4K TVs may be the future, but is it the right time to get a 4K TV?

The market is completely flooded with 4K TVs today. Early adopters and tech-savvy geeks have all gotten rid of their old TVs and replaced them with 4K TVs.

Today, most brand manufacturers have stopped manufacturing HD TVs except in the categories of budget TVs and small TVs. So, your choices are very limited if you’re considering buying a new TV in 2017.

But, does this mean that you should only go for a 4K TV? Let’s take a look at a few considerations.

Features of a 4K TV

4K refers to the resolution of a TV screen. As compared to HD TVs which have a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels, 4K TVs boast of a resolution 2160x3840 pixels. Technically, 4K TVs offer a much clearer, sharper and more immersive viewing experience as compared to 1080p HD TVs.

Pros and Cons of 4K TVs

At first glance, it may seem that 4K is far superior to a regular HD TV. However, this is not entirely true. 4K TVs have their set of pros and cons that you should know about.  

4K TVs certainly have a lot of pros. They are future-proof and slowly becoming the standard for modern televisions. 4K TVs also offer a far better viewing experience and heightens video streaming. Most modern 4K TVs are also equipped with HDR, which offers a more dynamic viewing experience. Thanks to this, 4K TVs offer more detail, better image depth, better brightness, contrast and colors and they are also great for playing games on. Also, 4K TVs upscale non-native 4K content and 1080p content to make it look better. However, to get the best viewing experience on a 4K TV, you should view native 4K content.

However, 4K TVs also suffer from many cons. First of all, 4K TVs offer a better viewing experience than 1080p HD TVs only if you sit close to the screen. You won’t be able to tell the difference between 4K and 1080p if you sit far from the screen. Also, native 4K content is not the current standard, so there is not much 4K content available. Also, to get the best experience from a 4K TV, you need to get a large TV (55-65 inches). And, at such large sizes, the price of a 4K TV can be significant.

Picture from rtings.com

Who should buy a 4K TV?

Ideally, you should buy a 4K TV if you are ready to invest in a large TV. If budget is a constraint for you, you shouldn’t go for a 4K TV. Sure, several manufacturers offer affordable 4K TVs, but the price difference between them and 1080p TVs is huge.

Conclusion

4K is definitely the next big thing to happen to TVs. 4K TVs have 4 times the pixels of 1080p TVs, and they offer better picture quality and a better viewing experience. However, this only holds true if you watch native 4K content on a large screen and sit close to the TV. 4K TVs do upscale non-native 4K content, but the best viewing experience lies in watching native 4K content. However, native 4K is not the current standard and content is limited.

Most people buying TVs today consider getting 4K TVs. If you have the budget and you’re willing to get a large sized TV, go for 4K. But, until 4K content becomes the standard, you’ll have to do with normal picture quality even on a 4K screen.