Here is everything that you need to about UHD vs 4k. Find a detailed comparison & analysis along with all the pros and cons about UHD and 4K.
What is 4K Resolution? Upgrade to 4K and Experience Detail Never Seen Before
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We have heard or read about 4K resolution on the internet. In fact, it has been getting a lot of popularity in recent years. So, what is it? Why is 4K becoming so popular these days? Is it a good idea to upgrade your hardware to view 4K resolution videos, graphics, and pictures? Where can we find 4K content? Let’s find the answers to these questions.
What is 4K Resolution?
Firstly, 4K is a screen resolution, also known as the number of distinct pixels present in a screen. A lot of television and monitor brands manufacture 4K screens these days, and some of them call them UHD, 4K, and 4K UHD. It has become the minimum requirement for any mid-range and expensive monitors and televisions these days.
It is not mandatory to watch only 4K content in 4K resolution TVs and monitors. Most of them can upscale HD and Full HD images to 4K to ensure that the videos don’t seem blurry.
A standard 4K screen has about 3840 horizontal pixels and 2160 vertical pixels. The resolution of some 4K products may vary, but any screen with a horizontal resolution of about 4000 or more pixels can be called a 4K resolution screen.
A lot of television and monitor companies like Samsung call 3840 x 2160p as 4K. However, the 4K resolution dimension is actually 4096 x 2160p. UHD screens have 3840 x 2160 pixels, but some manufacturers put a 4K label on them.
In a 4K screen resolution, the number of pixels is doubled compared to FHD screens on both dimensions. So, a screen with a resolution of 4K has four times more pixels than the 1080p screens we have used so far. Even if the screen size of a 1080p or FHD screen and a 4K screen is the same, the picture quality of a screen with 4K resolution dimensions is far better than FHD as they become more detailed and vivid due to higher pixel density.
Where are 4K Resolutions Used?
Almost all of the major streaming platforms all around the world provide 4K content these days. Modern-day graphics cards like NVIDIA’s RTX 20 and 30 series and modern gaming consoles like PlayStation and XBOX can render more than 60 frames per second in 4K resolution. Recording 4K videos have become so easy, and 4K cameras have become so cheap that a budget smartphone these days can record 4K videos. A lot of movies stored in Blu-ray discs come in 4K resolution.
Do 4K Resolution Pixels Matter?
It is better to watch photos and videos on a larger screen to capture most of the details present in them. If you have a 4K screen, you don’t have to worry about your photos getting blurry as the greater pixel density will maintain the quality.
Plus, the images and videos on a 4K screen are sharper, and you will be able to see the difference clearly once you upgrade to a 4K resolution screen.
However, if you sit close to the screen and the screen size remains the same, then you may not see any difference, especially if you are watching HD content instead of 4K.
What are the Benefits of 4K Resolution?
Now since we have a good idea about what 4K resolution is, let us take a look at the benefits of getting a 4K screen in detail.
It is the latest and the most up-to-date technology available in TVs and screens. Although screens with greater resolutions like 8K have been released, they are not popular yet, and very little content is available in greater than 4K resolution.
The picture quality that a 4K screen provides is several times better than its predecessors. FHD screens were able to show greater detail compared to HD screens, but the difference between the picture quality of FHD and 4K is massive.
The biggest and best brands like Samsung, Sony, LG, etc., produce 4K televisions. A lot of famous companies have also manufactured 4K monitors for gaming, editing, and other purposes.
4K is not just about greater pixel density. 4K screens can upscale 1080p and Full HD content to 4K, so picture quality will be boosted by a lot. This is an amazing feature, as no TV channels broadcast in 4K, and we don’t always get movies and games in 4K.
Pictures and videos in 4K are so good and immersive that you can compare them to 3D. However, you won’t need any special equipment like 3D glasses to enjoy 4K content.
Buying a larger TV or monitor with HD or Full HD resolution causes you to sit further away from the screen as you will see the grid-like structure if you sit too close. However, that’s not the case for 4K resolution screens. Since they have higher pixel density, you can experience the small details of pictures and videos on a larger screen while sitting in the same place as before.
What Software to Use to Play 4K Videos?
Besides having a 4K monitor, having a 4K video player is also necessary to ensure that you have the best viewing experience. Here are some 4K video players you can try out.
DVDFab Player 6
DVDFab Player 6 is a great video player that can be installed on your PC and TV. It can play multiple video formats without any issue. It also has tools like navigation and menu support for 4K Blu-Ray and DVD discs.
Other advanced features include support for 3D videos, HDR, H.265 formats and more.
5K Player
This video player supports 4K playback at 60 fps. It also has support for all the major video formats. You can even download any 4K resolution video from YouTube, Vimeo or Dailymotion by copying and pasting the link to view them offline.
VLC Media Player
This classic video player can also support 4K video playback, but it needs a few third-party plugins. It is free, open-source, and has cross-platform support.
This video player comes with lots of playback options for both video and audio, and shortcut keys. You can install lots of different plugins or skins in this media player to match your needs and aesthetics.
How Can You Convert Your Videos to 4K?
Say, you started using a 4K resolution screen. But you see that it isn’t able to successfully upscale your videos and now the edges of those videos are getting pixelated.
In such scenarios, you should use a video converter that would upscale your videos to 4k.
DVDFab Video Converter
We recommend that you give DVDFab Video Converter a try as it can not only convert videos to any format that you want, you also get to customize the output parameters of the video. This will ensure that you face no problem when you watch the 4K video on any device, including TV.
Besides video conversion, it also gives you some basic tools to edit those videos as well. You can crop or trim videos. You can even add background sound or add subtitles to those videos.
Handbrake
Handbrake is an open-source video converter that you can use to upscale videos to 4K or convert 4K and 2K videos to other popular formats like MP4 and MKV.
One cool thing about this converter is that it supports batch processing.
FreeConvert
FreeConvert is an online video converter that can be used to convert videos that are less than 1GB in size to 4K. Then you can save it to your drive, dropbox, or your personal URL.
There are more than 60 video formats in which you can convert your videos to. You also get control over the output parameters like screen size, video codec, etc. You can convert 20 videos in a batch and it also comes with basic editing tools.
Why Should You Buy a 4K Monitor or TV?
The primary reason is future-proofing. Even though we don’t have any 4K broadcasting channel right now, a lot of experiments are being conducted to stream 4K content from over the air and satellite. With 3-layer Blu-ray discs coming into the market, we can expect top-quality uncompressed 4K movies to be coming soon.
If you are a photographer, you are missing so much if you watch your photos on an HD or UHD screen. To see more details on those photos, you should switch to a 4K monitor or TV.
What Kinds of Cables and Ports are Used in 4K Screens?
- If you are connecting to a TV, an HDMI port is all you need. However, if you are connecting your PC to a 4K monitor, you will need a DisplayPort.
- HDMI cables have a lot of categories. For 4K, go for high-speed HDMI cables (with or without ethernet).
- The version of connectors also plays a role here. HDMI 1.4 supports UHD resolution at 30 fps, while 2.0 can support UHD at 60 fps. 2.0 also supports HDR.
- The latest HDMI 2.1 cables can support 4K at 120 fps or 8K at 60 fps.
What is the Difference Between 4K and HDR?
People sometimes get confused between 4K and HDR since both of them improve the quality of photos and images.
However, HDR, short for High Dynamic Range, is used to increase the difference between the lightest and darkest portions of an image. So, instead of getting milky grey in the dark sections of an image, you can see the darkest of blacks and the brightest of whites.
This causes images to have more depth in them, and you are able to see more details in the lightest and darkest parts.
Meanwhile, 4K is all about greater pixel density.
Where Can I Find 4K Content Right Now?
The best way to get 4K content at present is from streaming platforms.
- Netflix has 4K films and shows, but they are locked in the Premium tier. Plus, not all shows are in 4K, but you will find a lot of movies and shows in UHD resolution.
- Amazon offers some of their highest-rated shows in 4K UHD.
- There are a lot of other streaming platforms like Disney Plus that have started offering 4K UHD content to their viewers. The best part is that some of them provide these movies and shows to all of their subscribers, unlike Netflix that has a tiered model.
Wrapping Up
These are everything you need to know about 4K resolution monitors. They are the future and can make viewing photos and videos several times better. You should upgrade to 4K as soon as you can
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