Most 4K / Ultra HD televisions differ from their predecessors not only in resolution and price. They have HDR support with greater color depth, higher frame rates and a dozen or so other chips.
In this post we have tried to put everything on the shelves and recommend several models in different price segments. And they did it traditionally without reference to our range.
4K background
In the prehistoric era of Full HD domination — that is, five years ago — buying 4K TV was more of a costly exotic experiment than a practical choice. In addition to digital photos and hand-made video from at least expensive 4K-cameras, there was nothing to watch by and large. And even as a monitor for external sources of 4K-pictures from game consoles and a PC, such a TV was not very suitable: mainly due to the limitations of the interfaces of that time in bit rate and FPS.
The collapse in prices for 4K TVs began three or four years ago, simultaneously with the advent of 4K content: movies, shows, games. By this time, the massive transition of home Internet networks at a speed of hundreds of megabits per second successfully arrived, which in fact provided massive access to online cinemas with 4K-interesting deposits.
Today, the 4K image has completely lost its exotic status - and not only on the large home screen, but even on the smartphone display. Prices for TVs 4K UHD with a diagonal of 43 inches or more, the image with super high quality is easily transmitted through modern wireless networks, TV shows and movies are ready to broadcast off-air, Internet broadcasters and even cellular operators. 4K cameras are not built into irons.
As in the case of any other electronics, each customer has his own preferences about the optimal diagonal, the usefulness of a particular function, and even more so about the basic budget, which generally makes sense to spend on a purchase.
We will review the list of main options, the presence of which should be considered before purchasing 4K-TV. What to leave in the list - everyone decides for himself. You can cross out from the list, but it’s hardly worth ignoring the entire list.
4K, Ultra HD, UHD, UHDTV, 2160p - how to?
In 4K TVs, there are many names, for which you need to "thank" restless marketers. In fact, 4K is a picture of 4096x2160 pixels in size, that is, the format adopted in the film industry and not entirely corresponding to the resolution and format of the body.
Comparison of various screen resolutionsIn TVs, the picture has a different size - QuadHD, 3840 x 2160 pixels (pixels), or 2160 lines (lines - 2160p). By the way, it is exactly twice as large (both vertically and horizontally) than the standard Full HD (1920 x 1080), or four times the area. That is, it is about 8 million pixels versus 2 million in Full HD. The term "4K" - short and capacious, turned out to be very convenient for advertising, and so caught on.
Ultra HD (Ultra High Definition TV), UHD, UHDTV - all these are different names of the new “ultra high quality” TV standard versus HDTV (High Definition TV) corresponding to the quality of Full HD.
TV specifications
4K TVs of the first generation and a number of modern low-end models are capable of reproducing a color palette with a depth of 8 bits per color, which totals 16.7 million colors. The UHDTV standard initially laid not only a purely “mechanical” increase in image resolution (4K, and in the long run several years already 8K), but also a number of other important characteristics. If you do a “cinema at home” - why not push off from the standards of cinema, and then, perhaps, even surpass them?
For reference: the basic requirements of the main standard Ultra High Definition TV (Rec. ITU-R BT.2020) imply that by 2020 UHD TVs (with a 4K picture and in the future 8K will support scanning up to 120 frames per second, 10-bit and in perspective, even 12-bit color coding (HDR and its further development), as well as spatial sound with up to 24 channels!Color depth
Compared to previous Full HD (HDTV) televisions, 4K models, first of all, increase the supported color depth to at least 10 bits per channel. For modern 4K TVs, this means the ability to display about 1.07 billion colors of the RGB palette.
Comparison of color coverage of TVs Full HD and 4K / UHDTVThis provides support for extended dynamic range (High Dynamic Range, HDR), displaying a huge number of color gradations - the smallest shades of light colors and shadows in the dark.
Hdr
The basic characteristics of a HDR television image are laid down in the above Rec. ITU-R BT.2020, although currently producers of content and technology are gradually mastering the new standard BT.2100 adopted in 2016.
In particular, the standard Rec. 2100 defines three picture resolutions: 1080p (Full HD), 3840 x 2160 (we call it “4K”) and 7680 x 4320 (future “8K”); all three with square pixels and a 16: 9 aspect ratio. List of supported Rec. 2100 frame rates include 120p, 119.88p, 100p, 60p, 59.94p, 50p, 30p, 29.97p, 25p, 24p, 23.976p. As you can see, we are talking only about progressive scan (p - progressive), antediluvian interlaced (i - interlaced) variants are finally written off for scrap.
Rec. 2100 determines the color depth of 10 or 12 bits.
From a practical point of view, it should be remembered that the standard is Rec. 2100 defines exactly the same color space as Rec. 2020. This, in turn, is much wider than the sRGB color space using the primary colors of the previous BT.709 standard. It is also worth noting that the wider gamut of AdobeRGB, once developed by Adobe based on sRGB to cover the entire printed color gamut of color printers in the CMYK color model, is also a subset of the color space of the Rec. 2020/2100.
DCI-P3 (digital cinema) color spaces comparison, AdobeRGB, Rec. 709 (sRGB) and Rec. 2020/2100However, comparing HDR in cameras, camcorders and televisions on the forehead is still not entirely appropriate - if only because many advanced parameters are used to work with an extended
dynamic range when generating and processing a video stream, ensuring the stability of brightness and color reproduction in dynamics. It is these nuances, in particular, that led to the emergence of a new standard Rec. 2100
Comparison of standard and extended dynamic rangeActually, the key difference between Rec. 2020 and BT.2100 lies in the fact that the newer version of the standard works with two basic versions of high dynamic range (HDR), defined by various techniques of its formation.
Visual difference between normal picture and HDR imageFor displaying high dynamic range video (HDR) with a brightness level of up to 10,000 nits in the Rec.2020 color space,
Perceptual Quantization (PQ) is used - the SMPTE ST 2084 industrial standard.
The PQ technique is the basis of the popular today open formats HDR10 (combination with static metadata for color correction) and HDR10 + (dynamic metadata for frame-by-frame brightness adjustment), as well as the private closed Dolby Vision format (Rec.2020 color space, but already with 12-bit color depth in combination with static and dynamic metadata).
Comparing the image with the usual gamma and HDR + on Samsung TVsThis technique already has wide support from both TV manufacturers (LG, Samsung) and content producers (Netflix, Amazon). In fact, the new ITU standard does not affect the PQ technique.
4K / Ultra HD HDR logoThe alternative to PQ -
HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) - is interesting because, due to the hybrid gamma curve (the lower part of the signal values for the gamma curve, the upper part of the signal values by the logarithmic curve), it provides compatibility with the image of the standard (SDR) dynamic range. In other words, due to the combination of information about SDR and HDR pictures in a single signal, HDR TVs with HLG can highlight the data they need for an extended dynamic range, while ordinary SDR TVs simply ignore it.
HLG support for the prevalence is not yet comparable to the PQ format, although it is embedded in the DVB-standard ATSC 3.0, ITU Rec. 2100, as well as in the HDMI 2.0b, HEVC, VP9 and H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC specifications. However, a number of content producers and some television networks (BBC iPlayer, DirecTV, Freeview Play, YouTube) have already announced plans to adapt the HLG. TV manufacturers, in turn, are trying to provide support for HLG on an existing fleet of serial HDR TVs with the release of updated firmware.
Frame rate, FPS
The higher the frame rate supported, the less blurring will be on the ultra fine picture when viewing dynamic content such as sports and games. What is the point of taking 4K-TV if, due to low FPS, the picture is constantly blurred?
The first 4K TVs frame rate was initially less than 60 frames per second. Now, under the new standards, we are talking about 120 frames per second.
Diagonal
A 4K image on a medium screen when viewed from several meters is perceived by many viewers as a 3D image. Nevertheless, the difference will be noticeable if you watch a 4K TV with a diagonal of 60-80 inches from the sofa five meters from the screen or from a meter distance - for example, with a game console.
As for conventional TV, there is no single recipe for choosing a diagonal. Something more appropriate in the kitchen or bedroom, for home cinema in the living room the choice will be different. You can push yourself away from the criteria for evaluating the "retina" of smartphones: diagonal in combination with the distance to the screen.
Sound
The support of all 24 audio channels according to the UHDTV standard is still far away to everyone - both broadcasters, filmmakers, games, and, actually, TVs. However, in modern 4K TVs, seven or more audio channels are no longer a rarity. In most cases we are talking about 2-, 5.1-or 7.1-channel audio, although often the TV interpolates the multichannel surround sound from a regular stereo signal at the input.
Perfectionist audiophiles are unlikely to be interested in sound placed inside thin television panels. Nevertheless, TVs with real wonders of acoustic engineering can be found on sale today - they manage to embed subwoofers and speakers with tape and spatial radiators with excellent sound in panels of several millimeters thick. As a rule, in this case we are talking about premium segment televisions.
Screen Type: OLED, QLED, IPS, TN?
OLED TVs are still the leaders in the premium segment, and this is not surprising, given their “instantaneous” response speed, hundreds of times faster than the best LED models, as well as realistic black color and huge color coverage.
The technology of "quantum dots" (Quantum Dot) - QD LED (QLED in Samsung terminology) is an LCD panel with semiconductor nanocrystals glowing under the influence of current or light. Compared to OLED screens, QLED displays are said to have a longer lifespan, and, moreover, today they are somewhat more affordable than OLED models, although they are also in the premium price range.
If we are not talking about the latest OLED and QLED TVs with an exorbitant price tag, manufacturers do not always indicate the type of matrix in a particular TV model: LCD and everything. In addition, modern internal intermediate image processing algorithms powerfully process the signal. After these "improvers", and even in combination with various types of highlights and their dimming, it is not a fact that you should rely on a particular type of matrix.
That is why, having read various “for” and “against” on the Internet, it makes sense to go to the nearest store or demo center and trust your own eyes in the old-fashioned way: seeing once is better than staying a hundred web reviews is a fact.
Smart TV (Smart TV)
Televisions for a long time were called “television receivers”: by analogy with a radio receiver, they could only receive a terrestrial signal.
First, the TV was connected to a VCR, then “digitally” to a PC, DVD and flash players. Finally, TVs have learned to go online, independently receive and decode terrestrial, satellite and cable TV channels, record them and provide deferred viewing of programs.
For the owner of 4K TVs, the presence of the Smart TV function means unhindered access to one or another UHD content, and in the case of TVs of some large companies - such as LG, Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, Philips, and also to free collections of 4K movies and programs due to the direct cooperation of TV producers and content. Moreover, some companies even arrange online movie premieres almost simultaneously with the beginning of their distribution in cinemas.
You can also always use the services of numerous online cinemas. Some of them today offer 4K content, even with HDR support. Finally, you can always buy an external TV set-top box.
But before buying - especially a budget 4K TV, just in case you should find out if it has (and what type) built-in Wi-Fi, a webcam, and whether you can buy these options in our country.
Modern smart TVs, as a rule, use the Android platform or the company's own OS, but most of them support the ability to install online services and cinemas. The best also support gestures and voice control, technology for interacting with mobile devices and duplicating the screen of a smartphone on a TV screen.
Some companies, such as Samsung, also produce 4K TVs with the ability to add support for the requirements of the new UHD standards without having to replace the entire TV.
Go to the store or buy online?
Online offers are usually more attractive at prices, and the choice is always more. If there is a clear confidence in the choice and there is no time for running around, why not, if only with a reasonable price of delivery and all the documents and guarantees.
But it is better still the opposite - to find the optimal model on the Web (several is better), and pamper yourself with a trip to the store at the bridegroom. TV in the picture and "live", in the work - two completely different things. In reality, you may not like the design, the remote control, the quality - but who knows what.
Having decided on the maximum amount of purchase, add at least 20% to it to be ready for unexpected, pleasant and not so much. For example, in order not to miss an unexpectedly advantageous offer, when complete with a planned TV, you will get some pleasant bonus in the form of external acoustics almost free of charge.
For perfectionists, audio and video, lovers of techno-exotic or huge diagonals, and finally, for owners of tight wallets, among the latest TVs of the season there is always something special: with an exclusive design, a curved or stereoscopic 3D screen, with an OLED matrix or “quantum dots”, multichannel sound and so on.
Budget 4K
Incredibly, today you can buy an excellent 4K TV with a diagonal of 43 inches or more for as little as $ 500 or even less. The budget is nowhere.
LG 43UJ631V-ZA TVNow in retail you can find modern 4K TVs - such as, for example, 43-inch LG 43UJ631V-ZA or Samsung UE43MU6100U, which provide HDR support and Smart TV feature set at a price of about 30 thousand rubles.
Samsung TV UE43MU6100UFor the sake of justice, it should also be noted that if you wish, you can find 4K TV even cheaper - about 25 thousand rubles and even a little less. It's about brands such as BBK, Daewoo, Haier and others. Here, rather, together with the ratio of price and a set (lack of) functions, one must also take into account the factors of trust in the brand and the guarantee.
49.5-inch TV BBK 50LEX-6027 / UTS2C (23 thousand rubles)And, of course, do not forget about Smart TV: if it is Android, there will be no problems, if something is developed by the company itself - it is better to clarify in advance whether the TV supports the installation of services and applications you need.
Returning to the models of the price range of conditional “500 ye” (plus or minus a couple of thousand rubles, it should be noted that if you wish, you can find very interesting options for 4K-TV with diagonals up to 49 inches.
49-inch TV LG 49UJ631V-ZAFor example, LG 49UJ631V-ZA - 4K, HDR, 49 inches and just 34 thousand rubles.
40-inch TV Panasonic TX-40EXR600 (36 thousand rubles)The favorites in the budget price segment of 4K HDR TVs are certainly LG and Samsung, but such well-known brands like Panasonic and Toshiba also play here.
Medium price segment
4K TVs with prices ranging from $ 500 to $ 1,500 - perhaps the most numerous and intense segment today, which even some premium QLED models fall into. In addition, there is a great variety of TVs with huge diagonals - from 65 inches or more.
55-inch QLED TV Samsung QE55Q6FAMU"Quantum dots" are available for a sum of about 90 thousand rubles when choosing a 55-inch Samsung QE55Q6FAMU TV.
65-inch TV LG 65UJ634VFor a sum of just over 80 thousand rubles, you can choose the huge 65-inch TV LG 65UJ634V or Samsung UE65MU6100U.
65-inch TV Samsung UE65MU6100UIf you look at the most popular models with a diagonal of 50-55 inches, you can find dozens of offers even from top brands at a price of 40-50 thousand rubles. For example, a good HDR-model with a diagonal of 55 inches - LG 55UJ620V - is on sale for only 42 thousand rubles.
Curved 49-inch Samsung UE49MU6300UCuriously, this price category also includes interesting models with a curved screen. So, the 49-inch Samsung UE49MU6300U can be found today at a price of only 50 thousand rubles.
Premium selection
The premium segment of 4K TVs (90-100 thousand rubles and above) is widely represented in Russian retail, but now the attention of connoisseurs of flagship models is riveted on the novelties of the spring-summer 2018 season. As a rule, TV manufacturers announce new models every six months - at the beginning of the year and on the eve of the beginning of the school year. At the same time, they appear in retail at the end of spring and on the eve of Christmas sales.
Today, in Russian stores you can already find the unique 77-inch LG OLED77W8 TV (approximately 1.5 million rubles) of the premium LG SIGNATURE series, made on the new generation of OLED matrices, the Alpha9 intelligent processor and LG AI TV technology.
77 inch OLED TV LG OLED77W8The LG OLED77W8 model implements all the latest technological developments of recent times, including support for most HDR formats, including HDR10 Pro, Dolby Vision, Technicolor Advanced HDR, HDR10 Pro and HLG Pro, as well as Dolby Atmos cinema sound technology.
Among the new 4K TVs with QLED technology of 2018, we can mention the flagship Samsung Q9F with full direct illumination technology and a diagonal of 75 inches. The eldest model QE75Q9FNAUXRU in the series supports Q HDR Elite technology (HDR 10+) and Ultra Black Elite technology with antireflection elements on the matrix film, due to which the light reflection decreases and the contrast range increases.
75-inch QLED TV Samsung QE75Q9FNAUXRUThe Samsung QE75Q9FNAUXRU uses the new Q Engine processor to process and optimize complex color solutions. In retail, the novelty is offered at a price of about 500 thousand rubles.
Among the new Samsung there is another interesting 75-inch QLED-new model QE75Q8CAMUXRU with a curved screen at a price of 280 thousand rubles.
75-inch curved QLED TV Samsung QE75Q8CAMUXRUThe TV is interesting with a combination of the latest version of quantum dot technology with Q HDR 1500 dynamic range expansion technology, as well as an interesting design with a smooth texture of the back metal panel without tangled visible wires.
Particular attention among the new premium class deserve new 4K TVs Sony BRAVIA - both with OLED-screens, and with traditional LCD panels. The 65-inch Sony KD-65AF8 model with an OLED matrix at a price of about 350 thousand rubles is interesting for its high level of contrast and the ability to transmit the perfect black color.
65-inch OLED TV Sony BRAVIA KD-65AF8Used in the 4K HDR TV, the X1 Extreme processor processes the image in real time, improving the detail and improving the quality of any video to almost 4K HDR quality. Unlike conventional TVs, in the Sony KD-65AF8 model, due to the Acoustic Surface technology, the sound is transmitted to the entire screen surface.
Triluminos Display technology in combination with Dolby Vision is capable of reproducing a wide range of vibrant colors. The 4K HDR TV with Android TV also has a voice control system - you can search for movies and TV shows in the applications and on the broadcast channels just by saying their names.
In the model range of Sony BRAVIA XF90 TVs, the company introduced a 75-inch flagship KD-75XF9005 (about 400 thousand rubles price) with an X1 Extreme processor, support for HDR-format Dolby Vision, X-Motion Clarity technology for smooth transfer of dynamic scenes, X-tended technology Dynamic Range PRO to improve the quality of video in various formats, including HDR, by adjusting the brightness of the backlight in certain areas of the screen.
75-inch Sony BRAVIA KD-75XF9005 LCD TVLike all new Sony BRAVIA, KD-75XF9005 TV is made on the Android TV platform and supports voice search for quick access to the desired content and control of the TV.
Total
No expert opinion will replace your own TV experience. Go to the store, study the picture, look through the channels, enjoy the quality on sports, cinema, animated and other scenes. You should not choose a TV solely on the parameters, without the personal experience of viewing different models. Enjoy the shopping!