TGA VS ICO
The ultimate comparison guide. Understanding the technical differences between Truevision TGA and Icon File.
TGA
tgaLegacy raster format used in broadcast and game development with optional RLE compression.
Pros
- Supports alpha channel
- Straightforward structure
- Trusted in VFX pipelines
Cons
- Large uncompressed files
- Sparse metadata
- Poor native web support
ICO
icoStandard format used for computer icons and favicons.
Pros
- Contains multiple resolutions
- Standard for Windows/Web icons
Cons
- Limited use case
- Inefficient for general images
When TGA wins
Stay with TGA when you need game textures or broadcast graphics. Its strengths center on supports alpha channel and a feature set native to Truevision.
When ICO wins
Choose ICO when your workflow prioritizes favicons or desktop icons. It delivers contains multiple resolutions plus modern compression perks.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | TGA | ICO |
|---|---|---|
| MIME Type | image/x-tga | image/x-icon |
| Developer | Truevision | Microsoft |
| Release Year | 1984 | 1985 |
| Best For | Game textures, Broadcast graphics, VFX matte passes | Favicons, Desktop icons |
Need to switch?
Where TGA still wins
Keep TGA when you need supports alpha channel and workflows depend on game textures / broadcast graphics. Link those teams directly to the converter above so they can ship ICO deliverables without leaving their browser.
- • Reference the .tga glossary from this page.
- • Embed the conversion CTA in docs, wikis, and onboarding runbooks.
- • Use ICO for favicons while archiving originals as TGA.
Keep crawlers in the conversion hub
Link this comparison to the relevant tool, glossary, and documentation pages so every crawl discovers a monetizable route.