The difference between 1080p and 4K content is noticeable. But the jump won’t be as noticeable as that of going from 480p to 720p. And, to see the difference between watching 4K and 1080p content, one will have to watch the content from a distance (a specific distance).
At a specific distance, if you are too far from the screen all the 4K details will seem faint – explaining why the size of a TV is important.
What we’re saying is that a 40 inch 4K television shouldn’t be viewed at more than 5.9 feet away, as you wouldn’t be able to notice the difference between that and a 1080p display of the same size.
4K content
A large downside of using a 4K TV was that there isn’t a large quantity of compatible content. What’s the use of having a tv that’s capable of using 4K content if there isn’t enough content of that format to watch it on.
The good thing now is that there is a good deal of 4K content to watch with the television. And as time there will be both more 4K and 8K content.
Downscaling and Upscaling
When you’re watching 1080p content on a 4K television, the television will use a process titled upscaling to add in missing pixels.
The difference, when upscaling is used, between a 4K TV and a 1080p TV isn’t very noticeable. The quality of the upscale will also depend largely on the quality of the Television. Better known brands will have a better upscale.
Downscaling, on the other hand, takes higher resolutions such as 4K, and downscales them to the native resolution of the television, such 720p or 1080p. The downscaled content can look better than content that comes in the native resolution depending on the bit rate and quality.
Premium 4K features
Most new TVs are 4K. In all actuality, it will be kind of difficult to find a television that comes in 1080p.
4K TVs also have:
- Higher brightness
- A wider color gamut
- HDR support
- OLED technology
- LED local dimming
Is a 4K monitor worth it?
With 4K monitors there are other things to take note of such as what the monitor will be used for:
4K monitor for gaming
If you want to get a 4K gaming monitor, you probably want to make use of the high picture settings and playing them at a high frame rate, otherwise, what’s the point?
There are powerful and expensive graphics cards that have a hard time maintaining a steady 60 FPS at high settings. This is a major reason why many gamers go for low resolution monitors. 1440p monitors will offer a vivid image quality that isn’t as power hungry as 4K. Also, 1080p and 1440p gaming monitors have high refresh rates that actually makes playing games enjoyable.
Also, there are ultra-wide monitors that, due to the curvature in their screen, provide an engaging gaming experience. Monitors such as these have both a high refresh rate and resolution, which makes them a great choice. Also, consider the panel type – VA, TN, IPS – when you purchase a monitor.
4K monitor for content creators
If you’re looking for a monitor for casual use, then a 4K monitor may be a good choice since they are becoming cheaper regularly.