4K Resolution Dimensions
4K UHD is 3840 pixels wide and 2160 pixels tall, a 16:9 aspect ratio with 8.3 million pixels, 4 times as many as 1080p. It is also called 2160p or UHD.
Is my screen 4K?
Turn on JavaScript to compare your screen with 4K. The check runs in your browser.
How sharp is 4K at each screen size?
4K at 24 in gives 184 pixels per inch, against 59 at 75 in. Beyond the distance shown, 20/20 vision cannot pick out single pixels.
Seen from a desk, 4K looks very sharp at 24 to 27 in, crisp at 32 in and clear at 43 in. On TVs from 55 in up, you sit further back, so the last column matters more. Windows stays at 100% from 43 in up, while the 24 in screen needs 200%.
Where is 4K used?
4K is the standard on most TVs sold today, apart from the smallest sizes, and common on 27 to 32 inch monitors. Streaming services, game consoles and UHD Blu-ray all offer it. On a desk monitor it needs scaling, as text at 100% is tiny.
How does 4K compare with other resolutions?
4K has 4× the pixels of 1080p. Each row below divides its pixel count by the other resolution.
4K has about two thirds more pixels than 3440 × 1440, the next step down. 5K, the next step up, has about three quarters more pixels than 4K.
What does 4K look like with display scaling?
Scaling keeps every pixel but draws text and windows bigger, so you get less desktop space. At 150%, 4K gives the room of 2560 × 1440 with the sharpness of 3840 × 2160.
Try any resolution and scale in the resolution scale calculator. Phones and Macs work the same way, with a pixel ratio of 2 or 3.
How do I set my screen to 4K?
On Windows, open Settings, then System, then Display, and pick 3840 × 2160 under Display resolution. On a Mac, open System Settings, then Displays.
You only see resolutions your screen and graphics card support. Pick your screen's native resolution, marked Recommended on Windows, or the picture looks soft.
How much data does 4K use?
One 4K frame holds 8,294,400 pixels, 25 MB before compression at 8 bits per color. At 60 frames a second that is 12 gigabits every second, and 29 at 144.
Streaming services and game consoles compress this heavily. Cables carry it uncompressed, so higher resolutions and refresh rates need newer HDMI or DisplayPort versions.
More questions about 4K
How many pixels is 4K?
4K is 3840 × 2160, which is 8,294,400 pixels in total. That is 8.3 megapixels.
What screen size suits 4K?
On a 24 in screen, 4K gives 184 pixels per inch, and on 75 in it gives 59. Smaller screens look sharper, so pick the size for how far away you sit.
What is 4K at 150% scaling?
A desktop space of 2560 × 1440. Every item is drawn 1.5 times bigger, using all 3840 × 2160 pixels, so text stays as sharp as the panel allows.
How much data is one 4K frame?
25 MB before compression, at 8 bits per color. At 60 frames a second that is 12 gigabits every second, which is why video is compressed.
Does 4K look the same on every screen?
No. The pixel count is fixed, but the pixels get bigger as the screen gets bigger. The table above shows how sharp 4K looks at each size.
How we measure
Pixel density is the pixel diagonal, √(width² + height²), divided by the screen diagonal in inches. Single pixels vanish for 20/20 vision beyond 3438 ÷ PPI inches. Windows scaling is PPI ÷ 96, rounded to a 25% step.