By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on Facebook & X.
Former editor or SonyStyle.com. Author of TV Dot Com.
TV Answer Man, I read your article about Netflix’s 4K plan being too expensive. Can you tell us what 4K titles are on Netflix so we can decide whether it’s worth it? Also, how can you tell which titles are in 4K? I can’t find a list anywhere. — Ken, Portland, Oregon.
Ken, you’re right. I’ve written here that Netflix’s 4K plan is now too expensive at $22.99 a month. (The streamer last month raised the price from $19.99 a month.) But I will acknowledge that Netflix has one of the best 4K catalogs in the TV industry with hundreds of movies and TV shows in the format, including The Deer Hunter, Get Out, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Jaws, The Killer, The Irishman and many other fine films and shows.
Some of the 4K shows on Netflix are also available in Dolby Vision and HDR (High Dynamic Range), which can make the picture even more vivid and realistic. Despite the lineup, however, I think $22.99 a month is an outrageous price, yet another example of the industry gouging the 4K audience.
How Can You Find 4K Titles On Netflix?
But if you’re willing to pay $22.99 a month, you can find out if a title is in 4K by clicking on it and searching for the 4K or Dolby Vision label at the top of the episode information. There’s usually a Menu line for 4K titles on your Netflix home page. If you’re having trouble finding either, I suspect you do not have Netflix’s 4K package. The 4K label is only listed if you have the $22.99 Premium plan.
Netflix also doesn’t feature a list of 4K titles at its web site. This doesn’t make any sense to me. You would think that Netflix would want to advertise which titles are in 4K to encourage more 4K subscribers.
By the way, the next lowest Netflix package (Standard), which costs $15.49 a month, does not include 4K or four simultaneous screens. You only get HD programming and two screens. If you look at the episode description of a 4K movie with the Standard plan, it will just show that it’s available in HD. And you can only watch it in 4K.
How to Watch 4K On Netflix
One last note to get 4K on Netflix: The service advocates that your Internet speed be a minimum of 25 Mbps to watch a program in 4K. Otherwise, your show will likely experience technical hiccups, known as buffering, causing the picture to freeze or go black for a period of time. I should also note that Netflix isn’t saying you need to subscribe to a 25 Mbps plan from your Internet provider. It means your speed should consistently be 25 Mbps. And that means you need a plan that has a higher maximum speed, such as 50 Mbps or 75 Mbps (or higher), to ensure that your viewing speed will be at least 25 Mbps most of the time. As you probably know, the true speed of your Internet service often is significantly lower than the advertised maximum speed, particularly if you are using a WiFi system.
Ken, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
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.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
