Overview
- Cambridge and Meta researchers report that at roughly 2.5 meters a 44-inch 4K or 8K TV offers no visible sharpness advantage over a same-size QHD set.
- The team measured resolution limits of about 94 pixels per degree for greyscale, 89 for red/green, and 53 for yellow/violet, with lower sensitivity in peripheral vision.
- Experiments used a movable 27-inch 4K display to test detection of fine line patterns and text at varying distances in central and peripheral vision with 18 participants.
- Results, published in Nature Communications, are translated into a public chart and calculator that indicate when higher resolution exceeds what most viewers can see.
- Authors model population variability to guide design targets and note efficiency trade-offs, with benefits concentrated in close-view uses such as desktop monitors and AR/VR.