TechPowerUp Survey: Over 25% Readers Game or Plan to Game at 4K Resolution

[btarunr]

More than a quarter of TechPowerUp readers either already game at 4K Ultra HD resolution, or plan to do so by next year, according to our front-page survey poll run over the past 50 days. We asked our readers if they are gaming at 4K. Among the 17,175 respondents at the time of this writing, 14.5 percent said that they are already gaming at 4K UHD (3840 x 2160 pixels), which includes not just a 4K display, but also having their games render at that resolution. 3 percent say that while they have a 4K display, they game at lower resolutions or with reduced level of detail, probably indicating that their PC hardware isn't yet capable of handling 4K.

Almost a tenth of the respondents (9.5 percent to be precise), say that while they don't game at 4K, they plan to do so in the near future. 1.6 percent responded that they expect to go 4K within 2018, and 7.9 percent in 2019. The majority 73 percent of our readers neither game at 4K nor plan to any time soon. These results are particularly encouraging as a reasonably big slice of our readership is drawn to 4K, the high-end gaming resolution of this generation, which can provide four times the detail as Full HD (1080p). Of the 9.5 percent lining up to upgrade, a near proportionate amount could upgrade not just their display, but also other hardware such as graphics cards, and perhaps even the rest of their platforms, to cope with 4K.



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[HimymCZe]

UWHD >> 4K

 

[RH92]

UWHD >> 4K

That can only come from the mouth of someone who has never experienced 4K . The truth is it really depends on the type of games you play . For racing games 1st person shooters etc yes you are better with a 1440p high refresh rate monitor but for anything else 4K is superior .

 

[Octavean]

That can only come from the mouth of someone who has never experienced 4K . The truth is it really depends on the type of games you play . For racing games 1st person shooters etc yes you are better with a 1440p high refresh rate monitor but for anything else 4K is superior .

Not only that,.....

There is now a 4K monitor in 21:9 format on the market. Its the LG 34WK95U. It has a resolution of 5120x2160 so its actually a higher resolution the 4K but its is essentially a stretched 4K monitor in the 21:9 ratio format.

So people don't have to decide between 4K and ultra wide,.....

It is a false assumption that people need to choose between the two,....

Well assuming one has the ~$1500 USD to spend on just a monitor,......

 

[Hockster]

I've got both in my system, 4K and an ultra wide. For me there's no comparison, ultra wide just owns for gaming.

 

[ArbitraryAffection]

UWHD >> 4K

No no no no. I'm sorry but IMHO I'd take the extra vertical resolution any day . I don't get the fascination with Ultra Wide.

I was going to get a good old 16:9 4K monitor but it doesn't look like it's going to happen now for budget reasons. So 1080p 24" it is for the foreseeable future. At least it's a nice Dell IPS 1080p.

 

[Vayra86]

I'm sorry but do you mind if I call complete BS on the accuracy of this poll?

Look at this.

Don't ever underestimate people's ability to lie. The reality is that 1080p is dominant, even on TPU, and that 4K represents epeen value, so you will always see inflated numbers in anonymous polls. I know for a fact it cannot be 15% on 4K. Not by a long shot, even on an enthusiast website.

Its the same as 'what is your next GPU'. You see heavily inflated numbers on every top-end model. You see what they'd prefer, not what they actually do.

 

[neatfeatguy]

I don't visit the front page very often and miss the polls. I don't game at 4k, but I don't game at 2k either. I don't really care about 4k and with the prices of everything, I see no way that I would be moving to 4k anytime soon.

For games that support my UW resolution of 5760x1080 (6000x1080 with bezel correction) that's what I game on.

 

[Joss]

Ultra Wide makes no sense for whatever use, it's a tool of alienation and for alienated.

 

[Deleted member 178884]

14.5 percent said that they are already gaming at 4K UHD (3840 x 2160 pixels), which includes not just a 4K display, but also having their games render at that resolution.

I'm one for now until I move away from 4k.

 

[Kamgusta]

How to distort reality, part 1:

Write: "Over 25% readers game or plan to game at 4k resolution"

Instead of: "Almost 81% readers do not game or plan to game at 4k resolution"

 

[btarunr]

View attachment 110221

You compare a sample size of 70 to that of 17,175+. Good job. These votes were cast by TPU's readers (and not just TPU forum members).

All opinion polls are conducted on the foregone conclusion that some people lie in their responses. Real inferences are drawn from those opinion polls.

26% taking 4K seriously is an important takeaway of this poll. It hints that the DIY PC hardware industry isn't stagnated and over the next few years, it will be fueled by upgrades to make 4K gaming possible.

How to distort reality, part 1:

Write: "Over 25% readers game or plan to game at 4k resolution"

Instead of: "Almost 81% readers do not game or plan to game at 4k resolution"

If 26% of Autocar's readership drove cars pricier than a BMW 3-series, and the remaining drove Toyotas, their headlines would not read "three quarters of our readers drive Toyotas."

 

[TheTechGuy1337]

My other complaint besides what everyone else has mentioned is the skewed results. I'm not talking about the small sample size in the results either. The problem is the people that come to Techpowerup are tech enthusiasts. We come here because we love discussing tech. Our setups are generally going to be higher than the average consumer when comparing pc and monitors. 1080p is still the dominant resolution and will be for a while. It's kind of like upgrading to an new OS. We are going from Windows 7 to Windows 10. Do people want to make the switch? Some do, but most don't care or don't see the point. But it will slowly happen over time as new products with these features will dominate the market thus letting people upgrade in the process.


I run three 24 inch monitors at 1080p. I am a gamer and love high end gaming. Until 4k 60hz ultra settings for triple A titles become more affordable, then I'm sticking with my lower resolution. Maybe over the next few generations we will finally see prices start to drop a bit. Well, at least at that point I could buy a used rtx 2080ti without killing my wallet.

 

[btarunr]

My other complaint besides what everyone else has mentioned is the skewed results. I'm not talking about the small sample size in the results either. The problem is the people that come to Techpowerup are tech enthusiasts. We come here because we love discussing tech. Our setups are generally going to be higher than the average consumer when comparing pc and monitors.

Hence, we used the phrase "our readers," and not "the average consumer."

 

[Vya Domus]

Now that I got a 4K TV, I must say games do look marketable better, but that's just because that is also a much larger display where the detail can in fact be properly observed, on a much smaller monitor I can see how 4K wouldn't be very appealing given the massive performance hit.

 

[Dave65]

Id never play at 4k is what I said until I saw it.. AMAZING!

 

[荷兰大母猪]

Switch from 4K 60FPS to 3440x1440 UWQHD 100HZ. But I cannot switch back to 16:9 anymore!

 

[kastriot]

Well problem is moneyl, if we all had it here at tpu we would have rtx 2080 ti and 40 inch 4K 100Hz but we don't yes?

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

My other complaint besides what everyone else has mentioned is the skewed results. I'm not talking about the small sample size in the results either. The problem is the people that come to Techpowerup are tech enthusiasts. We come here because we love discussing tech. Our setups are generally going to be higher than the average consumer when comparing pc and monitors. 1080p is still the dominant resolution and will be for a while. It's kind of like upgrading to an new OS. We are going from Windows 7 to Windows 10. Do people want to make the switch? Some do, but most don't care or don't see the point. But it will slowly happen over time as new products with these features will dominate the market thus letting people upgrade in the process.


I run three 24 inch monitors at 1080p. I am a gamer and love high end gaming. Until 4k 60hz ultra settings for triple A titles become more affordable, then I'm sticking with my lower resolution. Maybe over the next few generations we will finally see prices start to drop a bit. Well, at least at that point I could buy a used rtx 2080ti without killing my wallet.

I've been gaming happily at 4 k for nearly two years, using the two rx480s i just sold a friend for £150 all in,then this vega, 95% games run 60fps+ at high settings, the others well i can use lower resolutions ,its not like they don't work.

 

[Blueberries]

I was able to play most titles at 4k with a 1070 but decided I didn't play video games enough to warrant a video card and gave it to a friend instead.

 

[Daven]

How to distort reality, part 1:

Write: "Over 25% readers game or plan to game at 4k resolution"

Instead of: "Almost 81% readers do not game or plan to game at 4k resolution"

You, sir, are one smart cookie! I love your post. This is a perfect lesson in how the same set of data can be interpreted to reach two very different conclusions.

 

[HTC]

You, sir, are one smart cookie! I love your post. This is a perfect lesson in how the same set of data can be interpreted to reach two very different conclusions.

Would be, if the percentage added up to 100%, no?

The correct percentage should be 73%.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

But 73% of us just straight up dont.

 

[bug]

Don't read that much into that. I didn't vote simply because I don't have time to game anymore. If I did, it wouldn't be at 4k.

 

[TheTechGuy1337]

I've been gaming happily at 4 k for nearly two years, using the two rx480s i just sold a friend for £150 all in,then this vega, 95% games run 60fps+ at high settings, the others well i can use lower resolutions ,its not like they don't work.

My only complaint is your gaming needs are subjective to yourself as are mine. What games are you playing when you say 95%?

I was able to play most titles at 4k with a 1070 but decided I didn't play video games enough to warrant a video card and gave it to a friend instead.

My above question also applies to you.



I will agree that both of your setups can do 4k gaming, but at lower settings depending on the game. I specifically said 4k ultra settings 60 fps in triple A titles.