High definition (HD) TVs are popular, but are gradually making way for the new generation of TVs known as 4K or Ultra HD (UHD), with an image resolution so sharp and clear that it is best viewed on very large screens. At the moment, there’s limited 4K content out there, but more and more TV shows are being created in 4K, and UHD blue-ray players have just been released.
High definition (HD) TVs are popular, but are gradually making way for the new generation of TVs known as 4K or Ultra HD (UHD), with an image resolution so sharp and clear that it is best viewed on very large screens. At the moment, there’s limited 4K content out there, but more and more TV shows are being created in 4K, and UHD blue-ray players have just been released.
HOW IT WORKS
4K TVs pack in four times more pixels than a regular HD TV! A high-definition resolution is 1080 by 1920 pixels, while 4K’s is 3840 by 2160 pixels – giving the picture more depth, detail and better contrast. It’s been said that one should sit closer to a 4K TV than a regular TV for the full immersive experience.
ASK BEFORE YOU BUY
Older 4K TVs have HDMI inputs that are version 1.4. Current 4K TVs carry HDMI 2.0, specially made for 4K feeds with its increased data bandwidth. At the store, try to view the TV at the distance that you would at home.
OUR PICKS
■ Sony Bravia X9300D, $5,999 for 55-inch and $8,999 for 65-inch
The new X9300D features Sony’s 4K Processor X1, which improves clarity, colour accuracy and contrast. The ultra slim design allows it to be mounted very close to the wall, so you can maintain an uncluttered table top with clean cable management.
■ Samsung KS9000, $5,199 for 55-inch and $7,199 for 65-inch
The KS9000 curved TV raises the design bar with its virtually edgeless screen. It boasts exceptional colour and trueto- life images, made possible by Samsung’s Quantum Dot Technology that unlocks up to a billion colour combinations. It provides striking brightness, exceptional shadow detail and vividly accurate colour.
■ LG OLED E6, $7,499 for 55-inch and $9,999 for 65-inch
The E6 OLED 4K TV features LG’s unique Picture-On-Glass design concept, which met the gold standard in design and received the “Best of the Best” prize at the Red Dot Awards 2016. It delivers astonishing images that, compared with standard HD images, have brighter highlights, more lightto- dark contrast, and colours never before seen on TV.
