Thanks for the article, I’m definitely going to be looking for the PPI on my next device, and I think I will jump on getting a newer device sooner than I was expecting to. Thanks again.
I have my phone with Amoled, Dolby vision and it is maxed at 395ppi. It seems that 395-400 is more than enough with 7″ or less screen. The hz refresh rate can give the illusion of a nicer screen once in use too, making these high end phone screens more of a gimmick imo.
As an Artist, PPI is huge. I am fine with my TV screen at lower resolution, because it is viewed from about 9 or 10 feet away. However, when executing fine line artwork on an interactive pen display, I want the highest ppi possible.
Is PPI a number of pixels per (1) inch or per (2) square inch? Please correct me if I am wrong, but I do think that (1) is the correct one. Thus, in your example PPI is not 49, but 7.
We clearly state the following:
“PPI is the acronym from Pixels Per Inch. It is a unit of measure used to quantify the number of pixels found on a square inch surface. To get a clear idea of what it means, imagine a square inch that’s divided and organized in a grid of cells. Each and every cell in that grid has a pixel inside. The number of cells inside the grid, also known as pixels, tells you the PPI.”
Wikipedia goes, quote: “…For example, a 15-inch (38 cm) display whose dimensions work out to 12 inches (30.48 cm) wide by 9 inches (22.86 cm) high, capable of a maximum 1024×768 (or XGA) pixel resolution, can display around 85 PPI…”. The following table shows that as per my understanding and that of Wikipedia, the PPI is 85, but per yours, it is 7,282. The example in my previous comment (7 vs 49) proves the same.
pixels H / V / Total 1024 768 786,432
size (in) / area (sq.in) 12 9 108
PPI 85 85 7,282
PPI is a linear measure. This article is talking about pixels per square inch, which is not an industry measure. It would require that all values provided be perfect squares, which 72ppi and 96ppi are definitely not!
I am a retired mechanical engineer. Crispness and clarity of the screen is my first requirement when buying because it is my first sensory interaction with the machine, an unnatural interface object. I have tested my eyes many times in my life over extended periods of use with screens of various PPIs and contrast ratios and have concluded that my eyes can detect far more than the industry claims showing. History shows that industry has been repeatedly incorrect on such matter and has had to upgrade the standards. Two points in questions are subliminal advertising and 60 hertz fluorescent lights causing headaches. I am 70 and last year I tried using an iPhone 7 with 326 PPI for one year resulting in many vision issues although not serious and permanent ones. Although I like IOS very much, I decided to return to smartphones with much better screen specifications. As of late I have been using a Samsung Galaxy S7 for a week and my vision issues have almost disappeared.
The writer is somehow under the impression that a biased political statement inserted into a technical article makes him or her “funny”.
Newsflash: it’s only funny to those that both agree with your bias AND believe it is appropriate in a technical article. To everyone else, it is simply amateurish.
Digitalcitizen will not get a click next time. There are plenty of other straightforward technical articles on the exact same subject without the biased commentary about either side of the political divide.
20 Responses to “What is PPI? Does pixel density matter?”
Thanks for the article, I’m definitely going to be looking for the PPI on my next device, and I think I will jump on getting a newer device sooner than I was expecting to. Thanks again.
I have my phone with Amoled, Dolby vision and it is maxed at 395ppi. It seems that 395-400 is more than enough with 7″ or less screen. The hz refresh rate can give the illusion of a nicer screen once in use too, making these high end phone screens more of a gimmick imo.
As an Artist, PPI is huge. I am fine with my TV screen at lower resolution, because it is viewed from about 9 or 10 feet away. However, when executing fine line artwork on an interactive pen display, I want the highest ppi possible.
Thanks for sharing your perspective.
Is PPI a number of pixels per (1) inch or per (2) square inch? Please correct me if I am wrong, but I do think that (1) is the correct one. Thus, in your example PPI is not 49, but 7.
We clearly state the following:
“PPI is the acronym from Pixels Per Inch. It is a unit of measure used to quantify the number of pixels found on a square inch surface. To get a clear idea of what it means, imagine a square inch that’s divided and organized in a grid of cells. Each and every cell in that grid has a pixel inside. The number of cells inside the grid, also known as pixels, tells you the PPI.”
Wikipedia goes, quote: “…For example, a 15-inch (38 cm) display whose dimensions work out to 12 inches (30.48 cm) wide by 9 inches (22.86 cm) high, capable of a maximum 1024×768 (or XGA) pixel resolution, can display around 85 PPI…”. The following table shows that as per my understanding and that of Wikipedia, the PPI is 85, but per yours, it is 7,282. The example in my previous comment (7 vs 49) proves the same.
pixels H / V / Total 1024 768 786,432
size (in) / area (sq.in) 12 9 108
PPI 85 85 7,282
PPI is a linear measure. This article is talking about pixels per square inch, which is not an industry measure. It would require that all values provided be perfect squares, which 72ppi and 96ppi are definitely not!
very informative… thank you
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This was completely helpful. Thank you
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixel_density
“A 100×100 pixel image printed in a 1 inch square has a resolution of 100 pixels per inch”
Very good explanation. Thanks for sharing!
Is that possible to upgread mobile ppi
No. Your screen has some properties that cannot be changed, unless you buy another phone with another screen, with a different PPI.
I am a retired mechanical engineer. Crispness and clarity of the screen is my first requirement when buying because it is my first sensory interaction with the machine, an unnatural interface object. I have tested my eyes many times in my life over extended periods of use with screens of various PPIs and contrast ratios and have concluded that my eyes can detect far more than the industry claims showing. History shows that industry has been repeatedly incorrect on such matter and has had to upgrade the standards. Two points in questions are subliminal advertising and 60 hertz fluorescent lights causing headaches. I am 70 and last year I tried using an iPhone 7 with 326 PPI for one year resulting in many vision issues although not serious and permanent ones. Although I like IOS very much, I decided to return to smartphones with much better screen specifications. As of late I have been using a Samsung Galaxy S7 for a week and my vision issues have almost disappeared.
This is a good explanation for the noobie.
However, I wonder why you would insert political comments in a technical discussion.
Because we found it funny. Nothing else.
Yeah, I agree, it doesn’t belong.
The writer is somehow under the impression that a biased political statement inserted into a technical article makes him or her “funny”.
Newsflash: it’s only funny to those that both agree with your bias AND believe it is appropriate in a technical article. To everyone else, it is simply amateurish.
Digitalcitizen will not get a click next time. There are plenty of other straightforward technical articles on the exact same subject without the biased commentary about either side of the political divide.
I removed the joke, as you are correct. A tech article might not be the best place for political jokes. Thanks for your feedback.