Is It Possible To Purchase a 4k or 7680×2160 Ultrawide Monitor?

Monitors come in all shapes and sizes, but for a monitor to be classified as ultrawide it has to meet a few extra requirements. This brings along a few more questions. Can you have a 4k ultrawide monitor? What resolutions of ultrawide monitor can you get? and more…

At present, it is not possible to have a 4k ultrawide monitor as they do not have standard dimensions. An ultrawide monitor must have a 21:9 aspect ratio or wider, while a standard monitor has a 16:9 aspect ratio. This means it is impossible for an ultrawide monitor to be 4k.

A 7680×2160 super ultrawide monitor is, unlike a 4k ultrawide monitor, possible to create. However, there are currently none available. The intricate balance of size and image quality makes a so-called 7k2k monitor complex and expensive to produce. Despite this, it is very likely one of these monitors will be available within a few years’ time.

Currently, the highest resolution ultrawide monitor available is 5120×2160. These 21:9 ultrawide monitors are still relatively new, and expensive, but offer a resolution that could only have been dreamt of in an ultrawide monitor a few years ago.

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Let me break down some common questions about ultrawide monitor resolutions in more detail for you.

What is a 4k Monitor?

A 4k monitor is a display device that has a resolution of 4096×2160 pixels. This is double the horizontal and vertical resolution of a standard 1080p HDTV, giving it four times as many pixels overall. Thanks to this increase in pixel density, 4k monitors are able to provide an incredibly detailed and sharp image.

4096×2160 is a standard aspect ratio of 16:9, so 4k monitors also have the same widescreen shape as HDTVs and most computer monitors. This makes them well-suited for watching movies or playing games, as there will be no black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.

What is an Ultrawide Monitor?

An ultrawide monitor is a display device that has a much wider aspect ratio than a standard widescreen monitor. The most common ultrawide aspect ratio is 21:9, which is significantly wider than 16:9.

Super ultrawide monitors have aspect ratios of 32:9 or even higher. This means they have at least double the screen width of a standard 16:9 monitor. These monitors are so wide that they can be difficult to fit on a desk, and may require special stands or mounts.

Ultrawide monitors are often used by gamers or video editors, as the extra horizontal space can be beneficial for certain tasks. You can get both curved and flat ultrawide monitors, although curved ultrawides are more common.

While most 21:9 ultrawide monitors have a resolution of 2560×1080 pixels, there are some models that have a 3440×1440 pixel resolution. These higher-resolution ultrawide monitors provide an even sharper and more detailed image.

Are all Ultrawide Monitors 4k?

No, in fact there aren’t any ultrawide monitors that are 4k. The vast majority of ultrawide monitors have a resolution of 2560×1080 pixels. While this is significantly higher than 1080p HDTVs, it is still less than half the number of pixels found on a 4k monitor.

The few ultrawide monitors that do have a 3440×1440 pixel resolution are not 4k because they do not have the standard 4096×2160 pixel resolution. Instead, these monitors are referred to as “WQHD” or “Wide Quad HD.” While WQHD ultrawide monitors provide a higher resolution than standard 1080p HDTVs

Why is there no 4k Ultrawide Monitor?

The reason why there is no 4k ultrawide monitor is that ultrawide monitors don’t share a standard 16:9 resolution like most other monitors.

If you imagine a 4k monitor that is also Ultrawide, you are actually just imagining a large 4k monitor. This is because for a monitor to be 4k it has to have a standard resolution and for a monitor to be ultrawide its width has to be larger relative to its height than a standard monitor.

The two just can’t happen together.

So while there are 4k monitors and there are ultrawide monitors, there is no such thing as a 4k ultrawide monitor.

Is There A 2160p Ultrawide Monitor?

Yes, there are 2160p ultrawide monitors available to buy. The two most well-known are the DELL U4021QW (40inch), and the LG 34BK95U-W (34inch). Both these monitors have a 21:9 aspect ratio and 5120×2160 resolution (also referred to as “5k2k” or “UW5k”).

While 5k2k ultrawide monitors do exist they are still relatively young. As such they are nowhere near as common as the standard ultrawide resolutions of 3440×1440 and 2560×1080.

Are There Any 7680×2160 Ultrawide Monitors?

There aren’t currently any 7680×2160 ultrawide monitors available to buy. However, there is certainly a demand for them, and it seems inevitable that a 7k2k monitor will be released within the next few years.

A 7680×2160 ultrawide monitor would be classed as a super ultrawide monitor due to its 32:9 aspect ratio. Many users who require high resolutions to do their jobs, such as video editors, have traditionally steered clear of super ultrawide monitors. This was down to the loss of clarity compared to using a 4k monitor, however, a 7680×2160 super ultrawide monitor could offer a great solution for them.

While there are no 7680×2160 ultrawide monitors currently available, it is possible to create one yourself by positioning two standard 4k monitors together. This will give you a combined resolution of 8192×2160. While slightly higher than 7680×2160, this demonstration still gets across how huge and sharp the image will be on one of these monitors.

What Is The Highest Resolution An Ultrawide Monitor Can Have?

While you might not be able to get a 4k ultrawide monitor, you can get the closest thing to it, a 5120×2160 ultrawide monitor. These Ultra-Wide 5k display devices have the highest resolution currently available for an ultrawide screen.

This is double the horizontal and vertical resolution of a standard ultrawide monitor, giving it four times as many pixels overall. Thanks to this increase in pixel density, UW5K monitors, such as the DELL U4021QW, are able to provide an incredibly detailed and sharp image.

5120×2160 is a standard aspect ratio of 21:9, so UW5K monitors also have the same widescreen shape as other ultrawide monitors. This makes them well-suited for watching movies or playing games, as there will be no black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.

Do 4k Monitors Support Ultrawide Resolutions?

While 4k monitors can support lower resolutions such as 1080p and 1440p, they do not natively support ultrawide resolutions such as 2560×1080 and 3440×1440.

This means that if you want to use an ultrawide resolution with a 4k monitor, you will need to use a special type of adapter or cable that can downscale the resolution. While this is possible, it is not ideal as it can lead to image quality issues such as artifacts and blurring.

It is also worth noting that not all 4k monitors support lower resolutions via an adapter or cable. So if you want to use an ultrawide resolution with a 4k monitor, make sure to check that your particular model is compatible.

While it can be difficult to get your screen to permanently adopt an ultrawide resolution, you can change the resolution within certain applications quite easily. Most games allow you to change the resolution at the click of a button within the game settings. You can see an example of this in action below.