Is a 4K Laptop Worth It?

A 4K resolution on a large monitor looks simply amazing. The wide range of 4K monitors has contributed to an improvement in the volume of content available for 4K televisions.

Nevertheless, some people have wondered if 4K is worth all of the hype.

Truthfully, there’s no clear-cut answer to the question.

Why?

Well, a lot of it (the worthiness) depends on what you need the laptop for, your budget, and so on.

In any case, here are some things to consider when it comes to 4K laptops.

Is 4K laptop worth it

Consider the Screen Size

A 4K laptop is an HD laptop with 3840×2160-pixel values crammed into its display. Sounds great, some might say, but it depends on the size of the screen.

As before, there is no clear-cut response here. Why? Well, consider this. Say, you wanted to purchase a small laptop — it would (obviously) have a corresponding, small screen, which would mean less in terms of size, details, etc.

Would a small 4K screen really look that different from, say, a small 1080p screen? Honestly, it depends on several factors including the product’s manufacturer and your own preference.

In any case, we recommend that you set aside all speculation and see the laptop/screen in action and compare it to other 4K and non-4K laptops.

Are 4K Laptops Worth Decreased Battery Life?

One of the main reasons you should avoid a 4K screen is battery life. Like video editing and gaming, high-resolution screens can be demanding. However, unlike the former, high-res screens also reduce a battery’s lifespan. (And we’re not talking minutes, no; more like hours).

So, if battery life (in terms of charge and longevity) is important to you, you might want to think hard before purchasing a 4K laptop.

Are 4K Laptops Worth a Strained Graphics Card?

4K gaming places a significant burden on a laptop’s graphics card, so, if you want a 4K laptop for gaming, you’re going to need one with a very beefy GPU. Also, to operate at max resolution, the laptop screen should be at least 3840×2160 pixels.

4K Laptop Compared to a Full HD Monitor

For folks who require a lot of detail for, say, image/video editing, they can’t do much better than a 4K laptop. If you are one of these people, then purchasing a 4K laptop will be a worthwhile investment.

Now, if you’re thinking that it might be possible to find a Full HD screen that performs as good if not better than a 4K screen, you should know that no HD screen out there is going to provide the caliber of color replication and detail found in a 4K screen.

Comparing 4K to 1080p in Terms of Hardware

The only difference between the two kinds of laptops is their screens, everything else – high-end GPUs to multi-core CPUs, numerous RAM sticks, large storage, and, sometimes, extra RGB flares – can be found in either.

Are 4K Laptops Worth Their Price Tag?

The cost of 4K laptops (thousands of dollars) is, undoubtedly, something you can’t ignore. On its own, a 4K screen can be quite an expense and when you add the cost of hardware, well, you’re looking at a magnificent (and very expensive!) machine.

The lowest-priced 4K laptop sits at around $1300. If you see anything less than this — don’t do it! Why? Well, 4K laptops at $1000 or less will probably lack the necessary CPU and/or GPU needed to run the arduous 4K specs, so, at best, you’ll end up with a laptop that provides average performance.

Personally, I recommend a budget of $1700-$2000. At this price range, you’ll find a laptop with the necessary specs as well as a good variety of models to choose from.

Do You Really Need a 4K Laptop?

Bottom line: a 1080p laptop is more than adequate for tasks like word processing, presentation creation, and Internet browsing. If you’re doing video- and image-related work, then we recommend 4K laptops.

Now, when it comes to playing games, that’s another matter. It’s far better to buy a 1080p laptop with higher refresh rates instead of buying a 4K laptop with lower refresh rates.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it. I hope you were able to figure out if a 4K laptop is a good investment or if you’re better off with a non-4K laptop. Sure, 4K laptops are powerful machines, but they are also costly and suffer from several drawbacks (e.g., 4K is not your battery’s friend) that you should consider before you make such a significant investment.

Chris Martin is a professional tech writer. He's been covering tech tutorials, hardware reviews, and more as a professional writer for over seven years now and it doesn't look like he'll be stopping anytime soon! In addition to writing about the latest gadgets on the market, he also covers topics such as how to set up your home network or troubleshoot any computer problems you may have.

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