Also known as Ultra HD, 4K TV is a TV resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels which is four times more pixels than a full HD TV. Since these TVs have so many pixels, it means they’ll have higher pixel density leading clearer and more accurate picture.
In addition to their sharpness, they also produce more texture and detail. While the most commonly used term is 4K, the terms UHD and Ultra HD are also used interchangeably.
Although for your average customer, these are the same, there is minimal difference. While a true 4K TV refers to a resolution of 4096 x 2160, UHD means a 3840 x 2160 resolution which is found in the TV you actually take home when you buy a 4K TV.
Are you looking for a great 4K TV bargain? Check out today’s top 10 4K TV deals below. Or to read our guide and tips on buying a 4K TV, please click here.
The benefits of 4K TV
With the best budget 4K TV, you can get clearer images that are almost like the objects you see in real life. However, for you to enjoy these benefits, it’s very important that you view the images through large screens. The best screen to use is, therefore, the 55 inches screen. But if your budget allows, it’s recommended to go for even larger screens to experience the best 4K resolution effect. You can also upgrade your current HD TV to a 4K one. If you remain with the same screen that you were using, then you’ll notice a difference in the clarity of the images as you’ll now get more detailed, clearer images.
What you need to use 4K TV
With so many benefits to enjoy, it’s evident that the best cheap 4K TV is among the best TVs to buy. But how should you go about it? What step should you take to ensure that your dream becomes a reality? Although you can stream 4K content from other platforms, you need a 4K TV set. By providing devices that can match 4K televisions, Amazon and Netflix have been quite supportive. While this was not the case previously when the TVs were launched, nowadays you can comfortably stream 4K from any service provider. Plus, you can use your existing HD TV. Provided you upgrade, it will definitely serve you well. You also need to get an Ultra Blu-ray player, and you are good to go. Since the library is diverse, you have a wide range of videos to choose from
What’s offered by 4K TVs?
According to 4K TV reviews, when you buy a 4K TV the extra 4K TV resolution that you get adds to clarity and better definition. This means the images not only resemble real-life images but are just like looking through a window rather than watching TV. For instance, when you upgrade your 50 Inch HD TV to 4K, you are adding four times the number of pixels to the same amount of space hence producing finer details and denser pictures.
To get the best out of your best 4K smart TV, it’s advisable to sit closer to your screen. The increased pixel density and the extra resolution mean that you can move further forward to get the most out of your TV. More so, by filling a significant percentage of your field of view, you’ll enjoy a more immersive experience. Although sitting close gives you the most impact, you can still enjoy watching your 4K TV even if you are sitting far away. You will still perceive more, depth lines are still drawn cleanly, colours still look more subtle, and objects still look three dimensional and more robust.
What makes a 4K TV special?
When you watch the best 4K UHD TV at its best, you’ll be able to see everything on your screen in impressive and clear clarity. There is a level of depth and detail that other TVs cannot just achieve. As a matter of fact, big brands such as Panasonic, LG, Sony, and Samsung currently have different levels of 4K TVs, including entry level ones and other models that cost several thousands of pounds. Generally, you’ll realise that 4K TVs are huge screens that are 40 Inches and more. This means if you want to appreciate the high picture quality, you need to enjoy it on a larger screen.
Should you buy 4K 3d TV?
Since most of the TVs released by the big manufacturers are nowadays 4K, they make the bulk of the TVs around. Also, 4K TV prices have continued to drop. So, in case you are looking for a new TV, the best one to buy is 4K. However, with HD still forming the bulk of the content that’s available to watch, if you are happy with your TV, there’s no urge to rush. As compared to other TVs in the market, research has shown that 4K TVs are much better when it comes to displaying the content. Whether you are going for the best 4K Smart TV or the best 4K TV for sports, you certainly won’t be wasting your money.
Can a 4K Ultra HD TV display HD or standard content?
Yes, however just like HDR, not all 4K TVs are the same. For Ultra TV to show High Definition or Standard Definition content, the content needs upscaling. HD TV should, therefore, change SD or HD content to Ultra HD prior to displaying it. Although most of the main manufacturers of HD do an excellent job, some of the brands have failed to do so. This is currently a non-issue as compared to what used to happen before. Nowadays, Ultra 4K TV content is no longer scarce. The sheer quantity of HD content seen out there makes upscaling a very important consideration. This implies that one needs to choose the best 4K HD TV. In case the TV does a poor upscaling job Lower Definition display will not be impressive. Moreover, if your upscaling is not that perfect, you can use the many medium range and high range receivers that have 4K upscaling built within them. This means if your TV’s upscaling is not top, you may want to move to the settings and do it from there.
The kind of connections that you need to watch 4K
Although some people think that you only need an HDMI socket, this is not the case. This is because not all HDMI sockets are the same. There have been different versions of HDMI since the first digital connection appeared. The latest one that has been defined specifically with 4K TVs in mind is the v2.0. The most significant advantage of this definition is that since they support an increased data bandwidth, they can enable playback of 4K with full-colour sampling. This is high as compared to the previous one, which supports only 4K feeds of up to 30fps. Most of the brands in the market now carry HDMI 2.0 in their current TVs including Panasonic, LG, Phillips, and Samsung.
Tips for buying 4K TV
Nowadays, shopping for a TV is a bit complicated, especially if you are looking for more than a good deal. Although you may find some amazing deals on Ultra HD sets, if you are not keen, they may be lacking the kind of features that you are looking for. Here are some top tips to help you.
Ensure that the TV is actually a 4K- Ultra HD or 4K should actually be 4 times the total resolution of a 1080p HD. Unlike other TVs, a 4K TV set should display around 8000,000 pixels. This should lead to a clearer image, particularly if you are using bigger screens. Although the difference may not be like an abrupt move from Standard to a High definition one, it’s still there all the same. More so, when you move next to your 4K TV, the screen becomes more pronounced and immersive. Although it may be attractive during the rush for the best Ultra 4K TV deals, when there are amazing deals on 4K TVs, double check everything to ensure that what you are being given is 4K. Since the way goods are arranged in stores or advertised can be quite misleading, you might end up buying a 65 inch 1080p while what you wanted is a 4K TV.
Ensure that the 4K TV is Premium- Most 4k TVs produced before 2016 lack the HDR built. As a matter of fact, earlier on there wasn’t a specific definition concerning what was to be the best 4K Ultra HD TV. However, since TV manufacturers have decided to make UHD Premium, this has since changed. This means all the TV screens that are labelled UHD premium have all the requirements that the manufactures set on them. It’s, therefore, advisable to make sure that your 4K TV is UHD premium. If you go for anything else, you may not enjoy all the features that you are supposed to enjoy. For a 4K TV to be Premium, it must…
• Come with 3840 by 2160 resolution.
• Have a colour bit of 10-bit to enable for 1024 colour shades of every colour.
• Have a screen make whites clearer and blacks darker.
• Have the capability to indicate a minimum of Colour gamut of 90%.
• Enable a high dynamic colour range.
Ensure that your TV comes with HDR- Since HDR seems to be a good deal, you should always make sure that your 4K TV comes with it. This feature will make sure that the images produced are just remarkable. The richness and the colour depth that you’ll get from such a TV is very important the cleanliness of TV itself. Hence do not purchase a TV unless you are very sure that it has an HDR feature.
Make sure the TV is 10-Bit– As compared to 4K TVs, older 4K TVs are only 8-Bit hence cannot display the kind of colours displayed by 10 Bit. Don’t be surprised that all the deals that you witness are just for the previous TVs. You need to decide whether you are going for a cheaper price with older technology or not.
LED Versus OLED– Nowadays, every TV that you see is made of LED. Although this is a great show that can produce great brightness, it can significantly suffer when they need to show darker colors. This implies that LED cannot perfectly do black. Thankfully, as compared to the backlit TVs, OLED screens normally light up depending on the pixel. This means in the black scene, all the dark pixels are shut off completely. This creates not only a clearer image but also a vivid contrast.
Get a sound bar- Even the most expensive and the finest TV might have one problem: poor sound. This means the TV does not have enough room for large speakers that produce full, rich sounds. In case this happens, you are left with three options: Buy a surround-sound system, get a soundbar, or simply use headphones. The reason why sound bars are popular is that for only a small investment, you can significantly improve your cinematic experience.
Consider the size and the set up- Whether you are looking for the best 4K TV deals, the best 4K 3d TV, the best 4K resolution TV, considering the size and the setup is very important. What you must know is that TV inches are measured diagonally. More so, when you are going to use a stand, you must consider the stand’s dimensions.
Check the resolution – Previously, Full HD 1080p or HD resolution used to be the standard resolution. However, the industry now provides a 4K Ultra HD, which is 4 times the previous resolution. From, crisper images to finer details, this latest resolution deliver almost everything that you would expect.
Consider the HDR- Short form of high dynamic range, this technology boosts the contrast picture, which then translates to finer shades of colours and accurate brightness for an overall lifelike image from your TV. By considering this you’ll end up with the best 4K TV for the money.
Ask yourself whether you are buying a smart TV – Since smart TV connects directly to the internet through Ethernet or Wi-Fi cables, you need to ensure that your 4K TV is smart. By buying one, you’ll be able to stream apps such as Hulu, Netflix, HBO, among others.
Refresh rate s- This refers to how many frames your TV can display per second. If you are looking for a top rated 4K TV, your TV should have a refresh rate that’s above 120Hz.
Think about the inputs- Since TVs comes with a variety of inputs and outputs, you’ll find a range of different ports on its side panels and back. It’s, therefore, very important to look for at least 3HDMI ports, especially if you are going to use an A/V receiver and soundbar with your TV.
Check out today’s top 10, 4K television deals below…
Avoid buying the wrong size- If you really want to appreciate the Ultra HD resolution, then bigger is better when it comes to buying 4K TV. This means you should buy a TV that you can afford and that’s also closest to the size that you need.
Avoid focusing on unimportant features- Just like other products, 4K TVs comes with several features that are not only annoying but can also do nothing when it comes to improving the overall performance. Some of the features that most consumers do not use include pointless curved displays, 3D, and other features such as local dimming hype.
Avoid buying a TV that’s not future proof- Currently, most 4K TVs comes with a range of connectivity options, standardised display specs and features such as Dolby Vision HDR support. This means they are already future proof.
Avoid believing the manufacturer a 100%- By following the manufacturer 100%, you might get a false impression that even the cheapest 4K TVs delivers a top-shelf performance that will leave you breathless. This is obviously not true. Since not all 4K TVs are made equal, most budget TVs will deliver a notably inferior picture quality as compared to their pricier premium counterparts.
Avoid spending too little- Although it’s ok to look for the best value for your money, this should not mean that you buy a cheap TV just because it’s cheap. While there is a variety of superb budget TVs out there a lot of low priced models that provide relatively weak display quality
Avoid spending a lot- Just as it’s possible to spend little cash on a TV and suffer the consequences; it’s also entirely possible to overspend on something that you do not require.
When looking for which 4k TV to buy, it’s advisable to put any you would consider in your basket so you can review later.
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