What Is HD? High Definition Explained
HD stands for high definition display resolution. Resolution explains how many pixels a display has in length x width format (the more, the better when choosing a PC monitor). HD displays have a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, also referred to as 720p. A display can also be called HD if it has a resolution of 1920 x 1080, commonly referred to as 1080p. However, a 1920 x 1080 resolution is more officially referred to as Full HD (FHD).
Neither HD nor FHD is particularly sharp, but both compare favorably to the old Standard Definition (SD), which is usually around 640 x 480. If you're buying a laptop or an external monitor, don't settle for any less than FHD (1920 x 1080).
Common Monitor Resolutions:
| 5K | 5120 x 2880 |
| 4K | 3840 x 2160 (typical monitor resolution) 4096 x 2160 (official cinema resolution) |
| Ultra HD (UHD) | 3840 x 2160 |
| Quad HD (QHD) aka Wide Quad HD (WQHD) | 2560 x 1440 |
| 2K | 2560 x 1440 (typical monitor resolution) 2048 x 1080 (official cinema resolution) |
| WUXGA | 1920 x 1200 |
| Full HD (FHD) aka 1080p aka HD | 1920 x 1080 |
| HD aka 720p | 1280 x 720 |
This article is part of the Tom's Hardware Glossary.
Further reading:
