Is It Worth It to Buy a 4K TV Yet?

With the prices of TV sets constantly dropping, entry-level 4K TVs have become cheaper than ever. Though nowhere near as expensive as they once were, mid-range 4K models may still be cost-prohibitive for some, while the current range of high-end models could set you back up to $20,000 or thereabouts.

If you’re in the market for a brand new TV and have the necessary funds to go the 4K route, you may be wondering if it is really worth it. This article will look at the few key things you should consider before deciding whether to upgrade to a 4K model or stick with 1080p.

What’s So Special About 4K, Anyway?

Just in case you don’t already know, 4K is the next step in the HDTV evolution.

It started with 720p (also known as HD) where the image comprised 720 rows of 1,280 pixels each to ensure crisp visuals. 720p was then superseded by 1080p (also known as Full HD) where, as the name suggests, the image was made up of 1,080 rows of 1,920 pixels each for an even better visual experience.

Image source: 4k.com

4K (referred to as Ultra HD) beats them both with 2,160 rows of 3,840 pixels each. If you multiply the total number of pixels, you get four times as many as 1080p (8,294,400 vs. 2,073,600) and a whopping nine times as many as 720p television sets have (921,600). This, in theory, should warrant much better picture quality with more immersive detail and a much better color clarity thanks to the use of the High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology, especially when watching on a larger television screen.

However, just because you’re watching on a 4K TV doesn’t mean that you’ll get the full benefit of the higher resolution. If the content you’re watching is in a lower resolution – 1080p and 720p for television broadcasts and even 480p for standard definition DVDs and repeats of classic sitcoms – you’ll just get an upscaled picture that isn’t much better than what you’d get with a Full HD or a regular HD TV set.

And that brings us to one major problem with 4K TV sets, at least for the time being.

The Current Availability of 4K Content

If you are an avid Blu-ray collector with a penchant for blockbusters, you won’t have trouble finding 4K content to watch. That’s because most Blu-rays of current titles feature a 4K version of the movie in addition to the Full HD, allowing you to get the most out of your TV set. Even some perennial favorites like “Casablanca” and “The Bridge on the River Kwai” have received 4K remasters, so you can watch them on your TV in a quality likely superior to how they were originally shown on the big screen.

On the other hand, if you plan to watch linear TV, including newscasts and your favorite TV shows in 4K, you won’t be able to do that. Most US channels broadcast their signal in 720p and 1080p, so Full HD is the best you can hope for. Some providers like Dish and DirecTV may give you access to 4K content, but that’s only limited to certain sporting events and a handful of popular TV shows.

There is, however, one area of the entertainment world you can turn to for high-quality 4K content – streaming. Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and YouTube all provide a variety of 4K content, though some require you to pay extra to get access to it. Still, if you like binge-watching TV shows, many Netflix originals are available in 4K, including global hits like “House of Cards”, “Stranger Things”, and “Orange Is the New Black”, as well as their first foray into the nature documentary genre, the visually stunning “Our Planet”.

All 4K TVs Are Smart…

With HD television sets, you could choose between Smart models and the cheaper, no-frills options. Android-powered Smart TVs would give access to hundreds of apps that could turn your TV into a proper home media center. You could play android games, stream music from Pandora or Spotify, organize your entire media library with Plex, and watch hundreds of additional channels via apps like Kodi.

What many sources fail to mention is that even the most affordable 4K TVs are of the Smart TV variety, which means that you will get access to all the perks mentioned above. You can also beam content directly from your smartphone to watch it on the big screen and use Bluetooth to connect a game controller to your TV and play games on Steam. As far as entertainment, the possibilities are endless.

…But Would It Be Smarter to Wait for the Prices to Drop?

As streaming platforms continue to produce more 4K content and more live events are broadcast using this method, the technology is expected to become more readily available. As such, the prices of 4K TVs will surely continue to drop in the next few years. And while entry-level models are already fairly cheap, their screens are all small to mid-sized, which isn’t enough to notice any major differences to 1080p.

The decision is ultimately yours to make.

If you want to be an early adopter of the technology and get in on the 4K game before everybody else, there is a wide selection of models in different price ranges to choose from. But don’t be surprised if one of your friends buys the exact same model for half the price in a few years’ time.

Over to You

Do you own a 4K TV set? If so, what types of content do you watch the most and do you notice any major differences compared to your old 1080p TV? Share your experiences in the comments below.