Human Eye’s Resolving Power Exceeds Previous Estimates, suggesting Currentโค TV resolutions Mayโฃ Be Excessive
New research indicates the human eye โpossesses a โgreater ability โto discern detail than previously understood, raising questions about the necessity of continuallyโค increasing television andโฃ display resolutions. A team led by researchers at the University of Bern has resolute the eyeโ can resolveโค detailsโ corresponding to approximately 600 megapixelsโ – far exceeding the capabilities of even the most advanced commercially available displays. However, the study also highlights the trade-offs associated with ultra-high resolutions, including increased power consumption and computational demands.
While the โeye’s theoretical resolving power is substantially higher than current display technology, theโ research โdoesn’t suggest an immediate need to downgrade existing televisions. Instead, it provides crucial data for manufacturers and developers to optimize displayโ technology, balancing visual fidelity with practicalโ considerations โlike energy โefficiency andโข processing power. This impacts not only televisions but also a wide range ofโค devices featuring displays, from smartphones and virtual reality headsets to automotive dashboards. The findings,published in Nature Communications,offer a benchmark forโ determining theโ point of diminishing returns in resolution increases.
The study involved measuringโฃ the eye’s abilityโ to distinguish fine details under ideal conditions.โ Researchersโค found the limit is determined by theโฃ density of photoreceptor cells in the retina and the โoptics of the eye, resulting in the 600-megapixel equivalent. Increasing resolution beyond a certain point yields no perceptible benefit to the viewer, while simultaneously increasing energy consumption and the strain on computing resources needed to render the image.
Theโ research team’s work is available at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64679-2#Abs1.
