WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 4K ULTRA HD, 8K UHD AND HDR10+?
The screen size and picture quality of modern televisions are far superior to those of earlier ones. However, selecting a model can be challenging due to the alphabet soup of available technologies. In order to help you make a more informed purchase decision, we'll demystify some of the key terms in this article.
IT ALL STARTED WITH HD
The industry standard ten years ago was 1080P (the "P" stands for "progressive scan"). Full HD was another name for this format, where HD stands for High Definition. Older televisions only provide "SD," which stands for "Standard Definition." The highest video resolution available up until recently was 4K UHD ("Ultra" HD), which was introduced later. The newest format to be used is 8K Ultra HD. You can currently purchase 8K models with screens ranging from 55" to a whopping 98" in size. In the near future, some manufacturers hope to introduce even larger models.
You might want to hold off on purchasing an 8K set until the content and supporting technology catch up, though. Let's quickly review how we define before I explain why.
A MATTER OF DOTS
Understanding the quality of the images on TV (and computer) screens comes down to one little dot called a pixel. Thousands or even millions of pixels make up each image you see, depending on the format of the TV you're using to view them. An image can display more detail the more pixels it has. A 1080P TV's image, for instance, has a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. The horizontal plane is represented by the first number, and the vertical by the second.
The total number of pixels in the 4K UHD standard (3840 x 2160) is over 8,000,000, or nearly four times as many as in 1080P. The new 8K TV standard is twice as large at 7680 x 4320, or more than 33,000,000 total pixels.
The pixel density, which is measured in pixels per inch (PPI), is another important specification in addition to the total number of pixels. The PPI (pixels per inch) is a measurement of the number of pixels on a TV (or computer) screen; the higher the PPI, the better the image quality. The high pixel density of 8K Ultra HD allows for the support of large screen sizes.
IN CONTRAST
A lot of 4K and 8K TVs also support HDR (High Dynamic Range), a technology that is independent of the pixel dimensions, as if the terminology of TV formats weren't already confusing enough. Your TV's color and contrast will both be enhanced by HDR. A TV with HDR, for instance, will enable you to see more detail in a scene during the night when the screen is dark.
Additionally, some TVs offer HDR10+, an upgraded version that offers four times as much brightness as standard HDR. In the near future, you'll notice an increase in the number of TVs that support HDR10+, and many new 8K TVs probably will as well.
PIXELS IN, PIXELS OUT
Because you can only fully benefit from the format if you're watching content that is streaming in 8K, I mentioned earlier that you might want to wait for the content to catch up before buying an 8K TV. That doesn't exist outside of Japan as of this writing.
There is a ton of 4K streaming content available in the US, and if you have a 4K Ultra Blu-ray player, you can watch Blu-ray DiscsTM in 4K. yet there is no 8K. Even if it were offered, the amount of data it would require to stream would require a very fast internet connection—possibly faster than what your current ISP provides.
Fortunately, you can watch 4K or even 1080P content on an 8K TV while you wait for the introduction of 8K content and possibly faster internet service. It is made possible by a method known as "upscaling." To create extra pixels and make the signal compatible, an upscaling processor employs a technique known as interpolation (i.e., using known data points to fill in pixel gaps). Although the quality won't be as high as with native content, it will still look good.
ARE YOU READY TO UPGRADE TO 8K?
As far as TV formats go, it is pretty obvious that 8K Ultra HD will endure for a considerable amount of time, and as more sets are sold, native 8K content will become accessible. When that occurs, you'll be able to see images that are even sharper and have more detail than 4K UHD.
You might wait a while before switching from your current 4K TV to an 8K model if you have one. Waiting a year or two will likely result in lower prices for 8K sets in addition to the content catching up.
It's a different story if you're prepared to move beyond your 1080P TV, especially if you want to increase the screen size significantly. Even in that scenario, there is a strong case to be made for skipping 4K entirely in favor of an 8K set. By doing this, you're future-proofed—at least temporarily—and can continue to enjoy all the current 4K content.
One more thing: 16K technology is also available, even though it isn't a consumer format yet. Currently, it is used in commercial applications that call for massive screens or multi-monitor setups that divide the pixels among the various screens. However, it's likely that one day you'll have a huge 16K TV in your living room given the rising popularity of immersive technology.
IT ALL STARTED WITH HD
The industry standard ten years ago was 1080P (the "P" stands for "progressive scan"). Full HD was another name for this format, where HD stands for High Definition. Older televisions only provide "SD," which stands for "Standard Definition." The highest video resolution available up until recently was 4K UHD ("Ultra" HD), which was introduced later. The newest format to be used is 8K Ultra HD. You can currently purchase 8K models with screens ranging from 55" to a whopping 98" in size. In the near future, some manufacturers hope to introduce even larger models.
You might want to hold off on purchasing an 8K set until the content and supporting technology catch up, though. Let's quickly review how we define before I explain why.
A MATTER OF DOTS
Understanding the quality of the images on TV (and computer) screens comes down to one little dot called a pixel. Thousands or even millions of pixels make up each image you see, depending on the format of the TV you're using to view them. An image can display more detail the more pixels it has. A 1080P TV's image, for instance, has a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. The horizontal plane is represented by the first number, and the vertical by the second.
The total number of pixels in the 4K UHD standard (3840 x 2160) is over 8,000,000, or nearly four times as many as in 1080P. The new 8K TV standard is twice as large at 7680 x 4320, or more than 33,000,000 total pixels.
The pixel density, which is measured in pixels per inch (PPI), is another important specification in addition to the total number of pixels. The PPI (pixels per inch) is a measurement of the number of pixels on a TV (or computer) screen; the higher the PPI, the better the image quality. The high pixel density of 8K Ultra HD allows for the support of large screen sizes.
IN CONTRAST
A lot of 4K and 8K TVs also support HDR (High Dynamic Range), a technology that is independent of the pixel dimensions, as if the terminology of TV formats weren't already confusing enough. Your TV's color and contrast will both be enhanced by HDR. A TV with HDR, for instance, will enable you to see more detail in a scene during the night when the screen is dark.
Additionally, some TVs offer HDR10+, an upgraded version that offers four times as much brightness as standard HDR. In the near future, you'll notice an increase in the number of TVs that support HDR10+, and many new 8K TVs probably will as well.
PIXELS IN, PIXELS OUT
Because you can only fully benefit from the format if you're watching content that is streaming in 8K, I mentioned earlier that you might want to wait for the content to catch up before buying an 8K TV. That doesn't exist outside of Japan as of this writing.
There is a ton of 4K streaming content available in the US, and if you have a 4K Ultra Blu-ray player, you can watch Blu-ray DiscsTM in 4K. yet there is no 8K. Even if it were offered, the amount of data it would require to stream would require a very fast internet connection—possibly faster than what your current ISP provides.
Fortunately, you can watch 4K or even 1080P content on an 8K TV while you wait for the introduction of 8K content and possibly faster internet service. It is made possible by a method known as "upscaling." To create extra pixels and make the signal compatible, an upscaling processor employs a technique known as interpolation (i.e., using known data points to fill in pixel gaps). Although the quality won't be as high as with native content, it will still look good.
ARE YOU READY TO UPGRADE TO 8K?
As far as TV formats go, it is pretty obvious that 8K Ultra HD will endure for a considerable amount of time, and as more sets are sold, native 8K content will become accessible. When that occurs, you'll be able to see images that are even sharper and have more detail than 4K UHD.
You might wait a while before switching from your current 4K TV to an 8K model if you have one. Waiting a year or two will likely result in lower prices for 8K sets in addition to the content catching up.
It's a different story if you're prepared to move beyond your 1080P TV, especially if you want to increase the screen size significantly. Even in that scenario, there is a strong case to be made for skipping 4K entirely in favor of an 8K set. By doing this, you're future-proofed—at least temporarily—and can continue to enjoy all the current 4K content.
One more thing: 16K technology is also available, even though it isn't a consumer format yet. Currently, it is used in commercial applications that call for massive screens or multi-monitor setups that divide the pixels among the various screens. However, it's likely that one day you'll have a huge 16K TV in your living room given the rising popularity of immersive technology.
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