Now that you are in the market for a new portable rig, you have probably noticed how saturated the available options are. They boil down to either the awesomeness of hardware specs or pixels alone. Ultimately, you may be wondering what having a 4k vs 1080p laptop entails. So sit back, relax, and have a drink or two. We understand that crunching pros, cons, and numbers in a 1920×1080 vs 3840×2160 laptop battle does not sound too appealing. For this reason, we will give you a rundown of what to look out for when deciding on your brand new rig.
What You Should Know About Full HD Laptops
Full HD (1920×1080) laptops are common in today’s global computer market. Their prevalence can be attributed to several advantages that extrapolate beyond their immediate popularity.
1 What You Should Know About Full HD Laptops1.1 Affordable price range1.2 Less power, more juice1.3 Higher refresh rates1.4 Lower picture quality1.5 Lower resolutions only2 What You Should Know About UHD Laptops2.1 Superior picture quality2.2 Broad application of ultra-high-definition resolution2.3 Lower refresh rates2.4 More power, less juice2.5 Premium price range3 What to Take Home from the Ultimate Laptop Showdown3.1 ★ 1920×1080 vs 3840×2160 laptop in “Nanomachines, son!”3.2 ★ 4k vs 1080p laptop in “It’s not a lake, it’s an ocean.”3.3 ★ 1920×1080 vs 3840×2160 laptop in “The cake is a lie.”4 Winner, Winner — Laptop Dinner?
Affordable price range
If your budget is tight, you can save up to $500 when opting for a full HD laptop instead of a 4k laptop. It goes without saying that the price depends on the other laptop’s hardware specs as well. Still, the full HD display is one of the main contributors to the pricing range of these laptops.
Less power, more juice
Generally speaking, laptops with full HD displays require less power to run. With a full HD laptop, you will save some cash on your electricity bill. Additionally, you will get more uptime from your rig’s battery when you are out and about.
Higher refresh rates
Your new rig is likely going to be more than just a portable gaming device. Luckily, full HD displays are balanced all-round. Whether you are going to work on your projects, watch movies, browse the internet, or simply play games, a full HD laptop’s high refresh rates are always going to step up to their game. Be that as it may, we also need to let you know about two less advantageous aspects of owning a full HD laptop.
Lower picture quality
If you are looking to get a vibrant and lifelike picture output with your new portable rig, you will not find it in full HD laptops. In that case, you should consider getting a 4k laptop instead.
Lower resolutions only
As the name undoubtedly suggests, full HD laptops support resolutions up to 1080p. Although we are moving in the direction of having the 4k resolution seen as the default, we are not saying that you should immediately board the hype train. However, if you are looking to work on 4k gameplay streams, videos, and pictures, you should not set your sights on a full HD laptop.
What You Should Know About UHD Laptops
While 4k or UHD (3840×2160) laptops are not as common as full HD laptops, they are still the preferred choice for many tech wiz enthusiasts. We can even go as far as to blatantly state that 4k laptops shine where full HD laptops fall short.
Superior picture quality
When it comes to breathtaking picture quality, 4k laptops are what you want. More pixels equal higher-quality picture output overall, which in turn means that even when the resolution is downscaled, the 4k display is sure to impress.
Broad application of ultra-high-definition resolution
Opting for a 4k laptop means that you will have all the hardware resources necessary to support your multimedia needs and preferences. That is to say, you will be able to view, create, and edit 4k pictures, videos, and gameplay streams without any hassle. With that said, you should keep in mind the three main disadvantages of 4k laptops before falling in love with the idea of owning one.
Lower refresh rates
This may come as a surprise, but 4k displays sport lower refresh rates. For this reason, a 60 Hz refresh rate on 4k laptops can impair your performance not only during gaming sessions, but other regular day-to-day computing tasks as well.
More power, less juice
A 4k laptop requires more power to keep its ultra-high-definition display up and running. In turn, its power supply is likely to contribute to the increase in your electricity bill. Similarly, the battery life is going to take a hard blow when you are away from a physical power source. Moreover, adjusting the display to one of the lower resolutions will not help the cause.
Premium price range
If you want extra, you should be prepared to pay for it. That is to say, 4k laptops are nested blissfully at the higher end of the computer market. Some may cost less than others, but if you are looking to score additional bonus features such as a touch screen, you can expect a visible spike in the price.
What to Take Home from the Ultimate Laptop Showdown
All things considered, we understand that it may be hard for you to decide between a 4k vs 1080p laptop. To give you a leg-up, we have shortlisted some of the laptops’ core differences.
★ 1920×1080 vs 3840×2160 laptop in “Nanomachines, son!”
If you like big numbers, you will be pleased to hear that in comparison to a full HD display, a UHD display has four times the amount of pixels. With over 8 million pixels on board, a UHD laptop guarantees better accuracy, contrast, gamut, and saturation of its display.
★ 4k vs 1080p laptop in “It’s not a lake, it’s an ocean.”
High-end displays require high-end components to run. Since 4k displays are more powerful, 4k laptop hardware components need to match the requirements. Unfortunately, this usually comes at the cost of versatility in the manufacturing process of a 4k laptop. This is further reflected in the laptop’s price. Comparatively, 1080p displays are cost-efficient and offer more workable options to manufacturers and end-users alike.
★ 1920×1080 vs 3840×2160 laptop in “The cake is a lie.”
Big numbers do not necessarily equal better performance in the battle of refreshing pixels. As a matter of fact, full HD laptops have superior refresh rates that go up to 300 Hz with certain models. In contrast, a UHD laptop’s 60 Hz refresh rate is only worth the money if the rig comes loaded with a powerful GPU that supports rendering technologies to make up for the display’s shortcomings.
Winner, Winner — Laptop Dinner?
Ultimately, we hope that this article will have prepared you for the last boss — your preferred money expenditure. That is right, there is no escaping the penultimate grindfest even when in the market for a new rig! With that said, you should keep tabs on your 4k vs 1080p laptop quest. In other words, you need to take the cost of any possible repairs or upgrades into consideration. By doing so, you can successfully avoid unaccounted financial loss further down the line. Moreover, you will benefit from staying on track with the developments in computer hardware as well. Since it is all about individual preferences, there is no one way to determine the winner of this 1920×1080 vs 3840×2160 laptop battle. However, make sure to always embody the spirit of “good game” in UHD, regardless of your future portable rig’s display.
