One of the key factors distinguishing HDTVs today is resolution. Currently, HDTVs are available in either of two resolutions, known as 720p and 1080p respectively. What’s the difference between the two? Is it necessary to get 1080p to enjoy the full HD experience? We’ll explore these questions and others, and tell you what you need to know in order to make an informed decision.

720p and 1080p represent the resolution of the HDTV, much like a computer monitor. The only difference is that in a computer monitor, you’d see a resolution like 1280×1024, which gives you the width as well as the height, in pixels. When referring to HDTVs, the aspect ratio (the shape) of the TV is always the same, 16:9, aka anamorphic widescreen. Since the aspect ratio is the same, comparing horizontal resolution alone will suffice, and that is exactly what these numbers represent. 720p is an HDTV with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels, and 1080p is 1920×1080 pixels.

Well, 1080p HDTVs often cost more, because they can display every single pixel of a 1920x1080p video image. All else being equal, a 1080p TV will be sharper, but in real life, this is not always the case.

When you look at your computer monitor, resolution is very important. Text, graphics and images will look vastly different with higher or lower resolutions, but this is not the case with video. Video loses resolution with motion, more so on LCDs than plasmas, but there are other factors when considering video quality:

1) Contrast Ratio
2) Black Level
3) Color Accuracy & Saturation
4) Resolution

Another big factor is viewing distance. The true benefit of 1080p only becomes apparent at close distances or very large screen sizes. For example, if you have a 50” 1080p HDTV, and sit 8 feet away from it, it won’t look any different to you than a 720p HDTV.

So, in essence, a 1080p TV will be better if:

1) it is equal or better than a comparable 720p model in contrast, black level and color accuracy
2) you sit close enough to take advantage of the increased resolution
3) you are watching 1080p content, such as movies on Blu-Ray disc

If you don’t meet all these requirements, a 720p TV will be as good for you as a 1080p model. Even in the best of circumstances, like when we test a number of TVs side-by-side in a dark environment, very little difference, if any, can be discerned between 1080p models and 720p ones. In some cases, a very good 720p model will actually look a lot better than 1080p ones, such as the Pioneer PDP-5080HD. It is last year’s 50-inch 720p model from Pioneer, and actually looks sharper and overall much better than most, if not all 1080p LCD HDTVs. This year’s 50-inch Pioneer PDP-5020FD is 1080p, but the difference is not really noticeable from normal viewing distances. Have a look at what makes for a good HDTV here, and good luck with your purchase!