Are You Streaming in the Best Quality Possible?

To me, video quality matters.

I attempt to watch TV and movies in the best possible resolution,especiallyif Im paying for those pixels.

Netflix, for instance, charges more for its 4K HDR contenta lot more, actually.

Note, Im covering services like Netflix and HBO Max for this angle.

Other web-based platforms like YouTube offer easy 4K streaming on many different devices.

But, really, its pretty basic.

Because the video is roughly 4,000 pixels wide, we call it 4K.

By comparison, 1080p video has a resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels.

Your display needs to be compatible with HDR for this feature to work, as youll see.

Some services dont differentiate, and offer 4K so long as you hand them money.

Other companies, however, only offer 4K to customers that pay extra.

That said, it isnt the only service to do business this way.

HBO Max, for example,does not offer 4K streaming on its ad-free plan, nor doesParamount+.

A 1080p TV isnt going to generate more pixels because you have a 4K Netflix subscription.

That applies to all your screens.

Your laptop or computer monitor also needs to be 4K to make it experience 4K content.

Most streaming services dont even offer 4K content on smartphones, with Prime Video being a notable exception.

Perhaps thats because the displays attached to them arent 4K, such as the aforementioned 1080p TV.

Hulu, for example,doesnt offer 4K streaming for smartphones, tablets, or computers.

HBO Max, sadly, has the same policy.

Amazons Prime Video offers 4K resolution on Android phones, but not iPhones or iPads.

If you have the option, youre better off watching Prime content on Android than iOS.

If youre watching Netflix in Chrome, Firefox, or Brave, youre watching HD, not 4K.

Whether or not your setup supports 4K is based on avarietyof factors.

Ive linked the support pages for some of the most popular 4K streaming services below.