What is 4K?

If you’re in the market for a new TV then you’re probably stuck in the ever growing maze of techy acronyms. LCD vs OLED, 60Hz or 120Hz, HDR, Full HD, 4K, large fries, chocolate shake.

Let's explain just one of them for you - 4K. What is 4K and do you need it?

• What is 4K resolution?
• 4K vs UHD
• Will FHD content work on a 4K TV?
• Do you need 4K?
• What about 8K?

What is 4K resolution?

Resolution refers to the level of detail in a screen, and is counted in pixels not in the size of the display itself. 4K resolution equates to around 8 million pixels on the screen which is 4x more than Full HD (1080p).

Each pixel is a dot within the display. These dots create the picture, the more dots the more detailed the picture, the more detail the higher quality the picture becomes. So a 4K TV can show pictures in 4x greater detail than a Full HD TV.

4K vs UHD - Is there a difference?

In the world of TVs, 4K and Ultra HD (UHD) are used interchangeably, although technically speaking anyone big into video production or cinema may argue with you.

When looking at a 4K or UHD television, the resolution is 3840 x 2160 - you’ll notice that neither of these numbers are 4,000 but they’re pretty close and 3.8K doesn’t have the right ring to it anyway.

Conversely the digital cinema standard 4K uses 4096 x 2160 pixels. While this is inevitably a more accurate use of the term 4K, it is technically a different resolution to UHD.

For the average consumer looking at purchasing a TV it makes no difference whether you see the term 4K or UHD.

Will FHD content work on a 4K TV?

4K TVs are able to play Full HD content but it won’t be played in the 1920 x 1080 resolution it was designed to be played in. Instead it will need to use all 3840 x 2160 pixels available on the 4K display. This process is called upscaling.

Upscaling does not make the picture quality better. There is no way to add more pixels into an original shot, instead the gaps will be filled by the upscaling processor in the TV. How this end result actually looks will depend on the TV brand and how good it is at upscaling content. 

Do you need 4K?

Most TVs above 42-inches are now 4K as standard, so it’s not worth going out of your way to find a TV that isn’t UHD. It is worth noting however that while it is growing, 4K content still isn't the norm.

In order to access 4K content on Netflix or Stan you’ll need to be on the Premium subscription which comes in at $19.99 and $17 per month respectively. Other streaming services like Binge don’t have the option at all and even traditional Foxtel is lacking with only two 4K channels available.

There are no free-to-air TV channels with 4K content in Australia. 

4K movies are available to rent through services such as iTunes and the Google Play Store if you have the respective hardware - an Apple TV or a Chromecast Ultra - and you can also buy 4K movies on disc. These are referred to as 4K Blu-Rays. You'll need a 4K Blu-Ray player in order to play these - this is different from a standard Blu-Ray player. 

For gaming, the PlayStation 4 Pro and the Xbox One X are both able to handle 4K but 4K games as such are still lacking. Selected titles have been 4K-enhanced but they’re not technically created for the resolution.

In saying all this times are a changing, and at this stage of the game it’s probably worth jumping on the 4K bandwagon. At the very least doing so means you’ll be ready when your favourite content does make the switch.

What about 8K?

8K resolution follows the same protocols as 4K. Where 4K is double HD, 8K is double 4K. The exact resolution is 7680 x 4320, meaning there is somewhere around 33 million pixels to fill on the display or 33, 177, 600 if you want to be exact.

8K is big, fancy and expensive - but for now it is impractical. While 4K became the norm in just under five years, a forecast by Strategy Analytics predicts that 8K devices will still only have a 3% foothold by 2023. So if you were to buy an 8K television right now, in 3 years you would still be an incredibly early adopter of the technology.

Currently 8K film cameras are still rare, so without content being created for the resolution it won't be possible to actually enjoy your 8K TV to it's fullest extent. While 8K-ready content is practically non-existent, devices will still be able to upscale HD and UHD content.