Editing Video Graphics Array (section)

===Standard graphics modes===
*{{resx|320x200}} in 4 or 16 colors (CGA/EGA compatibility)
*{{resx|320x200}} in 256 colors ([[Mode 13h]])
*{{resx|640x200}} and {{resx|640x350}} in 16 colors or monochrome (CGA/EGA compatibility)
*[[640×480|{{resx|640x480}}]] in 16 colors or [[monochrome]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Hinner|first=Martin|title=VGA Timings|url=http://martin.hinner.info/vga/timing.html|access-date=7 November 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027091012/http://martin.hinner.info/vga/timing.html|archive-date=27 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Drawing In Protected Mode - OSDev Wiki|url=https://wiki.osdev.org/Drawing_In_Protected_Mode|access-date=2020-12-20|website=wiki.osdev.org}}</ref>

The {{resx|640x480}} 16-color and {{resx|320x200}} 256-color modes had fully redefinable palettes, with each entry selected from an [[List of monochrome and RGB color formats#18-bit RGB|18-bit (262,144-color)]] gamut.<ref name=":1">{{Cite patent|number=US5574478A|title=VGA color system for personal computers|gdate=1996-11-12|invent1=Bril|invent2=Pett|inventor1-first=Vlad|inventor2-first=Boyd G.|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US5574478/en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2017-12-26 |title=Reading and writing 18-bit RGB VGA Palette (pal) files with C# |url=https://www.cyotek.com/blog/reading-and-writing-18-bit-rgb-vga-palette-pal-files-with-csharp |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=The Cyotek Blog |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=VGA/SVGA Video Programming--Color Registers |url=http://www.osdever.net/FreeVGA/vga/colorreg.htm |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=www.osdever.net}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=VGA Palette Conversion \ VOGONS |url=https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=38713 |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=www.vogons.org}}</ref>

The other modes defaulted to standard EGA or CGA compatible palettes and instructions, but still permitted remapping of the palette with VGA-specific commands.

==== {{resx|640x480}} graphics mode ====
The {{resx|640x480}} resolution (at 256 colors rather than 16) was originally used by IBM in [[Professional Graphics Controller|PGC]] graphics (which VGA offers no backward compatibility for) but did not see wide adoption until VGA was introduced. As the VGA began to be cloned in great quantities by manufacturers who added ever-increasing capabilities, its {{resx|640x480}}, 16-color mode became the de facto lowest common denominator of graphics cards. By the mid 1990s, a {{resx|640x480}}×16 graphics mode using the VGA memory and register specifications was expected by operating systems such as [[Windows 95]] and [[OS/2 Warp 3|OS/2 Warp 3.0]], which provided no support for lower resolutions or bit depths, or support for other memory or register layouts without additional drivers. Well into the 2000s, even after the [[VESA]] standard for graphics cards became commonplace, the "VGA" graphics mode remained a compatibility option for PC operating systems.

====Other graphics modes====
Nonstandard display modes can be implemented, with horizontal resolutions of:

*512 to 800 pixels wide, in 16 colors
*256 to 400 pixels wide, in 256 colors
And heights of:
*200, or 350 to 410 lines (including 400-line) at 70&nbsp;Hz refresh rate, or
*224 to 256, or 448 to 512 lines (including 240 or 480-line) at 60&nbsp;Hz refresh rate
*512 to 600 lines at reduced vertical refresh rates (down to 50&nbsp;Hz, and including e.g. 528, 544, 552, 560, 576-line), depending on individual monitor compatibility.
For example, high resolution modes with square pixels are available at {{resx|768x576}} or {{resx|704x528}} in 16 colors, or medium-low resolution at {{resx|320x240}} with 256 colors. Alternatively, extended resolution is available with "fat" pixels and 256 colors using, e.g. {{resx|400x600}} (50&nbsp;Hz) or {{resx|360x480}} (60&nbsp;Hz), and "thin" pixels, 16 colors and the 70&nbsp;Hz refresh rate with e.g. {{resx|736x410}} mode.

"Narrow" modes such as {{resx|256x224}} tend to preserve the same pixel ratio as in e.g. {{resx|320x240}} mode unless the monitor is adjusted to stretch the image out to fill the screen, as they are derived simply by masking down the wider mode instead of altering pixel or line timings, but can be useful for reducing memory requirements and pixel addressing calculations for arcade game conversions or console emulators.

The PC version of [[Pinball Fantasies]] has the option to use non-standard modes "high res" modes, such as {{resx|640x350}}, allowing it to display a larger portion of the pinball table on screen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Late PCI, early and middle AGP video chips DOS game compatibility test results |url=https://gona.mactar.hu/DOS_TESTS/#selection-125.18-125.26 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220321183134/https://gona.mactar.hu/DOS_TESTS/#selection-125.18-125.26 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2022-03-21 |website=archive.ph}}</ref>