aspect-ratio vs padding-top hack is one of the most common decision points we see. Here is the honest breakdown.
The short version#
Native aspect boxes vs the legacy trick.
Point by point#
| Aspect | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Support | aspect-ratio is baseline in all evergreen browsers |
| Markup | One class vs wrapper + percentage math |
| Content | aspect boxes size real children; hacks need absolute fill |
| Verdict | aspect-video / aspect-[4/3] — never pad-hack again |
Bottom line#
Pick based on your constraint, not ideology — and remember the comparison pages link to hands-on recipes so you can verify the claim in your own project within minutes.
Related comparisons#
comparisons/index|All comparisons