Playdate
Handhelds · 400×240 · 2022
Resolution
400×240
Diagonal
2.7"
Pixel density
173ppi
| Resolution | 400 × 240 |
|---|---|
| Resolution class | 400×240 |
| Diagonal | 2.7" |
| Pixel density | 173 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 5:3 |
| Total pixels | 96,000 · 0.1 MP |
| Physical size | 58.8 × 35.3 mm |
| Screen area | 3.2 in² |
| Pixel pitch | 147 µm |
| Pixels vanish at | 50.5 cm |
| Orientation | Landscape |
| Released | 2022 |
How to read this
- Pixel density (ppi) is how many pixels fit in one inch. Resolution alone cannot tell you — you have to divide by the diagonal.
- The same 4K is 163 ppi on a 27" monitor and 68 ppi on a 65" TV. That is more than double, but a TV is watched from far away, so it does not matter.
- The distance at which pixels vanish comes from one arcminute, the limit of human sight. Once a pixel looks smaller than that, no eye can find the grid.
- Aspect ratio is width and height reduced to the simplest whole numbers. Modern phones are 19.5:9 or 20:9, so 16:9 video leaves black bars on the sides.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is the Playdate screen resolution?
400×240 pixels — 96,000 in total, about 0.1 megapixels, which puts it in the 400×240 class.
Q. What is the pixel density of the Playdate?
173 ppi. That is the diagonal in pixels of a 400×240 grid divided by the 2.7" diagonal of the panel, and it makes each pixel about 147 micrometres across.
Q. How big is the Playdate screen in millimetres?
58.8 mm wide and 35.3 mm tall, worked out from the 2.7" diagonal and the 5:3 aspect ratio. The visible area is roughly 3.2 square inches.
Q. How far away do pixels stop being visible on the Playdate?
About 50.5 cm. That is where a pixel subtends less than one arcminute, the limit of human sight — closer than that and the grid starts to show.
Q. What aspect ratio does the Playdate use?
5:3, with the long edge 1.67× the short one. It is wider than it is tall, which suits video and side-by-side documents.
Screens of a similar size
The same diagonal at a different resolution means a different density. 4K is 163 ppi on a 27" monitor and 68 ppi on a 65" TV.
| Device | Resolution | Diagonal | Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch | 1280×720 | 6.2" | 237 ppi |
| ROG Ally X | 1920×1080 | 7" | 315 ppi |
| Steam Deck LCD | 1280×800 | 7" | 216 ppi |
| Nintendo Switch OLED | 1280×720 | 7" | 210 ppi |
| ROG Ally | 1920×1080 | 7" | 315 ppi |
| Steam Deck OLED | 1280×800 | 7.4" | 204 ppi |
| PlayStation Portal | 1920×1080 | 8" | 275 ppi |
| Apple Watch Ultra 2 | 410×502 | 1.92" | 338 ppi |