4K vs HD vs 8K – Difference and Comparison

What is 4K?

4K is a term used to refer to a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. 4K technology is an ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV).

4K offers an incredibly detailed picture quality with more vivid colors. Viewing 4K content, viewers can expect incredibly sharp images with much finer details. 4K TVs also come with HDR (High Dynamic Range), which adds even greater detail and color. HDR brings out details in the dark and bright parts of the image to create an even more immersive viewing experience.

 4K content is becoming more readily available as more streaming services, such as Netflix, offer 4K streaming. Cable and satellite providers are now starting to offer 4K programming.  

4K televisions are becoming more affordable as the technology has become more widely available. 4K TVs offer the best picture quality, with 4K content becoming more readily available.

What is HD?

HD (High Definition) is a term used to describe a higher resolution than the standard definition. It is used to refer to television or film images but can also describe digital audio, digital photography, and computer displays.

HD is considered a significant improvement over standard definition (SD) because it provides more detail and clarity, especially true when viewing HD images on large screens such as televisions or computer monitors. HD images also look better when viewed on smaller screens such as tablets and smartphones.

HD is becoming increasingly popular as more people upgrade their televisions and other devices to support HD. Many streaming services now offer HD content, and many television shows and movies are now being filmed and released in HD.

What is 8K?

8K is a total of 7680 x 4320 pixels, four times the resolution of 4K (Ultra HD). It is also known as Super Hi-Vision, or Ultra High Definition and is the highest resolution of digital television and display devices.

8K displays offer 33 million pixels, providing a picture with incredibly life-like detail and clarity. The higher pixel count of 8K displays allows for more realistic images with greater depth and clarity and a more comprehensive color range, meaning that the picture is more vivid and detailed, with more shades of color and more excellent contrast.

8K also offers a broader field of view, allowing viewers to see more of the image without moving their eyes. 8K is becoming the new standard in digital display technology and is slowly being adopted by major manufacturers. 8K displays are available on select televisions and monitors from companies such as LG, Samsung, Sony, and Sharp.

Difference Between 4K, HD, and 8K

1. 4K resolution requires more compression than HD resolution but less than 8K resolution.
2. 4K resolution requires about 4 GB of storage space per minute, HD resolution requires about 1 GB per minute, and 8K resolution requires about 16 GB per minute.
3. HD files are much smaller than 4K and 8K.
4. HD video is suitable for displaying sharp images, but 4K and 8K videos offer much more clarity and detail.
5. 8K has the best picture quality, followed by 4K and HD.
6. 8K video still needs to be widely available, whereas HD and 4K videos are more widely available.

Comparison Between 4K, HD, and 8K

References

1. Perceptual quality of 4K-resolution video content compared to HD | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore
2. A Dual-Clock VLSI Design of H.265 Sample Adaptive Offset Estimation for 8k Ultra-HD TV Encoding | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore