If you're shopping around for a new TV, you may have seen the phrase Smart 4K TV. Today, TVs have become smart in the sense their physical appearance has become streamlined and they offer software features. There have been so many advancements in the TV industry, and if you do not catch up with every update, the options in the market today may be very confusing for you.
So, in this guide by the Voss team, we are here to cover all the details about a Smart 4K TV to assist you in making the best purchase.
Understanding 4K Resolution
So, what does 4K mean anyway? This specific term means the resolution that your TV screen displays. It is an easier term to define the number of individual pixels your TV screen can display. One can say that 4K means approximately 4000 pixels-width, but the most common standard resolution for 4K TVs is 3840 x 2160 pixels.
It is also known as Ultra High Definition or UHD, and when we compare that to traditional TV screens that are FHD or 1080P, the resolution is 4 times higher.
While an FHD panel displays 2 million pixels in total, a 4K panel can display 8 million pixels, which makes images significantly clearer. This way, you can see finer details and enjoy content on larger screens without impacting display quality.
What Makes a TV Smart?
Now that you know what 4K stands for in a TV, it is time to learn about the qualities that make a TV Smart. Remember that the term Smart is not used for the physical appearance of a TV since TVs have become extremely thin these days. Smart refers to all the software and user experience enhancement features offered in a TV.
Different operating systems and polished user interface
A Smart TV is like a computer on a bigger screen. However, the experience is much better because it comes with a polished interface and a dedicated operating system designed for TVs. It ensures that you can use different peripherals, like a keyboard or mouse, with your TV.
However, it is not essential since the remote of Smart TVs is very well optimized for the dedicated OS like:
- Android TV
- Roky TV
- WebOS
Application ecosystem with dedicated applications
- YouTube
- Netflix
- Spotify, etc.
This makes the Smart TV a standalone entertainment hub instead of using multiple devices.
Connectivity and integration with network and other devices
Smart TVs can connect with other smart systems in your home. They can take internet connectivity through wire or wireless medium. It enables them to connect to Smart home assistants for a more convenient usage experience.
HDR and other visual enhancers
Another notable feature of Smart TVs is their visual enhancements, and some even come with audio enhancements. For example, HDR and Dolby's enhancements ensure to optimize the viewing and hearing experience according to your environment. This way, your TV smartly adjusts to the type of content you are watching for a much better experience.
Modern Smart TV Features
Not all Smart TVs may come with these features. However, these features are becoming a common standard among high-end TVs due to their amazing experience.
High refresh rates
High refresh rate panels provide a much smoother viewing experience. The basic technology is the same as in smartphones or laptops, where the display panel has higher Herts/frequency.
In simpler words the screen turns off and turns on more than 60 times in one second. Pairing this high refresh rate with AI engines allows TVs to provide a crisper viewing experience.
Support for Gaming consoles
Gaming consoles are becoming more powerful, and 4K resolution with 120 FPS and 120 Hz has become the industry standard in console games these days. So, the modern Smart TVs are featuring support for these devices.
The support comes with the right display hardware along with support for the right I/O port technology. It is usually the HDMI 2.1 port that enables modern Smart TVs to connect with the latest gaming consoles.
Different Display Technologies You Will Get in a 4K Smart TV
Even when you are getting such high resolution from your TV, it is important to know what display technology you are getting. This is because there are multiple versions available, and there is a huge difference in each technology.
Below are two main categories of display technologies that you will find in most 4K Smart TVs today.
LCD technology
LCD technology is the more traditional one. In this technology, a liquid crystal layer displays pixels while there is a backlight that passes light through the liquid crystal layer. As a result, we can see different colors on our screen.
LED display technology
LED technology is the more modern type of technology, and it has more variations. Some options include:
- Traditional LED
- OLED
- QLED
- QD LED
- NED
- Neo LED
- Mini LED
While the underlying technology here is the same, there are slight differences to improve picture quality and reduce the cost. QLED is considered the best balance and value for money, but the decision is more of a personal preference. Remember that some of these names may only be different in marketing terms with the same underlying technology from different brands.
Final Words from the Voss Team
HD and FHD TVs ruled over the TV industry for a long time, but now that resolution is just not enough. This is because content production has significantly improved quality, and the size of TV screens is getting significantly bigger.
What seems to be the standard these days is 4K or UHD resolution with all the smart features designed to improve user experience. In this post, we covered all the things that you get from a 4K Smart TV. Remember that despite the 4K resolution and all the smart features, it is important to pay your key attention to display technology since that will make the biggest difference in your experience.
