By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on Facebook & X.
Former Sony employee and editor of 4 TV magazines.
TV Answer Man, Netflix just raised the price of its 4K plan to $23 a month. That’s ridiculous! Do you have any suggestions for 4K TV owners to watch good 4K programming without spending so much? — Peter, Boston.
Peter, I hear you. Netflix last month raised the price of its 4K-included Premium plan from $19.99 a month to $22.99 a month. The Netflix Basic plan (now only available to existing customers who have it) has also increased from $9.99 a month to $11.99 a month. But it’s the 4K increase that is getting the bulk of the criticism, at least according to my e-mail in box. 4K fans can’t believe that, once again, they are being asked to pay so much to watch TV shows and movies in their favorite format. But is there an alternative? A streaming service that won’t charge you an arm and a leg to watch some 4K? You betcha.
Why 4K TV owners should subscribe to Peacock
Peacock, the streaming Video on Demand service owned by NBCUniversal, has a growing library of 4K programming, including live Big Ten college football and basketball games, recent theatrical movies such as Asteroid City and Fast X, and original Peacock shows such as Wolf Like Me and Poker Face. There are also a lot of older films in 4K, such as Jurassic Park. And the best part is that you can watch all of this 4K programming on Peacock for just $5.99 a month, not $22.99 a month. That’s right. The Peacock Premium plan, which is just $5.99 a month, includes 4K shows, movies and live sports. For $22.99 a month, Netflix will give you shows and movies, but not Big Ten football, folks.
I would strongly encourage 4K fans to either drop Netflix or downgrade to the $15.49 a month Netflix Standard plan. With the savings, you can then get Peacock, watch 4K, and still save money.
Update, December 17, 2023: Peacock is occasionally removing its 4K labels from movies and TV shows, making it unclear when the 4K versions are actually available. Consequently, while we still can’t recommend paying Netflix so much money for its 4K plan, Peacock is looking less like a viable supplement. Disney+ and Apple TV+ might be better alternatives with both offering plans with 4K under $10 a month.
Peter, 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.
Excellent suggestion. Netflix isn’t worth that much money.