4K TV - worth upgrading or stick with HD?

[Bimble]

We already have a HD TV and recently upgraded to Sky Q with the 2TB box which can show programs in 4K. Has anyone upgraded to a 4K TV and did it make a big difference?

 

[swee'pea99]

4K is stunningly sharp, but TBH there are very few things where it really makes much odds. Science fiction - spaceships 'n that - look great...but for a regular fillum, the extra definition really makes no odds. And like all such things, once you get used to it, it's just 'the way it is' - as ever, it's the quality of what you're watching that matters, not how sharp it is.

 

[KneesUp]

In the spirit of the HD roll out, back in the day, are HD TVs now labelled as '4k ready'

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

The wife has a big 4K multi display setup on her computer. She finds it distracting to see every blemish and pore on an actor's face, even the makeup lines. I saw a Marvel type movie being displayed on a 4K tv in John Lewis once and whilst it was incredibly sharp, it also looked incredibly false as you were very aware it was filmed in an old warehouse. I'm happy sticking to HD.

 

[Beebo]

If your current TV still works then why upgrade now. It just seems a total waste and endemic of the throw away society.
Upgrade when the TV is broken.

 

[StuAff]

Do you want a really, really big TV and to sit really, really close to it? I know this is (for some reason) the fashion these days, but for those who like the TV not to dominate the room (and possibly block out all light from your windows depending on position) I would say no. Have an excellent 32 inch 1080p TV- admittedly one with a somewhat chunky frame, so if buying now a little larger without bother- and 4K would be only a waste of money, as in order to actually see the resolution benefit it would have to be HUGE (50 inch plus) or I'd have to sit four feet away. Monitors are a whole different ball game- I might go to 4K for my Mac at some point.
https://www.avforums.com/article/tv-full-hd-ultra-hd-4k-viewing-distance-guide.10704

 

[Drago]

I was in two minds whether to upgrade because Mrs D is blind in one eye, so it would be wasted. Still, I did anyway. The image in UHD is sharper, but I'm not convinced its actually better, or a more faithful reproduction of the original image as it shows stuff the human eye wouldn't detect in real life. Nevertheless, the effect is pleasing, if not especially realistic.

 

[sight-pin]

We have an Oled 4k as the old tv's screen went a bit iffy some months back, yeah it's a very sharp picture etc, but as already said by @swee'pea, you just get used to it.

 

[pplpilot]

We have an 18 year old 21" Sharp Aquos LCD that I paid over £2,000 for. When it breaks I'll think about buying a 32" . I don't get the appeal of massive tv's. Suppose it's because were not big on tv/film/netlix/prime/xbox etc...

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

TV's have gone HD now? Crumbs, we are still on our first digi TV after the cathode ray tube died. Upgrade when things die else it's all landfill.

 

[Electric_Andy]

IMHO, some things to consider:

Lack of 4k content at the moment. If you watch a film in 4k on a Friday night, your standard picture for the rest of the week will seem worse. You'll then want (or have) to pay extra for 4k sources.
A high-end 1080p TV may still have a better picture than a budget 4kTV, apart from when viewing in 4k mode of course, but even then my friend's 4k TV is not a huge improvement on HD.
A TV capable of showing 4k content may display SD or HD really poorly.

If it were me, I'd spend out on a good 1080p TV next time. My MIL has a ~ £800 Sony 1080p and the picture (both from SD and HD sources) is noticeably superior to our £300 Panasonic.

 

[presta]

It's the content that needs upgrading, not the picture. My TV's not even HD, but it's fine, and as it's only 9 years old there's no way I'm replacing it when the previous one lasted three times as long.

 

[captain nemo1701]

HD took ages, so will 4k. Best leave it a few years as 4k content is thin on the ground at the moment.

 

[ColinJ]

I can't even get people with HD TV sets to actually watch the HD channels! One sister doesn't bother and neither does my other sister's husband. They get quite funny about me pointing out that they are watching in SD ...

 

[Drago]

It would seem 4k is now passe. 8k is the coming thing.