1440p vs 4K
Prices, refresh rates and the differences between 1440p and 4K desktop monitors in the US.
Prices are for in-stock 2560 × 1440 and 3840 × 2160 monitors, excluding portable monitors. Updated
How 1440p and 4K differ
A 1440p monitor has 2560 × 1440 pixels, about 3.7 million. A 4K monitor has 3840 × 2160, about 8.3 million: 1.5 times as many in each direction and 2.25 times as many in total. At the same screen size, 4K has 1.5 times as many pixels per inch, so text and fine detail look sharper. At 150% scaling, a 4K monitor shows text and windows at the same size as a 1440p monitor of the same size at 100%.
A graphics card draws 2.25 times as many pixels for each 4K frame, so games run at lower frame rates at 4K than at 1440p on the same card. The highest refresh rate in stock is 240 Hz for 4K monitors and 540 Hz for 1440p monitors.
| 1440p | vs | 4K |
|---|---|---|
 129 in stock · from $109 |  139 in stock · from $179.99 | |
| 2560 × 1440 · 3.7 million | Pixels | 3840 × 2160 · 8.3 million |
| 109 | Pixels per inch at 27″ | 163 |
| 93 | Pixels per inch at 31.5″ | 140 |
| 180 Hz | Median refresh rate | 120 Hz |
| $139.99 | Lowest 27″ at 144 Hz or more | $249.99 |
Prices by screen size
Screen sizes sold at both resolutions, at any refresh rate. The solid bar is the lowest price and the lighter bar runs to the median.
| 1440p | Screen | 4K |
|---|---|---|
| $184 Median $249 | 24–25″ class | $1,299 Median $1,299 |
| $109 Median $319 | 27″ class | $189.99 Median $449.99 |
| $179.99 Median $234 | 32″ class | $179.99 Median $699 |
27″ prices by refresh rate
27″ class monitors in each band of rated refresh rate.
| 1440p | Hz | 4K |
|---|---|---|
| $109 Median $322.50 | 60–75 | $189.99 Median $399.99 |
| $129.99 Median $299.99 | 100 | $449.99 Median $449.99 |
| $149.99 Median $294 | 120 | $579.99 Median $709.99 |
| $139.99 Median $229.99 | 144 | $249.99 Median $299.97 |
| $147.20 Median $199.99 | 160–180 | $279.99 Median $418.99 |
| $149.99 Median $239.99 | 200–240 | $529.99 Median $849.99 |
| $184.88 Median $474.99 | 255–360 | None in stock |
| $599.99 Median $864.99 | 480–540 | None in stock |
Cheapest 27″ monitors at 144 Hz or more
Questions
Does 4K need a faster graphics card?
For the same frame rate, yes. In TechPowerUp's RTX 5070 review, published in March 2025, the RTX 5070 averaged 114 frames per second at 1440p and 66 at 4K across 25 games at their highest settings, without upscaling. Upscaling, such as DLSS or FSR, draws each frame at a lower resolution and scales it to the screen: FSR's Performance mode draws a 4K frame at 1920 × 1080.
How sharp is 1440p at 32 inches?
A 31.5-inch 1440p monitor has 93 pixels per inch, the same as a 24-inch 1080p monitor (93). A 31.5-inch 4K monitor has 140, more than a 27-inch 1440p monitor (109).