Understanding Video Resolution: 360p to 8K Explained
What is Video Resolution?
Video resolution refers to the number of pixels displayed on screen, typically expressed as width × height (e.g., 1920×1080). The more pixels a video contains, the sharper and more detailed the image appears. However, higher resolution also means larger file sizes and greater bandwidth requirements for streaming.
When you download videos from social media using SSDown, understanding resolution helps you choose the right quality for your device and storage capacity. Let's explore every major resolution standard used today.
Complete Resolution Comparison Table
| Resolution Name | Pixel Dimensions | Total Pixels | Aspect Ratio | Common Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 240p (QVGA) | 426 × 240 | ~102,000 | 16:9 | Legacy mobile, extremely low bandwidth |
| 360p (nHD) | 640 × 360 | ~230,000 | 16:9 | Low-quality streaming, old smartphones |
| 480p (SD) | 854 × 480 | ~410,000 | 16:9 | Standard definition, DVD quality |
| 720p (HD) | 1280 × 720 | ~922,000 | 16:9 | HD broadcasts, smartphone recording |
| 1080p (Full HD) | 1920 × 1080 | ~2.1 million | 16:9 | Blu-ray, modern streaming standard |
| 1440p (2K/QHD) | 2560 × 1440 | ~3.7 million | 16:9 | Gaming monitors, high-end content |
| 2160p (4K/UHD) | 3840 × 2160 | ~8.3 million | 16:9 | 4K TVs, professional video, cinema |
| 4320p (8K/FUHD) | 7680 × 4320 | ~33.2 million | 16:9 | Cutting-edge displays, future-proofing |
File Size Comparison by Resolution
File size varies dramatically based on resolution, codec, and compression settings. Here's what you can expect for a 10-minute video encoded with standard settings:
| Resolution | H.264/MP4 (Standard Bitrate) | VP9/WebM (Efficient Encoding) | AV1 (Next-Gen Codec) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 360p | 150-200 MB | 100-150 MB | 80-120 MB |
| 480p | 250-350 MB | 180-250 MB | 150-200 MB |
| 720p | 500-700 MB | 350-500 MB | 280-400 MB |
| 1080p | 800-1200 MB | 600-900 MB | 480-720 MB |
| 1440p | 1.5-2.2 GB | 1.1-1.7 GB | 900 MB-1.4 GB |
| 4K (2160p) | 3.5-5 GB | 2.5-3.8 GB | 2-3 GB |
| 8K (4320p) | 12-18 GB | 9-13 GB | 7-10 GB |
These are approximate values for typical social media content. Actual file sizes depend on frame rate, content complexity, and encoder settings.
Bandwidth Requirements for Streaming
If you're streaming rather than downloading, here are the recommended internet speeds for smooth playback without buffering:
| Resolution | Minimum Mbps | Recommended Mbps | Premium Bitrate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 360p | 0.7 Mbps | 1.5 Mbps | 2 Mbps |
| 480p | 1.5 Mbps | 2.5 Mbps | 3.5 Mbps |
| 720p | 3 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 7.5 Mbps |
| 1080p | 5 Mbps | 8 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
| 1440p | 10 Mbps | 16 Mbps | 24 Mbps |
| 4K | 25 Mbps | 40 Mbps | 60 Mbps |
| 8K | 80 Mbps | 120 Mbps | 200+ Mbps |
Resolution vs. Screen Size: What You Actually See
Higher resolution doesn't always mean a better viewing experience. The visible difference depends on your screen size and viewing distance:
Optimal Resolutions by Device
- Smartphones (under 6.5"): 1080p is excellent; 4K is overkill and wastes storage
- Tablets (7-12"): 1080p to 1440p provides crisp visuals
- Laptop screens (13-15"): 1080p is standard; 1440p is noticeably sharper
- Desktop monitors (24-27"): 1440p is the sweet spot; 4K for professional work
- Large TVs (55-65"): 4K resolution shows clear benefits
- Huge displays (75"+): 4K minimum; 8K provides marginal improvement
Viewing Distance Matters
| Screen Size | 720p Max Distance | 1080p Max Distance | 4K Max Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32" TV | 6.5 feet | 5 feet | 3.3 feet |
| 50" TV | 10 feet | 7.5 feet | 5 feet |
| 65" TV | 13 feet | 10 feet | 6.5 feet |
| 85" TV | 17 feet | 13 feet | 8.5 feet |
Maximum distance is where you can no longer distinguish individual pixels. Sitting closer reveals pixelation; sitting farther makes higher resolutions indistinguishable.
Frame Rate and Resolution: The Dynamic Duo
Resolution is only half the story. Frame rate (fps - frames per second) works together with resolution to determine video smoothness:
| Frame Rate | Common Use Cases | Data Rate Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 24 fps | Cinema, film aesthetic | Baseline |
| 30 fps | Standard TV, most online video | +25% vs 24fps |
| 60 fps | Sports, gaming, smooth motion | +100% vs 30fps |
| 120 fps | High-end gaming, slow motion | +300% vs 30fps |
Key insight: A 4K video at 60fps requires roughly the same bandwidth as an 8K video at 30fps. Choose based on your priority—resolution or smoothness.
Social Media Platform Resolution Standards
Different platforms have different maximum resolutions. Here's what you can expect when downloading from each platform using SSDown:
| Platform | Maximum Resolution | Typical Upload Resolution | Compression Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 8K (7680×4320) | 1080p to 4K | Moderate |
| X (Twitter) | 1080p | 720p to 1080p | Heavy |
| Instagram Feed | 1080p | 1080p | Heavy |
| Instagram Stories | 1080p (9:16) | 720p to 1080p | Moderate |
| TikTok | 1080p (9:16) | 720p to 1080p | Moderate-Heavy |
| 4K (limited) | 720p to 1080p | Heavy | |
| Dailymotion | 4K | 720p to 1080p | Moderate |
Storage Planning: How Many Videos Can You Store?
Planning to download a library of videos? Here's how many videos fit on common storage sizes:
On a 256 GB smartphone:
- 360p: ~1,280 videos (10 min each) or 213 hours
- 720p: ~365 videos or 60 hours
- 1080p: ~213 videos or 35 hours
- 4K: ~51 videos or 8.5 hours
On a 1 TB external drive:
- 720p: ~1,460 videos or 243 hours
- 1080p: ~850 videos or 142 hours
- 4K: ~205 videos or 34 hours
- 8K: ~57 videos or 9.5 hours
Which Resolution Should You Download?
Here are practical recommendations based on common scenarios:
- Mobile-only viewing: 720p is sufficient and saves storage. Your phone screen can't display much more detail anyway.
- Laptop/desktop viewing: 1080p is the sweet spot—excellent quality without massive file sizes.
- TV viewing (under 50"): 1080p works great; 4K if you have unlimited storage.
- Large TV viewing (55"+): Download 4K when available for the best experience.
- Limited storage/bandwidth: 720p or even 480p provides watchable quality at a fraction of the file size.
- Archival/future-proofing: Download the highest available resolution—storage is cheaper than re-downloading later.
- Quick social sharing: 720p strikes a balance between quality and easy sharing/uploading.
The Future: 8K and Beyond
While 8K displays exist, true 8K content remains rare in 2025. Most benefits come from downsampling—displaying 8K content on a 4K screen can look sharper than native 4K due to supersampling. However, for typical social media downloads, 8K is impractical due to file sizes and limited source availability.
SSDown tip: Our platform automatically detects available resolutions for each video and presents you with all download options. Choose based on your device, storage, and viewing needs—there's no one-size-fits-all answer!
Conclusion
Understanding video resolution empowers you to make smart decisions about what to download and store. For most users, 1080p remains the optimal balance between quality, file size, and compatibility. However, as storage becomes cheaper and internet speeds increase, 4K is becoming the new standard for premium content.
Whether you're downloading videos from X, TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube using SSDown, you now have the knowledge to choose the perfect resolution for your needs.