What Is Device Pixel Ratio (DPR)?
Device Pixel Ratio (DPR) is the ratio between physical hardware pixels on your screen and the CSS pixels used by your browser.
Understanding CSS Pixels vs Physical Pixels
CSS pixels are logical units used by browsers. Physical pixels are actual hardware dots on your display.
DPR explains the relationship between them:
Physical Pixels = CSS Pixels × Device Pixel Ratio
Common DPR Values
- DPR = 1 → No scaling (standard monitor)
- DPR = 1.25 → 125% scaling (common on Windows)
- DPR = 1.5 → 150% scaling
- DPR = 2 → Retina or high-density display
Example Calculation
If your browser reports 1536 × 864 and DPR = 1.25:
1536 × 1.25 = 1920 864 × 1.25 = 1080
Your physical monitor resolution is likely 1920 × 1080.
Why DPR Matters
DPR affects:
- Image sharpness
- Website design scaling
- Responsive layouts
- Mobile development
How to Check Your DPR
You can check your device pixel ratio instantly here:
Why Some Browsers Show Different DPR
Privacy-focused browsers like Brave may modify screen values to reduce fingerprinting and tracking.
Conclusion
Device Pixel Ratio explains why your browser’s resolution may not match your monitor’s advertised resolution.
To see your current DPR and resolution instantly, use our screen resolution checker tool.