Introduction

Als het gaat om audiovisuele installaties – of het nu voor een vergaderzaal, een thuisbioscoop of een professionele ruimte is – is de kwestie van de resolutie onontkoombaar.
Moet je kiezen voor 2K of 4K?

Although 4K is now ubiquitous in marketing hype, the reality is often very different in practice. Given the available content, the technologies used and the actual needs of users, this decision warrants a thorough analysis. 

2K vs 4K: the differences explained

The 2K resolution corresponds to a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, also known as Full HD.
This resolution became widely established in the 2000s with the arrival of Blu-ray players, games consoles such as the PS3 and the Xbox, and the first high-resolution screens. 

The 4K resolution corresponds to 3840 x 2160 pixels (UHD), which is four times as many pixels as 2K.

In practical terms, this means:

a more detailed image
greater accuracy with large formats
a more immersive experience

But is that difference always visible? Not necessarily. 

4K: a promise that needs to be qualified

Contrary to what you might think, the fact is that: the majority of available content is still in 2K

Films, presentations, professional content… Native 4K still has a relatively small market share (around 15% of the market).

Direct consequence: Most 4K devices use a technology known as upscaling.

Upscaling: fake 4K?

Result:

Upscalingmeans that a 2K image is converted to 4Kby artificially increasing the number of pixels.  

sometimes really tasty
sometimes mediocre

It depends:

the quality of the projector or monitor
of the algorithm used
the type of content displayed

This is why two 4K devices can produce very different results.

Monitor vs projector: two different approaches

Monitors (screens)

Nowadays, as soon as you go above 32 inches, 4K has become the norm.

Why?

reduced viewing distance
high pixel density
better readability

In that case, there’s hardly any question about it: 4K is the way to go.

Spotlights

When it comes to projectors, the situation is different:

90% of projectors remain at 2K or equivalent
4K models are more expensive
The visual impact depends heavily on the projection size

In a standard image, the difference may be barely noticeable.

What criteria should you use when choosing?

The choice between 2K and 4K should never be based solely on resolution.

The following must be taken into account:

1. The type of content
PowerPoint presentations → 2K is sufficient
High-end video → 4K is worth a look
2. Image size
small → slight
large → 4K is more appropriate
3. Viewing distance
close-up → 4K resolution
distant → reduced difference
4. The budget
2K = best value for money
4K = higher investment

Specific case

A standard meeting room in a company:

75-inch screen
average distance: 2 to 4 metres

The result: 2K is more than enough in 90% of cases

A high-end conference room or showroom:

extra-large screen
premium visual content

The result: 4K is becoming appealing

The most common mistake

Many companies opt for 4K simply to ‘look modern’.

Problème :

unnecessary expense
no real gain
poorly allocated budget

A good installation depends not only on the resolution, but on the system as a whole.

Conclusion: 2K or 4K?

In summary:

2K: sufficient for most purposes
4K: ideal for demanding environments

The right choice always depends on:

actual use
environmental
of the budget

AV Application’s expert opinion

At AV Application, we always recommend a bespoke approach.

Rather than following trends, we analyse your needs to offer the most suitable solution