What you need to know about 4K resolution on the PC

What is 4K format?

This is a new level of detail and video games. 4K-content generates four times higher resolution than the already familiar to us Full HD. 8 million pixels allow you to see the smallest details of the image and enjoy smooth transitions as clear images.

So it time to update your computer to the new technological trends? How much will cost the ideal from the point of view of the image, movie or game?

All information collected in this material gleaned from a variety of foreign and domestic sources. I have never set up and work with 4K-systems therefore rely on the accounts for the words competent technicians. I beg to point out possible flaws, I could be wrong. Purpose of the article - to decide for yourself, and tell you what kind of animal, and whether to go to him to hunt.

The transition to ultra-sharp images promises us a number of technical problems. Let's go in order of disassemble.

Monitor

Usually, we do not pay attention to the resolution of the monitor before purchasing it. For most of us, the decisive role played by the appearance and thickness. Is that gamers may be interested in specific connections and response time.

Therefore, desiring to fully immerse themselves in the world of 4K-image, you will have to purchase a monitor. Pay attention to his specification. If the standard screens support Full HD resolution 1920 × 1080 resolution, then our cherished monitor must bear the proud label UHD 3840 × 2160.

Screen Resolution regarding its size

Windows desktop environment begins to suffer when the density of pixels per inch (PPI) comes to 200. 30 "monitors with a resolution of 4K-have a density of 144 PPI, and screens with more modest 24" with the same resolution are already 184 PPI.

Such a high density can make the display of icons on the desktop and web pages somewhat strange, as if they were out of focus.

There are also scaling problems in some games, such as League of Legends and World of Warcraft, which are small scale of the default interface. Of course, the game settings allow you to zoom in, but this, in turn, reduce the sharpness.

The problem of "two panels"

Some reach the 4K-resolution monitors 3840 × 2160 by combining two panel resolution of 1920 × 2160. That is, the monitor has two controllers, each of which is responsible for its half of the matrix. The computer determines a screen as two separate logical monitor and combines them into one with the help of drivers from AMD (Eyefinity) and NVIDIA (Surround).

That is, we need good software, optimized for these or other purposes. What's bad about it?

For example, if you like, if the game will be displayed on the screen of one of the halves, or the picture is unnaturally stretched or narrowed due to defects driver? To find the truth about these specific nuances of each individual monitor you are unlikely to have the rank and file shopping consultants need to familiarize with the detailed review of the proposed purchase in Internet.

Image Refresh Rate

60 Hz, or update images at 60 frames per second, is the gold standard in recent years. Only high-performance chips inside the display is able to cope with such a huge amount of data. Accordingly, in order to avoid excessive rise in price, some manufacturers install microcontrollers in their products to ensure that only the frequency of 30 Hz.

Even with heavy-duty filling your system unit, you will still be able to see more than 30 the FPS, because the monitor itself only updates the image 30 times a second. Gamers here may stumble badly.

Given the above, it may be advisable to purchase Samsung U28D590D on foreign price of $ 700. I hope that after the publication of this material, the company did not forget to throw me a copy of his production for advertising.

Maybe you know better option?

video card

Not bad to spend? It's flowers! 4K-friendly monitor only with graphics cards level high-end, that is, that on there, the best. Even AMD Radeon 295X2 issued only 22 FPS at very high settings for Crysis 3, Battlefield 4 in the figure reached 37 FPS.

Apart from processing power to process 8.3 Mill. 4K-pixels in the picture, the graphics card needs to be on board a sufficient amount of video memory. For example, a bunch of two Nvidia 780 GTX Ti simply drowned in the same Crysis 3, by giving only the minimum 3 FPS. This low output is connected with the insufficient number of video RAM.

Thus, ideally, the system should not only include two powerful GPU, but also 4 GB video RAM on each of them. Radeon 295X2 brings 8 GB of video memory, and the two Nvidia 780 GTX Ti in SLI-mode - only 6 GB. Herein lies the failure of the GTX 780 in Crysis 3.

Besides said Radeon 295X2, a bunch of two suitable Nvidia GTX Titan (not to be confused with the 780 GTX Ti). AMD's decision will hit the pocket of $ 1500, two pull Titan to $ 2000. If you are not limited in finance, you should definitely look at the new video Monster Nvidia Titan Z with 12 GB of RAM on board at the price of $ 3000.

Compound

If I have not yet managed to scare you, you have to relax. Trifling affair: connect the monitor to the video card.

Conventional modern displays are connected to the video card with HDMI interface. Most of HDMI-connections do not support 4K. Pull this resolution to HDMI 1.4 state and then only with the FPS maximum number - 30. Get coveted 60Hz 4K-monitor could theoretically HDMI 2.0, but it is banal not have the appropriate video card.

Thus, you can forget about the usual and familiar HDMI. Proceed to DVI. This standard is able to issue a picture at 17 Hz with a resolution of 3840 × 2400 (in mode dual-link 33 Hz, but most monitors do not support such a connection).

What is the way out? DisplayPort! Only the interface is able to squeeze 60 Hz at UHD and has adequate support from the graphics card. But even here there is a hitch. Aby DisplayPort which also will not work, it must be version number 1.2. Older versions support "only" 2560 × 1600. Lace cost approximately $ 20.

A wrong cable can cause artifacts and flakey pictures. Twinkling, illogical change of color and image distortion can cause you anxiety over your monitor is not cheap, but the wrong cable is not able to cause any harm.

conclusion

To all this must be for the money?

The issue price, of course, is relative. Just a year and a half ago, the cost of a 4K-monitor reach tens of thousands of dollars. Such a stack of money were not ready to lay out and the most desperate enthusiasts.

Today 4K-solutions will be useful to designers, designers and gamers. They used to work on multiple monitors at the same time, and now the huge diagonal of 34 "and even 39" will be able to replace all the "stuff". Impressive work area, along with impressive detail will bring true pleasure to those who can afford it.

Common people is still too early to throw in new technologies. And it's not just about money. Available technical compatibility problems require fine-tuning, which is almost always attracts mass.

Have you encountered 4K on your computer? Is the game worth the candle?