8K refers to a resolution of 7680 by 4320 pixels, four times the total pixel count of 4K UHD and sixteen times that of Full HD. A handful of television manufacturers offer 8K models, mostly at large screen sizes and higher price points than equivalent 4K sets.
The practical challenge with 8K is content. Very little material, whether streaming, broadcast or physical media, is produced and distributed in native 8K, so most of what an 8K television displays is upscaled from lower resolution sources using internal processing. The extra detail 8K offers over 4K also becomes harder to perceive at typical viewing distances unless the screen is very large or the seating position unusually close.
For most buyers today, a well specified 4K television, particularly one with strong HDR and contrast performance, delivers a more noticeable picture quality improvement per unit of budget than moving to 8K. Our buying guide weighs resolution against other specifications when choosing a television.
