Buying 4K, but not into the 4K hype

4K is the newest marketing buzzword for consumer electronics. Like 3D before it, manufacturers are using its allure to entice us into upgrading our TV, monitor, All-in-One desktop, smartphone, home theater projector, camera, laptop, and tablet.

It’s getting very hard to find a 1080p TV above 50 inches in most retailer shops these days. They’ve all been replaced with big 4K televisions with big price tags; some with HDR, some without. We’re also seeing set-top streaming devices like the Roku 4, Nvidia Shield, and new Amazon Fire TV make the move to 4K. Smartphones like the iPhone 6S now shoot 4K video and the Sony Xperia Z5 even sports a 4K display. Over the last month we’ve seen the launch of the Toshiba Radius 12 with 4K display, the Dell XPS 12 which can be transformed into a 4K tablet, a new iMac with 4K display, and Sony 4K home theater projectors with HDR support.

Often the push for 4K is just a marketing gimmick, but it can be a useful feature under some circumstances on some products. Here’s a list that can help cut through the hype:

What 4K device were you thinking of buying:

• TV - If it has HDR support then good. Selecting a TV isn’t about more pixels, it’s about better pixels. Unfortunately, not every 4K TV supports HDR. A TV featuring High Dynamic Range will be brighter, more colorful, and offer more realistic contrast than anything you’ve seen before. Unfortunately, there’s even less HDR content available than 4K content. If you can hold off that purchase for a year or two then prices will drop and your favorite films and shows will be available in glorious HDR. But if you just can’t wait, be sure your TV supports HDR now, or via a future update from your manufacturer.
• No it doesn't then pass on it. Unless you’re sitting ridiculously close or buying a massive 4K TV well above 55-inches you’re not likely to see any improvement over a traditional 1080p set. You might see an improvement when watching passive 3D — or you might not (it depends upon the implementation). You’re better off looking for a 4K TV that supports HDR now, or one that can be upgraded in the future.
• Monitor - Good idea. A 4K monitor (or All-in-One computer) will be useful to just about anyone that can afford it. More pixels are more better for anyone manipulating digital photos or graphics. You’re also sitting close enough to the display such that the smaller pixels (and higher pixel density) will make everything more crisp, including text.
• Projector - If you can afford it, a 4K projector is definitely the way to go. You’ll want the display to be as sharp as possible on that huge 150-inch diagonal. And as long as you’re spending the money, be sure it also supports HDR. You’ll want it in a few years when all the best films and shows come out in bright, colorful, high-contrast HDR.
• Camera - Sure, a camera that shoots 4K video is something that’ll prepare you for the future. More pixels are always better for image manipulation and editing. There’s a storage tradeoff, but you’ll be happy you had those big files once every display is 4K.
• Smartphone - Why? Packing more pixels into such a small display doesn’t add to the sharpness unless you’re holding the phone a few inches from your eyes. Worse yet, those extra pixels require extra power to illuminate each dot causing unnecessary battery drain. Vlad Savov called the 4K resolution on the Sony Xperia Z5 "silly." You probably don’t need a 4K smartphone.
• Laptop or Tablet - This is tricky. Packing more pixels into a display that's smaller than a desktop monitor but larger than a smartphone probably won’t make a difference to most people. It didn’t for Walt Mossberg in his review of the Toshiba Radius 12, for example. Those extra pixels likely won't result in extra sharpness but they'll definitely require extra battery power to illuminate each point of light. Best to see that display for yourself before purchasing online, but you probably don’t need 4K resolution on your tablet or laptop.