720p is a shorthand name used to describe one of the HDTV formats. In other words, 720p is a 1280×720 resolution. The p stands for progressive which is better than i which stands for interlaced. 720p and the other HDTV formats becomes important when trying to determine what kind of a television to get and, more importantly, how big to get the television.

What is 720p?

The 720 describes the number of lines that go across the screen horizontally to create the image. Therefore, if there are 720 lines, the quality of the picture is going to be greater than if there are 480 lines. 480 lines is what most analog television sets had; therefore, it’s easy to understand why they call an HDTV that name. The quality of the picture is significantly better.

The P, though, is also very important. People might be shopping for a television and see 1080i and immediately think that, because it has 1080 lines going across, the picture is better than a 720p. That’s not the case. The p stands for progressive and is better than interlaced because it can process the picture twice as fast. Therefore, the image gets on the screen faster and that creates a much brighter picture. The differences, therefore, are minute. More lines are used in 1080i, but the quality is better in 720p. However, since most TV stations use 720p, that’s more advantageous.

What Kind of Resolution Should I Buy?

This is the big question that people often have when shopping for televisions. Described above is the reasoning why a 720p is better than a 1080i. If you’re buying a TV that is 32 inches or smaller, get a 720p. It’ll be cheaper and you will not be sacrificing anything in comparison to the 1080p. However, should you go with a 37 inch or larger, it is a good move to spend more money and get the 1080p. There is a significant difference between the 720p and the 1080p when you reach the 37+ inch marker.

In the end, though, it comes down to preference. Some people believe they can see 1080p even on TVs that are 32 inches. For the most part, though, once you get bigger, the investment for a 1080p TV becomes wiser. All in all, though, stay away from 1080i. While it has more lines, the speed is half as fast as the progressive televisions and it will show when viewing something.