The term resolution is used to describe certain specifications of numerous devices. In computing it can be used to describe the image size of display devices, such as computer monitors, the print quality of certain printers, and also the capability of a scanner.

Display resolution

This is used to specify the capabilities of video cards and computer displays (screen resolution). The higher the resolution, the sharper the image will be displayed.

To specify the resolution of a display device manufacturers use a certain format which refers to the horizontal and vertical pixels.

For example, 1024x768 refers to a display capable of 1024 pixels in width and 768 pixels in height. The optimum resolution is usually dictated by the physical size of the display, especially with LCD-type displays.

Print resolution

In this context, the term resolution relates to the amount of dots per inch (DPI) that a printer is capable of printing. The higher the DPI, the smoother the printed document/image will be. For more on DPI click here

Scan resolution

When referring to a document scanner, the advertised resolution specifies the maximum amount of dots per inch that it is capable of scanning. A higher resolution will result in a more detailed scan of the document.

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