The computer monitor is the most used output device of our computers. Maybe you can manage without a keyboard or a mouse but without a monitor you have no clue what’s happening. But unfortunately we don’t concentrate much on the technical aspects of the monitor. So in this article we discuss with you one such technical terms related to computer monitors: Aspect Ratio.

What Aspect Ratio means:

Aspect Ratio is one of the terms which can describe your computer’s screen size. An aspect ratio of 16:9 means that the width and height of the display screen is in the ratio of 16 to 9. This aspect ratio is common in most of the modern LCD TVs and Computer monitors. In the first introduced screens around 1950s the aspect ratio was 4:3.

The Difference Aspect Ratio Brings:

The main difference between the 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios or any other aspect ratios is the width and height relation. In a screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio for every 16 inches of width there will be a 9 inches of height in the image. While in a screen of 4:3 aspect ratios, there is a height of 3 inches for a width of every 4 inches. So the screen will be around 33% wider than its high for a 4:3 and a 78% wider than its high for a 16:9. Similarly, many widescreen LCD monitors also have aspect ratios of 15:9 and 16:10 and these will be best suited to watch DVD movies or play high graphics games.

Conclusion:

So a 4:3 aspect ratio gives you slightly more of a box like image and the 16:9 aspect ratio is a widescreen. Though the 4:3 aspect ratio was introduced earlier than the 16:9 aspect ratio, today both of them play their part. It mainly counts down to the preference of the user actually.