What "Retina" Really Means, and How to Tell When Your Screen Is Retina

You’ve probably heard about “Retina” displays on devices like the iPhone, MacBooks, or even the Chromebook Pixel. But what exactly makes a device “Retina?” It’s more than just resolution. Linus from Techquickie explains it as simply as possible.

Resolution is important, but the size of your screen makes just as big a difference. 720p looks great on a 5″ screen, but will be much less sharp on a 50″ screen. This is what we refer to as pixel density, or pixels per inch (PPI). “Retina” is Apple’s term for a screen that has such good PPI that you can’t actually see the pixels on the screen, when viewed from a normal distance.

Some of this you may already know. But if you’re trying to figure out whether a screen counts as “Retina” or not, check out this calculator. You plug in the resolution and the size, and it’ll tell you how far away you need to sit in order to have that Retina experience.

Overall it’s an informative video and a cool tool, even if you’re familiar with the concept—and if you have less tech-savvy friends that still don’t really know what Retina means, it’s a good quick lesson that’ll get them up to speed.

IsThisRetina.com Calculator | via Techquickie

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What "Retina" Really Means, and How to Tell When Your Screen Is Retina