A Geek's Guide to the 4K TV Revolution

Welcome to 2018, where 4K is no longer expensive and there’s plenty of content to enjoy. But should you…buy? Here’s everything you need to prepare for the next TV revolution.

The Basics

4K is short for 4,000 pixels, give or take. But here’s another way to understand it: Your TV at home is likely 1080P HD, a format that’s been around now for two decades. HD delivers 1,080 lines of horizontal resolution, while 4K offers 2,160 lines—twice as many. But it also has twice the vertical resolution of 1080P. 2 x 2 = 4, hence 4K.

But 4K is only the resolution, or the number of pixels, that you’re seeing. A companion of 4K technology, High-Dynamic Range (HDR), is ushering in a new level of quality when it comes to how TVs render light and shadow. Watch out, though: Not all 4K TVs or devices feature HDR tech, so if you want to be future-proof, make sure those three letters are on the box.

Experts say that HDR comes very close to reproducing the way a human eye sees levels of brightness. Imagine a dark film scene of a person’s face lit by a candle. In a theater, the flame’s highlights on the face would be super bright, while the darks on the ear (further away from the flame) would be super dark, almost inky black. On TVs without HDR, this contrast is a bit muted—the pixels a shade of gray—because such sets lack the dynamic range necessary to display these levels of brightness at the same time. That’s the power of HDR.

The Price

The average cost for 4K TVs plummeted from about $1,000 in October 2017 to about $600 by the holiday season, according to the research firm Thinknum. So while 4K was once more likely to attract the well-to-do, it’s now widely accessible, with 4K devices (See “Get the Most Out of Your New TV,” below) ideal for film buffs and gamers also coming down in price. A 32-inch Vizio 4K TV now sells for a meager $239 (gamestop.com). That’s probably less than your last HDTV.

The Content

Finding 4K content used to be so difficult that upgrading seemed pointless. Then Netflix started streaming “Breaking Bad” and “House of Cards” in the format (for an extra $4 each month) and many customers wanted in. Now 4K is everywhere.

Of the 10 bestselling movies on Amazon right now, half are being bought in 4K (including “Blade Runner 2049” with its stunning Oscar-nominated cinematography), according to Thinknum.

The 2018 Super Bowl will be shot in 4K even though NBC isn’t ready to beam it out at that resolution just yet (it might be available in streaming highlights and on Ultra HD Blu-ray, the 4K cousin to DVD). Select Olympic events will be the first things the broadcaster transmits in 4K HDR—albeit on a one-day delay—and by the time the 2020 Tokyo Olympics roll around, most major sporting events will be viewable in the format. (Japan’s NHK plans to shoot the hometown games in 8K, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.)

The Televisions

Since most 4K TVs are “Smart,” with processors and Wi-Fi for streaming built in, you really only need the set and a wall outlet to start enjoying the highest resolution content. But if you want to impress on game day, versions with OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) displays are the best on the market. OLEDs feature natural colors, striking saturation and perfect blacks because when a pixel on an OLED screen goes dark, it has actually been turned off. An LG OLED 4K TV might cost you more (starting at $1,699 for 55-inch displays, bestbuy.com), but connoisseurs consider the expense worth it for the even stronger contrast and eye-popping details.

For those who want a more budget-friendly version of the best, stick with Vizio. This California-based company is somehow cramming all its impressive advances into sub-$1,000 packages, complete with Smart TV capabilities, easy-to-use interfaces and even voice command. In particular, check out Vizio’s XLED line of TVs (starting at $999 for 55-inch displays, vizio.com). You’ll get bright, vibrant screens with enough features—including HDR—to keep you swimming in high-resolution content for years.

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR NEW TV // Devices That Help Bring the Best of 4K Content to Your Living Room

FOR BLU-RAY

Oppo UDP-203

Not every film on Netflix is streaming in 4K, but you can still get a top-quality, at-home movie experience with this Ultra HD Blu-ray player. Oppo’s device is up-to-date with all the HDR formats, including Dolby Vision, and it even includes an HDMI input that lets you plug in and upscale older 1080P devices so your old stack of DVDs can shine in brilliant 4K. $559, crutchfield.com.

FOR STREAMING

Apple TV 4k

If you don’t have a smart 4K TV, you can stream favorites from Hulu, Amazon Prime and more in 4K HDR with this box. It also gets you access to Apple’s growing library of digital content; the iTunes store is probably the best place to rent and buy new-release 4K titles like “Wonder Woman” and “Dunkirk.” What’s more, many of the films are released in HDR, giving them even more pop on TVs that support the format. $179, apple.com.

FOR GAMING

X Box One X

Microsoft
’s

latest console gets you in the 4K game. Titles like Halo 5 and Forza Motorsport 7 are already available in 4K with more coming soon. You also gain access to 4K content from the standard streaming services and get an Ultra HD Blu-Ray player to boot—a nice bonus when you factor in the reasonable pricing. It’s everything you need in one box, $499, xbox.com.