Image & Video Resolutions Explained: 480p to 4K, 2K, UHD
imgmend Team
AI Image Tools
What 480p, 720p, 1080p, 2K, 4K and UHD mean, with exact pixel dimensions and megapixel counts, plus what resolution you actually need for photos and screens.
Resolution is the number of pixels in an image: 480p is about 640×480 to 854×480, 720p is 1280×720, 1080p is 1920×1080, 2K is about 2048×1080 (often used loosely for 2560×1440), and 4K UHD is 3840×2160. More pixels allow sharper detail, but only if the original has that detail.
| Name | Pixel dimensions | Megapixels |
|---|---|---|
| 480p (SD) | 640 × 480 or 854 × 480 | 0.3–0.4 |
| 720p (HD) | 1,280 × 720 | 0.9 |
| 1080p (Full HD) | 1,920 × 1,080 | 2.1 |
| 2K (DCI) | 2,048 × 1,080 | 2.2 |
| 1440p (QHD, often called "2K") | 2,560 × 1,440 | 3.7 |
| 4K UHD | 3,840 × 2,160 | 8.3 |
| 4K (DCI cinema) | 4,096 × 2,160 | 8.8 |
| 8K UHD | 7,680 × 4,320 | 33.2 |
| 16K | 15,360 × 8,640 | 132.7 |
What Is 2K Resolution?
"2K" has two common meanings. In cinema, DCI 2K is 2,048 × 1,080. In consumer displays, "2K" is often used loosely for 2,560 × 1,440 (QHD or 1440p). If a spec just says "2K", check the actual pixel numbers.
UHD vs. 4K
UHD (Ultra HD) is the consumer standard, 3,840 × 2,160 pixels, exactly four times 1080p. "4K" originally meant the cinema standard of 4,096 × 2,160, but TVs and monitors sold as 4K are almost always UHD. In everyday use the terms are interchangeable.
HD vs. SD
SD (standard definition) is 480 lines of vertical resolution. HD starts at 720p, with 1080p called Full HD. Higher resolution means more detail, if the source has it.
How Much Resolution Do You Need?
- Web and social images: 1,080 to 2,000 pixels on the long side is usually enough.
- Full-screen on a 4K display: 3,840 × 2,160.
- Prints: pixels = inches × 300 for close viewing. See our photo print size chart.
What If Your Image Is Lower Resolution Than You Need?
An AI upscaler can enlarge it and make it look cleaner, but it adds plausible detail rather than recovering lost detail. imgmend's upscaler does 2x free, with a small watermark on free downloads. Images above roughly 2 megapixels (about 1080p) are scaled down before processing, so it's best for small and medium images. See how to fix a low-resolution image.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 2K resolution?
Either 2,048 × 1,080 (DCI 2K) or, loosely, 2,560 × 1,440 (QHD).
What does UHD mean?
Ultra HD, 3,840 × 2,160 pixels, four times the pixels of 1080p.
Is 4K the same as UHD?
Nearly. Cinema 4K is 4,096 × 2,160 and consumer UHD is 3,840 × 2,160, but TVs sold as 4K are UHD.
How many pixels is 1080p?
1,920 × 1,080, about 2.07 million pixels.
Ready to remove noise from your photos?
Free, no signup, instant results — works in your browser.
Try the Free AI Denoiser →Related Guides
QR Code Blurry and Not Scanning? How to Unblur a QR Code Online
A blurry QR code refuses to scan — frustrating if it's the only copy you have. This guide shows you exactly how to fix a blurry QR code online for free using AI image enhancement.
5 min read
How to Unblur a Barcode (Free) — Will It Still Scan?
A blurry barcode often will not scan. Here is why it happens, four ways to fix it — including AI sharpening — and the honest limits: no tool can guarantee a blurred barcode will read.
6 min read
How to Fix a Low-Resolution Image: 4 Free Methods (2026)
A low-resolution image looks pixelated, soft or blocky. Here is how to tell which problem you have and four ways to fix it — AI upscaling, cleaning compression, finding the original, and resizing correctly.
7 min read
How to Digitize Old Photos: Scan, Restore & Back Up
Digitize old prints with a flatbed scanner or your phone, then clean up scratches, noise and faded color. A step-by-step guide to scanning settings, avoiding glare, restoring and backing up.
7 min read
How to Compress Pictures in PowerPoint (Shrink File Size)
A PowerPoint file with big photos is slow to open and too large to email. Here is how to compress pictures inside PowerPoint, lower the default resolution, and shrink images first with a free tool.
5 min read