Pixels per degree (pixel density) represents the number of pixels displayed on a screen for every degree of a viewer’s field of vision. A higher value indicates a sharper, more detailed image, particularly beneficial for displays viewed at close range, such as computer monitors or mobile devices. For example, a display with a higher pixel density will show text and images with greater clarity and less pixelation. The computation involves considering the screen resolution, its diagonal size, and trigonometric functions to derive this crucial display metric.
This metric plays a vital role in optimizing the user experience, impacting legibility, image quality, and overall visual comfort. Historically, as display technologies have evolved and pixel densities increased, user interfaces have become more sophisticated and capable of displaying finer details. This has enabled richer visual experiences in applications ranging from graphic design and video editing to everyday web browsing and gaming. Understanding and optimizing this measurement is crucial for display manufacturers and content creators alike.