List of True 16:9 Resolutions

2015-10-13
Updated to include full range of resolutions up to 8K UHDTV.

In an effort to enhance the knowledge of the video-making community, I have compiled a list of all true 16:9 video resolutions, including their associated standard when applicable, as well as when the resolution is divisible by 8, which is useful for limited video encoders. The table goes up to 1080p and includes common resolutions like that of a typical 27 inch 16:9 computer monitor and Super Hi-Vision.

Note: If you’ve ever worked with SD content, you’ll notice that no resolution here fits the DVD standard. That’s because DVDs were originally made to comply with the NTSC broadcasting resolution, which is a non-square pixel standard using the resolution of 720 by 480 pixels, stretched to accommodate either 4:3 or 16:9 content, never producing a true 16:9 resolution.

Width Height Common names and standards Divisible by 8
16 9
32 18
48 27
64 36
80 45
96 54
112 63
128 72 Yes
144 81
160 90
176 99
192 108
208 117
224 126
240 135
256 144 Yes
272 153
288 162
304 171
320 180
336 189
352 198
368 207
384 216 Yes
400 225
416 234
432 243
448 252
464 261
480 270
496 279
512 288 Yes
528 297
544 306
560 315
576 324
592 333
608 342
624 351
640 360 Yes
656 369
672 378
688 387
704 396
720 405
736 414
752 423
768 432 Yes
784 441
800 450
816 459
832 468
848 477
864 486
880 495
896 504 Yes
912 513
928 522
944 531
960 540
976 549
992 558
1008 567
1024 576 Yes
1040 585
1056 594
1072 603
1088 612
1104 621
1120 630
1136 639
1152 648 Yes
1168 657
1184 666
1200 675
1216 684
1232 693
1248 702
1264 711
1280 720 720p / HD ready Yes
1296 729
1312 738
1328 747
1344 756
1360 765
1376 774
1392 783
1408 792 Yes
1424 801
1440 810
1456 819
1472 828
1488 837
1504 846
1520 855
1536 864 Yes
1552 873
1568 882
1584 891
1600 900
1616 909
1632 918
1648 927
1664 936 Yes
1680 945
1696 954
1712 963
1728 972
1744 981
1760 990
1776 999
1792 1008 Yes
1808 1017
1824 1026
1840 1035
1856 1044
1872 1053
1888 1062
1904 1071
1920 1080 1080p / Full HD / BT.709 Yes
1936 1089
1952 1098
1968 1107
1984 1116
2000 1125
2016 1134
2032 1143
2048 1152 Yes
2064 1161
2080 1170
2096 1179
2112 1188
2128 1197
2144 1206
2160 1215
2176 1224 Yes
2192 1233
2208 1242
2224 1251
2240 1260
2256 1269
2272 1278
2288 1287
2304 1296 Yes
2320 1305
2336 1314
2352 1323
2368 1332
2384 1341
2400 1350
2416 1359
2432 1368 Yes
2448 1377
2464 1386
2480 1395
2496 1404
2512 1413
2528 1422
2544 1431
2560 1440 WQHD Yes
2576 1449
2592 1458
2608 1467
2624 1476
2640 1485
2656 1494
2672 1503
2688 1512 Yes
2704 1521
2720 1530
2736 1539
2752 1548
2768 1557
2784 1566
2800 1575
2816 1584 Yes
2832 1593
2848 1602
2864 1611
2880 1620
2896 1629
2912 1638
2928 1647
2944 1656 Yes
2960 1665
2976 1674
2992 1683
3008 1692
3024 1701
3040 1710
3056 1719
3072 1728 Yes
3088 1737
3104 1746
3120 1755
3136 1764
3152 1773
3168 1782
3184 1791
3200 1800 Yes
3216 1809
3232 1818
3248 1827
3264 1836
3280 1845
3296 1854
3312 1863
3328 1872 Yes
3344 1881
3360 1890
3376 1899
3392 1908
3408 1917
3424 1926
3440 1935
3456 1944 Yes
3472 1953
3488 1962
3504 1971
3520 1980
3536 1989
3552 1998
3568 2007
3584 2016 Yes
3600 2025
3616 2034
3632 2043
3648 2052
3664 2061
3680 2070
3696 2079
3712 2088 Yes
3728 2097
3744 2106
3760 2115
3776 2124
3792 2133
3808 2142
3824 2151
3840 2160 4K UHD / UHDTV1 / BT.2020 Yes
3856 2169
3872 2178
3888 2187
3904 2196
3920 2205
3936 2214
3952 2223
3968 2232 Yes
3984 2241
4000 2250
4016 2259
4032 2268
4048 2277
4064 2286
4080 2295
4096 2304 Yes
4112 2313
4128 2322
4144 2331
4160 2340
4176 2349
4192 2358
4208 2367
4224 2376 Yes
4240 2385
4256 2394
4272 2403
4288 2412
4304 2421
4320 2430
4336 2439
4352 2448 Yes
4368 2457
4384 2466
4400 2475
4416 2484
4432 2493
4448 2502
4464 2511
4480 2520 Yes
4496 2529
4512 2538
4528 2547
4544 2556
4560 2565
4576 2574
4592 2583
4608 2592 Yes
4624 2601
4640 2610
4656 2619
4672 2628
4688 2637
4704 2646
4720 2655
4736 2664 Yes
4752 2673
4768 2682
4784 2691
4800 2700
4816 2709
4832 2718
4848 2727
4864 2736 Yes
4880 2745
4896 2754
4912 2763
4928 2772
4944 2781
4960 2790
4976 2799
4992 2808 Yes
5008 2817
5024 2826
5040 2835
5056 2844
5072 2853
5088 2862
5104 2871
5120 2880 Retina 5K Yes
5136 2889
5152 2898
5168 2907
5184 2916
5200 2925
5216 2934
5232 2943
5248 2952 Yes
5264 2961
5280 2970
5296 2979
5312 2988
5328 2997
5344 3006
5360 3015
5376 3024 Yes
5392 3033
5408 3042
5424 3051
5440 3060
5456 3069
5472 3078
5488 3087
5504 3096 Yes
5520 3105
5536 3114
5552 3123
5568 3132
5584 3141
5600 3150
5616 3159
5632 3168 Yes
5648 3177
5664 3186
5680 3195
5696 3204
5712 3213
5728 3222
5744 3231
5760 3240 Yes
5776 3249
5792 3258
5808 3267
5824 3276
5840 3285
5856 3294
5872 3303
5888 3312 Yes
5904 3321
5920 3330
5936 3339
5952 3348
5968 3357
5984 3366
6000 3375
6016 3384 Yes
6032 3393
6048 3402
6064 3411
6080 3420
6096 3429
6112 3438
6128 3447
6144 3456 Yes
6160 3465
6176 3474
6192 3483
6208 3492
6224 3501
6240 3510
6256 3519
6272 3528 Yes
6288 3537
6304 3546
6320 3555
6336 3564
6352 3573
6368 3582
6384 3591
6400 3600 Yes
6416 3609
6432 3618
6448 3627
6464 3636
6480 3645
6496 3654
6512 3663
6528 3672 Yes
6544 3681
6560 3690
6576 3699
6592 3708
6608 3717
6624 3726
6640 3735
6656 3744 Yes
6672 3753
6688 3762
6704 3771
6720 3780
6736 3789
6752 3798
6768 3807
6784 3816 Yes
6800 3825
6816 3834
6832 3843
6848 3852
6864 3861
6880 3870
6896 3879
6912 3888 Yes
6928 3897
6944 3906
6960 3915
6976 3924
6992 3933
7008 3942
7024 3951
7040 3960 Yes
7056 3969
7072 3978
7088 3987
7104 3996
7120 4005
7136 4014
7152 4023
7168 4032 Yes
7184 4041
7200 4050
7216 4059
7232 4068
7248 4077
7264 4086
7280 4095
7296 4104 Yes
7312 4113
7328 4122
7344 4131
7360 4140
7376 4149
7392 4158
7408 4167
7424 4176 Yes
7440 4185
7456 4194
7472 4203
7488 4212
7504 4221
7520 4230
7536 4239
7552 4248 Yes
7568 4257
7584 4266
7600 4275
7616 4284
7632 4293
7648 4302
7664 4311
7680 4320 8K UHD / UHDTV2 / Super Hi-Vision / BT.2020 Yes

125 thoughts on “List of True 16:9 Resolutions”

  1. I just signed in to thank you for taking the time and making this. I find it extremely useful and I keep it open in a browser tab at all times.

  2. This conversions of 16:9 aspect ratio really helped. I’m building a video tube and I do want to have quality videos without compromising on file size since most internet users are on metered connections. Thanks so much.

  3. Thanks very much, I check this always again and again for fitting images to 16:9 to enjoy them in fullscreen.
    This helps really 🙂

  4. For 2560 x 1440, you have “27 inch monitor” written in the Standard column. The standard should be WQHD.

  5. My goto list of reference since I found the original post many years ago. Thank you.

  6. not blocks of 16 x 16 the ideal?

    Did bit of work with internet radio/tv back in 2000s, from a radio background i absorbed absorbed video bits, H.264 for PS + Apple adopted, I was telling people bout it 2004, given processor and storage limitations, I used

    512 x 288 for personal copies,

    I’d swear for sure H.264 optimal with both sides wholey divisible by 16, and it was best to adjust the height to a 16 multiple over strict adherence to 16:9, most likey my memory is wrong, because ALL memory is wrong, at least incomplete.

    Was there anything about 16×16 back then? OH, I guessed, never confirmed, 16×16 had to do a super efficient scaler for compression, 2 squared and (2 squared) squared, 2 orders of magnitude from an area of 256 to 2

  7. Well, the only reason I added the 8×8 highlights is because back when I made this list, the ffmpeg-based GUI encoder I was using would only work with resolutions that were multiples of 8, perhaps an artifact of H.261 having fixed size 8×8 transform blocks, or an attempt at following common resolutions:
    https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/8ixs5p/why_are_the_most_common_screen_resolutions/

    In terms of not adhering to 16:9 resolutions, it’s possible you’re thinking of the D-1 SMPTE digital recording video standard, which used non-square pixels to represent NSTC (720×480) and PAL (720×576), both resolutions adopted by the DVD standard, staying the same whether the image was 4:3 or 16:9.

    These are indeed divisible by 16, and 16×16 is the maximum macroblock size for most MPEG family codecs, so this would indeed maximize compression efficiency because larger macroblocks allow for better compression of larger images. For example, HEVC replaced macroblocks with coding tree units (CTUs) that can support samples up to 64×64 to more efficiently code large images in 4K video.

    720×480 and 720×576 don’t come from there, but 16×16 probably does.

    480 and 576 come from the luma sampling rate adopted by the industry when converting analog video into digital, which itself comes from the nature of analog NSTC and PAL signals which included a vertical blanking interval so you wouldn’t see the retrace on old TV sets. “This blanking interval was originally designed to simply blank the electron beam of the receiver’s CRT to allow for the simple analog circuits and slow vertical retrace of early TV receivers.”:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTSC#Technical_details

    Effectively, NTSC had 525 lines of content per frame, with 483 visible and later 480 visible, and PAL had 625 lines per frame with 576 visible:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/480i
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/576i

    Then, to fit a 4:3 480 line picture according to the Rec. 601 sampling rate, you would end up with 704 pixels wide, which was bumped up to 720 pixels to account for inconsistent widths of analog NTSC and PAL motion pictures:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixel_aspect_ratio#Background

    So, 16×16 being the largest multiple-of-2 macroblock that can divide digital NTSC and PAL resolutions cleanly may have been a factor in the design of H.261 which used macroblocks to address compression limitations in the non-DCT-based H.120 (H.261 luma samples were 16×16):
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.120
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.261

    Nowadays, you should probably just use standard 720p and up. This article was originally meant as a way to identify useful square pixel resolutions for digital NSTC 16:9 content for the web, because 480p would be 853.333… px wide in 16:9, and neither 853 nor 854 would work in that encoder, and I didn’t want to settle for 360p.

  8. So there is no real 16:9 resolution for my 3840×1600 monitor to use when a game doesn’t support ultrawide. This explains why the highest 16:9 option I get is 2560×1440.

  9. I’m don’t know how 864p is the best downscale for 1440p… it’s not a factor of 2, but unless you’re doing nearest neighbor scaling for whatever reason, e.g. scaling pixel art, it shouldn’t matter with any decent scaling algorithm. What exactly are you looking to do here?

  10. June 20, 2022
    Hi – I’m researching DVD ripping/conversion to digital outputs, looking for resolutions that will yield good results, balancing storage size requirements vs. quality of output on digital players, computer moniters, and built-in TV upscalers.

    I came across your list here, and it is helpful. The products I’ve been testing with so far are the current versions of WinX DVD Ripper – Platinum, and WonderFox DVD Video Converter (also rips DVDs). Wonderfox offers an h265 encoder (for excellent compression) and a drop-down list with many selectable resolution values, one of which is 960 x 640. This resolution seems to meet your “true 16:9″ and divisible by 8 criteria.

    I’m test-ripping DVDs from a variety of manufacturers, and in many Widescreen formats (Widescreen, enhanced for Widescreen TVs; 1.85:1; Letterbox; 2.35:1 enhanced for 16×9 TVs, etc.). I’m reviewing my outputs on a 27″ ASUS monitor at 2560 x 1440, and on an LG 60” 4k UHD tv (which has its own built-in upscaler), and the outputs look good (to me, anyway).

    Looking forward (given TV industry technology directions), would you see any “downside” issues with ripping/converting DVDs to a resolution of 960 x 640, for playing on any screen-size up to 60″ diameter? I, like many others these days, have a large collection of DVDs (about 1,000) I’d like to digitize, so I’m hoping to find a resolution with a good balance between storage size and viewing quality that would allow my digital library of converted DVDs to be functional for many future years, without requiring a massive amount of terabyte drives (one set for primary/usage, and one set for backup).

    Thanks to all for any thoughts you might care to share on this.

  11. Technically, widescreen DVD-Video is non-square pixels in D-1 format, so 720×576 for PAL/SECAM, and 720×480 for NTSC, so I prefer to keep the original resolution and apply the correct aspect ratio, through, for example, the MKV metadata, although not all players support this.

    A lot of DVD sources, however, are garbage, so you may actually wish to apply high quality filters and crops during the encoding process instead, using square pixels. In this case, you do anything you want, really, so long as you aren’t accidentally downscaling, e.g. 896×504 for 720×576 PAL content.

    If you are looking to encode the content for TV upscalers, however, it might be best to keep the format as original as possible, including interlacing, so that the TV may use its hardware upscalers and deinterlacers as designed for DVD content. Whether that works in practice with ripped content is something you’ll have to test with your own particular setup and players. Same for whether the result will be superior.

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