8K TV Explained, and Why You Definitely Don’t Need to Buy One
The television industry is constantly evolving, and with each new innovation comes a new wave of excitement and desire among consumers to own the latest and greatest TVs. One such innovation that has recently been making waves is 8K TV resolution. While the prospect of an 8K TV may seem like a significant upgrade from the already popular 4K displays, it’s essential to understand what these terms mean and whether it’s worth your hard-earned money to invest in an 8K TV. This article will explain what 8K TVs are and why you probably don’t need to buy one just yet.
What is 8K resolution?
Resolution refers to the number of pixels on a television screen that form the image displayed. The term ‘8K’ refers to the horizontal resolution of approximately 8,000 pixels, which is equivalent to a total of 33 million pixels on the screen. This is four times the number of pixels in a 4K display (approximately 8 million), which in turn has four times the resolution of a Full HD (1080p) TV.
At first glance, this significant increase in pixel count may seem like a reason to jump on the 8K bandwagon immediately. However, there are some crucial factors to consider before making that decision.
Lack of 8K content
One of the most significant drawbacks for prospective 8K TV owners is the current lack of native 8K content available for viewing. While some might argue that this will change as more movies and shows are filmed in higher resolutions, current content providers are still working on maximizing their offerings for standard high definition (1080p) and ultra-high definition (4k) resolutions.
Even streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, known for their extensive catalogs of high-quality content, have barely scratched the surface when it comes to 8K content. Due to the massive amount of data required to stream 8K video, it’s just not feasible for them at this stage. So, even if you do go ahead and purchase an 8K TV, chances are that most of the content you watch will still be upscaled from a lower resolution.
The high cost of 8K TVs
8K TVs come with a hefty price tag that can reach several times the cost of high-quality 4K TVs. The considerable expense for a technology that offers little in terms of additional content is hard to justify for most consumers.
Diminishing returns in image quality
While it’s true that an increase in resolution generally leads to a sharper and more detailed image, there is a point of diminishing returns. For the average viewer, there will be little noticeable difference in image quality between an upscaled 4K video on an 8K TV and native 4K resolution on a good quality 4k TV.
The human eye can only perceive so much detail, and as screen sizes remain relatively stable (with most consumers opting for TVs between 55-65 inches), the improvement in picture quality from increasing the resolution further will be minimal.
In conclusion, while the prospect of owning an 8K TV may seem enticing at first, the associated costs and lack of content make it difficult to recommend for most consumers at this time. Investing in a high-quality 4K TV with advanced features such as HDR and Dolby Atmos support will likely serve you better and save you money. Until 8K becomes a more prevalent technology with widely available content, it’s worth holding onto your hard-earned cash.