Every day, new technology is out. The world is progressing fast, and new versions of every technology are coming every day.
8K is the next big jump in TV resolution. 4K is the resolution standard for televisions, but now we have 8K. In this article, we will go through everything you need to know about 8K. What is this technology, when is it coming, should you rush to buy it?
The Basics of 8K technology and TV:
4K and 8K are televisions resolutions. 1080p screens have a resolution of 1920 * 1080 pixels. The 4K technology doubles the resolution by 3840 * 2160 and quadruples the number of pixels. 8K doubles the number again and gives the resolution of 7680 by 4320. That is four times as 4K and 16 times that of a 1080p screen. Isn’t it amazing? However, will cable TV support 8K? Mediacom already allows content in high-definition. If you are not getting your channels in high-definition, contact Mediacom customer service.
8K is much sharper than 4K and way sharper than 1080p.
HDR:
Since we are talking about TVs and 4K, it is important to know about the HDR. HDR, known as high dynamic range defines what each pixel show. Like the 4K, 8K indicates the number of pixels on a screen, HDR and SDR determine what each pixel does. All HDR content is 4K but not vice versa.
For an 8K technology, 8K video requires high-speed video. The high-speed video takes up a lot of bandwidth for which you need high-speed internet. 8K requires at least HDMI 2.1. If you plan to buy an 8K TV, make sure your cable and devices can handle the bandwidth requirements needed to carry 8K content.
What to look at when Buying?
Sadly, there is very little or no 8K content available to watch at the moment. Therefore, 8K TVs are making themselves useful by upscaling 4K and HD. That means you can have a cinematic experience, even though 8K content is away from the mainstream.
Another aspect is that there is no guarantee these 8K TVs will become compatible with the future 8K standard. There are hundreds of thousands of 4K TVs that are unable to play any 4K media content. Why would anyone pay for a TV that does not have content to watch right now?
So, good upscaling is what you should look for when buying an 8K TV. Since you want to watch the content that should look great. Besides that, you should look for the same qualities you’d look for in a 4K TV. It includes great colors, sharpness, a user-friendly operating system, a smart design, and a good sound system.
Is it time to buy an 8K TV?
No, it is not the time to buy an 8K TV. Firstly, they are expensive. And even if you manage to buy one, there is no native 8K consumer content to watch.
Unless you have money to waste, do not consider buying an 8K TV right now.
From our observation and research, there is little quality improvement over 4K TVs.
The image quality enhancement requires a large screen, and you should sit close to it to notice the difference.
As mentioned above, there is no 8K content available to watch right now. There are even few chances of any 8K content in the next year.
When will 8K TV become affordable?
It will take a couple of years for this technology to come onto the radar for many TV buyers. For instance, in 2020, the LG 8K 55-inch TV cost £1500. But in 2021, its cost reduced from £1500 to £1000.
In the next few coming years, this technology will get cheaper and might be worth considering.
Conclusion:
For now, and for the next couple of years, 4K is a technology that is fine. You do not need to rush to newer technology and waste money buying it. For now, 8K technology is just a glimpse of the future, but there is a long way until we reach there. 8K technology is still developing, and it is hard to say if it will become the industry standard in the future. It is a good idea to postpone buying an 8K TV for a couple of years until more models are widely available in the market at affordable prices.
