Screen Resolution and Aspect Ratios: What does this mean for your Toughbook?
Posted by Doran Janeka on 8th Jan 2016
Updated October 10/14/2024
The display is one of the most crucial selling points when shopping for any computer. The screen is how you access most information a computer can offer. Then you have to factor in that some jobs require a lot of computer use, sometimes up to 40 hours a week. Using a laptop or tablet that often, you will need something that you can use comfortably and provides you with the best results for your work.
So, what is the most important thing to consider when buying a laptop? The size of the screen. The size of the screen can be broken up into three important entities: the size of the screen itself, the screen resolution, and the aspect ratio. The screen size is pretty simple. Manufacturers measure the screen size diagonally, so if you have a 13-inch screen on a laptop, that is from the top left corner of the screen to the bottom right corner.
Understanding Screen Resolutions and Aspect Ratios
When it comes down to how a screen works, the physical size is only the beginning. Screen resolutions and aspect ratios dictate how the information is presented. Both of these numbers are based on the size of the screen.
Defining Screen Resolution
Pixels make up the picture on any computer screen, whether on a monitor or TV. The color differences in the pixels are how you get the differences in images on a screen.
The screen resolution is written as width x height. For example, a full high-definition screen would be written as 1920 x 1080. So, a screen with this resolution would be 1,920 pixels wide and 1,080 pixels high. Some other examples of some common screen resolutions include:
- Extended Graphics Array (XGA): 1024 x 768
- Wide Extended Graphics Array (WXGA): 1280 x 800
- High Definition (HD): 1280 x 720
- Full High Definition (FHD): 1920 x 1080
- Quad High Definition (QHD): 2560 x 1440
- Ultra HD (UHD): 3840 x 2160
- 8K: 7680 x 4320.
The more pixels you have on a screen, the more detailed the picture can be. For example, an 8k resolution monitor can provide a much clearer picture than an FHD display.
What Is The Aspect Ratio?
The aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between the screen's width and height. This ratio is designed to give you the best picture for the screen size you have, and it also defines the shape of the picture. The ratio is written as width:height. For example, a widescreen would have a 16:9 ratio, and a square image would have a 1:1 ratio.
Considering the aspect ratio is important because you would have a distorted visual without a way to keep the width proportional to the height.
How Are Aspect Ratio And Screen Resolution Related?
The screen resolution can give you the best aspect ratio for your screen. To find the best ratio for a screen, take the width and divide it by the height. For example, on an FHD screen, you would take 1920/1080, which would be your aspect ratio. If you do the math, you get 1.78, or you can simplify 1920/1080 the fraction as shown below to get the 16:9 ratio:
How Important is Screen Resolution And Aspect Ratio In Buying A Laptop?
The first question you must ask yourself is, What will you use this laptop for? The minimum that we recommend for today is FHD. An FHD display can offer a picture perfect for searching the web, creating Word documents, and answering emails. If anything you do requires a high level of detail, like photo or video editing, we recommend that you get the best one within your budget, but the higher the resolution, the better.
What Does This Mean When Shopping For A Rugged Computer?
The most common screen resolution today is 16:9. Most applications either work with this ratio or provide a setting that allows you to control the ratio based on your aspect ratio. Semi-rugged rugged computers are the most common and offer HD screen resolutions. The newer fully-rugged Toughbooks, like the FZ-40, also include this screen resolution. Then, you get to the older outliers, like the CF-19 and the CF-31, which have 4:3 aspect ratios with varying screen resolutions. These are different because they are updated models of rugged computers from the 90s.
Nonetheless, we recommend you check the hardware and software requirements of any applications you plan to use to ensure that the computer you order will work seamlessly with all your programs. Doing this guarantees you the best-rugged computer to complete your tasks. If you need help finding the best option, fill out our selection assistance form, and we will help!