I’ve noticed that TV makers aren’t pushing the 4K mantra as much as they have in the past, and considering everything, it makes perfect sense. 4K is no longer a selling point – it’s thenew norm for TVsover 40 inches. A similar tone change happened when most sets started shipping with 1080p instead of 720p, or the atrocity that is 1080i.
8K technology has been around for a few years now, and if you’re here, you’re probably wondering if you should be investing in a compatible system for console orPC gaming. The bad news is that 8K is far from being practical – and probably won’t be a big deal by the time it is. Here’s why.
PlayStation 5 Pro
PlayStation 5 Pro is the high-end console, featuring a brand-new GPU, AI-driven upscaling technology referred to as PSSR, and advanced ray tracing for more accurate reflections and lighting. The console is digital-only, requiring the seperate purchase of a disc-drive.
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Hardware limits are still in the way
Unless you’re rich, that is
Technically speaking, the PlayStation 5 andPlayStation 5 Proare both 8K-capable consoles. Realistically, however, few PS5 games run in 8K unless they’re upscaled from 4K. The only native 8K title for the base PS5 is The Touryst, and the Pro is limited to a handful of options at the moment, like Gran Turismo 7 and No Man’s Sky. Some of those are capped at 30 frames per second unless you dial resolution back down.
Effectively, 8K on a console means buying Sony’s most expensive machine to play a small catalog. The base PS5 and Microsoft’sXbox Series Xsupport 8K on paper only – they sometimes struggle with detailed 3D in 4K, never mind pushing four times the number of pixels. In fact, part of the way the PS5 Pro gets around this is PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-based upscaling technology. The output is true 8K – but the games themselves are still in 4K.
Effectively, 8K on a console means buying Sony’s most expensive machine to play a small catalog.
Things are arguably worse on the PC side, since you need a dedicated graphics card (GPU) with enough VRAM and performance overhead. As of this writing, that may mean Nvidia’s RTX 4090, which costs a ridiculous $1,600 or more – as much as some whole desktop configurations. Even most of the company’s upcoming 50-series cards probably won’t deliver 8K at a steady 60fps.
A shared problem between PCs and consoles is the cost of 8K panels. Many “cheap” 8K TVs are close to $2,000, and the best are over $3,000. 8K monitors aren’t even a thing for the most part, since there’s not much point on a screen that close to your face, and they cost just as much as the hardware needed to drive them. You’re better off buying an ultra-wide monitor when it comes to immersive gaming.
MSI’s MPG 341CQPX has converted me to ultra-wide monitors for gaming and work
The MSI MPG 341CQPX boasts an OLED display, blazing fast refresh rate, and a stunning image that converted me to ultra-wide monitors for good.
8K doesn’t offer a real advantage
Be smarter with your gaming budget
Simply put, 8K doesn’t look that much sharper on the screen sizes people actually use for games. I own a 65-inch 4K TV, on which it’s still sometimes difficult to tell the difference between native 4K and 1080p. For 8K to make an impact, you need a gigantic display relative to your point of view – possibly so large that even if you can afford one, it might not fit. Personally, I’d choose a 4K OLED set over an 8K QLED any day of the week, since the colors and contrast of OLED are more impressive.
With gaming, refresh rates should be a higher priority than resolution, since a 120 or 144Hz panel translates into smoother, more responsive gameplay. Your existing TV or video card probably already supports that at 1080p or 1440p, if not 4K. Personally, I find 1440p and 120Hz to be more than enough for most games.
Significantly, there still isn’t much 8K content worth upgrading for, in gaming or otherwise. Some YouTube videos are in 8K, but services like Netflix, Max, and Disney+ top out at 4K, even with their highest pay tiers. You won’t find 8K movies on Blu-ray, either, since the format just doesn’t have enough space to cram a film on a single disc. Game developers aren’t optimizing their models and textures for 8K, given how much space that would take on your hard drive.
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Is there any situation in which 8K makes sense for gaming?
You know the short answer
Not really. It might be essential if you’re setting up a large-scale gaming experience, say at a cinema or entertainment center, but that’s about it. Otherwise, heading into 2025, it’s pure luxury.
There is another case, potentially: futureproofing. If you’ve got thousands of dollars to spare, an 8K setup is bound to last you a few years, since it’s the cutting edge of what’s available. But even then you may find yourself wishing you’d stuck with 4K OLED – by the time there’s a reasonable amount of 8K content available, the cost of displays and compatible game systems will have gone down, and the best ones will have even better technology – imagine playing on an 8Kmicro-LEDpanel. There are more valuable things you could be spending money on these days – including the actual games.
