What's the Difference Between Real Pixels and Virtual Pixels?

Walking down the TV aisle at a store is an interesting experience, isn't it? When the screens are packed so closely together, you can easily see quality differences between them.

It is not so easy to compare LED displays. When it comes to this business investment, you have to rely on features more when a comparable display isn't close enough to eyeball.

You may find yourself comparing displays with the same resolution, but one is manufactured with real pixels while the other claims virtual pixels. How much of a difference will that little bit of technology make in your display?

When it comes to sharpness and clarity, the difference is huge.

How Pixels are Formed

If you hear the term "virtual pixel technology," chances are it's referring to full-color LED displays. Why is the type of pixel important in this type of display and not any others? Because virtual pixels create better images and videos through enhanced sharpness.

Real pixels (the traditional pixel configuration) consist of one red, one green, and one blue LED. Each pixel is placed the same distance apart.

This isn't true for all the LEDs. It's easy to tell one pixel from another pixel.

Virtual LEDs have two red, one green, and one blue LED and are spaced evenly.  In a display with virtual pixels, every pixel works double (actually, quadruple) duty. If you look closely at individual pixels, you see each one shares diodes with the pixels around it.

How do you know if it's a virtual pixel versus a real pixel? Check to see if the pixel consists of the four LEDs mentioned above.

Why Virtual Pixels Outperform Real Pixels

In real pixel LED display, each LED shares one pixel. But in virtual pixel LED displays? Every LED shares all 4 pixels with its neighbors.

The result? Sharp and vivid graphics on your display.

In fact, we've found the sharpness of the virtual pixel LED display is 1.6 times better than a similar real pixel LED display.

With the image process technology combined, the resolution of virtual pixel LED displays is improved by as much as 4 times the resolution of physical pixel LED displays.  Virtual pixel technology allows you to buy the same number of pixels while getting a much sharper image or video compared to a real pixel pitch of the same size.

However, when showing text, the LED can't be shared by 4 pixels are the same time. The sharpness turns back to the same as a real pixel LED display.

How Does This Affect Resolution?

If you have the budget for a higher resolution, buy the higher resolution. And enjoy the benefits of the crisp virtual pixel screen along with the high resolution.

Virtual pixels do not replace better resolution - especially if your content is heavily text-based.

However, if you'd rather spend your budget elsewhere and your content is mostly graphics, virtual pixels allow you to get away with a slightly lower resolution than a real pixel display would.

Go Virtual

For crisp graphics without breaking your budget to invest in a higher resolution, choose a display with virtual pixels.