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Graphics modes:
* 160 × 100 in 16 colors, chosen from a 16-color palette, utilizing a specific configuration of the 80 × 25 text mode.
** This used 4 bits per pixel, with a total memory use of (160 * 100 * 4) / 8 = 8 kilobytes.
* 320 × 200 in 4 colors, chosen from 3 fixed palettes, with high- and low-intensity variants, with color 1 chosen from a 16-color palette.
* 640 320 × 200 in 24 colors, onechosen blackfrom 3 fixed palettes, onewith high- and low-intensity variants, with color 1 chosen from a 16-color palette.
** This used 2 bits per pixel, with a total memory use of (320 * 200 * 2) / 8 = 16 kilobytes.
* 640 × 200 in 2 colors, one black, one chosen from a 16-color palette.
** This used 1 bit per pixel, with a total memory use of (640 * 200) / 8 = 16 kilobytes.
Some software achieved greater color depth by utilizing [[Composite artifact colors|artifact color]] when connected to a composite monitor.
Text modes:
* 40 × 25 with 8 × 8 pixel font (effective resolution of 320 × 200)
* 80 × 25 with 8 × 8 pixel font (effective resolution of 640 × 200)
IBM intended that CGA be compatible with a home television set. The 40 × 25 text and 320 × 200 graphics modes are usable with a television, and the 80 × 25 text and 640 × 200 graphics modes are intended for a monitor.<ref name="bradley199009">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1990-09/1990_09_BYTE_15-09_15th_Anniversary_Summit#page/n451/mode/2up | title=The Creation of the IBM PC | work=BYTE | date=September 1990 | access-date=2 April 2016 | author=Bradley, David J. | pages=414–420}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" caption="CGA graphics modes comparison">
File:Cga p0.png|320 × 200 in 4 colors palette 0
File:Cga p0 low.png|320 × 200 in 4 colors palette 0 low intensity
File:Cga p1.png|320 × 200 in 4 colors palette 1
File:Cga p1 low.png|320 × 200 in 4 colors palette 1 low intensity
File:Cga p3.png|320 × 200 in 4 colors palette 3
File:Cga p3 low.png|320 × 200 in 4 colors palette 3 low intensity
File:Cga 640x200.png|640 × 200 in 2 colors
File:Cga 150x100.png|160 × 100 in 16 colors
File:Cga composite 640.png|Composite artifact colors (from 640 × 200 monochrome)
File:Cga composite 320p1.png|Composite artifact colors (from 320 × 200 palette 1)
File:Cga composite 320p0.png|Composite artifact colors (from 320 × 200 palette 0)
</gallery>
<gallery mode="packed" caption="CGA software images">
File:Alleycat.png|Example of typical 320 × 200 CGA graphics on "[[Alley Cat (video game)|Alley Cat]]", an early MS-DOS game
File:CGA program interface.png|[[PCPaint]] in 320 × 200 3rd palette low intensity, showing a typical low resolution interface. Note the use of dithering to overcome the CGA palette limitations
File:CGA 640x200 game.png|''[[SimCity (1989 video game)|SimCity]]'' in 640 × 200 monochrome. Note the use of dithering to simulate gray tones and non-square pixel ratio that deforms the fonts
File:Paku-paku5-dos.png|''[[Pac-Man|PakuPaku]]'' in 160 × 100 16 color mode
File:CGA Partial Mandelbrot Set.png|[[Fractint]] rendered [[Mandelbrot set]] using 320 × 200 palette 1
</gallery>
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