4K TV vs 1080p TV. Are 4K TV’s really worth it?

By Mfidie On Jul 26, 2021

When it comes to televisions, the brand and the type of resolution are what people check first when making a purchase.

In the 90s and 2000s, 1080p was the primary resolution type in TVs. 4K was never in the picture till it was introduced in the 2010s. It began to dominate slowly, and a few years after, it took over everywhere as the main TV resolution.

Now almost every TV has a 4K resolution, and you’ll barely find 1080p in any TV anymore. In this article, I will discuss 4K TVs and 1080p TVs and their differences and which one I think you should go for when buying a TV.

4K TVs

4K refers to the resolution of the display. A 4k TV has 3840 horizontal pixels and 2160 vertical. 4k refers to the number of horizontal pixels (3840).

The name makes it sound like a 4k display has four times the amount of vertical pixels. In actuality, the amount of vertical and horizontal pixels on a 4k display are each double that of a 1080p display.

In a true sense, this also means 4k TV also has four times the total amount of pixels as a 1080p TV.

1080p TVs

A 1080p TV has 1920 horizontal pixels and 1080 vertical pixels. They’re usually limited to small, entry-level models. If you have limited space and need a small TV, you’ll likely need to get a 1080p model. 1080p indicates progressive scanning.

That means that the entire image is transmitted at once instead of through a series of interlaced scans. This means that 1080p TV offers you smooth picture quality.

Differences between 4K TVs and 1080p TVs

TVs from big manufacturers have a 4k resolution, and it’s hard to find 1080p TVs now, but what exactly are the differences between each?

The differences are a lot, 4k TV doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better than a 1080p, but many different factors affect the picture quality. A higher resolution means it delivers quality images and supports more content.

A 4k TV has 3840 horizontal pixels and 2160 vertical, while 1080p TV has 1920 horizontal pixels and 1080 vertical pixels. 1080p refers to the number of vertical pixels (1080), but 4k refers to the number of horizontal pixels (3840). The amount of vertical and horizontal pixels on a 4k display is double that of a 1080p display, which also means that a 4k TV also has four times the total amount of pixels as a 1080p TV.
When you pick two images, both 4K resolution and 1080p, you’ll see that the 4K image is smoother and more detailed with good quality than the 1080p image. The difference is that the higher pixel count of a 4k screen allows for a more realistic representation of the picture, with added detail in the image, which makes texts and objects clearer in 4K. Sometimes it’s more difficult to tell the difference when you’re viewing the screens from a distance.
4K has very become very popular these days. Most streaming sites use 4K resolution. Streaming sites like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon prime all support 4K and gaming consoles used to support 1080p are now 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs. The original Xbox One and PS4 were limited to 1080p. The PS4 Pro and Xbox One X/S, followed by the PS5 and Xbox Series X, were each released with 4k support.
When it comes to colours and luminance in picture quality, It helps improve the picture quality and produces richer, more vibrant colours. HDR, which stands for “High Dynamic Range, have nothing to do with the resolution of pictures but the quality of the colours and luminance the HDR formats add to your picture quality. The large majority of 1080p TVs don’t even support HDR, so if you want to watch your favourite HDR content, go for a 4k TV.

One may ask if, in conclusion, 4K TVs are better than 1080p TVs and as to whether 4K TVs are worth the hype they’ve been given above 1080p TVs.

Well, currently, when you’re shopping for a TV, you’re likely to get a 4K. That should tell you that 1080p TVs are out of the market. A TVs resolution and picture quality are its main selling point, and 4K TVs offer you the best of that.

4K is an upgrade of 1080p, and most TVs these days are in 4K; assuming you sit far from the TV, you won’t know the difference between a 4K TV and 1080p TV.

The main point is you won’t have to choose between those two because currently one is slowly getting out of the market and the other is in complete dominance on the market.