YouTube changes the definition of video resolution: 720p is not HD, 1080p is HD

For many years, we have been calling 720p resolution HD (high definition). However, according to the latest change of YouTube, 720p is no longer considered HD resolution. Accordingly, all resolutions below 720p are considered SD (standard definition).

In the past, as far as we knew, 360p or 480p videos were considered SD. 720p and above are considered HD, depending on the resolution that continues to be divided into FullHD, UltraHD and more.

Now, if you open a YouTube video in a web browser and click on the gear icon to change the resolution. It can be seen that 720p is no longer considered YouTube HD, only 1080p is still considered HD resolution.

Of course, nothing has changed about the way we view or post videos on YouTube, just a small change in the definition and classification of YouTube’s resolution. The 720p resolution will remain there and will not be removed.

However, this change also caused some controversy in the online community. Some say that 1440p and 2160p resolutions are becoming more and more popular, so it is reasonable to no longer recognize 720p as HD. Others argue that the larger number of pixels does not mean the image will be better, the 720p resolution is still very clear on some small screen sizes.

In fact, there are quite a few people who like watching YouTube videos at 720p resolution. Because it is clear enough and the download speed is faster than 1080p. So categorizing 720p as just SD instead of HD can be frustrating for many YouTube users.

Reference: wccftech