By Melanie Mayberry, programming editor
The TV Answer Man has recommended here that it’s not wise to buy a 8K TV because there is so little programming available in 8K. You can read his article here. But if there were more programming in 8K, would it matter? Does the 8K TV really deliver a better picture than current 4K TVs? We asked our favorite Artificial Intelligence engine, ChatGPT, for its evaluation, and as always, AI came through with a thorough and detailed response. The article was also fact-checked and edited by the human TV Answer Man team. Enjoy.
Television technology has advanced rapidly over the past decade, and with the emergence of 4K resolution, viewers have enjoyed an unprecedented level of detail and clarity. However, the march of progress never stops, and 8K TVs have entered the market, promising even more impressive image quality. But does an 8K TV truly offer a better picture than a 4K TV? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the differences between these two resolutions and explore whether 8K is worth the investment.
First, let’s define what we mean by 4K and 8K. 4K resolution refers to a display that has a horizontal resolution of around 4,000 pixels. This results in a total resolution of approximately 8.3 million pixels. In contrast, an 8K TV has a horizontal resolution of approximately 8,000 pixels, resulting in a total resolution of around 33 million pixels. That’s four times as many pixels as 4K.
At first glance, it might seem that 8K would obviously offer a superior picture to 4K, given the significant difference in resolution. However, the human eye has its limitations. At typical viewing distances, it becomes difficult to discern individual pixels beyond a certain resolution. In other words, the human eye can only perceive so much detail, and beyond a certain point, additional pixels do not result in a noticeable improvement in image quality.
So, while an 8K TV does have more pixels than a 4K TV, it’s unlikely that most viewers will be able to discern a significant difference in image quality between the two resolutions. This is especially true for smaller TV sizes and viewing distances. In fact, some experts argue that 8K resolution is overkill for all but the largest displays and the closest viewing distances.
There are also other factors to consider when comparing the picture quality of 8K and 4K TVs. One important factor is the quality of the source material. Even the best TV cannot improve the quality of a low-resolution video. So, if you’re watching a streaming service that only offers 1080p or 4K content, an 8K TV won’t magically make the image look better. In fact, it’s possible that upscaling the lower-resolution content to fit the higher-resolution display could result in a less than ideal image.
Another factor to consider is the quality of the TV itself. A high-end 4K TV with excellent contrast, color accuracy, and brightness may offer a better overall picture than a budget 8K TV with poor image quality. So, it’s important to consider the overall quality of the TV, rather than just the resolution.
So, to answer the question, does an 8K TV offer a better picture than a 4K TV? The answer is that it depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the TV, the viewing distance, the quality of the source material, and the overall quality of the TV itself. For most viewers, a high-end 4K TV will offer excellent image quality, and the additional cost of an 8K TV may not be worth the marginal improvement in resolution. However, if you’re a professional photographer, videographer, or digital artist who needs to view highly detailed content at close distances, an 8K TV may be worth the investment.
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
Paying anything extra for 8K woukd only mau more more for the telivision manufacters. 4K is slowly being offered. I’m sure it will be decades before 8K will be added and avaiable.