How Do I Know If My TV is 4K? All You Need to Know (2023)

Televisions with 4K resolution are quite popular right now. The other day, I started to question whether my TV was 4K or not. There isn’t much to choose between a 4K and HD TV when it comes to picture quality. Do you know whether your television is 4K?

Examining your TV’s manual or packing box may tell you whether it’s 4K and what resolution it has. In most cases, the resolution is referred to as “Ultra-High Definition” (UHD) in the user manual.

3840 x 2160 is another way to express it in pixels. You may also see ‘4K’ displayed in bold text style instead. As indicated in this article, you may use various ways to confirm your product’s legitimacy and quality.

What is a 4K Resolution or UHD?

Most people are familiar with SD, HD, and UHD or 4K resolutions since they’ve seen them on a variety of television sets. These pixel sizes range from 720p for SD to 3840p or 4096p (about 4000, thus the term 4K) for UHD, depending on the format.

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It’s a measure of how well-done your photo or video is. Increasing the number of pixels in your picture or video allows you to see even the smallest things in crystal clear clarity.

You would assume that this implies 4K TVs are huge, but there are a number of excellent compact 4K TVs available that have excellent pixel density and clarity.

What is the Difference Between 4K and UHD?

This is a question I’d want to address from two perspectives:

  • You need not be concerned as a customer. The 4K TV you bought is really a UHD model. Nevertheless, except for the tiny change in nomenclature and resolution, the two are almost identical.
  • The 4K format, on the other hand, offers a resolution of 4096 x 2160, which is exactly double that of Full HD!

UHD might be compared to HD and SD on content platforms, although 4K is more of a production industry word. In the case of a UHD (almost 4K) device, the aspect ratio is often 1.78:1 to guarantee that the product reaches to market with an attractive aspect ratio.

Other Methods to Check If Your TV is 4K As previously said, an excellent place to begin is with the handbook or package box. A smart TV that has access to YouTube will be of great use to you in this situation. Go to the official GoPro Action Cameras channel, for example, which has a lot of visually appealing material.

You’ll have no trouble locating material that’s accessible in a variety of sizes. Personally, I’d suggest starting at a lower resolution and working your way up to 4K. Yes, provided the network is not a problem, you will quickly notice an increase in content quality.

You won’t be able to use the 4K option if your TV only supports standard HD since certain devices restrict the quality to the highest levels that can be shown. You may also use your television’s remote control to access the display’s information.

If you have a Smart TV, your remote control, for example, should include an info button. As soon as you press it, the pixels and format of your TV’s display will be shown in the upper right corner. Images or even simple text may be used to evaluate the image’s quality.

Aside from looking at text corners, there are a few more options worth considering. Font corners and edges will look like little square boxes at lower resolutions because of this.

How To Watch 4K Content?

1080p 1440p and 2160p

You have a wide range of choices here. I can think of a few that are well known and readily accessible.

YouTube

There is a lot of 4K stuff to be found here if you want to look around. You can get 4K footage for trip documentaries, action camera videos, and certain movie trailers.

All you have to do is choose the ‘quality’ option and enter the information you need. It’ll say 2160p with a 4K superscript in the resolution field.

Streaming Services

For the time being, all new Netflix releases will be in 4K quality. You’ll have to pay a monthly membership fee to use this feature. On Amazon Prime, you’ll find exactly the same thing: You can also watch movies and other media on Apple devices.

You’ll be able to get them via Apple’s iTunes store. There is a cost associated with using the platform, and that is indicated on it.

4K UHD Blu-Ray

A Blu-ray player, which costs around $100, is required. Any Blu-Ray movie in 4K format may be found at a neighborhood Multimedia store or online purchasing platform once you have a Blu-Ray player in your possession.

Many more platforms can provide 4K video besides these few. We’ll go through a few of them in more depth, along with cost and content information, down below.

Can You Watch Non-4K Content on Your 4K TV?

Even while it’s technically feasible, it’s not recommended. I’ll do my best to make the concept as clear as possible. More pixelation occurs when a picture is stretched to suit the screen size rather than resized. With this rule, you may use any number of different resolutions. As previously stated, a 65-inch 4K TV should have an average screen size.

It is possible to get a television set that is up to 80 inches wide. A poor-quality picture that looks OK on a 16-inch screen may seem far worse when stretched to fill the whole screen, so be careful when attempting to show poor-quality images.

However, there is a workaround for this issue. Upscaling is the phrase used to describe this process. Now, it’s important to keep in mind that upscaling will never significantly increase the quality.

However, material that has been upscaled will always be superior to content that has not been scaled. Image processing is required for upscaling, and as the original content’s resolution decreases, the procedure becomes less effective.

Upscaling a 1080p video to 4K is always preferable since it’s faster and simpler than upscaling a 720p video.

How to Make The Most Out of Your 4K TV

How can I make the most of my 4K television now? Selecting the right accessories or addends for your TV set is the quickest and simplest solution.

Sony, Samsung, and others make smart 4K TVs that are commonplace in homes today. Instead, you may use a dongle or a nice streaming stick if your TV doesn’t have an HDMI connector. You may learn how to make your TV smart by following these instructions.

If you’re having trouble deciding between different streaming services, go back to the table at the beginning of this post for help. To avoid problems with backlight distribution on LCD TVs, go for newer display versions like the OLED when buying a new TV.

While installing your TV, another option is to put it in a location where most people can see it and watch the program material while you work.

Conclusion

You may verify your TV’s resolution format from the handbook or the display settings on your remote to see whether it is 4K or not. Secondarily, you may utilize free streaming services like Youtube to distinguish between video resolutions of 144p and 2160p (4K).

Copyrighted 4K video may also be found on subscription-based services like Amazon Prime and Netflix. Look at the corners of an image or text to see whether the visual quality is acceptable.

Getting the greatest image out of your TV set is simple now that there are so many tools and video streaming platforms accessible online and on paper.

-our editorial board has reviewed this article and has been approved for publication according to our editorial policy.

Best Seller List of 4K Televisions:

Bestseller No. 1
INSIGNIA 43-inch Class F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV with Alexa Voice Remote (NS-43F301NA25)
  • 4K Ultra HD (2160p resolution) - Enjoy breathtaking HDR10 4K movies and TV shows at 4 times the resolution of Full HD, and upscale your current content to Ultra HD-level picture quality.
  • High Dynamic Range - Provides a wide range of color details and sharper contrast, from the brightest whites to the deepest blacks.
  • Alexa voice control - The Alexa Voice Remote lets you easily control your entertainment, search across apps, switch inputs, and more using just your voice. Press and hold the voice button and ask Alexa to easily find, launch, and control content, and even switch to cable.
  • Access thousands of shows with Fire TV - Watch over 1 million streaming movies and TV episodes with access to thousands of channels, apps and Alexa skills, including Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube, Apple TV+, Disney+, ESPN+, Sling TV, Paramount+, and other services right from this TV.*
  • DTS Studio Sound - This premium audio enhancement suite creates realistic and immersive audio with two-speaker playback that expands your sense of space and ambience.
SaleBestseller No. 2
TCL 55-Inch Class S4 4K LED Smart TV with Fire TV (55S450F, 2023 Model), Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby...
  • 4K Ultra HD Resolution – Experience incredible detail with 4X the resolution of 1080p Full HDTVs.
  • Motion Rate 120 – Motion enhancement technology for improved motion clarity.
  • HDR PRO (Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG) - Enjoy enhanced contrast, accurate colors and fine details utilizing all the most advanced HDR formats.
  • Dolby Atmos - Enjoy an immersive cinematic experience at home with Dolby Atmos built-in.
  • Endless entertainment - Stream more than 1 million movies and TV episodes. Watch favorites from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney plus, Peacock, and more, plus listen to millions of songs. Subscription fees may apply.
SaleBestseller No. 3
Amazon Fire TV 43" 4-Series 4K UHD smart TV with Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote, stream live TV without...
  • Bring movies and shows to life with support for vivid 4K Ultra HD, HDR 10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Plus.
  • 4K Ultra HD, HDR 10, and HLG deliver a clearer and more vibrant picture with brighter colors compared to 1080p Full HD.
  • Press and ask Alexa to easily find, launch, and control your content, or check the weather, sports scores, and more.
  • Stream over 1.5 million movies and TV episodes. Watch favorites with subscriptions to Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more. Subscription fees may apply.
  • Enjoy MGM+ on us - Receive a 6-month subscription to MGM+, including access to thousands of Hollywood movies and Original series with your Fire TV purchase. Terms apply.
SaleBestseller No. 4
VIZIO 50-Inch V-Series 4K UHD LED Smart TV with Voice Remote, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, Alexa...
  • 4K Ultra HD - Over 8 million pixels for breathtaking detail. 4 times the resolution of 1080p!
  • Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10 - See it the way the director intended. Dolby Vision transforms your TV experience with incredible brightness, contrast, and color that brings entertainment to life like never before. V-series also supports HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range formats.
  • Full Array Backlight - LEDs are evenly distributed across the screen's backlight for superior light uniformity and picture performance.
  • IQ Active Processor - Delivers superior picture processing, including a powerful and intelligent 4K upscaling engine that enhances your favorite HD entertainment in spectacular 4K quality.
  • Active Pixel Tuning - Intelligent pixel-level brightness adjustments that tune contrast levels frame by frame in over 2000 zones of the screen for superior visual contrast.
SaleBestseller No. 5
Hisense 50-Inch Class U6HF Series ULED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV (50U6HF) - QLED, 600-Nit Dolby Vision,...
  • Get up to a $200 NBA Store Gift Card when you buy an eligible Hisense U-Series TV. Valid through 6/15/2024. Learn more at www.hisense-forthewin.com
  • 4K ULED: Like great, but better. The 50U6HF has our exclusive ULED technologies. They boost color, contrast, brightness, motion… we could go on. It's the TV your old TV wants to be.
  • Quantum Dot Wide Color Gamut: Quantum Dot produces purer, richer, more brilliant and accurate colors than a regular LED TV. Creating over a billion color combinations brings vibrant images to life in a way non-QLED TVs can't.
  • Fire TV Built-in: With Fire TV built-in, you can enjoy a world of entertainment from apps like Prime Video, Netflix, Disney plus, Hulu, and HBO Max. Plus, stream for free with Freevee, Pluto TV, Tubi, and more. Subscription may be required.
  • Peak Brightness / Full Array Local Dimming Zones: This television offers up-to-600 nits peak brightness across up to 32 local dimming zones. Above average peak brightness and local dimming are critical to correctly reproducing HDR content.
SaleBestseller No. 6
Toshiba 50-inch Class C350 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV with Alexa Voice Remote (50C350LU, 2023...
  • Fire TV - Fire TV brings live, over the air TV and all your streaming channels together on one, easy to use home screen. Connect any HD antenna and ask Alexa to instantly search for and watch live TV, or choose from a vast catalog of streaming movies and TV shows.
  • Regza Engine 4k - Regza Engine 4K is Toshiba’s high performance 4K engine for stunning picture quality, with ultra essential PQ technology combined with high quality LCD panel, you can get an incredible ultra HD 4K images with breath-taking picture quality
  • 4K resolution - 4 times resolution of Full HD, four times the detail. With Toshiba 4K TV, you can enjoy uncompromisingly crisp, clear visuals for a fully immersive, professional theater quality.
  • Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10* - Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10 transforms your TV into an entertainment powerhouse. The image technology from cinemas, now brought together in the home, provide amazing realism that you'll see, hear, and feel like never before.
  • Auto Low Latency Game Mode - Enjoy a better gaming experience. In Game Mode, input lag is significantly improved, so your commands from the controller are virtually instantaneous on the screen.
SaleBestseller No. 7
Hisense 65-Inch Class R6 Series 4K UHD Smart Roku TV with Alexa Compatibility, Dolby Vision HDR, DTS...
  • 4K UltraHD delivers more than four times the resolution of a regular 1080p highdefinition screen. Along with over 8.3 million pixels, inside you'll find a powerful full array LED backlight at work creating a sharper, more colorful picture.
  • Kick back and enjoy streaming movies and TV episodes, plus live-streaming news, TV, sports and more, across thousands of free and paid channels with the Roku TV Operating System.
  • Quickly access entertainment and control your TV with a Google Assistant or Alexa device (sold separately). With the touch of your remote or Roku mobile app, or a simple voice command, you can take control of your smart home, turn on and off the TV, change channels, and much more.
  • Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10 transforms your TV into an entertainment powerhouse. The image technology from cinemas, now brought together in the home, provide amazing realism that you'll see, hear, and feel like never before.
  • Motion Rate 120 image processing technology allows you to enjoy fast-paced sports, movies, and 4K gaming without the lag.
Bestseller No. 8
SAMSUNG 43-Inch Class Crystal UHD 4K CU8000 Series PurColor, Object Tracking Sound Lite, Q-Symphony,...
  • DYNAMIC CRYSTAL COLOR: A billion shades of color pop into view when you turn on this TV; Every subtle variation becomes clear with Dynamic Crystal Color—tech that achieves a different level of UHD using advanced technology.Voltage : 120 volts (AC)
  • CRYSTAL PROCESSOR W/ 4K UPSCALING: Watch the content you love upgraded to dazzling 4K resolution; You’ll be able to better enjoy your TV’s capabilities as the Crystal Processor automatically transforms color, sound and more
  • MOTION XCELERATOR: Experience smooth motion and improved clarity with Motion Xcelerator; Now you can fuel your need for speed with high-intensity sports, movies and games, and enjoy crisp and clear details at the same time*
  • MEGA CONTRAST: See more detail as our Mega Contrast analyzes and adjusts each image; Every frame appears more natural, and a feeling of depth is added as contrast is dialed up in the foreground
  • HDR: Take in an impressive spectrum of colors and fine details, even in the darkest scenes; Brightness and contrast are automatically dialed into their ideal levels in every frame so you can see your content as it’s meant to be seen
SaleBestseller No. 9
SAMSUNG 32-Inch Class QLED 4K Q60C Series Quantum HDR, Dual LED, Object Tracking Sound Lite,...
  • 100% COLOR VOLUME W/ QUANTUM DOT: Take in a billion shades of unwavering color and enjoy vivid, lifelike color at any brightness level as Quantum Dot technology works to create every shade you see on screen*.Voltage : 120 volts (AC)
  • QUANTUM PROCESSOR LITE W/ 4K UPSCALING: See shows and movies in a whole new light with 4K optimization; Enjoy enhanced clarity and depth in every scene as our Quantum Processor Lite with 4K Upscaling automatically transforms everything you watch
  • DUAL LED: Don’t call it temperamental; You’ll enjoy beautifully balanced colors with dedicated warm and cool Dual LED backlights; Get stronger and accurate contrast with innovative technology that adapts automatically to match your content
  • QUANTUM HDR: Watch the details shine through with Quantum HDR that goes beyond leading standards to create deep blacks, impressive contrast, and picture quality that’s analyzed and refined to match the creator’s vison
  • MOTION XCELERATOR: Experience smooth motion and improved clarity with Motion Xcelerator; Now you can fuel your need for speed with high intensity sports, movies, and games, and enjoy crisp and clear details at the same time
SaleBestseller No. 10
Roku 50" Select Series 4K HDR Smart RokuTV with Enhanced Voice Remote, Brilliant 4K Picture,...
  • Made by Roku: From the brand you trust to make streaming easier comes a new, thoughtfully designed smart TV powered by the delightfully simple Roku experience.
  • Brilliant 4K picture: Stunningly sharp 4K resolution brings out the rich detail in your entertainment with four times the resolution of HD.
  • Color that pops: Watch in incredible HDR10+ color, contrast, and brightness that brings your favorite entertainment to life.
  • Automatic brightness: Avoid fiddling with settings with a screen that automatically adjusts based on your room’s lighting.
  • Designed for seamless streaming: With features like fast Wi-Fi and streaming apps that launch in a snap, Roku Select TVs get you to your entertainment quick and easy.

Last update on 2024-04-18

Lance Ulanoff is a renowned tech journalist, commentator, and on-air expert with over 36 years of experience. He has held esteemed positions including Editor in Chief of Lifewire and Mashable, where he delved into the impact of technology on daily life. Lance's expertise has been featured on major news programs globally, and he has made appearances on Fox News, CNBC, and the BBC.