Monitors: Is a Higher Resolution Better? Part 1

The Pixel Problem

In a world that is constantly changing, everyone is looking for more. We also know this is not always true. Nobody wants to have a larger pimple or more STDs. Sometimes, having too many tools is pointless. You don't need as many tools to assemble furniture. Pixels work in the same way. The human eye is limited in its ability to perceive pixels. Consider pixels like sand. While you can see the grains of the sand when you stand on the beach, you won't be able to see them when you stand on a cliff. Pixels operate in the same way. If you get close enough, you will see that a pixel actually has smaller red, green and blue lights, which combine to create a different color for those farther away. If you are too far away from your monitor, all you'll see is light in the distance. The trick to maximizing your computer monitor's viewing distance is to sit at the optimal viewing distance. This is determined by the monitor's resolution and size. The smaller the resolution, the smaller the pixels. However, the larger monitor will have more pixels.

These two pieces of information will allow you to determine the optimal viewing distance. The human eye is limited to seeing details smaller than 1/60th degree of an arc. I will spare you the math and give you a few examples.

Monitor Size--------Aspect Ratio-------Resolution-----Optimal Distance
22.5"=========16:9=========1080p======2.9'
22.5"=========16:9=========4K========1.5'
30"==========16:9=========1080p======3.9'
30"==========16:9=========4K========2.0'

If you are more than 1.5 feet away from a 22.5-inch 4k monitor, you will lose 4k. At 3 feet, you can see 1080p. You can get better than 1080p between 1.5 and 3feet, but this presents a problem. Operating systems can't handle higher resolutions than 1080p, which makes the text visible on many interfaces smaller. Software can help, but it is not able to fix all text. It often makes other text larger than necessary.

If you sit closer than the optimal distance, you can see every detail without any loss of quality. You will not be able to enjoy 4k gaming on a large and expensive monitor.