Optimal Video Dimensions
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 |