Optimal Video Dimensions

This topic provides some information on the optimal video dimensions to use.

Video codecs perform better when the width and height in pixels are multiples of 16. While you can use any width and height in your encoding settings, non-optimal dimensions can result in poor image quality and reduced frame rate. For the best image quality and playback, you should use width and height dimensions for your video that are multiples of 16; your next best choice is multiples of 8, and after that, multiples of 4.

Both the native encoding dimensions and the playback dimensions should be evenly divisible by the same number, ideally 16. For example, if you encode your native file to use a frame dimension of 640×480, scale down to a size such as 320×240.

The following tables list a collection of width by height measurements by quality for 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios:

Recommended width and height for videos with 16:9 aspect ratios

Best Choice:
Multiples of 16
2nd Best Choice:
Multiples of 8
3rd Best Choice:
Multiples of 4
1920 x 1080 1792 x 1008 1856 x 1044
1280 x 720 1152 x 648  1216 x 684
1024 x 576 896 x 504 1088 x 612
768 x 432  640 x 360 960 x 540
512 x 288 384 x 216 832 x 468
256 x 144 128 x 72 704 x 396
    576 x 324
    448 x 252
    320 x 180
    192 x 108

 

Recommended width and height for videos with 4:3 aspect ratios

Best Choice:
Multiples of 16
2nd Best Choice:
Multiples of 8
3rd Best Choice:
Multiples of 4
640 x 480 608 x 456 624 x 468 
576 x 432 544 x 408 592 x 444 
512 x 384 480 x 360 560 x 420 
448 x 336 416 x 312 528 x 396 
384 x 288 352 x 264 496 x 372 
320 x 240 288 x 216 464 x 348 
256 x 192 224 x 168 432 x 324 
192 x 144 160 x 120 400 x 300 
128 x 96   368 x 276 
    336 x 252 
    304 x 228 
    272 x 204 
    240 x 180
    208 x 156
    176 x 132
    144 x 108 
    112 x 84