Articles about 4K

If you have a desire to use your laptop as a makeshift desktop, you should absolutely invest in a docking station. Thanks to USB-C, this is easier than ever, as there are many great docks from which to choose. You can then connect, say, a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the docking station and then plug your laptop into the dock with a single cable. Some models may even charge the laptop too.

But what if you want to cut out the middleman? Rather than buy a dedicated docking station, you can opt for a monitor with an integrated dock. Philips has a beautiful new such display, with a built-in USB-C docking station. Called "Brilliance 272P7VUBNB," the 27-inch display can do 4K at 60Hz while also charging your computer. In addition, it has many useful ports, such as gigabit Ethernet and dual USB-A. Plus, the monitor is very versatile, allowing height adjustment, tilt, and the ability to rotate vertically.

Continue reading →

Believe it or not, many people still use 1080p. Hell, I am writing this on an 11.6-inch Chromebook with a 720p screen. Madness, right? Not really. I mean, not everyone needs the latest and greatest. Truth be told, I own a 4K television, but I have almost no UHD content. Why did I buy it then? The price wasn't much different from 1080p sets.

While many of us are barely taking advantage of 4K properly, manufacturers are continually pushing boundaries. There are already displays that exceed UHD. In particular, you can get an iMac with 5K for instance, or if you have a spare $70,000 lying about, you could buy this 98-inch 8K Sony TV.

Continue reading →

When is a monitor not just a monitor? When it doubles as a Thunderbolt 3 docking station. The latest 27-inch 4K display from BenQ is called "PD2720U," and yes, it essentially has an integrated TB3 dock. In fact, with a single cable, this monitor can charge your laptop, display video, and provide USB ports (USB 3.1 gen 2) for things like mice, keyboards, and more.

Taking things even further, the PD2720U has a second Thunderbolt 3 port for connecting a TB3 device. In other words, you can daisy chain an external GPU, TB3 SSD, or even another display to the computer -- still having just one wire connected to it.

Continue reading →

Back in January, we reported on two new "Brilliance" monitors from Philips. What made these displays stand out were their integrated Windows Hello-compatible cameras. This would allow the user to log into Windows 10 using their face -- no need to enter a password or touch a fingerprint reader. One was a pricey 49-inch super-wide monitor (499P9H), while the other was a 32-inch 4K display (329P9H). The latter has an integrated USB-C docking station and KVM switch, which is insanely cool.

At the time, we shared that the 329P9H would hit stores in February. Well, it was apparently very late, as it is just now coming to market! Yes, today, Philips announces that the Brilliance 32-inch 4K monitor (32P9H) is finally officially available for purchase. And yes, it looks like it was worth the wait.

Continue reading →

Back in January, Philips announced a beautiful pair of curved monitors. The premium displays featured Windows Hello cameras and USB-C -- very cool. Unfortunately, they both carried sky-high prices, starting at $799. What if you want a quality monitor at a more affordable price?

Today, Philips launches yet another pair of monitors, this time for far less money. The 32-inch 326E8FJSB features a QHD 2560 x 1440 display, while the 27-inch 276E8VJSB can do 4K. The monitors have similar designs, with a beautiful curved base, but the smaller one has thinner bezels.

Continue reading →

While the transition from standard definition TV to HDTV was monumental, the 4K (UHD) movement is much less so. Don't get me wrong, I own both a 4K Samsung TV and an Apple TV 4K, so I am invested in the resolution, but I am rarely blown away by UHD content. In other words, you probably shouldn't run out and buy a 4K television to replace your 1080p TV.

But OK, if you already have a 4K TV, you might as well watch some UHD content, right? Today, Google announces several improvements to its Play Movies and TV service in that regard. Not only will 4K content be more affordable, but the search giant will be automatically upgrading the SD and HD videos consumers already bought to 4K resolution (when available) for free. As long as the consumers are in the USA or Canada, that is.

Continue reading →

If you don't yet have a 4K TV, what the heck are you waiting for? Granted, a couple years back, these televisions were expensive and there was little 4K content, but in 2018, these are no longer true things. A 4K TV can be had without breaking the bank, while streaming services such as Netflix and YouTube offer videos using this ultra high definition format.

Today, Roku unveils two new 4K streaming media boxes that are surprisingly affordable. The "Premiere" and "Premiere+," as they are called, are priced low while also being quite capable. True, they forgo 802.11ac, but N wireless is more than fine.

Continue reading →

Back in April, we reported on a very exciting new monitor from Philips -- model number 436M6VBPAB. What makes the display so special? Well, the 43-inch 4K monitor uses quantum dot technology and is HDR1000-certified. It even has an impressive 1,000 nits max brightness and 10-bit color.

At the time, Philips said the monitor would be available in the "summer." Unfortunately, that availability was quite vague, leaving many consumers wondering when they could buy the breathtaking monitor. Thankfully, we now know when it can be bought -- right now!

Continue reading →

Video game streaming on platforms like Twitch and Mixer is huge nowadays. Hell, it isn't even just a hobby -- some of these players are making serious money by streaming themselves playing popular games online. Of course, it isn't just about gaming -- these content creators also offer intriguing personalities.

Streaming PC games can be quite easy, but what about console gaming? For that, your best bet is to leverage a capture card -- a device that connects the video-out from your console to your PC. Today, AVerMedia launches two such capture cards, and both support 4K -- perfect for PS4 Pro or Xbox One X. Technically only one is a card -- the Live Gamer 4K, which connects using PCIe 4x. The other, called Live Gamer ULTRA, is a USB-C box.

Continue reading →

These days, 4K televisions and monitors are becoming much more common. Operating systems support them well, and there is a lot of available UHD content -- including on Netflix and YouTube. Not to mention, prices have dropped dramatically -- these 4K monitors are finally achievable by the average consumer.

Philips has announced an all-new 4K display called "Momentum" (model 436M6VBPAB) that is downright breathtaking. First of all, it is huge -- a massive 43 inches. Size aside, it has Quantum Dot technology, an insane 1,000 nits max brightness, 10-bit color, and most impressive of all, it is HDR1000 certified.

Continue reading →

The new DS218+ is the most impressive NAS in Synology's two-bay range for home users. It's got powerful hardware and lots of features that you expect in the high-end segment, like a versatile operating system, a solid selection of ports, and support for 4K video streaming.

Those specs make it a very attractive option for power users and consumers who want a future-proofed NAS. Question is, does it have what it takes to also impress in real-life? I've tested the DS218+ to find out.

Continue reading →

I'm a big fan of value. Is that because I'm not a wealthy person? Partially. Even when I can afford something, however, I don't necessarily buy it. When buying a car, for instance, I try to get the most bang for my buck while getting a reasonable vehicle -- my only new car purchase was a Ford Focus priced below invoice. Could I have gotten a better vehicle? Sure, but the Focus provided value.

When it comes to monitors, I am the same way. My main computer these days is a 2016 MacBook Pro. Now, the obvious choice of a monitor wold be a fancy 5K variant from a company like LG. And yeah, I am sure a 5K display looks brilliant with macOS. But guess what? It is expensive. Instead, 4K is more than enough for my needs. When I want a monitor, I usually turn to AOC. Why? Its products are very good and budget-friendly. I've been testing the company's U3277PWQU 32-inch 4K UHD Professional Monitor lately, and I have some definitive opinions.

Continue reading →

There are a lot of USB-C docks and accessories on the market today. While the port can be found on Windows and Linux machines, you can thank Apple for the overall popularity. When the company went all-in with USB-C ports on the MacBook Pro, accessory makers really took interest.

Today, Belkin releases a new dock that uses the newest USB connector. Called "USB-C 3.1 Express Dock HD," it features 8 ports. Best of all, it can charge your laptop while it is connected. While it does offer 4K video, it is unfortunately capped at 30Hz, making it a non-starter for many.

Continue reading →

Synology has expanded the DS418 line with the introduction of the new DS418play. The NAS, which joins the DS418 and DS418j in the consumer-oriented four-bay range, is optimized for multimedia content.

The claim to fame of the DS418play is that it can transcode up to two channels of H.265 or H.264 4K content at the same time, which basically means that you will be able to stream two 4K videos at the same time on a smartphone and tablet using the NAS' processing power.

Continue reading →

GoPro started a trend when it launched the Hero4 line with 4K video recording. Today, it is pretty much impossible to find a new action camera that does not advertise this feature -- even when, in reality, most are not actually capable of it.

The Hawkeye Firefly 8S is different. It is the first action camera that I have tested that offers true 4K video recording. It is also among the most affordable options on the market, which, on paper, makes it great value for money. But how good is it in the real world? I've tested it to find out.

Continue reading →