| Aspect | PPI (Pixels Per Inch) | DPI (Dots Per Inch) |
|---|---|---|
| Medium | Digital displays (monitors, phones, tablets) | Physical print output (inkjet, offset printers) |
| What it measures | Pixel density per physical inch of screen space | Ink dots placed per linear inch on paper |
| Standard Baseline | 96 PPI (desktop), 300+ PPI (mobile retina) | 300 DPI for high-quality print reproduction |
When to specify PPI vs DPI
Use PPI when designing web layouts, mobile apps, or display hardware specs. Use DPI when preparing print artwork, posters, or publication files for offset printing.