There is a distinction between 8K, 4K, and HD. We’ll go over it.
4K, 8K, 1080p, HD, and UHD are all options. If you’re looking for a new television, you’ve probably seen these letter-number combinations next to the word “resolution.” What, though, is the distinction between these resolution types? Is an 8K TV worth the extra money over a 4K TV? Is it really that important to have a good resolution? Although resolution isn’t the most crucial feature to consider when purchasing a new television, it is still something to think about. Although it can be perplexing, understanding what all the numbers signify can help you feel more confident in your television selection.
When it comes to TVs, here’s what you need to know about resolution. The brief version is as follows:
- 4K almost always means the TV has 3,840×2,160 pixels.
- UHD stands for “Ultra High Definition,” also known as UltraHD, but basically means 4K.
Are most TVs 4K these days? At 50 inches and above, yes.
Does 4K mean the picture will be better than my old TV? Not necessarily. - If 4K is four times greater than 1080p, does that mean 4K is 4320p? No.
- Is 8K worth worrying about? No.
Are you still stumped? Let’s start with the basics.
What is TV resolution?
In terms of TV hardware, resolution refers to the amount of pixels that make up the image on the screen. A single pixel, also known as a discrete picture element, is a little dot on the screen. One of the most popular characteristics used to sell TVs is resolution, mainly because terms like “4K” and “8K” sound so high-tech and impressive.
Resolution, on the other hand, is not the most essential factor in picture quality.
It’s not necessarily true that a TV with a greater resolution appears better than one with a lower resolution. It sometimes does, but not usually, and for reasons unrelated to resolution. A TV with superior high dynamic range (HDR) performance, overall contrast ratio, or color would appear better than one with more pixels.
8K and 4K (Ultra HD)
In the case of televisions, 4K and Ultra HD (or UHD) refer to the same resolution.
The resolution of those TVs, as well as Ultra HD Blu-ray discs and practically all UHD streaming material from Netflix, Amazon, and others, is 3,840×2,160.
One source of confusion is that 4K refers to a different thing depending on whether you’re talking about a TV at home or a projector in a theater.
“4K” refers to a horizontal resolution of 4,096 pixels. The Digital Cinema Initiatives have passed this resolution. No vertical resolution is stated since movies vary in aspect ratio, which refers to the actual form of the rectangle of screen.
Bottom line
When it’s all said and done, here’s the bottom line:
HDTVs with a resolution of 1080p are available on older and smaller televisions.
Almost every new TV is 4K Ultra HD, which has four times the number of pixels as 1080p. You might have an 8K or even a 10K TV someday, but that’s a long way off. This is where I remind you that more pixels do not always imply a better image. There are other factors of visual quality that are significantly more essential than resolution, such as contrast and color.
In the future, resolution might become irrelevant. MicroLED separates size and resolution, so your future 50-inch bedroom TV will have a very different resolution than your future 100-inch living room TV, as compared to now, when they’d both be 4K with differing pixel sizes.
However, because to developments in video processing, this won’t be an issue.
They’ll all have a sharp, detailed appearance.