What’s the difference between 4K and HD?
While some brands still make HD TVs in small sizes, 4K has become the standard resolution for TVs above 32 inches. 4K is shorthand for 3840 x 2160 pixels, which is four times as sharp as Full HD or “1080p” resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels.)
The question of HD vs 4K is mostly moot for new TV buyers at this point, but here’s what you need to know if you’re on the fence about upgrading from an older TV: Resolution becomes increasingly important as you increase your screen size. Modern streaming content is usually rendered in 4K resolution, though you’ll find plenty of content – especially sports – still broadcast in 1080p HD.
Newer TVs account for this by upscaling lower-resolution content to 4K. Generally, the better your TV, the better the upscaling, which is something to consider if you watch a lot of lower-resolution videos.
What is HDR?
High-Dynamic Range, or HDR, has been called the “icing on the 4K cake.” It offers not only enhanced brightness over SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) video, but also better finesse between the brightest and darkest images on screen. HDR video also increases the color gamut, providing more expansive and voluminous colors that better portray what we see in the real world. It’s important to understand that in order to enjoy HDR you’ll need both an HDR-ready TV and HDR video content.
There are multiple HDR formats, but the three most common right now are HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. You can think of HDR10 as the baseline for HDR video, while HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are more specialized, high-performance variations. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision add “dynamic HDR,” which can analyze and react to the content on a scene-by-scene, or even frame-by-frame basis. This allows a TV to more adjust the contrast more granularly for a more accurate HDR picture based on the director’s intent.
Dolby Vision is the most common of these two dynamic formats, especially when it comes to streaming content. Notably, Samsung is among the only major brands that does not support Dolby Vision, supporting only the Samsung-backed HDR10+. This could be important if you watch a lot of Dolby Vision content, but since any HDR TV will default to the best HDR format it supports, you may not notice much difference.
Why is HDMI 2.1 so important for gamers?
HDMI 2.1 is an input standard set by the HDMI Forum, which includes leading electronics manufacturers. At its most basic, HDMI 2.1 provides your TV with a high-bandwidth connection for video source devices at up to 48Gbps, which allows for a 4K HDR signal at up to 120 frames per second, or 8K video at up to 60 frames per second. This high-bandwidth connection also allows support for modern gaming features like VRR and ALLM (see above).
This is particularly important for connecting next-gen gaming consoles like the PS5, Xbox X/S, and gaming PCs. Most of the TVs on our list include at least one or two HDMI 2.1 inputs, while some of the best models include four.
