Monitors for PCs have a large number of characteristics, such as resolution, response time or refresh rate, and it is precisely these three that we generally pay the most attention to, especially if we are looking for a gaming monitor. However, there is another important value and on which the resolution also depends, which is the aspect ratio , a characteristic that we often do not pay much attention to because the industry has taken the 16: 9 widescreen format as the standard, but that in PC can vary a lot and that is what we are going to talk about in this article.
When we talk about a 16: 9 widescreen monitor, we are precisely talking about the aspect ratio of the screen, and as we have said before it is something that often goes unnoticed because we take it for granted. In this article we are going to tell you what the aspect ratio is, what it influences and what aspect ratios we can find in modern PC monitors.
What is the aspect ratio on a monitor?
This parameter is, as its name suggests, a relation, and a relation must necessarily have two different values related to each other. When we talk about monitors, the aspect ratio has to do with the number of pixels that the horizontal resolution has with respect to the vertical, the horizontal being the first and the vertical the second.
In this way, if we say that a monitor has an aspect ratio of 16: 9, it means that for every 16 pixels in its horizontal resolution we will find 9 pixels in its vertical resolution. There is a very simple mathematical operation to understand this: if you take the resolution of a monitor, let’s say Full HD as an example, which is 1920 x 1080 pixels, and you divide each of these values by the aspect ratio, it must necessarily give the same number .
With the example, if we take the horizontal resolution (1920) and divide it by the first value of the aspect ratio (16), it gives us 120. If we do the same with the vertical resolution (1080) and divide it by the second value (9), it also gives us 120. If we transfer this example to a monitor with 1440p resolution (2560 x 1440) and do the same, it gives us the same value on both sides of the operation, only in this case it gives us 160 because the resolution is higher.
The aspect ratio and resolution of the monitor
Considering what we have explained in the previous section, it will surely be very easy for you to understand why the resolution of the screen depends on the aspect ratio and vice versa. We are going to explain this again with a clear example, using the most common resolution today, Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels): a Full HD monitor will always necessarily be 16: 9 and cannot have a different aspect ratio because then could not have such a resolution.
Therefore, taking another example, imagine an ultra-wide monitor that has a resolution of 3440 x 1440 pixels. This monitor has an aspect ratio of 21: 9 as we have explained before (in this case it should literally be 21.5: 9, but it is limited to 21: 9), and it is impossible that it had 16: 9, since if so, its horizontal resolution would have to be 2560 for the mathematical operation to give us the same integer.
Therefore, since the aspect ratio is precisely a relationship between the horizontal and vertical pixels of the screen, they are two values that are linked and that one necessarily depends on the other.
Most commonly used aspect ratios on a modern PC
As we said at the beginning, today the panoramic aspect ratio of 16: 9 is taken as the standard, although it is true that in the past the most used was 4: 3. However, today many other aspect ratios are used, and without going any further we can take as an example the ultra-wide monitors or those of professional design. In any case, below we are going to tell you which are the most used aspect ratios, what each of them is used for and examples of resolution with them.
- 1: 1 means that for every horizontal pixel, we have a vertical one, which means that the screen is completely square. This type of aspect ratio is used a lot in the field of design as it allows you to have real pictures. An example of resolution is 1920 x 1920 pixels.
- 4: 3 was at the time the most used ratio everywhere, although today it is practically not used, except in environments where old monitors are preserved. Typical resolutions are 640 x 480, 800 x 600, or 1024 x 768 pixels.
- 3: 2 oddly enough is an aspect ratio that is still used a lot, and although we especially saw it in already outdated laptops, it is still used in devices such as the Microsoft Surface. It was also used a lot in Smartphones and DSLR cameras, and its most recurring resolution is 2160 x 1440 pixels.
- 16: 9 is the most widely used format and considered the standard today. Typical resolutions are 1920 x 1080, 2560 x 1440, and 3840 x 2160 pixels.
- 16:10 is also widely used, although more so in the American market than in the European one. The most typical resolution is 1920 x 1200, which as you can see applies a handful of pixels more vertically, that is, the screen is slightly higher than in the 16: 9 ratio.
- 21: 9 is the most frequent format used in ultra-wide monitors, with the most frequent resolutions being 2560 x 1080 and 3440 x 1440 pixels. As we’ve said before, this ratio should actually be called 21.5: 9 to be true. By the way, American format movies have this native aspect ratio, that is, if an American movie is viewed on a 21: 9 screen, there will be no horizontal black bands.
- 32: 9 is a new format of the so-called Super Ultra Wide monitors, which literally equates to two 16: 9 monitors placed side by side. Its most common resolution is 3840 x 1080 and 5120 x 1440 pixels.
- There are other less frequent resolutions such as 1.85: 1 (Cinema Film US) and 2.35: 1 (Cinemascope) that are not seen on commercial monitors.
What is the most recommended aspect ratio for gaming?
As always, the answer to this question depends on your needs and your preferences, but we are going to give you a clear answer that has to do with the market trend: currently the 16: 9 widescreen format is the standard, and the most It is advisable to go for a widescreen monitor (or at most 21: 9 ultra wide) for the sake of compatibility, plain and simple.
In this way, as the vast majority of audiovisual content is designed precisely for these aspect ratios, you will avoid problems and maximize both your performance and your productivity.
