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January 2024
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Are 8K TVs Worth It in 2024?
Buying a television is an overwhelming experience: the sheer number of models combined with the various ways companies describe similar technologies (OLED versus QLED, microLED versus miniLED) is enough to make your head spin. One of the most important decisions you’ll likely make regarding a television is the image quality. Right now, that means choosing between 4K and 8K. So, is it worth it to get an 8K television in 2024? For some people, yes—but it’s not for everyone just yet.
When you can get it, 8K content is truly stunning
When I first set up an 8K TV in my home (a 65-inch model loaned to me by Samsung for a review coming later this week), I spent a solid week acting like a 5-year-old at Disneyland; I was absolutely awestruck by the detail and dimension of that many pixels shoved into such a small space. (It’s about 33 million pixels, by the way, compared to the roughly 8.3 million pixels on 4K TVs.)
Once the initial excitement wore off, I was desperate to see whether there was any real difference between 4K and 8K content. To test, I flipped between different resolutions of the same YouTube videos. The library of 8K content on YouTube is limited, but a decent curated collection of cityscapes, wildlife, and fireplaces at 8K resolution are available. When I started watching footage of a fireplace in 8K, I was shocked by how three-dimensional it looked. I could see that the higher resolution had an extra richness and depth to the colors when compared to 4K.
There’s no doubt that 8K content looks amazing, but there’s just not a ton of it yet.
8K content is trickling out
For a while, most of the content you watch will max out at 4K. There are some early signs that more 8K content will be increasingly common soon, though.
Samsung and Warner Brothers Discovery recently announced that it will pair with movie studios to make 8K movie trailers, which makes sense given their investment in 8K TVs. Japan has a dedicated 8K sports channel. TCL TVs have a dedicated high definition channel with 4K and 8K videos called The Explorers, and RED has an entire site dedicated to finding movies shot at this high resolution. Even smartphones are starting to support 8K video recording, Samsung perhaps most notably. The point is, although slow, there’s investment in the creation of this content. But we’re still in the early days.
8K TVs make older stuff look surprisingly good
The good news is that 8K TVs don’t need 8K content to shine, thanks to upscaling, which works surprisingly well.
When you watch content with a lower resolution than your TV (say a 720p, 1080p, or 4K movie on an 8K TV), your TV needs to blow up the image to actually fill the screen. If it displayed the video in its native resolution, you’d see a tiny version of the video surrounding by black, since your TV has so many more pixels than the video. To do this, your TV “adds” additional pixels based on the video, inferring what data the new pixels should use to fill the screen—thus, “upscaling.”
8K televisions, in particular, are armed with processors that use machine learning to determine how to backfill those pixels for smooth results that defy pixelation. The AI models were trained to understand how TV shows should look and can apply that logic to older properties. In my experience, it works pretty well.
Recently, I’m a little embarrassed to say I’ve been using the 8K TV to binge-watch the ’80s sitcom Who’s the Boss—and it looks fantastic. It looks like it was filmed at a far higher resolution on far more modern equipment than what was used at the time. The same processor has made TV shows and movies from the ’90s, the aughts, and more recent years all look completely watchable, despite never being filmed in 8K to begin with.
Obviously, the fewer pixels that have to be compensated for, the better it will look in the end. Don’t expect native 720p and 1080p content to look like it was shot in 4K or 8K. But what was so surprising to me was how completely normal they looked on the 8K TV, with a lot more detail than was probably there in the source video. Of course, not all 8K televisions are created equal, either. They’ll each have different brightness, contrast ratios, and algorithms to handle the upscaling. But since 8K TVs represent the higher end of at-home TV technology, you’re usually getting the latest and best versions of the upscaling technologies, too.
8K TVs aren’t that new anymore
You may have heard that you shouldn’t buy the newest or most expensive model of anything, and that you should instead opt for a slightly older model that’s been well tested and has a lower price tag.
While there’s some truth to that, the good news is there are more 8K TVs every year, and prices are already coming down. Plus, they’re not dramatically more expensive than high-end 4K TVs. Samsung’s 65-inch 8K television is currently $2,599, versus the 4K model at $1,599. It’s also worth noting that some 4K TVs are actually more expensive than the 8K models. Televisions are like major appliances, in my opinion: You should plan to hang onto them for several years. (Research shows the average is 6.6 years.) So, by purchasing a 4K TV, you’re essentially making a bet that 4K will still be the standard a few years from now.
Of course, you might simply not value an ultra-high resolution in the same way that I do, and that’s okay, too. A ton of factors go into making a big purchase like this, but my point is that it would be a mistake to paint with a broad brush and assume that all 8K TVs are going to be prohibitively expensive.
Bottom line: 8K is a perk, but there’s no rush to grab one
In my experience, watching 8K content is absolutely mesmerizing, but there’s just not enough of it to make me tell you to rush out and grab one ASAP. If you’re not desperate to upgrade, you’re safe to wait until the end of 2024 to see how it all plays out. In the meanwhile, a high-end 4K TV is going to give you all the smart functionality, brightness, contrast, and brilliant native 4K resolution for the content that’s available now.
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Use These Phrases Instead of Pretending to Agree With Someone
Our time and energy are finite resources, so when we find ourselves disagreeing with someone, we have to decide whether it’s something we care about enough to make it worth discussing it further—or whether it’s easier to simply pretend to agree and get on with our life. Or perhaps you find yourself fake-agreeing with someone because you don’t want to ruffle any feathers, even if it’s something that really bothers you. Either way, you have other options.
Why does expressing disagreement make some people uncomfortable?
Some people love a heated debate or a good argument—or, at the very least, don’t have a problem telling others that they disagree with them. Others, so-called “people pleasers,” may go above and beyond to avoid any kind of interpersonal conflict, confrontation, or disagreement, says Jolie Silva, PhD, a clinical psychologist and chief operating officer of New York Behavioral Health.
According to Silva, there are three ways of handling disagreements: Passiveness, assertiveness, and aggression. “Being passive is usually a sign that someone is avoiding disagreement, because they are ultimately avoiding an uncomfortable emotion, like anxiety or guilt, that would likely result if they had the disagreement,” she explains.
For some people, it goes beyond simply avoiding conflict: They might also be fearful of how the disagreement may impact their relationship with the other person or the way that other person perceives them, says Courtney Morgan, a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) and founder of Counseling Unconditionally, a mental health therapy practice in Louisville, Kentucky. Or, as Carl Nassar, PhD, LPC, a professional counselor based in Denver points out, some people would prefer to end the discussion as quickly as possible to avoid spending time engaging in a disagreement, opting to “go along to get along.”
But pretending to agree with someone isn’t a solution, either. Sure, we may avoid an argument in that moment, but it won’t do us any favors in the long run. “We give up a lot when we do this,” says Nassar. “We give up our voice, and the opportunity to help others grow and to grow ourselves.” Plus, as Morgan points out, it’s also important to “live in ways that align with your personal values,” and pretending to agree with someone about something that matters to you may cause future problems.
Use these phrases instead of pretending to agree with someone
Coming up with something to say in the moment can be tough—especially if you’re focused on avoiding conflict, but also don’t want to end the conversation with the other person thinking you agree with them, or having to resort to agreeing to disagree for the umpteenth time. Here are some suggestions from psychologists:
“I understand your viewpoint, but I see it another way.”
In general, Silva says that you should first validate the other person, and acknowledge that they have a right to their opinion, in order to soften the disagreement, and offer a friendly, rather than combative, tone. This statement, for example, is a direct yet validating way to communicate disagreement, which Silva says can be useful with colleagues.
“I hear you, though I have a different opinion.”
Silva suggests using this warm approach with family members or your partner.
“I can’t go along with that one.”
This would be best used in a casual setting, like a social event with people you’re not very close with, says Morgan. “It feels subtle enough to avoid an unnecessary argument, and it is direct enough to express that we do not agree on the matter,” she says.
“Your argument is valid, but I don’t agree.”
Clear and concise, Silva recommends using this response with friends, colleagues, or family members who tend to be talkative, or don’t give you an opportunity to express your own opinion.
“I am trying to see it your way, but ultimately I think differently about this situation.”
According to Silva, this communicates that you genuinely want to understand their viewpoint, but still do not agree.
“I truly appreciate and respect your opinion, but I see it differently.”
This message takes the edge off and softens the blow of your disagreement. “It may be good to use with your partner, or even supervisor at work,” Silva says.
“That’s a really unique perspective. I haven’t thought of it like that before.”
It’s entirely possible that this is the first time you’ve considered that perspective, and aren’t yet ready to commit to agreeing or disagreeing with it, Morgan says.
The key to politely disagreeing with someone using these, or other similar phrases, is to approach the conversation with open-mindedness, without veering into accusatory or defensive territory. And if you genuinely don’t want to spend a lot of time discussing the topic, communicate this to the person in a respectful way, and do your best to move on.