Screen PPI Calculator

How sharp is a screen, really? Pixel density — pixels per inch, or PPI — is the number that answers it, and it’s the one spec sheets love to bury. Put in a screen’s resolution and its diagonal size and this works it out, along with the total megapixels and how it stacks up against “Retina-class” sharpness. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is sent or stored.

pixels per inch

Total pixels
Aspect ratio
Dot pitch

"Retina-class" is a rough guide: Apple's original mark was ~300 PPI held at phone distance, but a TV watched from the sofa needs far fewer PPI to look just as sharp. Sharpness is density × viewing distance, not density alone.

One caveat worth repeating: PPI isn’t the whole story. A phone held 30 cm from your face needs far more density to look sharp than a TV across the room. Perceived sharpness is density combined with viewing distance — which is why a 4K TV and a flagship phone can both look flawless at wildly different PPI.

Comparing handsets? Browse the gadgets & tech posts.