1080p, sometimes marketed as Full HD, is the most common display resolution found in televisions and monitors today. It has a horizontal resolution of 1920 pixels and a vertical resolution of 1080 pixels. This means that it can display 1080 horizontal lines and 1920 vertical lines, resulting in a sharp and clear image quality.

4K, sometimes marketed as Ultra HD: 4K or Ultra HD, has a much higher resolution than 1080p. It has a horizontal resolution of 3840 pixels and a vertical resolution of 2160 pixels. This means that it can display 3840 horizontal lines and 2160 vertical lines, resulting in an even sharper and clearer image quality.

Comparison: In terms of clarity and sharpness, 4K clearly wins over 1080p. With four times as many pixels as 1080p, 4K provides a much more detailed and crisp image. This is particularly noticeable when watching wide-angle shots, fast-moving action scenes, or content with a lot of fine detail.

However, there are some drawbacks to 4K. Firstly, it requires more powerful and sometimes expensive hardware to render the image, such as a higher-end graphics card or a faster processor. Secondly, 4K content is not as widely available as 1080p. While there is an increasing amount of 4K content available, particularly through streaming services, it’s still not as ubiquitous as 1080p. Third, the files for 4k are significantly larger. For example, Avatar The Way of Water (2022) [1080p] is 3.55GB in size while Avatar Way of water (2022) [4k] is 33.68GB in size.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for the absolute best image quality and you’re willing to invest in the necessary hardware, 4K is the way to go. However, if you’re on a tighter budget or if you’re not too bothered about the absolute highest image quality, 1080p still provides a more than adequate viewing experience. Ultimately, the decision between 1080p and 4K comes down to your personal preferences and budget.