I was recently asked this question whilst chatting about the pros and cons of different screen resolutions for gaming monitors. QHD, or quad high definition, refers to the 1440p vertical resolution of monitors, you can think of this as the next step from HD, or 1080p. This is becoming an increasingly popular resolution with gamers as it provides a clearer image compared to HD but doesn’t need quite the raw GPU power to run it compared to a 4k display.
That said, there is still a step up from HD so you won’t be able to get far with an entry level graphics card or one from a couple of generations past. QHD is also more reasonably priced right now, the top range 4k screens are priced for enthusiasts only.
But you might be asking yourself what is the extra W in WQHD?
What’s the difference between QHD and WQHD?
Well actually the explanation is very simple. The two terms are really used interchangeably but the W is sometimes added to differentiate between wide screen ratios, 16:9. In that sense, most, if not all monitors we are looking at here will be WQHD. I’m not even sure you can buy non-wide screen gamer monitors these days, square displays are now a niche!
There are however monitors that go a step further, for the most immersive gaming experience you might want to consider an ultra wide monitor, this gives you a 21:9 ratio and can be referred to as UWQHD! These beautiful screens, often curved, are currently at the top end of the price bracket, you’ll need deep pockets to buy one, but they are stunning. They can make a good replacement for a dual wide screen setup, you get a single unbroken desktop to play games across.
So, there you are, you now know the difference between QHD vs WQHD.
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