The Multitude of SmartPhone and Tablet Screen Resolutions

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 08:15:21 +1000

By: gosh'at'DigitalFriend.org (Steve Goschnick)

The list below is not a comprehensive one but does include most of the devices (made) widely available in the last year or two, listed here from 'highest resolution' to 'lowest', within sub-headings consisting of each platform (Apple; Android; BlackBerry; Windows; Bada; HDMI devices). Note: model names often vary across countries.

The range of high-resolution, good quality devices has never been this diverse nor this affordable! It's a techno feast for someone like me who 'really likes' their personal computing technology. I started a Masters by Research (Computer Science) degree in 1998, initially with a view (i.e. 'The Topic') to putting elastic/self-configuring user interfaces on high-resolution, all-screen phones, that were just becoming available ... or so I thought!

At the time Ericsson (then a standalone maker of mobile phones, well before they teamed up with Sony) was touting a research-only, all-screen phone in The Press - and I wanted to get my hands on one for the Masters. I got as far as getting Ericsson onboard as a sponsor of the research, but the phone never materialized. Between you and me I don't think that phone ever really existed beyond a shell for the press shots.

However, in Japan, by early 1999 the i-Mode phones - some were all-screen phones (some with separate keypads) with Internet/service access - were already available in the marketplace in quantity. And very popular they were too, as the domestic PC /'www' version of the Internet, was not as widely embraced in Japan in the late 1990's as it was elsewhere in the West (not counting France, which was also slow/hesitant to embrace the www 'on the PC'). While PCs were then commonplace in Japan within the corporate world, they were less prevalent in the home. Instead, that domestic PC/www void wasn't really a void at all - it was already occupied with other advanced devices such as the iMode phones, and gaming consoles from Nintendo, Sony and Sega.

Outside of Japan, all-screen phones really started to cook with the high-resolution touch-screen iPhone from Apple in 2007 - well after my Masters was finished. I had changed my research topic (to one within the Intelligent Software Agents domain), but my long-term interest in high-res, all-screen mobile devices, and what one might do with them, continued.

The screen on the original iPhone3 was a modest (by todays standards) 480x320 pixels - offering just half the visual footprint of the old standard PC VGA screen (i.e. 640x480) - but nonetheless, that represented a magnificent graphics field for programmers to practice their art upon. Along came Android in 2008/9, and there the deluge began and shows little sign of slowing down ... although some say 1920x1080 'Full HD' may well be a plateau of sorts:

Apple

(PixelsxPixels (pixels-per-inch), aspect:ratio, screen-size diagonally, company, model, then a variable 'etc.' )

• 2048x1536 (264ppi), 4:3, 9.5in, Apple, iPad v4, 2012-10-24, iOSv6, A6X chip.
• 2048x1536 (264ppi), 4:3, 9.5in, Apple, iPad v3, 2012-03-12, iOSv5.
• [1680x1050 22in, Apple, iMac (desktop) ]
• [1280x800, 8:5,13in, Apple, MacBook Pro (laptop) ]
• 1136x640 (326ppi), 16:9, 4in, iPhone5, 2012-09-12, iOSv6.
• 1024x768, 4:3, 9.5in, Apple, iPadv1, 2010-03-xx, iOS.
• 1024x768, 4:3, 9.5in, Apple, iPadv2, 2011-03-xx, iOS.
• 1024x768, 4:3, 7.9in, Apple, iPad mini, 2012-10-24, iOSv6, dual-core A5.
• 960x640, 3:2, 3.5in, Apple, iPhone4.
• 480x320, 3:2, 3in, Apple, iPhone3 and 3GS.

Android

• 2560x1600, 8:5,10in, Google (Samsung), Nexus 10, 2012-10-29, Android 4.2, 16GB, 5-megapixel rear camera, 1.9-megapixel front camera.
• 1920x1280 (256ppi), 3:2, 9in, Barnes and Noble, Nook HD+, 2012-09-26, Android 4.0.
• 1920x1200 (HD), 8:5, 10.1in, Asus, Transformer Pad Infinity TF700T, Andriod 4.0.
• 1920x1200, 8:5, 10.1in, Acer, Iconica Tab A700, Android 4.0, 32GB.
• 1920x1200 (254ppi), 8:5, 8.9in, Amazon, Kindle Fire HD 8.9, 2012-09-06, Android 4.0.3.
  
• 1920x1080 (441ppi), 16:9, 5in, Oppo, Find 5, 2012-12-20, Android 4.1, 1.5 GHz quad-core, 2GB Ram, 16 GB storage, No microSD, No HDMI out, 13 MPixel rear, 1.9 MPixel front.
• 1920x1080 (441ppi), ,5in, HTC, Droid DNA (aka Butterfly), 2012-11-18, Android 4.2, phone, 8GB, quad core, 8-megapixel rear, 1.3-megapixel front (i.e. same res. as Full HD Touch monitor).
  
• 1600x900, 16:9, 13.3in, Toshiba, Excite, 2012-04-11, Android 4.0 (ICS).
  
• 1440x900 (243ppi), 8:5, 7in, Barnes and Noble, Nook HD, 2012-09-26, Android 4.0, $200US.
  
• 1280x800, 8:5, 10.1in, Archos, Archos101 G9, 2011-10-01, Android 3.2-4.0.
• 1280x800, 8:5, 10in, Toshiba, Excite, 2012-05-11, Android 4.0 (ICS).
• 1280x800, 8:5, 7.7in, Toshiba, Excite, 2012-06-11, Android 4.0 (ICS), US $500, 16G.
• 1280x800, 8:5, 10.1in, Samsung, Tab10.1v, 2011-05-13, Android 4.0 ($399).
• 1280x800, 8:5, 7.7in, Samsung, Tab7.7, 2012-xx-yy, Android 4.0 (ICS).
• 1280x800, 8.5, 5.3in, Samsung, Note, 2012-xx-yy, Android 2.3.
• 1280x800, 8:5, 10.1in, Acer, Iconica Tab A500, 2011-06-23, Android 3.2 .
• 1280x800, 8:5, 10in, Acer, Iconica Tab A510, 2012-05-28, Android 4.0, $549.
• 1280x800, 8:5, 10.1in, Asus, Transformer Pad TF300T, 2012-05-15, Android4.0, $599AU with keyboard and docking station.
• 1280x800, 8:5, 10.1in, Asus, EeePad Transformer, 2011-03-25, Android 3.2-4.0.
• 1280x800, 8:5, 10.1in, Asus, EeePad Transformer Prime, 2011-12-01, Android 3.2-4.0.
• 1280x800, 8:5, 10.1in, Asus, EeePad Slide S101, 2012-02-01, Android 3.2-4.0.
• 1280x800, 8:5, 10.1in, Motorola, Zoom, 2011-02-24, Android 3.1-4.0.
• 1280x800, 8:5, 9.4in, Sony, Tablet, 2011-04-11, Android 3.1.
• 1280x800 (213ppi), 8:5, 7in, Google, Nexus 7, 2012-10-29 (updated), Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), WiFi, AU$249, 16GB, 1GB RAM, quad core, no rear camera.
• 1280x800, 8:5, 7in, Amazon, Kindle Fire HD 7, 2012-09-06, Android 4.0.3.
  
• 1280x768 (318ppi), 15:9, 4.7in, Google (LG), Nexus 4, 2012-10-29, Android 4.2, $299US, 8GB, quad core, 8-megapixel rear, 1.3-megapixel front.
  
• 1280x720, 16:9, 8:9in, Samsung, Galaxy Tab Lite 8.9, 2011-05-13, Android 3.2.
• 1280x720 (306ppi), 16:9, 4.8in, Samsung, Galaxy S III, 2012-05-04, Android 4 (phone, Quad core).
• 1280x720, 16:9, 4.65in, Samsung, Galaxy Nexus, 2011-12-15, Android 4.0 (phone).
• 1280x720, 16:9 , 5.5in, Samsung, Note II, 2012-11-01, Android 4.1, $650.
• 1280x720, 16:9, 4.6in, Sony, Xpedia T/TX, 2012-05-09, Android 4.0 (phone, LTE), 16GB, microSD, NFC, 13 MPixel rear, 1.3/720p front.
• 1280x720, 16:9, 4.3in, Sony, Xpedia V, 2012-05-09, Android 4.0 (phone, LTE), 8GB, microSD, NFC, 13 MPixel rear, 1.3/720p front.
• 1280x720, 16:9, 4.3in, Sony, Xpedia S, 2012-02-01, Android 2.3 (upgrading to 4.0 Q2)
• 1280x720 (312ppi), 16:9, 4.7in, HTC, One X, 2012-04-12, Android 4.0 (phone).
• 1280x720 (330ppi), 16:9, 4.5in, Huawei, Ascend D1 Quad, 2012-09-01, Android 4.0, AUD$499 (e.g. JB HiFi).
  
• 1196x720, 1.6611, 4.7in, Motorola, RAZR HD, 2012-10-10, Android 4.0.
  
• 1024x768, 4:3, 9.7in, Bauhn, Android Tablet, 2012-06-06, Android 4.0, AUD$249.
• 1024x768, 4:3, 9.7in, Levono, IdeaTab S2109, 2012-05-31, Android 4.0, US$349.
• 1024x768, 4:3, 8in, Archos, Archos80 G9, 2011-10-01, Android 3.2-4.0.
• 1024x768, 4:3, 5.5in, LG, Optimus Vu, 2012-03-02, Android 2.3 (phone).
• 1024x768, 4:3, Vizio, Vizio Tablet, 2011-07-18, Android 2.3.
• 1024x768, 4:3, 10in, Chinon, , 2012-02-01, Android 2.3.
  
• 1024x600, 7in, Amazon/QuantaComputer, Kindle Fire, 2011-11-xx, Android 2.3.4, ADV 10.
• 1024x600, 7in, Samsung, Tab 2 7.0, 2012-04-22, Android 4.0.3, ($250).
• 1024x600, 7in, ACER, Iconica Tab A100, 2011-xx-yy, Android 3.2.
• 1024x600, 7in, Toshiba, Folio 100, 2010-11-01, Android 2.2.
• 1024x600, 7in, RIM, Blackberry Playbook, Android 2.3.3.
• 1024x600, 7in, Barnes and Noble, Nook Tablet, 2011-11-17, Android 2.3, $199.
• 1024x600, 7in, Barnes and Noble, Color Nook, Android 2.2, APIv8, $169.
• 1024x600, 7in, Kobo, Kobo Vox,, Android 2.3, $179.
• 1024x600, 7in, HTC, Flyer, 2011-05-01, Android 2.3.3-3.2.1 (Gingerbread to Honeycomb) (pen and touch).
• 1024x600, , 4.03in, Lava International (India), Xolo X900, 2012-04-20, Android 2.3 - 4.0 (phone, Atom chip).
• 1024x600, 7in, Telstra (Technicolor/Thomson), T-Hub-2, 2012-07-17, Android 2.3
  
• 960x540, 16:9 (1.778) ,5.8in, Samsung, Galaxy Player 5.8, 2012-08-27, Android 4.0.
• 960x540, 16:9, 4.3in, Motorola, Razr M, 2012-09-13, Android 4.0.
• 960x540, 16:9, 4.3in, ASUS, PadFone, 2012-05-01.
• 960x540, 16:9, 4.3in, Huawei, Ascend P1, 2012-07-05, Android 4.0, AMOLED screen.
  
• 900x540, 5:3, 4.3in, Motorola, Droid Razor (phone).
• 900x540, 5:3, 4.0in, Motorola, Droid 4, 2012-02-12, Android 2.3.6 (upgrade to 4.0) (phone).
• 900x540, 5:3, 4.0in, Motorola, Droid 3 Milestone, 2011-07-14, Android 2.3 (phone).
  
• 854x480, 1.7792, 4.0in, Sony, Xpedia J, 2012-05-09, Android 4.0 (phone, LTE), 4GB, 5 MPixel rear.
• 854x480, ,3.7in, Sony/Ericsson, Xpedia neo, 2011-04-01, Android 2.3 (phone).
• 854x480, ,4.2in, Sony/Ericsson, Xpedia Arc, 2011-04-01, Android 2.3 (phone).
• 854x480, ,2.55in, Sony/Ericsson, Xpedia Pro, 2011-10-01, Android 2.3.4 (phone).
• 854x480, , 3.7in, Motorola, Defy, 2010-09-01, Android 2.2 (phone).
  
• 800x600, 4:3, 7in, Chinon, 2012-02-01, Android 2.3.
  
• 800x480, 5:3, 5in, Samsung, Galaxy Grand, 2012-12-18, Android 4.1, 1.2GHz dual core, 8 MB, microSD, 8 MPixel rear, 2 MPixel front, dual SIM.
• 800x480, 5:3, 4.5in, Samsung, Galaxy S III mini, 2012-11-01, Android 4.1, 1GHz dual core, 1 GB Ram, 8/16 GB Storage, microUSB, 5MPixel rear.
• 800x480, 5:3, 4in, Dell, Streak/Mini5, 2010-06-04, Android 2.2.
• 800x480, 5:3, 4.3in, HTC, Thunderbolt, 2011-03-17, Android 2.2 (phone).
• 800x480, 5:3, 3.7in, HTC, Droid Incredible, 2010-04-29, Android 2.3 (phone).
• 800x480, 5:3, , Samsung, Sidekick 4G, 2011-04-01, Android 2.2 (phone).
• 800x480, 5:3, 4.0in, LG, G2X/ Optimus Black, 2011-04-15, Android 2.3 (phone).
• 800x480, 5:3, 4.3in, LG, Optimus L7, 2012-06-29, Android 4.0.
• 800x480, 5:3, 4in (233 ppi), Samsung, Galaxy S Duos, Android 4.0.4, 2012-07-12, 768MB Ram, 4 GB, microSD to 32 GB, 5 MPixel rear, 0.3 MPixel front, video at VGA, dual SIM, AUD$269 to $349.
• 800x480, 5:3, 4.3in, Samsung, Galaxy S II (3G), Android 2.3.3.
• 800x480, 5:3, 4.5in, Samsung, Galaxy S II 4G, 2012-04-20, Android 2.3.3 (4G phone).
• 800x480, 5:3, 4.2in, Samsung, Galaxy Player 4.2, 2012-05-13, Android 2.3.6 (not a phone - iPod Touch competitor), $199.
• 800x480, 5:3, 4.0in,Huawei, Ascend G300, 2012-07-22, Android 2.3 (phone) $149.
• 640x480, 4:3, 3.1in, Motorola, Admiral, 2011-10-01, Android 2.3 (phone).
  
• 480x320, 3:2, 3.2in, Sony, Xpedia Tipo, 2012-06-09, Android 4.0 , 512MB, 2.5GB, microSD to 32 GB, 3.2 MPixel rear, no focus no flash, video to VGA, AUD$148 (2012-12-05).
• 480x320, 3:2, 3.5in, Huawei, Ascend Y200, 2012-06-06, Android 2.3, 256MB, 512MB, microSD to 32 GB, 3.2 MPixel rear, AU$138.
• 480x320, 3:2, 3.27, Samsung, Galaxy Mini 2, 2012-03-01, Android 2.3.6, 512MB Ram,4GB, microSD to 32 GB, 3MPixel rear, no auto focus, video to VGA, colored backplate.
• 480x320, 3:2, 3.5in, Samsung, Galaxy Ace, 2011-01-01, Android 2.3, 160MB, 278MB Ram, microSD to 32 GB, 5 MPixel rear, AU$219 unlocked (2012-12-05), $179 Vodafone.
• 480x320, 3:2, 3.2in (180 ppi), HTC, Explorer, 2011-10-20, Android 2.3, 90 MB, 512Ram, 512 Rom, microSD to 32HB, 3.15MPixel rear, AUD$116 (Vodafone).
• 480x320, 3:2, 3.2in, HTC, Magic, 2009-07-01, Android 2.2 (phone).
• 480x320, 3:2, 3.2in, Sony/Ericsson, Live with Walkman, 2011-10-01, Android 2.3.
• 480x320, 3:2, 3.5in, Samsung, Admiral/Vitality, 2011-08-01, Android 2.3 (phone).
• 480x320, 3:2, 3.65in, Samsung, Galaxy Player 3.6, 2012-05-13, Android 2.3.6 (not a phone - iPod Touch competitor, $149).
  
• 320x240, 4:3, 3in, Samsung, Galaxy Y, 2011-08-26, Android 2.3, 160MB, microSD to 32 GB, 2 MPixel rear.
• 320x240, 4:3, 2.8in, Samsung, Galaxy Pocket, 2012-03-06, Android 2.3.6, 3 GB, microSD to 32 GB, 2 MPixel rear, AUD$129 (2012-12-05).

Bada

• 800x480, 5:3, 4in, Samsung, Wave 3, Bada 2.0 (has a native C++ SDK).
• 480x320, 3:2, 3.65in, Samsung, Wave M, Bada 2.0.
• 480x320, 3:2, 3.2in, Samsung, Wave Y, Bada 2.0.

BlackBerry/RIM

• 1024x600, 7in, RIM, Blackberry Playbook (tablet), BB OS (has Android v 2.3.3 mode).
• 1280x768, 15:9, 4.2in, RIM, BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha A, OS 10 (phone).
• 1280x768, 15:9, 4.2in, RIM, BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha B, OS 10, (phone), 2012-09-25.
• 1280x720, 16:9, ?in, RIM, future BB10 model, due 2013-01-30.
• 720x720, 1:1, ?in, RIM, future BB10 model, announced 2012-08-15, BB10.

Windows

• 1920x1080,,11.6in, Acer, Iconia W700, 2012-10-26, Windows 8, 32 GB, micro-HDMI, 5MP front/1.3MP, 10-point touch, Intel Core i3 or i5.
• 1920x1080,,11.6in, Sony, Vaio Duo 11, 2012-10-26, Windows 8, Intel Core i5.
• 1600x900, 16:9, 20in, Sony, Vaio Tap 20, 2012-10-26, Windows 8, 1TB drive, 4GB RAM, Intel Core i5.
  
• 1366x768, 1.7786, 10.81in, Microsoft, Surface, 2012-10-26, Windows RT, 32 GB, 2GB RAM, rear 720p, front 720p (keyboard cover is optional).
• 1366x768,,10.1in, Acer, Iconia W510, 2012-10-26, Windows RT, 32 GB, micro-HDMI
• 1366x768,,10.6in, Asus, Vivo Tab RT, 2012-10-26, Windows RT, 32 GB, 2GB RAM.
• 1366x768,,10.1in, Lenova, ThinkPad Tablet 2, 2012-10-26, Windows RT, micro-HDMI.
• 1366x768,,11.6in, Samsung, ATIV Smart PC, 2012-10-26, Windows 8, 32 GB, 2GB RAM, rear 8MP, front 2MP.
• 1366x768,,10.1in, Samsung, ATIV Tab, 2012-10-26, Windows RT, 32 GB, 2GB RAM, micro-HDMI, rear 5MP, front 1.9MP
  
• 1280x768, 5:3, standard Windows Phone 8, WXGA.
• 1280x768, 5:3, 4.5in, Nokia, Lumia 920, 2012-09-05, Windows Phone 8.
• 1280x720, 16:9, standard Windows Phone 8.
• 1280x720, 16:9, 4.3in, Windows Phone 8, HTC WindowsPhone8X, 2012-09-21,
• 1280x720 (342ppi), 16:9, 4.8in, Sony, ATIV S, 2012-10-26, Windows Phone 8, 16GB, 1.024GB RAM, 8MP rear.
• 800x480, 5:3, 3.5in, Nokia, Lumia 900, 2012-04-10, Windows Phone 7.5 (WVGA).
• 800x480, 5:3, 4.3in, Nokia, Lumia 820, 2012-09-05, Windows Phone 8.
  

Touch Monitor

• 1920x1080, , 23in, LG, Touch 10, for Windows 8 (can detect all 10 fingers at once).

Note: HDMI 1080p - also known as 'Full HD' - is (at least) 1080 horizontal lines.(progressive scan i.e. not interlaced), at 16:9 ratio therefore a ratio of at least 1920x1080 native pixels. 1080p24 means 24 frames per second, which is a standard embraced by digital filmmakers.

Raspberry Pi

Via HDMI port, can do: 640x350 EGA; 640x480 VGA; 800x600 SVGA; 1024x768 XGA; 1280x720 720p HDTV; 1280x768 WXGA Variant; 1280x800 WXGA Variant; 1280x1024 SXGA; 1366x768 WXGA Variant; 1400x1050SXGA+; 1600x1200 UXGA; 1680x1050 WXGA+; 1920x1080 1080p HDTV; 1920x1200 WUXGA.

OUYA Video Game Console/Controller

1920x1080 and 1280x720, both via your existing HDMI monitor/TV, based on Android 4.1, sporting a custom designed game controller (with similar widgets to the XBox 360 Controller), due 2013-03-xx.