What is 4K?
4K is an up and coming video technology that gives you a better quality picture when you're watching movies or tv shows, but how does 4K work and what does it mean for you?
[MUSIC]
The term 4K refers to the resolution of an electronic display, a display could be the screen on your TV, your iPad, or your laptop, and resolution means how many pixels there are in that display.
Pixels are the dots that make up on screen images and the more pixels there are, the sharper and more realistic images look.
When we can see individual pixels it may just look blocky and less life-like so we usually prefer displays with a higher resolution.
And 4K also known as ultra high definition is a very high resolution indeed.
In terms of tech products you can buy like TVs, 4K normally refers to a resolution that has 3,840 pixels along the horizontal path of the display, and 2,160 pixels vertically.
The name 4k comes from the fact that there are roughly 4,000 pixels on that horizontal side, which gives 4K approximately four times as high a resolution.
That's 1080 P, which is what we normally mean today when we describe something as full HD.
What does 4K mean for you?
[MUSIC]
Higher resolution doesn't necessarily mean a better viewing experience.
You also have to factor in screen size and viewing distance.
Because there is only so much detail the human eye can perceive at a given distance, you will get more from a 4K display the larger the screen is.
And the closer you are.
So if you want a regular sized tv for your living room and your sofa is say ten feet away from it.
The extra detail you could perceive with 4K might not be worth paying loads extra for.
To get the benefits of 4K you also need for whatever you're watching to have been sent to your tv in 4K quality and for now this is quite rare
[MUSIC]
Netflix has made some of its shows available in 4K, but it will be some time before most broadcast television is transmitted this way.
Aside from your TV at home, 4K can take other forms.
Movies have been shown, in a slightly different version of 4K, in cinemas for some time.
And there are even phones that can record videos in a resolution high enough to qualify as 4K.
But where you see the term just remember that it's shorthand for the number of pixels that a product can display or record and you will be able to make sense of 4K wherever it arises.
Up Next
Can I Live With a Nokia Flip Phone in 2024?
Up Next
Can I Live With a Nokia Flip Phone in 2024?
How Google Captures 3D Images for Immersive View
How Google Captures 3D Images for Immersive View
How to Get Good Answers From an AI Chatbot
How to Get Good Answers From an AI Chatbot
It's Almost Here: My Big Questions for Vision Pro
It's Almost Here: My Big Questions for Vision Pro
CNET's Best Smartphones From 2023
CNET's Best Smartphones From 2023
Why I Don't Regret Ditching My Android for an iPhone
Why I Don't Regret Ditching My Android for an iPhone
Coolest Toys With a Tech Twist
Coolest Toys With a Tech Twist
CNET's Pro Photographers React to AI Photos
CNET's Pro Photographers React to AI Photos
How Dolby Atmos Makes You Feel Immersed in Movies and Music
How Dolby Atmos Makes You Feel Immersed in Movies and Music
One Month Check-In: We Tested the iPhone 15 Pro's and Pro Max's Batteries
One Month Check-In: We Tested the iPhone 15 Pro's and Pro Max's Batteries
Tech Shows
Latest News All latest news
PlayStation 5 Pro Leaked: Everything We Know
PlayStation 5 Pro Leaked: Everything We Know
Everything Just Revealed at Nvidia's GTC AI Conference
Everything Just Revealed at Nvidia's GTC AI Conference
Nvidia Reveals Omniverse Cloud Streams to the Vision Pro
Nvidia Reveals Omniverse Cloud Streams to the Vision Pro
Nvidia Shows Project GROOT and Disney Bots at GTC Conference
Nvidia Shows Project GROOT and Disney Bots at GTC Conference
Expert vs. AI: Is Now the Time to Buy an EV?
Expert vs. AI: Is Now the Time to Buy an EV?
The PlayStation Portal Built-In Volume Is too Loud: Here's How to Keep It Low
The PlayStation Portal Built-In Volume Is too Loud: Here's How to Keep It Low
Most Popular All most popular
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Latest Products All latest products
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
See Adobe Lightroom on the Apple Vision Pro
See Adobe Lightroom on the Apple Vision Pro
This $400 Cane Has a Built-In Phone
This $400 Cane Has a Built-In Phone
Latest How To All how to videos
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
How to Use a Quest 3 Like the Vision Pro