Graphics tend to be the focal point in gaming console discussions. Terms like resolution and frames per second are usually brought up to try and decide on a winner. But what’s the difference?
The resolution of a TV refers to the number of pixels that can be displayed, quoted by width and height. The higher the resolution, the more details and more quality the image will have. While it’s not the only factor to consider, it’s one you easily notice.A standard HD image is 1080p, containing 2.25 times more pixels than a 720p image.
A frame per second, or frame rate, relates to the frequency that a TV displays consecutive images, or frames. The more frames per second, the smoother the image will be.
So which one is more important?
Phil Spencer, Xbox’s boss, says that high frames per second are more important than a 1080p resolution. In his interview with CVG (since closed), he continues by stating that “reaching parity with our partners has been important”, in relation to the game Destiny having the same resolution and frame rate on both Xbox One and PS4.
To him “(…) 1080p isn’t some mythical, perfect resolution. Frame rate to me is significantly more important to gameplay than resolution and the mix of those two which brings the right art style and freedom, whether it’s on PlayStation or our platform.”
However, he does say that the need for resolution and frames per second depends on each game genre, like “Forza, hitting 1080p/60fps is important. So there are certain genres where there’s an expectation, but there are also other genres where I’d rather use the cycles to put more effects on screen or better lighting. I’ve got to put the tools in the hands of developers.”
Frames per second can be argued to make a game not look like a collection of pictures, as it smoothes out the transition between frames. 60fps will give you smoother images at 720p than 30fps at 1080p; for some games it might not make a big difference, but for others 30fps might be too jarring to play with.
What do you think? Is a good resolution more important for you when you’re gaming, or do you agree with Xbox’s Phil Spencer that frames per second are better?Here at Cheap TVs we ensure that our TVs are of the highest quality, so you can choose from a wide range of TVs that will suit your gaming experience the best. If you have any questions about our products, contact us on 0121 327 3273 to speak with our highly-skilled team.
