monitor of up to 27 inches with a high refresh rate and sitting at a viewing distance of a maximum of 3ft or 90 centimeters thereof.
1440p is a better resolution rate overall for gaming, as you are sitting in front of the monitor. With 4K, you would be spending more and you would not notice a meaningful difference sitting in front of the device.
You can run games easier on it, it still looks fantastic without having to get a huge TV that will occupy a large footprint in your desk, it is still functional for editing and supports higher refresh rates.
For 4K gaming, however, you will depend on very strong hardware (large monitor, strong graphics card, strong CPU, and high refresh rates) to withstand the requirements of gaming in 4K.
If you get a 4k display and you have intended to gaming on it you’re in for a real treat because 4k gaming is great as we already mentioned before you have to get a display that is big enough to reap the benefits of 4k gaming on a 40-inch display sitting close to it I can see the benefits and they are clear.
However, to drive that fidelity you need to have a piece of pretty powerful equipment, preferably GTX 3060 to give more buffer, such as the Alienware X14 2022.
A gamer will need a 60 FPS minimum. It can be fine with 30 FPS. Anyway, if you have decided to utilize a 4K monitor, you would not want your PC gaming experience to be limited to 30 FPS no matter how good the visuals are.
So here is where we can see the shortcomings of 4k standout. You need also a capable GPU, otherwise, be prepared to lose interest in modern titles as just you will not be able to run them on your 4k TV or monitor.
So if you want to edit and design efficiently and do work for the office, while also having access to a good gaming experience, then 1440p is the way to go.
Everyone preaches about 4k being the ultimate gaming experience but I’m still sitting here wondering why this is: 4k is not widely supported and 4k is still hard to run. There is not a huge amount of difference between 4k and 1440p anyway even with a larger screen, but above all, 1440p is a much better gaming experience all around.
1440p Resolution vs 1080p
I have covered completely the comparison 1440p vs 1080p in this article, so you can go there for more extensive details.
The comparison of 1080p vs 1440p is that 1440p resolution doubles the pixels of 1080p and enables the user to enjoy more sharpness accuracy while simultaneously being able to experience much higher refresh rates (11) (7).
The current industry-standard recommendation is 1440p for most advanced users such as designers and gamers (8). Therefore, we recommend currently a 1440p monitor of 27 inches with a high refresh rate (9), provided that the user sits at a viewing distance of a maximum of 3ft or 90 centimeters from it (10) 12.
In the comparison 1080p vs 1440p, we can define that 1440p is better than 1080p as this resolution provides more screen surface workspace footprint, more sharpness accuracy in image definition, and larger screen real estate.
Nevertheless, we have to consider other factors, such as enjoying a higher refresh rate (240hz vs 144hz), the performance of your hardware, the distance between the user and the screen, and notably, the size of the surface of the screen.
1440p resolution vs 1080p, 4k, 720p, or whatever resolution we can discuss, does not tell us alone, neither which has a better picture definition nor how a sharp a picture on the monitor is. In fact, sharpness means PPI (pixels per inch). A 32″ 1440p monitor has the same “sharpness” as a 24″ 1080p. So you always need to consider the real estate of the screen as well.
1440p Resolution Gaming Monitor
Prices of 1440p displays are dropping very quickly now making them increasingly inexpensive. They are better for gaming due to them usually having a much faster response time and lower input latency, which is one of the most important aspects to consider in competitive-driven casual play.
While using a 27” monitor with a 1440P resolution, you will get an increased refresh rate as well as a perfect resolution for gaming. It is a more popular version today, as it is available at affordable prices for the consumers while providing powerful hardware. If you got the new RX480 graphics card from AMD, then you will even get virtual reality support in your display! If your monitor has a refresh rate of 60Hz, then 1440P will be an ideal resolution for you.
While the 4K is the whole new ball in the court. It is the latest and hottest resolution in the gaming world. It is an incredibly demanding thing and is the best for you if you have a compatible graphics card and no limit for the budget. You need a monitor with high refresh rates for supporting the 4K resolution. After testing, we see that the new GTX 1080 from NVIDIA has struggled for the 4K screen content
1440p Resolution is 2K?
I have to mention, as clarification, that these resolutions with the letter k are referring to the horizontal size which is why it is giving us 1k, 2k, 4k which refers to the thousands of pixels in horizontal resolution.
But first, let’s talk about what things are:
2k is a cinema resolution, (2048×1080 according to Digital Cinema Initiatives) it is not a resolution for monitors and we are talking about a resolution that is different from 1080p which we know.
2K is 1080 pixels high, yes. But we have instead of 1920 pixels sideways, this 2K encompasses 2048 pixels which is a little wider than the Full HD that we have always known.
Therefore we can say that 2k is a differential cinema graded 1080p. It is a variant of 1080p. After all, now 1080p resolution does not directly have 2000 pixels in horizontal resolution, so it is debated whether it is really 2k or not.
That is why we say that 2k is a unique cinema-industry resolution of 2048 x 1080p.
Nevertheless, these dimensions make it much closer to 1080p than to 1440p resolution.
But here the important thing is that we should not go in the direction of stating that 1440p is 2k, because it is not. 1440p is a much higher resolution than 2k and hardly comparable because they belong to different industries.
I read in the comments in some forums: “Can RDR 2 work with whatever graphic card at 2K?” The answer is always yes, because it is 1080p, and because we know that 1080p resolution works well with all of the current graphics cards.
Actually, first I will be very surprised if you really have a 2k monitor, it should be an Eizo model. Second, it is going to be very weird if it does not really run well in 1080p unless you have a very old video card and generally these questions are asked about starting from GTX1660 and up who run perfectly 1080p, being the standard today at least a GTX 3080.
Now 1440p resolution as we know it and what mistakenly is called 2K, is a resolution that has another name. its name is WQHD.
What does this mean? Well, let’s go to history, quite quickly.
What is HD or high definition? This is 720p.
Then we have Full HD which is 1080p and that is because of some war of formats that happened more than a decade ago.
But, well, if we take into account that HD is 720p so WQHD responds to quad HD or 4 times HD, as it will be resolution 1440p. Because 720p plus 720p, the result is 1440p, so this is how it works this matter of the resolution.
Likewise, with the same reasoning, 4k is not directly UHD. We have the same discussion but here the horizontal resolution is much more similar. We have that 4k is one more standard for cinema. Also what we are seeing with UHD1 would be a format that we see more often with monitors UHD TVs all these kinds of devices.
So there is a slight difference there but not as much or not as monumental as what they are doing sometimes by saying 2k is 1440p resolution.
So we have the first HD standard that 720p, then we have Full Hd which is 1080p. After that, we have 2k the cinema resolution which is a variation of 1080p for the cinema industry. And then we go to WQHD which is Quad HD, our 1440p resolution.
After that, we jump again to 4k which is 4 Full HD monitors in one, and 8K as the latest industry standard.
Is 2560×1440 4K?
No, 2560×1440 is not 4K resolution, which is instead 3840 × 2160.
2560×1440 is QuadHD. 4K is Quad FullHD, or 3840×2160.
1440p Resolution TV
While modern TV devices can adapt to 1440p in their settings, 1440p resolution is not for TVs because there is no standard TV programming broadcast available in a 1440p format.
Television resolutions are published in standard “recommendations” by ITU-R and SMPTE for broadcast, both standards bodies for telecommunications. They are industry protocols for broadcasting and telecommunications.
HDTV is defined in ITU-R Rec. 709 and UHD in Rec. 2020. The documents provide all the technical information about HD and UHD signals.
These recommendations exist so TV equipment manufacturers, both consumer and professional, make devices that work with each other. If you have a box that claims to output HD video and a TV that claims to display HD video, you can be sure the video will be displayed and displayed correctly because both have followed the standards defined in Rec.709.
For HD, various resolutions lower than 1080p were considered but rejected because the groups involved felt it was not enough up an upgrade to SD.
Resolutions that Rec.709 defines for HDTV: 1920×1080
Resolutions Rec.2020 defines for UHD: 3840×2160, 7680×4320
Neither includes 1280×720. So where did 720p come from?
US broadcasters complained about the cost of delivering 1080p, so US SMPTE defined a 720p broadcast standard as a compromise. SMPTE 296M. Just as simple
What Aspect Ratio Is 2560×1440?
2560×1440 is a 16:9 aspect ratio, which represents a widescreen aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and a height of 9.
QHD (Quad HD), WQHD (Wide Quad HD), or 1440p resolution, is a display resolution of 2560 × 1440 pixels in a 16:9 aspect ratio. The name QHD reflects the fact that it has four times as many pixels as HD (720p). It is also commonly called WQHD, to emphasize it being a wide resolution, although that is technically unnecessary, since the HD resolutions are all wide. One advantage of using “WQHD” is avoiding confusion with qHD with a small q (960 × 540).
Is 1440p 4K?
We have analyzed this typical question in some more detail here in this article: is 1440p 4K?
1440p is not 4K because while 1440p is 2560×1440 QuadHD, 4K resolution is 3840×2160 QuadFullHD.
Why 1440p?
As the television industry contemplated its next resolution leap beyond 1080p, 1440p was discussed. However, 1440p was eventually abandoned in favor of Ultra HD or 4K, which boasts a resolution of at least 3,840 x 2,160, or four times that of 1080p.
While 1440p resolution will not be a significant participant in the field of high-definition televisions or home cinema projectors, it does have a position within the consumer electronics sector right now, namely in laptops, computer displays, and smartphones. A rising number of computer displays now include a 1440p resolution, which is becoming more popular among gamers.
Related Articles
We have a complete study on 1440p resolution, defined a video framework sitting at 1440p with 60 FPS, and answered the question is 1440p 4k in the gaming or cinema industry?
We have also compared 1440p vs 1080p and 1440p vs 4K. We reached the conclusion that the best resolution for you is not always the highest one, but it depends on many factors, such as the size of the screen, the refresh rate, the distance with the display and the activity to be performed.
I am Bob. I work as an audio engineer and audio technician. I work in mastering and arranging bridges in existing songs and the arrangement and orchestration of the chorus. In Planet HiFi I test gear for a couple of days and write a review. I also write about AV topics, amplifiers, speakers, and headphones.
