Yes. Well, that was easy. But if you want a more detailed explanation, I’ll be happy to provide one. While 4K TV does seem to be the next logical evolution of television, right now it’s still too early in its lifecycle to pick a set up unless you’re a rather wealthy early adopter-type.
4K is four times the resolution of traditional 1080p TVs which is the standard now. That makes for a much clearer pictures, and advance has skipped right over what was supposed to be the next big thing in TV, 3D. But while 3D TVs failed to catch on because of expensive glasses and a lack of content (not to mention a few that induced nausea, which I can personally attest to), higher resolution is something that is never going to be a passing fad. We will keep increasing resolution until TVs are no longer screens, but windows. And we’re almost there.
4K really is lovely to look at in the display of various electronics stores. But those places have demos running that have perfect content perfectly producing 4K-specific content. Buy a set and that is not what you will see at home, unless you’re consuming very specific programming. Here’s the problem:
– 4K TV channels are few and far between right now. Though some exist, there are still too few to truly be worthwhile
– The same goes for 4K DVDs which barely exist, and many are just Blu-Ray movies upconverted to 4K.
– Netflix has stepped in the ring with 4K streaming content, but only for a very specific select few shows like House of Cards. And it remains to be seen whether or not most people’s internet connections will be able to stream 4K reliably, given the massive amount of bandwidth required.
– The just-released new generation video game consoles, the Xbox One and PS4, only support 1080p, and can barely even reach that much of the time. 4K is not in their future.
Between all those factors, and the simple fact remains that there just is not enough 4K content out there right now to justify the purchase of a costly set. While you can now get quality 1080p LED TVs for hundreds of dollars, 4K TVs are all in the thousands, even at a smaller size.
Even a 28 inch 4K monitor is $700 at Best Buy. If you want a fully-fledged 4K TV, it will cost you anywhere from $2,300 to $8,000 or more depending on size and features. And that’s even with a recent drop in prices.
This decline in mega-high prices may encourage some to buy, but in my eyes it’s still too early. There just is not enough content to consume in the format yet, and you’ll spend your days sitting around waiting for media companies to get up and get around to embracing the format. You’ll be stuck watching a few channels, a few movies and House of Cards in 4K, but not much else.
I think that even just two years from now, we’ll see the amount of 4K content out there quadruple, and that will come with an even large price drop across the board.
If you’re an early adopter, I can’t stop you, and you’re probably used to paying a premium for brand new formats like this. I will say that 4K does not seem to be some passing trend, and you won’t have to worry about it going the way of 3D TV or HD DVD. That said, waiting even a little bit longer will allow for cheaper sets and much more content to enjoy.
But to each their own, and I can’t say you won’t be the envy of your friends when they see that ultra-clear picture for the very first time.
[Photos via Engadget and Getty Images]
