| Abbreviation | Resolution, aspect ratio |
|---|---|
| XGA | 1024x768 4:3 |
| WXGA | 1152x768 3:2 |
| WXGA | 1280x768 5:3 |
| WXGA | 1280x800 16:10 |
| WXGA | 1360x768 16:9 |
| FWXGA 1st | 1366x768 16:9 |
| 13-inch MacBook Pro 2012 | 1280x800 16:10 |
| XGA+ | 1152x864 4:3 |
| WXGA+ | 1440x900 16:10 |
| 15-inch MacBook Pro 2012 | 1440x900 16:10 |
| WSXGA | 1440x960 3:2 |
| SXGA | 1280x1024 5:4 |
| SXGA+ | 1400x1050 4:3 |
| WSXGA+ | 1680x1050 16:10 |
| UXGA | 1600x1200 4:3 |
| Full HD FHD and better | 1920x1080 16:9 |
| 21.5-inch iMac 2015 | 1920x1080 19:9 |
| WUXGA and better | 1920x1200 16:10 |
| QHD and better | 2560x1440 16:9 |
| 13-inch MacBook 2015 | 2560x1600 16:10 |
| 13-inch MacBook Air 2018 | 2560x1600 16:10 |
| 16-inch MacBook Pro 2019 | 3072x1920 16:10 |
| 4K UHD and better | 3840x2160 16:9 |
| 27-inch iMac 2014 | 5120x2880 16:9 |
| 24-inch iMac 2024-25 | 4480x2520 16:9 |
The most popular computer screen resolutions
The most popular computer displays resolutions in 2025, by web browser usage, are 1920x1080 and 1366x768, with around 20% of share each. 1366x768 is for smaller and cheaper monitors. 1920x1080 is a Full HD video screen format accepted as the standard in Blu-ray and digital TV broadcast. The popularity of Full HD resolution particularly became obvious after YouTube added support for 1080p in 2009. If a screen has an odd resolution to HD, for example, 2560x1600, you still see the HD movie in full-screen mode, but it is not as sharp as on the screen's lesser resolution. Also, most computer programs and operating systems designed natively for HD resolution. That is why I'd prefer HD to QHD. When you have a different resolution, you may want adjust windows and fonts to fit the program's interface for clarity. The next even to HD resolution up is 3840x2160 UHD or 4K.
Today's market is dominated by 4K (3840×2160) displays, priced around A$220-A$300 for 27–32-inch models. Higher-end 5K (5120×2880) and 5K2K ultrawide (5120×2160) monitors sell for about A$650. The intermediate 4480×2520 resolution is uncommon and mainly appears in Apple's Retina scaling rather than standalone displays.
Monitor refresh rate
The other important specification of monitors is the refresh rate. The prevalent one due to monitor prices is 60 Hz. However, the better refresh rate for eye health is at least 75Hz. 60Hz was chosen due to TV hardware limitations in the 1950s and electricity frequency. It is on the verge of human capabilities. Prolonged viewing of an image flickering 60 times a second leading to red eyes, fatigue, etc. unwanted effects at the workplace.
While the rate at which a flickering appears continuous is around 50–90 Hz, humans can detect flicker or changes at rates well over 200 Hz. In real-world display use such as gaming or monitors, studies indicate that performance benefits diminish beyond roughly 240 Hz.
Before buying monitor
Needless to say, before buying a high-resolution monitor, make sure your PC or laptop can actually support it. The display's resolution must be handled by your video adapter. If your system cannot, we can upgrade your video card starting from around A$250–A$300, with high-end 4K and 5K GPUs reaching into the thousands.