What Is AI Image Resolution? 1K, 2K and 4K Explained

AI image resolution is the number of pixels in a generated picture. Tools label the tiers 1K, 2K and 4K, loosely after how many thousand pixels run along the long edge. More pixels leave room for detail and larger prints, and each step up costs more credits. The exact pixel count differs by model.

Pixels, megapixels and the K labels

A pixel is one dot of color. A picture's resolution is how many it has, written as width by height. A 1024 by 1024 image holds about 1.05 megapixels, and a 3840 by 2160 image holds about 8.3, which is four times the pixels of a 1920 by 1080 frame.

The K in 1K, 2K and 4K stands for thousand, and the label is a loose pointer at the long edge rather than an exact count. Video follows another habit. 1080p names the height of the frame, so a 16:9 clip at 1080p is 1920 by 1080. Resolution is also separate from the shape of the frame, which the aspect ratio fixes.

The same label is a different size on each model

No standard fixes what 2K means, so each model picks its own pixel counts. GPT Image 2 shows how far the labels can drift. AIGE asks it for exact width and height, built from a long edge of 1,024 pixels at 1K, 2,560 at 2K and 3,840 at 4K, rounded to multiples of 16 and kept inside a window of roughly 0.65 to 8.3 megapixels. In a 16:9 frame that comes out as follows.

The 1K row is 1088 by 608 rather than 1024 by 576 because the smaller frame would fall under the lower bound. With the Nano Banana models you pick a tier and the model works out the pixels, so open the downloaded file if you need exact dimensions.

Which sizes AIGE's image models offer

The size row in the Canvas picture settings changes with the model you pick.

The step up is steeper on some models than others. Going from 1K to 4K multiplies the price by 6 on Nano Banana 2 and by 2 on Nano Banana Pro. Plans gate the top of the range too. Starter covers images up to 2K, and 4K images start at Pro. The Nano Banana page compares the two versions in more detail.

When a bigger size earns its cost

A screen only shows as many pixels as it has. A 1920 by 1080 display holds about 2.1 megapixels, so a 4K image shown full screen on it is scaled down and the extra pixels go unseen. Extra pixels pay off when you will print large, crop in tight or show the picture on a high-resolution screen.

For everything else, draft small and render big last. Run the idea at the smallest size the model offers, which is 0.5K on Nano Banana 2, and fix the prompt there. Then run the settled prompt at the larger size and expect a new take, because every run starts from a fresh seed. A bigger size does not repair a weak composition, so get the composition right at the small size first. The AI image generator page lists the models side by side.

Clips use the p labels. Seedance 2.0 at its Pro quality offers 480p, 720p, 1080p and 4K, and a 5-second clip costs 68 credits at 480p and 782 credits at 4K. The AI video cost page compares the clip models.

Honest note: Sizes and prices here are what AIGE offers and charges today, and either can change. The studio shows the exact credit cost before each run.

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