Both of these technologies improve image quality.
However, they do so in very different ways.
Let’s cut through the noise and learn what 4K and HDR mean.
OPPO Digital
Overall Findings
Refers to screen resolution (the number of pixels a screen can fit).
Used synonymously with Ultra HD (UHD).
Refers to the horizontal screen resolution of about 4,000 pixels.
OPPO Digital
Requires UHD-compatible devices and components to avoid upscaling.
Stands for High Dynamic Range.
Wider color gamut and contrast range than Standard Dynamic Range (SDR).
Sony
Bright tones are made brighter without overexposing.
Dark tones are made darker without underexposing.
4K and HDR are not competing standards.
4K refers to screen resolution (the number ofpixelsthat fit on a television screen or display).
It’s sometimes referred to as UHD or Ultra HD, although there is a slight difference.
That said, 4K delivers a sharper, more defined image.
Both standards are increasingly common among premium digital televisions, and both deliver stellar image quality.
TV makers prioritize the system of HDR to 4K Ultra HD TVs over1080p or 720pTVs.
There is little need to choose between the two standards.
Resolution: 4K Is the Standard
4K/UHD TV standard is 3840 x 2160 pixels.
4K cinema standard is 4096 x 2160 pixels.
Resolution-agnostic, although most HDR TVs are also 4K TVs.
4K refers to a specific screen resolution, and HDR has nothing to do with resolution.
For digital televisions, 4K can mean one of two resolutions.
The most common is the Ultra HD or UHD format of 3,840 horizontal pixels by 2160 vertical pixels.
The less common resolution, mostly reserved for cinema and movie projectors, is 4096 2160 pixels.
That means that four 1080p images fit in the space of one 4K resolution image.
4K (as well as every other TV resolution) remains constant regardless of screen size.
However, the number ofpixels per inch (PPI)can vary depending on the size of the screen.
HDR televisions must meet a set of brightness, contrast, and color standards to be considered HDR.
Some LED/LCD HDR TVs have a peak brightness output of 1,000 nits or more.
Most top out at about 800 nits.
Dramatically improved color reproduction and contrast.
HDR has a bigger visual impact than 4K.
Greater visual impact than SDR.
More accurate colors, smoother light and color shading, and more detailed images.
Color reproduction improves dramatically in HDR televisions.
As a resolution, 4K does not affect color all that much, other than providing added definition.
This is why 4K and UHD often go hand in hand.
These technologies complement the two most important aspects of picture qualitydefinition and color.
As a technology, HDR expands the distance between white and black.
This makes the contrast more intense without overexposing bright colors or underexposing dark colors.
In a word, the colors look more saturated.
Check out the example below.
Available content is limited compared to 4K.
4K televisions require end-to-end compatibility among all components to produce authentic or true 4K resolution.
The same is generally true of HDR.
You need both an HDR TV and content that was produced using an HDR format.
To enjoy full 4K UHD resolution, you need 4K-compatible equipment down the line.
You’ll also need ahigh-speed HDMI cable.
Some 4K devicesupscale lower resolutionsto 4K, but the conversion isn’t always smooth.
Similarly, not all HDR TVs can upscale from SDR to HDR.
How well an HDR-enabled TV displays HDR depends on how much light the TV emits.
This is referred to as peak brightnessand ismeasured in nits.
Few HDR TVs emit that much light, but a growing number of displays reach 1,000 nits.
Most HDR TVs display less.
OLED TVsmax out at about 800 nits.
4K vs. HDR: Do You Have to Choose?
4K and HDR are not competing standards, so you don’t need to choose between the two.
