{"id":76287,"date":"2026-02-04T16:34:39","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T19:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ces.einnews.com\/article\/889407639"},"modified":"2026-02-04T16:34:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T19:34:39","slug":"8k-tvs-are-basically-dead-heres-why-thats-a-win-for-everyone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/02\/04\/8k-tvs-are-basically-dead-heres-why-thats-a-win-for-everyone\/","title":{"rendered":"8K TVs Are Basically Dead. Here’s Why That’s a Win for Everyone"},"content":{"rendered":"

LG just announced that it will stop making 8K TVs<\/u><\/a>, following similar moves from Sony last year and TCL in 2023. Among major manufacturers, Samsung is the only holdout still making super-high-resolution TVs<\/u><\/a>, and it hasn\u2019t exactly been zealous in promoting them. 8K<\/a> isn\u2019t technically dead, but for anyone seriously shopping for a big screen<\/a>, it might as well be. And that\u2019s completely fine. It could even be seen as good news, because it means less to worry about in future-proofing your home theater. Let’s examine why 8K is failing, and what that means for you. <\/p>\n

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From SD to 8K: How the Pixels Shake Out<\/h2>\n

\"8K<\/p>\n

The difference in resolution between 1080p (HD), 4K, and 8K (Credit: Geoffrey Morrison\/CNET)<\/small>\n<\/div>\n

Before high-definition (HD) was even a term, TVs had a standard resolution of 640 by 480, or about 300,000 pixels. When HDTV formats settled on 1080p (1,920 by 1,080), the pixel count rose to about 2 million. 4K, the current TV standard, is 3,840 by 2,160, or about 8.3 million pixels. Finally, 8K TVs have a resolution of 7,860 by 4,320, or about 34 million total pixels. <\/p>\n

In other words, the jump from SD to HD increased the number of pixels on our TVs by more than sixfold, and since then, each step up has quadrupled that number.<\/p>\n

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8K Makes No Difference From the Couch<\/h2>\n

If you remember upgrading from SD to HD, you were probably struck by how much sharper it looked, especially when viewing 1080p content like a Blu-ray to really show it off. And after that, if you upgraded to a 4K TV and watched compatible content on a streaming service or an Ultra HD Blu-ray, you probably noticed the improved detail from 1080p. You’d think the same thing would happen with 8K.<\/p>\n

\"University<\/p>\n

The apparatus University of Cambridge researchers used in their 8K study (Credit: Maliha Ashraf, Alexandre Chapiro, Rafal K. Mantiuk)<\/small>\n<\/div>\n

Our eyes don\u2019t work that way, though, and that\u2019s one of the biggest reasons 8K hasn\u2019t caught on. Researchers at the University of Cambridge<\/a> found that humans, on average, can see 94 pixels per degree (ppd), with some of the best vision reaching 120ppd. They also made an online calculator<\/u><\/a> to figure out your TV’s resolution in ppd. According to that tool, a 65-inch 4K TV viewed from eight feet away has an average of 114ppd. In other words, unless you have the vision of an eagle, your 4K TV might already be just right for what your eyes are capable of.<\/p>\n

That research confirms what I\u2019ve seen covering 8K TVs. I\u2019ve tested several, and every time I\u2019ve come to the same conclusion: Yes, it\u2019s sharper if I get really close and squint, but I can’t quite notice the difference from the couch. Even if there are fine details in the picture that can only be seen in 8K, that doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019m going to notice them unless I\u2019m really looking for them. And while I love a good pause-and-zoom to find easter eggs in movies, I\u2019m not going to do that when I\u2019m just casually watching something.<\/p>\n

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8K TVs Cost More\u2014and Can Actually Look Worse<\/h2>\n

\"Samsung<\/p>\n

Samsung’s QN990F 8K TV (Credit: Will Greenwald)<\/small>\n<\/div>\n

The most recent 8K TV I tested was Samsung\u2019s QN990F<\/u><\/a>, a high-end QLED model with strong contrast and color. I watched some 8K video that Samsung provided, and also went through my usual collection of 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays, including the Spears & Munsil Ultra HD benchmark disc<\/u><\/a>. Samsung’s 8K demo footage featured colorful scenes loaded with detail to show off the TV\u2019s resolution and color range, similar to the Spears & Munsil disc. Between the two, I could only tell that the 8K footage was any sharper by pausing it and physically getting within a foot or two of the TV. Both looked great on the QN990F, but I didn\u2019t really see any difference with the 8K resolution.<\/p>\n

I also tested the QN90F<\/u><\/a>, Samsung’s top-of-the-line 4K QLED TV. Despite being a flagship model, the QN90F is much cheaper than the QN990F. The 4K TV is currently available for $2,299.99 for 85 inches, while the 8K model is $3,799.99 for the same size. That\u2019s a huge premium for extra pixels that you probably won\u2019t notice. <\/p>\n

\"Samsung<\/p>\n

Samsung’s QN90F 4K TV (Credit: Will Greenwald)<\/small>\n<\/div>\n

The less expensive QN90F was also significantly brighter in my testing, at 2,257 nits, compared with the QN990F\u2019s 1,608 nits. To be fair, both were preproduction models. That said, both were finalized enough that Samsung was confident in letting me spend a couple of hours testing them with my own equipment. So not only is the 8K TV more expensive, it isn\u2019t as bright. That means the cheaper 4K TV can actually look better, since it has better dynamic range and contrast.<\/p>\n

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Simply put, 8K TVs are more expensive and might not even look as good as 4K.<\/p>\n

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There’s Nothing to Watch in 8K<\/h2>\n

Remember how I said Samsung provided 8K demo footage for testing the QN990F? That\u2019s because there isn\u2019t any real 8K content available to TV watchers. At all. There isn\u2019t even a consistent, user-friendly way to get<\/em> 8K content. If you want to watch 4K shows or movies, you can use almost any major streaming service<\/a> or buy a physical Ultra HD Blu-ray (so long as you have a compatible player like a PlayStation 5<\/u><\/a> or Xbox Series X<\/u><\/a>). 4K has been a solved problem for several years, so you really don\u2019t have to worry about compatibility or availability.<\/p>\n

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The Best 4K TVs We’ve Tested<\/h3>\n
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\"Hisense <\/p>\n
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Hisense 65U65QF Review <\/h3>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

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4.5<\/div>\n
Outstanding<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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