If you’ve been in the market for a new TV in the last few years or even just browsing at an electronics store, then you may have noticed how the landscape has changed as far as what’s available for you to buy. 4K TVs are now near-ubiquitous, with 720p and 1080p HDTVs only available in smaller sizes, generally 43 inches or less. But while 4K TVs are now available at virtually all possible price points, they’re joined by 8K TVs, which have four times the resolution by doubling the number of pixels on each axis.
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In stores, with the demo material that’s playing on them, these 8K TVs look ridiculously gorgeous, but they’re also ridiculously expensive. Of course, those demos are designed to make the TVs look as amazing as possible. And if you really think about it, that’s not the only way the in-store experience is a far cry from what you’d experience at home. In a store, you’re generally going to get very close to a TV — at least close enough to read the price tag — which is significantly closer than you’d ever watch a TV of that size in your own home. And that demo material? You may have noticed that it’s generally the only thing playing on 8K TVs, and it’s usually artwork or nature videos that might occasionally be supplemented by movie trailers but never any actual movies.
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There are some major caveats involved with 8K TVs as they sit right now, so let’s go over a few of them to make sure you don’t overspend when looking for a new television.
