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Why you should not buy 4k

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dale00474

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Game Master

Posts: 1737

Joined: 30 Jun 2011, 11:28 pm

Location: Adelaide, SA

Post 12 Aug 2018, 12:57 am

Why you should not buy 4k

So I'm going to start something which I'll update like once a month with a new topic.

Getting into game development, I've came across many new technologies and revisited some which are falling out of the mainstream. Well, today I want to talk 4k. What is 4k resolution? 3840 x 2160 pixels. Well not exactly to be honest. You see its all marketing "hype"...yeah lets call it that. See the following chart.

640 x 480 - This resolution is what most of us grew up with. This is Standard Definition. Did you ever watch TV in the 90's and early 2000's? This is what resolution your shows broadcast in.

1280 x 720 - HD. This was a breakthrough with DVD video. Most movies you watch at home are either displayed in this resolution or...

1920 x 1080 - The creme' de la creme'. Full HD. Watch a bluray last night? Most likely the resolution displayed was this. And now comes the big boy on the block...

3840 x 2160 - 4k. Or well um actually 2k right? LIES! So have you notices something about the way we measure resolution yet? 480, 720, 1080 they are all vertical pixel size. So why in the hell would we start to measure horizontal and call this one 4k instead of 2k. Well two reasons. First, it sounds better. Lets say Samsung calls it 2k but Sony calls it 4k and standardization is not something either is concerned about. Well you'll be 10,000 times more likely to buy the Sony 4k "cause you're darn tootin' it's twice as gooder than that there Samsung box." From a marketing standpoint it sounds better. What other reason do we call it 4k? Well because simply put their are 4 pixels to every 1 pixel at 1080p. So it's 4 times the pixels of a 1k resolution (1080p.) But if we go off the classic naming conventions we have for the past few decades...it's all a lie.

Now, why not buy a 4k monitor? Well its because two things. 1) The technology still has room for improvement which also makes it cheaper over time. 2) Very few things are shot in 4k (they are upscaled...ewwww), few games in 4k, and very few graphics cards can actually make good use of 4k. Can they display it? Oh yeah they can. But consider this. Frame rates and processing power. Few top end gaming computers have this to make that 4k worth your time. For now. Also, those things have a shelf life. Your monitor's backlight will only last a certain number of hours. Why buy a 4k monitor that "might" last for when the tech actually becomes more usable and impressive.

One other big point on the topic. You CAN BARELY SEE IN 4K!. Yep no shit. Go up to your TV. Take a look very closely. Now think. If that is 1080p. You see that tiny fricken pixel of red, green and blue? Now imagine being able to see 4 times better than that at 10 feet. Now way! Even at 10 feet with perfect vision the majority of people are unable to see it. Just as an example I'm going to actually tell you where to look at your screen. (Just imagine if I hadn't and you had to find this on your own.)

Stand back 5 feet from your screen. Now look at this tilda mark... `

Can you see it? Ok. On a 1080p monitor that tilda is 2 pixels. It is literally the smallest thing you can type on a keyboard. Now imagine if it were only one pixel? Then split it into 1/4 of a pixel. Thats a pixel in 4k. Even knowing where it is do you think you could actually see that on your monitor from 5 feet away? Think about this. Do you watch tv from 5 feet away?

Now don't even get me started on 8k. :conredx: But what about virtual sims? Well there's an interesting effect with higher resolutions. You see it's a hyper realistic effect of making images look almost too real. There is no motion blur. Anywhere. So your mind must try to introduce that itself and this causes people to get sick. Your eyes only focus a tiny spot. About a one by one inch circle at 5 feet. Seriously. Try to read the text above this line while still looking directly at this WORD. Not easy is it? You can see how it goes out of focus. Well in the real world your brain normally sees this out of focus area and puts it out of your memory and trains your focus to the best part of your vision. That's why we are considered predators ladies and gents. Well in 8k resolution images look too crisp and not fluid enough and because we aren't moving we essentially get motion sickness. This is also why VR does this to us but more on that another time. VR needs 8k. It needs hyper realism. But right now we haven't fixed the issue with little Johnny or Mary Sue getting sick yet

Anyways, there you have it peeps. If I were you I'd wait to splurge on that new 4k tv or monitor.
-Dale :moderator:In-game admin/GM

Refuge: n. That which shelters or protects from danger or from distress or calamity; a stronghold which protects by its strength or a sanctuary which secures safety by its sacredness; a place inaccessible to an enemy.
 

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Zipzo

Posts: 16

Joined: 12 Dec 2012, 7:37 pm

Post 12 Aug 2018, 4:29 pm

Re: Why you should not buy 4k

I'll keep it in mind. :)
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SimonKangaroo

Posts: 35

Joined: 10 Apr 2016, 6:18 pm

Post 13 Nov 2018, 8:12 pm

Re: Why you should not buy 4k

Very well said!
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rolyd90

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Game Master

Posts: 1241

Joined: 13 May 2011, 7:15 pm

Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Post 13 Nov 2018, 11:45 pm

Re: Why you should not buy 4k

dale00474 wrote:You CAN BARELY SEE IN 4K!
Yeah I made the mistake of buying a 27" 4K display, text is too small without my glasses/contacts lol.

For this reason I run my 4k monitor at 2560x1140 :shock: what is not ideal.

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