Though 4K TVs initially blew consumers away with their immense resolutions, they were quickly superseded by 8K TVs. 8K TVs feature four times the resolution of your standard 4K TV, allowing them to display high-fidelity images with rich detail in every frame.
In this guide, we’re going to take a look at what makes 8K TVs unique, and most crucially, whether it’s worth grabbing one of your own! Read on below to get started!
What Does 8K Stand For?
8K TVs consist of 7,680 horizontal pixels and 4,320 vertical pixels. The term “8K”, specifically, refers to the number of horizontal pixels in an 8K TV, which can be rounded up to 8,000. The “K” in the term refers to “1,000”. Thus, the abbreviation is designed to refer directly to the number of pixels packed into the TV.
The same is also the case for 4K TVs, which have 3,840 horizontal pixels, which can be rounded up to a neat 4,000!
Is It Worth Buying An 8K TV?
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8K TVs often come with a much higher price tag, especially when compared to 1080p and 4K TVs. So, you might wonder if they’re really worth the cost. Ultimately, the answer to this question depends on the kind of experience you’re looking for from your TV.
If you’re looking to make the most of your favourite TV shows and films, then an 8K TV is absolutely a worthwhile investment. As we’ve mentioned before, 8K TVs come with four times the resolution of the average 4K TV, so they’re great for soaking in all of the detail in the image.
Many 8K TVs are also equipped with AI upscaling technology, which is able to enhance standard 4K content so that it displays in improved 8K. This lets you make the most of all kinds of content.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to enjoy gaming or live sports specifically, then an 8K TV might be a tougher sell. Currently, the vast majority of gaming titles are capped at 4K resolutions on most major consoles. While the recently released PlayStation 5 Pro does support 8K, it currently boasts very few 8K titles to play. There are also currently very few live sports events broadcast in 8K resolutions.
8K upscaling is also not suited to the gaming experience. 8K upscaling is a post-processing effect that occurs within the TV after receiving a video signal from your console. 8K upscaling, as a result, increases input lag, so your games will feel less responsive overall!
Does 8K Look Better On A Larger TV?
8K TVs boast a seriously impressive pixel count of around 33 million. In order for those pixels to spread out and work their magic, they need a larger surface area to work with. As such, 8K resolutions do look better on larger TVs.
In fact, the majority of 8K TVs are sold with larger screens over 65 inches in size. You would have a hard time finding a smaller 8K TV, let alone making out the benefits of the resolution!
Is The Resolution Upgrade In 8K Noticeable?
Depending on the size of your TV screen, it’s easy to see the benefits of an 8K resolution. On a smaller screen, you might have trouble making out the benefit of an 8K resolution. In order to see the benefit of the resolution, you would need to sit incredibly close to the screen, which would result in a very uncomfortable view.
When viewed on a much larger screen, an 8K resolution is truly given a chance to dazzle your senses. At such a scale, the image is allowed to spread out, so you can appreciate all of the finer details even when viewing the screen from afar.
4K vs 8K Televisions
Naturally, 4K and 8K televisions are frequently pitted against one another. The two resolutions differ massively in a number of crucial ways.
Fidelity
8K TVs can totally dazzle the senses with their improved resolutions. These TVs are capable of displaying more realistic images thanks to their massive pixel counts. If you were to look at a 4K and 8K TV side by side, you would immediately notice the improvement in resolution.
However, it’s worth keeping in mind that in order to make out the benefits of an 8K resolution, your TV will need to have a sufficiently large screen.
If you’re looking for a very simple Smart TV that fits into a smaller living room, then you may be better served by a 4K resolution.
Price
8K TVs often cost much more than the average 4K TV. There are a few reasons for this. An 8K TV contains four times the number of pixels in a 4K TV, so the extra manufacturing time will be reflected in the cost.
8K TVs are also designed to have much larger screens, to allow the resolution to shine. As such, you’ll need to pay a little bit more.
Finally, 8K TVs are also often equipped with upscaling technologies that can enhance 4K video signals. These unique smart technologies come with a high cost.
If you’re looking to save money, then your best option is a 4K TV.
Availability
Currently, 4K TVs are much more accessible than 8K TVs. Not only are they more affordable, but there are also more models on the market. 8K TVs are expensive to produce and need to be produced with large screens, thus there are fewer around.
Currently, 8K TVs are still lagging behind 4K TVs in terms of overall sales. This is partly linked to the lack of 8K content available.
What Content Can You Enjoy On An 8K TV?
Currently, very little content is produced to take advantage of an 8K resolution. While 8K video cameras do exist, they’re incredibly expensive, so even on platforms like YouTube, 8K video content can be very scarce. Major Hollywood studios also very rarely produce 8K content, instead opting for 4K at best. This is likely to do with the fact that 8K TVs are still massively outsold by 4K TVs.
However, though 8K content is scarce, there is 8K content out there to be enjoyed. YouTube is a fantastic resource for 8K content to make the most of an 8K TV. Content creators with enough cash to spend on 8K cameras produce videos specifically designed to make the most of your TV’s display capabilities. Talented video editors can also enhance existing footage and upscale it to a crystal clear 8K resolution.
Do Streaming Services Offer 8K Content?
Unfortunately, no major streaming services, like Netflix, Disney+, Paramount+, or Amazon Prime Video support 8K video. Unfortunately, with studios still unwilling to target 8K resolutions, streaming services are not incentivised to support 8K output. There’s also the fact that 8K video transmission would require an immense amount of bandwidth, which many households don’t have access to.
Can You Enjoy Gaming In 8K?
Only a select few gaming platforms can support 8K gaming. The PlayStation 5 Pro has a select few titles that can output at 8K, however, in order to display in 8K, these games significantly reduce their frame rates. Top-of-the-range gaming PCs can output many more games in 8K resolutions, but building one of these PCs can be very costly!
Can 8K TVs Upscale 4K Content? Is It Noticeable?
Many 8K TVs are equipped with 8K upscaling technology that utilises AI to upscale 4K content as you watch it. Upscaling can even be performed on standard 1080p content, to breathe new life into your favourite classic films and shows.
The improvements offered by 8K upscaling are immediately noticeable, as colours become more vibrant, and shapes become more defined. It works particularly well on 4K content but may have more trouble with 1080p content where visual data is more limited.
It’s also worth noting that, because this technology uses AI to upscale content, it involves quite a bit of guesswork. As such, results may not always be perfect. You might notice inconsistencies in some shots.
