Is 4k worth it?

Haggisman

Haggisman

Haggisman

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Joined
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Location
Birmingham
Been contemplating a new (bigger) TV for a while, our usage is roughly:

20% Sky
40% Streaming video; e.g. Netflix, Amazon, Youtube
30% Gaming (PC via Steam link)
10% DVD/Bluray

Current one is pretty old now, IIRC it's an LG 42LH5000 (42").

Don't have any real complaints with it, other than perhaps the blacks are a bit washed out.

The space we have it in could probably take a 55", maybe slightly bigger (haven't measured it yet).

Looking for something which is going to perform well in gaming (i.e. good response time), and if possible, better picture quality (e.g. proper blacks/dark colours),

Not really fussed about smart functionality, since I can get most of it through my PS3 or chromecast.

Budget is about £600, but could consider going a little higher if there is significant benefit.

Basically, I'm not sure if it's worth going for a mid-range 4K TV (given the lack of content at present), or sticking to a higher end 1080p one?

As I see it, there are 3 options:

Good 1080p TV

Advantages:

- Better model for the budget, since I wouldn't be paying a premium for 4K
- Most content running at native resolution (better PQ)
- Faster/better response times for gaming

Disadvantages:

- Not "future proof" - will I want to upgrade again in a year or 2 when there is more 4K content?
- Low availability of "premium" models - most manufacturers are concentrating on 4K
- Missing out on the latest tech, e.g. Quantum Dot, OLED, HDR

"mid-range" 4K TV

Advantages:

- More "future proof"
- Better picture for any 4K content
- Maybe using new tech, e.g. Quantum Dot, OLED, HDR

Disadvantages:

- More expensive
- Lack of 4k content - upscaling may result in lower quality than native 1080p?
- Will need a new AV receiver as my current one only supports 1080p

1080p projector

Bit of a wildcard, but been staying at my brother's over the weekend and he has a projector hooked up to his PC - playing games on a huge screen was cool, but not sure how it would be to live with day-to-day.

Advantages:

- Massive screen
- More "cinematic" experience
- Most content running at native resolution

Disadvantages:

- Not "future proof" - will I want to upgrade again in a year or 2 when there is more 4K content?
- Missing out on the latest tech, e.g. Quantum Dot, OLED, HDR
- Bulb replacement cost (is this a factor on LED projectors?)
- Issues with ambient light - would need to fit blackout blinds in the living room

Unsure:

- Speed/response times - I'm under the (possibly incorrect) impression that projectors are a bit slower than TVs for gaming?
- Picture quality - am I right in thinking that blacks/dark colours being washed out will potentially be worse than my current TV?

Am I way off the mark here? Am I better waiting until there is more 4K content in a couple of years?

Any particular models I should be looking at?

Thanks :)
 
Although 4K may not be necessary now, who knows when you might buy a PS4 Pro :p

As you're probably aware most models are now 4K anyway, so I'd stretch your budget to £650 and get something like the LG 49UH770V.
 
Not unless you feed it proper 4k content IMO.

For instance, 4K blu-rays I wouldn't say are hugely improved from 1080p blu-ray when you only factor in the resolution.

However, HDR does really transform the image quality to the point that's it's night and day difference. - But then you need a 4k blu-ray player (If you have an Xbox One S already you are in luck)

AFAIK Steam link doesn't support 4k streaming as it's too demanding at the moment.

Netflix and Amazon 4k does look good and there are some HDR shows, but the bitrate means it's not much better than a 1080p blu-ray really.

£600 doesn't get you a good enough 4K TV at the moment IMO.

Maybe look towards the Hisense 2017 models which will be on the market around Summer-time.
 
If your watching a lot of Netflix and Amazon prime shows that support uhd / 4k it's worth an upgrade.

You could keep saving your money and make the jump to OLED instead.
 
Don't be silly, buy a 4k, just don't spend too much, TVs are developing very quickly and in a couple of years newer tech is likely to be much cheaper.
 
I looked on Amazon prime and their is what 10 shows that are 4K out of them maybe 2-3 I would actually watch.

Hardly justifies it tbh.

Also you can get 1080P OLED's don't know why you think you cannot.

At your budget I would be looking to buy a 1080P OLED second hand (ebay, avforums classified, etc). Wait it out another few years maybe even another 5 years then look at 4k again.

I have a 4K tv. I cannot remember the last time I watched 4K content on it. I have Sky Q and it has zero content unless your into animals. I have amazon prime and again their is 2 shows I like on it and tbh 1 of them I watch when I'm completely bored.

4K content atm is a joke. Future proof is also the biggest load of BS i've ever heard as an excuse for buying a 4K tv.

The main reason to buy a 4K tv now is that manufacturers aren't offering decent 1080p panels so your forced to buy 4K. Much like you were forced to buy 3D in the past even though it was of little use.
 
http://www.johnlewis.com/browse/ele...Z1z0gsuu?Ns=p_price.extravaganzaPriceListId|1

All brand new 55 inch tv's or bigger are 4K now

However second hand market you could bag yourself a bargain.

Last year I got a 55" Sony top of the range 1080p panel direct from sony for £449 delivered.

1080p tv's are EOL. Second hand I guess you could pick up some right bargains for people upgrading because they want 4K even though they have zero 4k content.

Sky Q isn't even 1080p never mind 4K. It's a complete farce. I cannot believe anyone would pay full price for it tbh.
 
So it looks like the options are either mediocre 4k, or 2nd hand 1080p?

What is the picture quality of 1080p content going to be like on a 4k screen upscaling vs a native 1080p screen? Am I going to get the horrible fuzziness like when running a monitor at the wrong resolution?
 
Slam62 said:
Loads of stuff is 4k on Netflix, but BBC HD looks great on my 4k TVs anyway.
Click to expand...

I've just looked at all 79 titles. 5 of them I have seen and 2 movies I would watch rest of them don't care. Of the 5 I have already seen in HD I wouldn't watch them again just to watch them in 4K.

Also of the 79 titles there is loads of tosh like:

Fireplace for your Home: Birchwood Edition
Fireplace for your Home: Classic Edition
Moving Art: Deserts
Moving Art: Flowers
Moving Art: Forests
Moving Art: Oceans
Moving Art: Underwater

why?????

Also BBC HD is low bit rate 1080i. It's not even Full HD.

Which is my point there is very little content atm. It's simply not worth it however you will struggle to buy a decent 1080p set brand new so your only option is 4K unless you buy second hand
 
Haggisman said:
So it looks like the options are either mediocre 4k, or 2nd hand 1080p?

What is the picture quality of 1080p content going to be like on a 4k screen upscaling vs a native 1080p screen? Am I going to get the horrible fuzziness like when running a monitor at the wrong resolution?
Click to expand...

Usually fine unless you buy a cheap set with a poor upscaler. 1080i content looks absolutely fine on my 4K LG. On an OLED I imagine it would look even better.
 
VincentHanna said:
Aren't the 1080p OLEDs 2015 models and plagued with uniformity issues?
Click to expand...

"Most of the time, you won't be bothered by this. It is still better than all LED TVs in term of overall uniformity."

http://uk.rtings.com/tv/reviews/lg/eg9100


Doesn't matter if OLED has issues the tech itself is still far superior.

Same thing with plasma it had issues too but the tech overall was and still is far superior to LCD apart from they couldn't make it viable to go 4K with plasma so they had to ditch it.

Show me a perfect TV and I'll show you a unicorn
 
Don't get me wrong I own a 2016 OLED and it's great

I just remember lots of people with 2015 OLEDs wishing they had waited another year.

Can you pickup a 2nd hand OLED for £600?
 
VincentHanna said:
Don't get me wrong I own a 2016 OLED and it's great

I just remember lots of people with 2015 OLEDs wishing they had waited another year.

Can you pickup a 2nd hand OLED for £600?
Click to expand...

I dunno I've never looked tbh. They are £1200 brand new so I imagine £600 is possible for a 2 year old one.

one sold for £380

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LG-55EG91...887179?hash=item3ad84ad98b:g:n~kAAOSw241Yhf4Y

"Perfect condition, no marks, full home demo provided. Can be viewed before purchase, 4 pairs of 3D Glasses provided."

the one before that £700 so I imagine £600 on a private forum with no fees is possible
 
Psycho Sonny said:
I've just looked at all 79 titles. 5 of them I have seen and 2 movies I would watch rest of them don't care. Of the 5 I have already seen in HD I wouldn't watch them again just to watch them in 4K.

Also of the 79 titles there is loads of tosh like:

Fireplace for your Home: Birchwood Edition
Fireplace for your Home: Classic Edition
Moving Art: Deserts
Moving Art: Flowers
Moving Art: Forests
Moving Art: Oceans
Moving Art: Underwater

why?????

Also BBC HD is low bit rate 1080i. It's not even Full HD.

Which is my point there is very little content atm. It's simply not worth it however you will struggle to buy a decent 1080p set brand new so your only option is 4K unless you buy second hand
Click to expand...

Well I haven't seen most of them , BBC HD looks great to me, maybe my eyes are less precise than yours.

I think modern led tellies are remarkable value for money.

I just think oled is still a little too new, it won't be long though until many more oled TVs are available, not worth the relatively high cost at the moment IMO.
 
I think it's a bit of a tricky time to buy TVs, as we're just transitioning to a new resolution (4K) and a new technology (OLED). However, that tech is still at the upper end of price for mainstream adoption, but is poised to come down in price over the next 2 or 3 years. I would never want to change my plasma, now, for an LED TV, in my mind I will have to eek it out for 2 or more years or so before adopting OLED when the price is right and any technical issues have been ironed it.

Normally with tech stuff you can wait in perpetuity for whatever is "just around the corner", but in my mind the best time to buy remains a couple of years in the future. (That's on my timescale where I like to get a good 5+ years out of a decent TV. It's less relevant if you upgrade every one or two years regardless).
 
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