Resolution
Really Dense Grids
Your monitor has a defined number of physical pixels arranged in a grid pattern.
Resolution is the number and arrangement of those pixels. Pixels are counted in the horizontal, then the vertical. A common resolution is 1920 pixels horizontal and 1080 pixels vertical (1920 x 1080). This is often shortened to "1080p".
Common resolutions:
- 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
- 2560 x 1440 (2K, QHD)
- 3840 x 2160 (4K, UHD)
Your monitor is able to display any resolution up to its actual resolution. For instance, if your monitor has a 4K resolution (3840 x 2160), it can display images at 1080p, 1440p, and 2160p.
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Rasterization
Using 2 Dimensions to Show 3
Rasterization is the process of taking a three-dimensional vector image, and displaying it on a flat plane (two-dimensions), through the pixels on your monitor.
See how the vector shape circle is rasterized into a pixelated image? Video games do this with all of the geometry within a scene. Every three-dimensional shape in the game has to be flattened and translated into a format that your pixels can display - it is rasterized.
Increasing Resolution of Rasterization
A Clearer Picture
As a monitor's resolution increases, the jagged nature of rasterization becomes less and less noticeable and the image becomes sharper. See the examples on the right and below.
