# 5K resolution
**5K resolution** is a display format of 5120 x 2880 pixels, a 16:9 aspect ratio containing about 14.7 million pixels, roughly double the horizontal and vertical count of 1440p and about 77 percent more pixels than a 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) panel.[1](https://1440px.com/resolutions/5120x2880/) • [2](https://www.viewsonic.com/colorpro/products/VP2788-5K) The name follows the horizontal pixel count of about 5,120, in the same convention that labels 3840-pixel-wide panels 4K.[3](https://www.samsung.com/us/monitors/5k/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pixel count | 5120 x 2880 = 14.75 million pixels, 16:9 aspect ratio[1](https://1440px.com/resolutions/5120x2880/) |
| Versus 4K UHD | About 77% more pixels than 3840 x 2160[2](https://www.viewsonic.com/colorpro/products/VP2788-5K) |
| Density at 27 inches | About 218 PPI, supporting exact 2x (HiDPI) scaling to a 2560 x 1440 logical workspace[4](https://www.2880p.com/) |
| First prominent product | 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display, announced October 16, 2014[5](https://www.apple.com/za/newsroom/2014/10/16Apple-Introduces-27-inch-iMac-with-Retina-5K-Display/) |
| Single-cable transport | DisplayPort HBR3 carries 5120 x 2880 at 60 Hz, 24-bit color, uncompressed[6](https://www.vesa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/VESA-DP-Technology-and-Compliancee-Updates-GRL-12_10_2014.pdf) |
| Distinct ultrawide format | 5K2K (5120 x 2160) shares the 5120-pixel width but has fewer vertical pixels and a 21:9-style ratio[7](https://www.cloudspress.com/the-4-best-5k-monitors-of-2026/) |
| Typical refresh rates | Most 27-inch 5K monitors run at 60 Hz; gaming models such as the ASUS ROG Strix XG27JCG reach 180 Hz at native 5K[8](https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/gaming-monitors/asus-rog-strix-xg27jcg-review/) |
## Pixel count and density
The practical meaning of 5K depends on screen size. On the dominant 27-inch panel size, 5120 x 2880 works out to about 218 pixels per inch (PPI), a density at which the interface can be scaled exactly 2x: every logical pixel is drawn as a 2x2 block of physical pixels, rendering a 2560 x 1440 workspace with no interpolation or fractional scaling.[4](https://www.2880p.com/) A 27-inch 4K display, at about 163 PPI, is too dense to use at 100% scaling without uncomfortably small interface elements, yet not dense enough for a clean 2x doubling, so operating systems must apply fractional scaling.[4](https://www.2880p.com/) This is the main reason 5K is closely associated with macOS, which is tuned for Retina-class densities around 218 PPI.[9](https://github.com/RetinaDesk/awesome-5k-monitors)
## History
Apple announced the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display on October 16, 2014, describing it as a 14.7-million-pixel screen with four times the pixels of the standard 27-inch iMac and, by Apple's figure, 67 percent more pixels than a 4K display.[5](https://www.apple.com/za/newsroom/2014/10/16Apple-Introduces-27-inch-iMac-with-Retina-5K-Display/) Later sources, comparing 14.75 million pixels against the 8.29 million of 4K UHD, put the difference at about 77 percent; the two figures reflect different 4K baselines rather than different 5K counts.[2](https://www.viewsonic.com/colorpro/products/VP2788-5K) • [5](https://www.apple.com/za/newsroom/2014/10/16Apple-Introduces-27-inch-iMac-with-Retina-5K-Display/)
Early external 5K monitors predated single-cable transport. The Dell UltraSharp UP2715K, a 27-inch 5120 x 2880 [IPS panel](https://www.edgepedia.org/ips-panel) at 218 PPI, used a dual [DisplayPort](https://www.edgepedia.org/displayport) 1.2 MST design, which makes it awkward to drive from a modern Mac.[9](https://github.com/RetinaDesk/awesome-5k-monitors) DisplayPort HBR3 (introduced with DisplayPort 1.3) then enabled 5120 x 2880 at 60 Hz with 24-bit color over a single connection without compression.[6](https://www.vesa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/VESA-DP-Technology-and-Compliancee-Updates-GRL-12_10_2014.pdf) DisplayPort over USB-C supports 5K uncompressed with simultaneous USB 2.0 data on the same connector.[10](https://www.displayport.org/displayport-over-usb-c/)
## 5K versus 4K and 5K2K
Against a same-size 4K display, 5K adds roughly 77 percent more pixels, which translates into finer detail and a larger workspace at equal sharpness.[2](https://www.viewsonic.com/colorpro/products/VP2788-5K) The sharper text at 27 inches comes from density rather than raw count alone: a 5K display at 27 inches can look sharper than a 4K display at 32 inches even though the pixel-count difference is modest on paper.[11](https://screenresolutiontest.com/4k-vs-5k/)
**5K2K is a different format.** LG, Dell, and Samsung sell 39.7- to 40-inch panels of this type for creative professionals who want to work on 4K content with tool windows alongside it.[12](https://www.lg.com/us/business/download/resources/CT40000311/LG_SPEC-SHEET_40BP95C-W%20_022229_LR%5B20220312_095538%5D.pdf)
## Products and connectivity
The 27-inch 5120 x 2880 16:9 panel is the standard 5K product. Current and recent models include the Apple Studio Display and Studio Display XDR (5120 x 2880 at 218 PPI; the XDR adds a Mini-LED backlight with 2304 dimming zones, up to 1000 nits SDR and 2000 nits peak HDR brightness, and 120 Hz with Adaptive Sync)[13](https://www.apple.com/ke/studio-display-xdr/specs/), the LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KB ([Thunderbolt](https://www.edgepedia.org/thunderbolt) 3, 99% DCI-P3, 500 nits)[14](https://media.us.lg.com/m/27931a2bdcba0da4/original/27MD5KB-B-Spec-Sheet.pdf), the ASUS ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV (99% DCI-P3, Delta E under 2, USB-C with 96 W power delivery)[15](https://www.asus.com/us/displays-desktops/monitors/proart/proart-display-5k-pa27jcv/), the BenQ PD2730S (98% DCI-P3, 2000:1 contrast, factory-calibrated to within Delta-E 2.0)[16](https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/buying-guides/best-monitors-for-photographers), and the ViewSonic VP2788-5K with Thunderbolt 4 and dual 5K daisy chain.[2](https://www.viewsonic.com/colorpro/products/VP2788-5K) The category remains small compared with 4K, because panel sources for this specification are limited.[17](https://www.techradar.com/pro/alogic-clarity-touch-5k-monitor-review)
Refresh rates have risen from the 60 Hz typical of early models. The ASUS ROG Strix XG27JCG runs 180 Hz at native 5K (with a QHD 330 Hz dual mode), and the KTC 27-inch 5K offers a 5K 60 Hz mode alongside a 2560 x 1440 120 Hz mode.[8](https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/gaming-monitors/asus-rog-strix-xg27jcg-review/) • [18](https://www.windowscentral.com/accessories/monitors/you-can-now-grab-your-very-own-27-inch-5k-monitor-for-just-usd535-this-black-friday-weekend-text-and-images-have-never-looked-so-good)
On the host side, recent [MacBook Pro](https://www.edgepedia.org/macbook-pro) models support one external 5K (5120 x 2880) display at 120 Hz over Thunderbolt or HDMI, with higher multi-display counts on Max-class chips.[19](https://support.apple.com/en-us/101571)
## References
1. [5120 x 2880 — 5K (2880p) Resolution Explained, 1440px](https://1440px.com/resolutions/5120x2880/)
2. [ViewSonic VP2788-5K product page](https://www.viewsonic.com/colorpro/products/VP2788-5K)
3. [5K Computer Monitors, Samsung USA](https://www.samsung.com/us/monitors/5k/)
4. [5120 x 2880 | 5K, 2880p.com](https://www.2880p.com/)
5. [Apple Introduces 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K Display, Apple Newsroom (October 16, 2014)](https://www.apple.com/za/newsroom/2014/10/16Apple-Introduces-27-inch-iMac-with-Retina-5K-Display/)
6. [VESA DisplayPort Technology and Compliance Updates (2014)](https://www.vesa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/VESA-DP-Technology-and-Compliancee-Updates-GRL-12_10_2014.pdf)
7. [The 4 Best 5K Monitors of 2026, CloudsPress](https://www.cloudspress.com/the-4-best-5k-monitors-of-2026/)
8. [Asus ROG Strix XG27JCG review, PC Gamer](https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/gaming-monitors/asus-rog-strix-xg27jcg-review/)
9. [awesome-5k-monitors, RetinaDesk GitHub repository](https://github.com/RetinaDesk/awesome-5k-monitors)
10. [DisplayPort over USB-C, VESA](https://www.displayport.org/displayport-over-usb-c/)
11. [4K vs 5K Resolution: Which One Do You Really Need?, ScreenResolutionTest](https://screenresolutiontest.com/4k-vs-5k/)
12. [LG 40BP95C-W spec sheet](https://www.lg.com/us/business/download/resources/CT40000311/LG_SPEC-SHEET_40BP95C-W%20_022229_LR%5B20220312_095538%5D.pdf)
13. [Studio Display XDR - Technical Specifications, Apple](https://www.apple.com/ke/studio-display-xdr/specs/)
14. [LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KB-B spec sheet](https://media.us.lg.com/m/27931a2bdcba0da4/original/27MD5KB-B-Spec-Sheet.pdf)
15. [ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV, ASUS USA](https://www.asus.com/us/displays-desktops/monitors/proart/proart-display-5k-pa27jcv/)
16. [The best monitors for photo editing in 2026, Digital Camera World](https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/buying-guides/best-monitors-for-photographers)
17. [Alogic Clarity Touch 5K monitor review, TechRadar Pro](https://www.techradar.com/pro/alogic-clarity-touch-5k-monitor-review)
18. [27-inch 5K monitor for $535, Windows Central](https://www.windowscentral.com/accessories/monitors/you-can-now-grab-your-very-own-27-inch-5k-monitor-for-just-usd535-this-black-friday-weekend-text-and-images-have-never-looked-so-good)
19. [How many displays can be connected to MacBook Pro, Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/101571)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Computing and digital systems › Computer hardware › Graphics & GPU hardware › Graphics hardware overview*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Oct 15, 2026*
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