Which quality to pick for a video - 1080p, 720p or audio only?
File sizes, readability on a phone or a screen, cases where the sound is enough - how to choose the quality before downloading, with rough figures.
When a video comes in several qualities, which one should you take? The best is not always the right answer: the file can weigh ten times more for a difference invisible on a phone. Here are simple guidelines.
What 1080p, 720p and 480p mean
The number is the height of the picture in pixels. 1080p (Full HD) fills a computer screen; 720p (HD) is sharp on a laptop and on a phone; 480p is enough for a thumbnail or a preview. Above that, 1440p and 2160p (4K) only make sense on a large screen, and they are heavy.
Rough figures
For one hour of video, as a guide:
| Quality | Usual size |
|---|---|
| 2160p (4K) | 4 to 8 GB |
| 1080p | 1 to 2 GB |
| 720p | 500 MB to 1 GB |
| 480p | 250 to 500 MB |
| Audio only | 40 to 80 MB |
ExtNest Video Downloader shows an estimated size next to each quality, before the download: that is the surest guide.
Choose by use
- Watching on a phone: 720p. 1080p cannot be seen, the size difference can.
- A course, a filmed talk: 720p, even 480p if the speaker fills the screen.
- A screen recording with text: the highest quality available, so that the text stays readable.
- An interview, a filmed podcast, a meeting: Audio only. The M4A file is ten to twenty times smaller; MP3 if you prefer, in the settings.
- Archiving: the best quality, since you won't be able to come back later.
One quality per site
In the settings, a rule per site sets the quality once and for all: audio only on a podcast site, say, and 720p on a course platform. The main button then applies your choice without asking.
Good to know
Only save what you have the right to save: your own videos, royalty-free content, or in the cases allowed by the law.