If you’re puzzled to choose the right display it’s not your fault, it’s because the manufacturers are continuously trying to advertise their product more seductively. You might already have heard about Ultra HD display, 4K display, and even 4K UHD but are you aware of the actual differences between Ultra HD vs 4k displays? Which one should get more preference from you and why? Let’s dive into that.
Table of Contents
What is the Term “Pixel”?
To get a lucid idea about resolution let’s be introduced with a miniature-sized part of your screen, also the main determining factor in this regard, known as Pixel. It is the smallest block of an illuminated screen that sums up to form an image on your display. You can also treat it as a sample of your image, more sample means a clearer image.
Thus, we came to the definition of resolution, the number of samples, i.e. pixel, your screen has. We usually express resolution by the total pixel numbers on both dimensions. In short, more resolution means more pixels that lead to forming a clearer and sharp image.
Ultra Hd vs 4k: What are the Differences?
The main difference between an Ultra HD and a 4k screen is the resolution of them. That’s from the consumer standpoint and we, the general viewer, may rarely distinct those differences. Things are more sophisticated in technical terms that may seem esoteric to you but describe it better. Have a check.
Pixel Dimensions
4096*2160 is the pixel dimension of 4k screens, manufacturers also called it true 4k for having the true pixel ratio of actual “4k” meaning. It is mainly the 4 times of the prior standard resolution for projection or digital editing that means it is a more professional production with a perfect ratio for cinematic view.
On the other hand, Ultra HD or also called UHD has a slightly low number of pixels in the horizontal dimension, 3840*2160 it is. The resolution indicates the images will be cropped at the two sides but that’s not a problem because it is the standard 16:9 ratio for the consumer display or digital channel broadcast.
Encoding
The 4k term originated from Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) that indicates the special type of encoding mainly focused on Digital Cinematography. The 4k standard images or streams are initially compressed using the JPEG 2000 technology. This technology allows a bitrate up to 250 Mbps and eventually being employed a 12 bit 4:4:4 depth of the colors in the image.
On the other hand, UHD technology has a different way of encoding to present the images on the screen. It a combination of four times the standard HD resolution that is 1920*1080 or commonly known as 1080p. Four FHD screens assembled in four corners to form the UHD or 3840*2160 resolution.
So, the internal system of a UHD screen is as same as the FHD, you are just watching 4 of them at the same time to form a big and clearer picture.
Usages
Though there is no significant difference between a 4k screen resolution compared to a UHD screen resolution, in normal cases 4k screen is used where the main purpose is to show cinema or 1:9:1 ratio pictures.
On the contrary, UHD is more usable for a home to stream channels or streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. The advantage of these screens is the 1:78:1 aspect ratio that is standard for most of the usages.
What Should Be Your Choice?
So, the question of what pixel resolution would be perfect for you. The fun fact is almost all TV and monitors that are commercially advertised as a 4k are UHD. Sometimes you may hear about 4k UHD TV, so this is the purpose to do so. Though there is some panel for home use that has a resolution of 4096 by 2160 and advertised as the “True 4k screen”.
To summarize, if your main purpose is for home use or office work, not enjoying cinemas all the time then you must go for the UHD resolution to get the standard aspect ratio in both dimensions. You can also choose a 4k screen but in the end, you have to see the annoying black lines at the two sides of the screen when you are watching anything rather than a cinema.
Finally, if your purpose is to display cinema or that kind of image most of the time like in a waiting room or studio, then definitely go for a true 4k screen to feel the scenes in the best possible way.
Conclusion
Choosing the right display is always confusing, but it becomes more confusing when you have to deal with Ultra HD vs 4k where the differences are minimal. You will rarely feel the picture quality differences between these two, so the determining factor is the purpose of using. If you want to use multiple monitors together, then it is possible too of course but you have to consider the video and audio interfaces like DVI, DisplayPort cable, HDMI, or other cable connectors. Based on our guidelines, you can choose the display resolution and enjoy the ultimate clear image in front of your eyes.
