5120 × 2880

A great resolution for 27-inch monitors

Why?

27-inch is a popular desktop monitor size today. However, many 27-inch monitors come with either a 2560 × 1440 or 3840 × 2160 resolution (4K). While 1440p is quite usable, it has a pixel density of 108.8 pixels per inch (PPI), which is relatively low. This is for example similar to a 21-inch 1920 x 1080 monitor (104.9 PPI). The 27-inch 4K monitors have a higher pixel density of 163.2 PPI, but may still pose issues with scaling.

On a 27-inch 1440p monitor, you can use the default scaling (100%) across major operating systems. However, a 27-inch 4K monitor typically requires fractional scaling (e.g., 150%) to make interface elements a usable size, which affects clarity and sharpness. Fractional scaling can result in a loss of sharpness because it involves scaling the interface elements to a size that doesn’t align perfectly with the pixel grid, leading to potential blurriness. Fractional scaling isn't properly supported in most Linux distributions either.

In contrast, a 27-inch 5120 × 2880 monitor (5K) provides a pixel density of 217.6 PPI, which allows for 200% scaling to achieve a similar size of interface elements as a 1440p display, while maintaining sharpness. This is because the 200% scaling aligns perfectly with the grid.

For a visual comparison of monitor resolutions and scaling, see the graph here:
https://bjango.com/.../display-list.png


Availability

Unfortunately there aren't many monitors available with this resolution. Here's a list of 5K monitors: