Has the time come to invest in a 4K TV?
4K TVs are cheaper than ever and if you’re in the market for a new TV is it worth investing in a 4K model, or should you wait a little longer before you jump on the Ultra HD bandwagon?
In this week’s Head-to-Head, Andy Vandervell (@AndyVan) and Home Technology Editor Ced Yuen (@CedYuen), debate whether it’s worth buying a 4K TV right now.
CED SAYS…
It’s a great time to buy a new 4K TV. Not only have prices dropped significantly over the past couple of years, but the quality of the TVs is better than ever. You no longer need to spend thousands of pounds to get something really good.
If you were an early adopter of 4K, you might have been stuck with a TV that lacks the right ports and doesn’t support Netflix or Amazon 4K streams. But the good news is that now the Ultra HD Alliance has standardised the industry, buying a 2016 Ultra HD TV will almost certainly be a great, future-proof investment. Plenty of them now have high dynamic range (HDR) too.
It’s not just the resolution that makes 4K TVs a good buy. Manufacturers often keep their best panels and processing technology for the higher-end 4K models, so a cheaper 1080p TV may be slower or have poorer picture quality.
As with all technology, you can keep waiting for the next big thing around the corner, but 4K TVs are ready now and there’s no reason you shouldn’t upgrade to one today.
ANDY SAYS…
For me, the problem with buying a 4K TV right now is only a few, high-end models can do HDR justice. HDR is just as important as Ultra HD. 4K vs 1080p is a step up, but 4K and HDR is like a whole new world.
Related: HDR TV What is it and should you care?
If you’re willing to pay £1,500+ for a top-end 4K model with good quality HDR pictures, that’s fine. But for most of us, including myself, it’s definitely worth waiting another year for the 2017 models that have all the bells and whistles for under £1,000.
If you need a new TV right now, it’s probably worth getting a 4K one. But if you can hold off upgrading for a few more months you’ll be glad you did when your shiny new TV is brighter, faster and better looking than the models you can get right now, and at a better price.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Have Ced and Andy got it all wrong? Would you buy a 4K TV right now or wait a bit longer?
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Related: Best 32, 40, 55 and 65-inch+ TVs 2016
Have your say in the debate and let us know your thoughts on buying a 4K TV in the comments below or tweet us @trustedreviews.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
