Full HD, we hardly knew ye.

Today’s flagship smartphones are moving from full HD to QHD – also known as quad HD.

Most people in the smartphone world thought that QHD wouldn’t really become popular until 2015, but several major smartphones have bucked the trend and implemented QHD screens in 2014.

Those phones so far include the LG G3 and the upcoming Note 4.

What is QHD and why do you need it? Why is it possibly a bad thing? Today, we’re explaining why the QHD revolution has come upon us so suddenly.

What is QHD?

QHD is not to be confused with Ultra HD or 4KTV. It’s less than halfway between standard HD and 4KTV.

Quad HD resolution is 2560×1440 pixels in a 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio. It’s called “quad” HD because there are 4 times as many pixels as standard 720p HD.

Advantages of QHD

The advantages of QHD are obvious. Advantages include:

-More screen space

-Sharper, clearer images

-Higher pixel density

-Easier multi-app functionality

Disadvantages of QHD

The advantages may be obvious, but there are some clear disadvantages as well.

Potential battery life problems: On most Android devices, the screen is the biggest battery life user. Each additional pixel takes more battery life to light up. Higher resolution screens require more battery life – it’s as simple as that. Moving to QHD hasn’t harmed the LG G3’s battery life – it’s one of the best smartphones in terms of battery life. But it’s inevitably going to harm other smartphones – especially if manufacturers continue emphasizing thinness over battery life.

Cost: QHD screens cost more. Are consumers willing to pay more for QHD? How much more does it cost manufacturers to make QHD devices? Aren’t smartphones expensive enough?

Compatibility: Android’s fragmentation is legendary. Adding a new resolution is going to fragment it even further. Will apps look good at QHD resolutions? Will any apps take advantage of higher resolutions? Will GPUs be able to keep up? Will you experience compatibility problems on mobile web browsers? Compatibility could be a huge issue for QHD screens.

All of these problems can be overcome by optimization. QHD handsets are already here and the LG G3 and Note 4 could be two of the bestselling devices of the year.

What do you think? Have you ever looked at your full HD smartphone and thought it looked too small?