Image Format Comparison

BMP vs TGA: Windows Bitmap vs Truevision TARGA

BMP (Bitmap) and TGA (Truevision TARGA) are both simple, uncompressed raster image formats from the 1980s that persist in specific technical niches. BMP is the native format for Windows applications. TGA is entrenched in game development and 3D rendering. Both have been largely superseded by PNG for most use cases, but continue to appear in legacy workflows.

BMPvsTGA

Quick Verdict

Use BMP when…

Use BMP for Windows-specific applications: Windows system graphics, icons (before ICO), certain Windows APIs, printer drivers, and tools that specifically require BMP. BMP is also accepted by every image editor without plugins.

Use TGA when…

Use TGA in game development and 3D rendering pipelines where TGA is specifically required by the target software or engine. TGA's alpha channel support and simple format make it easy to parse in real-time graphics code.

BMP vs TGA: Feature Comparison

Feature	BMP	TGA
Developer	Microsoft	Truevision (now part of Intel)
Year introduced	1987	1984
Alpha channel	32-bit (limited support)	32-bit RGBA (well-supported)
Compression	Optional RLE	Optional RLE
Windows native support	Yes — built into Windows	No
Game engine use	Rare	Common (Unreal, Unity)
Web browser support	No	No

When BMP wins

✓Developer: Microsoft
✓Year introduced: 1987
✓Alpha channel: 32-bit (limited support)

When TGA wins

✓Developer: Truevision (now part of Intel)
✓Year introduced: 1984
✓Alpha channel: 32-bit RGBA (well-supported)

Frequently asked questions

Which is bigger — BMP or TGA at the same resolution?

Roughly equal for 24-bit images — both store uncompressed pixels (width × height × 3 bytes for RGB). A 1920×1080 24-bit BMP and 24-bit TGA are both approximately 5.9 MB uncompressed. BMP includes a 54-byte header; TGA has an 18-byte header — negligible difference. With RLE compression, TGA sometimes achieves slightly better compression for simple graphics than BMP's RLE.

Can I convert BMP to TGA?

Yes — ImageMagick: `magick input.bmp output.tga`. GIMP: open BMP → Export As → .tga. Photoshop: open BMP → Save As → Targa (.tga). The conversion is lossless — both are uncompressed raster formats storing the same pixel values. Alpha channels in 32-bit BMP are preserved in 32-bit TGA output.

Is PNG better than both BMP and TGA?

Yes, for general use. PNG achieves 30–60% lossless compression over uncompressed BMP and TGA, supports full alpha channels, has universal browser and software support, and handles both color (24-bit RGB) and grayscale efficiently. The only scenarios where BMP or TGA are preferred over PNG: Windows API calls that specifically require BMP, game engines that specifically require TGA, and legacy code that predates PNG support.