TGA VS PNG
The ultimate comparison guide. Understanding the technical differences between Truevision TGA and Portable Network Graphics.
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
PNG
pngLossless format supporting transparency, ideal for logos and digital art.
Pros
- Lossless quality
- Alpha channel transparency
- Wide support
Cons
- Larger file sizes than JPG
- Not good for print (RGB only)
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 PNG wins
Choose PNG when your workflow prioritizes logos or screenshots. It delivers lossless quality plus modern compression perks.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | TGA | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| MIME Type | image/x-tga | image/png |
| Developer | Truevision | PNG Development Group |
| Release Year | 1984 | 1996 |
| Best For | Game textures, Broadcast graphics, VFX matte passes | Logos, Screenshots, Graphics with transparent backgrounds |
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 PNG deliverables without leaving their browser.
- • Reference the .tga glossary from this page.
- • Embed the conversion CTA in docs, wikis, and onboarding runbooks.
- • Use PNG for logos 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.