Step into a world where the focus is keenly set on Best Home Projectors 2022. Within the confines of this article, a tapestry of references to Best Home Projectors 2022 awaits your exploration. If your pursuit involves unraveling the depths of Best Home Projectors 2022, you've arrived at the perfect destination.
Our narrative unfolds with a wealth of insights surrounding Best Home Projectors 2022. This is not just a standard article; it's a curated journey into the facets and intricacies of Best Home Projectors 2022. Whether you're thirsting for comprehensive knowledge or just a glimpse into the universe of Best Home Projectors 2022, this promises to be an enriching experience.
The spotlight is firmly on Best Home Projectors 2022, and as you navigate through the text on these digital pages, you'll discover an extensive array of information centered around Best Home Projectors 2022. This is more than mere information; it's an invitation to immerse yourself in the enthralling world of Best Home Projectors 2022.
So, if you're eager to satisfy your curiosity about Best Home Projectors 2022, your journey commences here. Let's embark together on a captivating odyssey through the myriad dimensions of Best Home Projectors 2022.
Enjoying a movie with your family is great. Enjoying it outside, relaxing under the stars, is even better. As projectors have gotten smaller, brighter, and cheaper, it's become easier than ever to set up a backyard movie night. You can choose between easily portable, battery-powered models, or wired models with built-in streaming and tons of brightness.
Ideally, you'll have some sort of screen, but even a big sheet or posterboard can do the trick. All the projectors on this list have speakers, but if you have a big yard, or want the movie to be heard over the ruckus of some younglings, it'd be best to connect to a Bluetooth speaker. If your Wi-Fi isn't strong enough to reach where you want to show the movie, you can turn your phone into a hotspot. In a few cases you can download some content to the projector itself, but don't expect this from every model nor with every streaming service.
Here are the best outdoor projectors we've tested.
Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
The small Mars II Pro isn't the brightest, nor smallest, nor cheapest projector on this list. It's not even the easiest to use. But it does combine a pleasing image with decent sound for a good price. It's an all-around great option without the serious drawbacks of many other portable projectors.
The main issue with the Mars II Pro is it doesn't use the full version of the Android TV streaming service like some newer models. As such, it's not as easy to use and you won't get every streaming service. The big ones are here, of course, like Netflix and Disney Plus, but no HBO. You can connect a streaming stick, of course, and there's a USB connection to power it right on the back.
The battery lasts about the length of a long movie.
Check out our in-depth review of the Mars II Pro..
Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
The AAXA P6 throws out an impressive amount of light, and lasts up to a claimed 4 hours with its built-in battery. You'll need to add a streaming stick to watch anything, but there's a USB connection to power one so that's easy to do.
Overall the image quality is OK, but not great. The colors are off, the contrast ratio isn't great and its resolution of 1,280x800 pixels is noticeably softer than 1080p and especially 4K projectors.
That said, it's bright and inexpensive, which is a great combination.
Check out our full review of the AAXA P6X.
Geoff Morrison/CNET
The Vimgo P10 regularly hovers around $250, and often drops even cheaper. It's a strange product, doing something right and a lot of things wrong. The image it produces is watchable, and has an impressively high contrast ratio, but the colors are flat-out atrocious. The brightness and sharpness uniformity are some of the worst I've seen, which means everything that's not dead center in the image is dimmer and softer than the middle. It also has no upwards throw, so it needs to be placed at the same height as the middle of the screen, which is, like I said, strange for an inexpensive projector.
The biggest drawback for this list is its lack of a battery. But for the added price of an extension cord it's still cheaper than most other projectors on this list.
But for the price, it's hard to beat. But if you can spend more, you'll get more.
Check out our full review of the Vimgo P10..
Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
The AAXA P8 is tiny, like the Nebula Capsule, but rectangular to that projectors cylindricalness. It's significantly brighter than the Capsule, but it lacks that projector's battery.
Like its big brother, the P6X, the P8 doesn't have the best picture quality. However, it's inexpensive and bright, two things we like a lot. For similar money the Vimgo P10's picture quality is a little better, but that projector has its own serious drawbacks.
All ultra-budget projectors have concessions to price, but with the P8 those concessions don't include brightness and size.
Check out our full review of the AAXA P8..
Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
The Laser 4K's claim to being portable and "outdoor" boils down to a huge handle built into its design. It lacks a battery, is quite heavy, and it's really expensive.
It is, however, exceptionally bright. One of the brightest projectors we've ever tested. It has built-in Android TV too. It's more portable, and better suited to outdoor movie nights than, say, the Epson 5050.
The Optoma UHZ50, the BenQ HT2050A or the Epson Home Cinema 2250 are better overall, however. They're all bright, cheaper and easily carried, though they lack a stylish handle.
Check out our review of the Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K.
Klaus Vedfelt/GettyImages
Other products we've tested
Anker Nebula Solar Portable : The Solar's sibling, the Mars II Pro, is better. The Solar's main disadvantage compared to others on this list is its relatively dim image, which means it can't project as large a picture and still look good. If you want a sleek, budget-friendly portable with 1080p and plan on keeping the image on the small side, however, this is a solid choice. Read our Anker Nebula Solar Portable Review.
LG CineBeam PH30N : The tiny LG PH30N is only slightly larger than the AAXA P8. It's not particularly bright, however, nor does it have built-in apps. The battery doesn't last as long as the AAXA P6X although it is a bit cheaper. Read our LG CineBeam PH30N review.
Samsung Freestyle : The small, stylish, cylindrical Freestyle is an interesting idea, but it's not very bright, lacks a battery, and is quite expensive. Read our Samsung Freestyle review.
The Samsung Freestyle is a cool looking design but too expensive for what you get.
Geoff Morrison/CNET
Xiaomi Mi Smart Projector 2 : Is another relatively expensive small projector that could be better. You may appreciate the compact size, 1080p resolution and built-in Android TV streaming, but it's relatively dim, especially for the price. It also lacks both a built-in battery and compatibility with a USB power source, so it's not truly portable. Read our Xiaomi Mi Smart Projector 2 review.
How we test outdoor projectors
We don't treat outdoor projectors any differently, testing-wise, than any other projector. Just because a projector has the convenience of being portable doesn't mean it shouldn't perform to reasonable standards. The biggest difference is checking the performance on the battery vs. plugged in. That almost always just results in a difference in light output.
Read more: How We Test Projectors
Outdoor projector FAQs
Can any projector work outside?
Yes! Well, sort of. No projector should live outside. The humidity and temperature variations will quickly ruin a projector, just like it will with a TV. But if you plan to bring it inside after every use, something we highly recommend, you can use any projector outside.
What if my Wi-Fi doesn't reach outside?
Most phones can work as a Wi-Fi hotspot, using your cellular data instead. If you're not on an unlimited data plan, this can drain your available data however. Also consider some free, or low cost, improvements to your home's wireless network. That might extend the reach enough.
Do outdoor projectors have streaming apps? Netflix, Disney, etc?
Sometimes. Most of the projectors on this list either have full, or partial, streaming interfaces like you'd find in a modern smart TV. They might not have every streaming app, however. Netflix is pretty much a given, but beyond that, it varies.
All the projectors on this list have an HDMI input, and all except the Capsule also have a USB connection, so you can connect any streaming stick to them and get all the apps you're used to.
Amazon fall prime day 2022 amazon prime day october amazon prime day commercial what is amazon prime day mean amazon prime login member amazon prime day deals amazon prime gaming
Amazon Prime Day 2022: Remaining Deals on Laptops, TVs and More
Amazon Prime Day 2022: Remaining Deals on Laptops, TVs and More
We handpick the products and services we write about. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement
With Prime Day behind us, the deals have started to dry up. However, they're not quite gone yet. There are still a lot of discounts available to take advantage of right now. If you're looking to save some money, here's your cue. Amazon and many other retailers who were running their own anti-Prime Day deals are still offering plenty of big discounts on TVs, headphones, fitness gear, home goods and more. To help you take full advantage of these deals before they're gone, we've rounded up some of the best bargains still available below.
There have also been some rumors swirling that Amazon will have another Prime sales event in the fall, but you don't have to wait that long to find big savings with tons of great deals still available.
Update, 12:02 p.m. E.T.: Notable deals that we've found today that are new or beating Prime Day prices include:
We handpick the products and services we write about. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read our reviews ethics statement.
Best remaining Prime Day deals on Amazon devices
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: $30
If you're wanting to add some smarts to your existing TV, you can do exactly that while saving 40% on Amazon's 4K-capable streaming stick today. Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K is a great pick if you're new to smart TV functionality with its easy-to-use OS and included Alexa-enabled voice remote.
Best remaining Prime Day deals on TV and streaming
Roku Express: $18 (save $12)
Roku Express 4K Plus: $25 (save $15)
Chromecast with Google TV: $40 (save $10)
Nebula projectors : Up to $500 off
LG Cinebeam 4K projector: $1,260 (save $540)
Hisense 50-inch R6 Series 4K Roku TV: $280 (save $170)
Hisense 55-inch R6G 4K smart TV: $310 (save $290)
Sony 55-inch Bravia XR OLED A80K Series 4K Smart TV: $1,698 (save $302)
Sony 65-inch Bravia XR OLED A80K Series 4K Smart TV: $1,998 (save $302)
Sony 77-inch Bravia XR OLED A80K Series 4K Smart TV: $3,298 (save $202)
Best remaining Prime Day deals on tech and smart home
Google Pixel 6 Pro: $699
The Google Pixel 6 Pro's unique design, great software additions, superb camera quality and solid all-round performance have already earned the phone an excellent rating in our full review. With performance that's every bit as good as its design, it's the best phone Google has ever made. The main camera is on par with the best iPhones. And at $699 for the base 128GB model in this sale, it trounces its premium phone rivals in price.
Best remaining Prime Day deals on headphones and speakers
AirPods Pro: $170
While they've been out a while and the AirPods Pro 2 should be coming sometime in 2022, the Apple AirPods Pro remain a great pair of true wireless earphones. That's largely due to their winning design and fit, good sound, effective noise canceling and spatial audio, which is a virtual-sound mode for watching movies and TV shows. They're also excellent for making voice calls and have a top-notch transparency mode. Also worth noting: They're IPX4 splashproof, so they're suitable for sporting activities, though for a more secure fit you may want to invest in third-party foam ear tips, which are grippier than the tips Apple includes.
Their lowest price to date was $159 (in late 2021), but $170 is the lowest we've seen them for in 2022.
Best remaining Prime Day deals on home and garden
Best remaining Prime Day deals on health and fitness
Fitbit Versa 2: $114
The Fitbit Versa 2 is a fitness tracker that works with both Android and iOS to monitor calories burned, steps taken and is touchscreen compatible. Plus, it's water resistant up to 164 feet and has a long battery life with up to 144 hours of use. This fitness watch is just $114, $36 off from its original price.
Best remaining Prime Day deals on beauty and fashion
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a Cosori air fryer, Philips Hue smart lighting and digital food scales.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a Garmin smartwatch, TCL mesh Wi-Fi systems and a Hyperice massager.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on Amazon Echo devices, a Roborock robot vacuum and a Sony digital camera.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on Belkin earbuds, Swoon drinks and a Dreametech robot vacuum.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on Greenworks outdoor power tools, an LG OLED TV and an Asus mesh Wi-Fi system.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a Garmin smartwatch, On/Go COVID tests, Norton software and a Gryphon router.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes deals on shampoo, conditioner and lotion.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on every day household items like paper towels, toilet paper and more.
Content update
By Mat Paget
The latest include includes new deals on microSD cards, a USB extension cord and a floral shower curtain.
Content update
By CNET staff
This update includes new deals on a batwing night shirt, a water filter straw and an insulated water bottle.
Content update
By CNET staff
This latest update includes new deals on a number of popular books.
Content update
By CNET staff
This latest update adds new deals on an electric toothbrush, Skullcandy earbuds and a four-pack of Purell sanitizer.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on an outdoor smart plug, a five-port Ethernet switch and a Samsung smart tag.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a pack of GE Cync smart flood lights, a Dash Precision meat thermometer and a four-pack of Amysen smart plugs.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a Bissell steam mop, a Nourison floral rug runner and a Yamaha turntable.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a Blurams security monitor, a SanDisk portable SSD and a mechanical gaming keyboard.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on Norton antivirus software, a Tile Slim Bluetooth tracker and the second-gen Echo Show 5.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a pair of JBL over-ear headphones, Hisense 4K TV and a Hamilton Beach food processor.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a Dreamtech cordless vacuum, GE Cync ceiling fan smart switch and a Moft compact laptop stand.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a Google Nest smart thermostat, Yeedi robot vacuum and a Belkin wireless charging pad.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a pair of Yamaha noise-canceling headphones, a PowerXL air fryer and a Samsung solid-state drive for the PlayStation 5.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a GE Cync smart light strip, Belkin wireless earbuds and a Mr. Coffee iced coffee maker.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on an Acer Chromebook, Echo Show bundle and Unagi electric scooter.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on an August smart lock, Amazfit fitness tracker and a Philips electric trimmer.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on Case-Mate iPhone and Android cases, the Roku Streambar, and SimpliSafe home security systems.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a TCL 4K TV, Eufy robot vacuum and a Belkin power bank.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on an exercise bike, Samsung laptop, and an Adidas windbreaker.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes a full overhaul of our previous deal selection to remove deals that expired when Prime Day ended. We've also updated prices on deals that are still available, as well as added new deals on Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro, UltraLoq smart locks and Samsung QLED TVs.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a rice cooker, stainless steel travel mug and air purifiers.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a weight bench, a 4K projector and gaming monitors.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes a beverage chiller, adjustable dumbbells and a treadmill.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on an electric scooter, home bonfire and a high-end Bluetooth speaker.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on Tile item finders, a digital photo frame and a smart air quality meter.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on a string trimmer and leaf blower combo, a Keurig coffee maker and complete TV series collections.
Content update
By CNET staff
The latest update includes new deals on Apple AirTag loops, Microsoft 365 and a Ring video doorbell + Echo Show 5 bundle.
Content update
By CNET staff
Most recent update includes new deals on a stand mixer, cordless vacuum and bone conduction headphones.
Content update
By CNET staff
Most recent update includes new deals on water flossers, phone tripods and Dutch ovens.
Content update
By CNET staff
Most recent update includes new deals on adjustable dumbbells, electric toothbrushes and antivirus software.
Content update
By Mat Paget
Most recent update includes deals on Roomba robot vacuums and maps as well as Ninja ice cream makers and blenders.
Content update
By CNET staff
Most recent update includes Razer Iskur gaming chair, Middle-earth 6-movie 4K collection and more.
Content update
By CNET staff
Most recent update includes new deals for Meta Quest 2, Ring smart doorbell devices and Apple AirPods Max.
Content update
By CNET staff
Most recent update includes new deals for Keurig K-Slim, Trident 6-piece towel set and Beats Studio Buds.
Content update
By CNET staff
Most recent update includes new deals for iPad Air (4th-Gen), Shark Pet Plus vacuum and discounts on complete film collections.
Content update
By CNET staff
Most recent update includes new deals for Fitbit Charge 5, Echo Frames (2nd-Gen), and BlueAir HEPA air purifier.
Content update
By CNET staff
Most recent update includes new deals for MacBook Air, Fire TV Cube and Syrinx weighted blanket.
8k tv samsung 8k tv deals 8k tvs 2021 8k tv for sale 8k tv lg 8k tv 55 inch 8k tv reviews 8k tv 2022
8K TV Explained, and Why You Definitely Don't Need to Buy One
8K TV Explained, and Why You Definitely Don't Need to Buy One
Believe it or not, 8K TVs are available right now. Yep, 8K, as in four times the resolution of Ultra HD 4K TVs. You can, if you really want to, buy models from Samsung, Sony, LG and TCL in a variety of sizes. As you'd expect from cutting-edge technology with over 30 million pixels, the prices are quite high. In most cases 8K TVs cost more than a high-end, and often higher-quality, 4K TV.
Should you consider an 8K TV? Are they the best TVs out there? In a word: No. In two words: Not yet. You're better off getting a high-quality 4K TV for far less money. It will look better with 99.9% of the content you put on it. That said, 8K is here, and it's not going away, so it's worth taking a closer look. You'll need to look very close, as those pixels are tiny.
Eventually 8K will be far more mainstream. It's possible 4K will go the way of all those lower resolutions, and be relegated to tech history. Does this mean your 4K TV is already obsolete? Should you wait to buy a new TV until 8K prices drop? Do you need an 8K TV for the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X? Read on for the answer to all these questions and more.
Read more: PS5 and Xbox Series X Can Game in 8K Resolution. Should You Care?
This shows the relative number of pixels in each of the major resolution formats. Not actual size of course; this is a chart not a visual representation (though it is to scale if you click on it). From largest to smallest: 8K (tangerine), 4K Cinema in 1.78:1 aspect ratio (black); Ultra HD (white); 2K Cinema in 1.78:1 aspect ratio (green); Full HD 1080p (red); 720p (blue). For more detail, pun intended, check out 4K vs. 8K vs. 1080p: TV resolutions explained.
Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
Is it worth buying an 8K TV?
Here's a quick summary of our current thinking regarding 8K TVs in early 2022.
Unless you have money to burn, don't even consider buying one right now.
From what we've seen, there's little, if any, image quality improvement over 4K TVs.
Any improvement we have seen required sitting very close to a very large screen.
To get the most out of any 8K TV, you need actual 8K content (and there basically isn't any).
Both new consoles promise 8K resolution, but that's potentially misleading.
In the next few years 8K TVs will get cheaper and perhaps actually be worth considering.
To reiterate, one of the biggest reasons 8K TVs are not as amazing as you might expect, besides their price, is that there simply aren't any 8K TV shows or movies to watch on them. And while the latest gaming consoles will eventually do 8K (maybe), 8K games today are basically nonexistent. The best you can get in most cases is 4K, so all those extra pixels of an 8K TV won't be used to their fullest potential.
Now that you've slid your wallet back into your pocket, sit back and soak in everything there is to know about 8K TVs today.
Read more: Remember When TVs Weighed 200 Pounds? A Look Back at TV Trends Over the Years
What is 8K, and is it better than a 4K TV?
A traditional HDTV from a few years ago is 1080p, which means it has 1,920 pixels horizontally and 1,080 vertically. Many digital cinema projectors -- the ones in movie theaters -- have a resolution of 2,048x1,080. Because it's common in Hollywood-speak to only refer to the horizontal resolution, they call that "2K," but it's basically the same as the HDTV 1080p you have at home.
Mathias Appel/HDMI Licensing
The term "4K" comes from the digital cinema side, too, with a horizontal resolution of 4,096, hence "4K." However, on the TV side, manufacturing efficiencies meant we got double the horizontal and vertical resolutions of 1080p HDTV, so 3,840x2,160 pixels. Everyone colloquially calls this "4K," though the technical term is Ultra HD. This has four times as many pixels as 1080p HD.
Which brings us to 8K. You guessed it: twice the horizontal and vertical resolution of 4K, for a whopping 7,680x4,320 and 33,177,600 total pixels. Not only is that four times the resolution of 4K, that's an incredible 16 times more pixels than 1080p. Or to put that differently, you could put 16 full-resolution 1080p videos on an 8K screen at the same time with no loss of quality. I'm not sure why you'd want to do this, but hey, why not?
Read more: 4K vs. 8K vs. 1080p: TV Resolutions Explained
TV and projector resolutions
Resolution name
Horizontal x vertical pixels
Total pixels
Other names
Found on
8K
7,680x4,320
33,177,600
8K Ultra HD, Ultra High Definition (UHD), Super Hi-Vision, UHD-2
High-end TVs
4K
3,840x2,160
8,294,400
Ultra High Definition (UHD)
Most modern TVs, some projectors
1080p
1,920x1,080
2,073,600
High Definition (HD)
Smaller, less expensive and older TVs, most projectors
720p
1,280x720
921,600
High Definition (HD)
Very small and older TVs
The Consumer Technology Association's 8K Ultra HD logo.
CTA
One thing to look for in new 8K TVs: It will feature the official logo and "spec" on new 8K TVs. This goes beyond raw pixel count to help you find TVs that perform to at least a certain standard. This is partly to avoid the mess from the early days of HD and 4K, where some of the first TVs couldn't accept a full HD or later, a 4K signal. The Consumer Technology Association lays out the following minimums a TV is required to have to wear the 8K Ultra HD logo:
At least 7,680 pixels horizontally and 4,320 vertically.
At least one HDMI input capable of accepting that resolution, at 50 or 60 fps (depending on region), with HDR.
The ability to upconvert lower resolution signals to 8K.
The ability to receive and display 10-bit content.
Can the human eye even see 8K?
Technically yes it can, but the difference will be very subtle at best.
As we've explained many times with 4K TVs, there's a point of diminishing returns when it comes to resolution. The human eye can see only so much detail, and extra pixels beyond what you can discern are basically wasted. To get anything out of higher resolutions and their proportionally tinier pixels, you need to sit closer, get a bigger TV, or both.
It's rare that anyone gets a large enough TV -- or sits close enough to one -- to justify the need for even 4K resolutions. 8K is excessive overkill... at least for a TV. If you're talking about massive theater-size screens like Samsung's Wall or Sony's Crystal LED, 8K would be amazing. But since 4K is hard to discern when comparing to a 1080p TV, 4K to 8K from 10 feet away will be pretty much impossible.
That said, because 8K TVs are currently the most expensive offerings from most companies, they often have features which help them produce stunning images that are completely divorced from resolution. So most 8K TVs, with the likely exception of the "cheap" models, will usually look great regardless of their pixel count.
Read more: Best 4K Projectors for 2022
TCL's 65-inch 8K 6-Series TV.
TCL
8K content: Can I actually watch anything in 8K?
Without 8K content, an 8K TV is just a 4K TV with a few thousand dollars stuck to it with duct tape. Samsung talks up fancy "AI" upscaling technology on its TVs, designed to improve the look of mere 4K and 1080p sources on an 8K screen. And other TV makers like Sony and LG have touted their own 8K special sauces. But to get the most out of all those 33 million-plus pixels, the incoming source needs to be 8K too.
There are three main aspects to getting any new format, like 8K, into your home:
1. Content recorded in the new format
2. Transmission of the new format (broadcast, streaming, etc.)
3. Playback of the new format
An 8K TV represents the last part of the system: playback. That's the easy part. Any TV manufacturer can design and produce a TV with any resolution it wants. It's just up to the company and its resources.
Creating content in the new resolution, meanwhile, is a lot tougher. While the number of 8K-capable cameras has dramatically increased in the last few years, they're still expensive to buy or rent. In most cases, these cameras are used to create 4K content instead. There are lots of reasons it's a great idea to capture in 8K. The end result, however, is 4K, because of the second part of the process (transmission).
Read more: How I Built My Dream 8K-Capable Video Editing PC
The Red Monstro 8K VV "Brain" has a 35.4-megapixel CMOS sensor, can record 8K video at 60 fps, has over 17 stops of dynamic range, and costs -- brace yourself -- $54,500.
Red
Ultra HD 4K transmission takes a lot of data. You need a really fast internet connection to stream it. Streaming 8K is a whole other level, well beyond what many have in their homes. With only a tiny percentage of their audience able to see it, mainstream streaming services are slow to adopt higher resolutions, with the increase in cost of storage, processing and more.
Which is all to say, don't expect 8K versions of your favorite streaming shows anytime soon. And without 8K content, the main benefit of an 8K TV is at least partially wasted.
Do I need 8K to play Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 games?
Both Sony and Microsoft have announced that their next-generation gaming consoles, the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X, will both be capable of outputting 8K resolution via future updates. Sounds like a great excuse to buy an 8K TV, right? Not so fast.
First, and most important, you will not need an 8K TV to play games on these consoles. They will work just fine on most 1080p and nearly all 4K TVs. If you can connect a PS4 or Xbox One to your current TV, it will work with a PS5 or Xbox Series X.
Read more:Sony PS5 vs. Microsoft Xbox Series X: Game On
Secondly, games will need to be specifically written to take advantage of 8K, something that isn't going to be particularly common. The resolution you see on screen, even if your TV says it's 8K, might not be what resolution the console is rendering the game. It will likely be far more common for the console to build the game's visuals at a lower resolution, 1440p or 4K at best, and convert to 8K to send your TV. This is the same thing your TV does automatically.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
A Sony spokesperson confirmed that this FAQ, published on the PlayStation blog in November 2020, was still the case: "PS5 is compatible with 8K displays at launch, and after a future system software update will be able to output resolutions up to 8K when content is available, with supported software." We're still waiting for that update.
"Xbox Series X is fully capable of 8K output. However, as there is no media content or games that currently support 8K resolution, we have not enabled the option within the system settings at this time. Xbox Series X was designed with the next 8 to 10 years of advancements in mind, and as we see signals from creators and 8K becomes a more widely adopted format, we will update console software to support it," a Microsoft spokesperson said.
Long story short, few games will look much different on an 8K TV than they will on a 4K TV. There is limited time and money when you develop a game (well, most games), and few developers will want to invest those limited resources on something only a handful of people will be able to enjoy. Far more likely are games rendered in 4K with higher frame rates, something else made possible by the latest version of HDMI and available on the new consoles.
Read more: 120Hz Gaming: Best TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X
Where can I stream 8K? Do Netflix or YouTube support it?
Getting the 8K onto your new 8K TV is also a bit of a challenge. Ideally, the TV's internal apps for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and the rest will be 8K compatible. You'd think that'd be a given, but it wasn't in the early days of 4K. Further, there's no 8K content from any major streaming service available yet. The exceptions are YouTube, as you see in the video below, Vimeo and a new service called The Explorers exclusive to 8K Roku TVs. Eventually, ATSC 3.0, also known as Next Gen TV, might allow 8K to be broadcast over the air, but we're a long way from that.
How fast does your internet need to be to stream 8K?
8K also presents another issue for the early adopter: The bandwidth required is immense. Most 4K content streaming companies recommend you have an internet connection in the 20Mbps range. 8K, even with everything else the same, has four times as many pixels.
That doesn't equate exactly to a 4x increase in data or bandwidth, but, and this is just a ballpark guess, a connection requirement in the 40 to 50Mbps range wouldn't be unexpected. Maybe you, cutting-edge CNET reader, have that kind of speed, but most people do not.
A visual representation of how much more bandwidth the upcoming Ultra High Speed cables can handle.
HDMI Forum
What kind of HDMI cable do I need for 8K?
One thing we've already got is the physical connection thing sorted in case any 8K media streamers hit the market or they're needed for the PS5 and Xbox Series X. HDMI 2.1 is capable of 8K resolutions and more. But before you rush out and stock up on HDMI 2.1-compatible cables, keep in mind there will almost certainly be a new standard between now and the wide adoption of 8K. So those cables might be obsolete, despite their current forward-looking appearance.
All of the major 8K TV makers say that their sets have HDMI 2.1 inputs capable of handling the 48Mbps bandwidth required for the highest resolution and frame-rate combinations (8K and 60 frames per second and 4K at 120 fps). We also got a look at some new, higher-bandwidth HDMI cables.
To take advantage of higher 4K frame rates on the new consoles, presuming your TV can handle them, you might need new cables.
Read more: When is the Best Time to Buy a TV?
Is 8K TV a gimmick?
To put on my cynic hat, increasing resolution is one of the easiest ways to offer the appearance of higher performance. This is likely what TV makers are smoking, coming out with 8K TVs when there's essentially no content and no 8K infrastructure.
Given how easy it was to market 4K as "better looking than 1080p," TV makers are claiming the same thing with 8K. But resolution is just one aspect of overall picture quality, and not one of the most important ones. Improving other aspects, such as contrast ratios, overall brightness for HDR, more lifelike colors and so on, offer better image improvements but they are significantly harder to implement. This is especially true for LCD, which is a technology Samsung is still strongly flogging -- e.g. all of its QLED TVs are simply LCD TVs with quantum dots.
It's relatively easy to create a higher-resolution LCD panel, but improving the other aspects of performance for that tech is a greater challenge. Not "more" pixels but "better" pixels. This is why OLED is a thing, and why many companies are researching new technologies like true direct-view quantum dot displays, MicroLED, and mini-LED. Samsung is even coming out with an OLED-quantum dot hybrid that promises to combine the contrast ratio of OLED and the bright colors of quantum dot-based displays. These technologies, regardless of resolution, should look better than 8K TVs, which are currently only LCD-based.
Well, except for LG's OLED, which costs $20-$30,000 depending on size.
Direct-view quantum dot display.
Nanosys
Bottom line: Don't wait for 8K
If you're thinking about buying a new TV, does this mean you should hold off? If your current TV works, you should probably hold on to it regardless. New 8K TVs shouldn't be a factor, because as we mentioned above, early 8K TVs are expensive. We're also many, many years away from any sort of widespread 8K content. We arguably don't have widespread 4K content, and no one is talking about scrapping 4K to go directly to 8K.
The other aspect is a warning that will be seconded by countless 4K early adopters: There's no guarantee these early 8K TVs will end up being compatible with any future 8K standard. There are tens of thousands of 4K TVs that can't play any current 4K media content.
Lastly, even as prices drop, like they have with the $2,200 TCL 8K 6-series, you're almost certainly better off with a 4K TV for the same money. It offers better picture quality overall and only lacks the bragging rights that you have more pixels than your neighbor. But if that's your thing, go for it.
Update, March 14, 2022: This article was first published in 2018 and is regularly updated with new info.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.
