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We live in a 4K world, right? Or maybe it’s already 8K. With TVs, cameras, and streaming platforms pushing higher and higher resolutions, it’s easy to assume that anything less than 4K must be outdated.
But when it comes to live streaming, is a bigger resolution always better? In this post we’ll take a practical look at 4K and 8K devices alongside the content they deliver. We’ll then explore how they compare to more long standing resolutions like 1080p and 720p in a live streaming environment. Finally, we’ll get to the heart of the question: do lower quality HD 720p streams still have a role, or are they obsolete in today’s streaming world?
The Truth About 4K + 8K Devices
Do Viewers Really Watch in 4K + 8K?
The Most Important Screen Size for Your Streams
Why 720p + 1080p Aren't As Outdated As You Think
Final Thoughts
You might be surprised to learn when ultra-high-definition devices actually began hitting the market. Sony and LG were first to release consumer 4K televisions in 20121, and just three years later in 2015 Sony launched the first 4K smartphone2, the Xperia Z5 Premium. Fast-forward to today: nearly two-thirds of U.S. households own a 4K-capable TV3, yet very few phones offer true 4K displays. That’s because cramming that kind of resolution into a small screen quickly drains battery and strains processing power — and, frankly, the human eye doesn’t benefit much from it at such a small size.
The next leap came in 2018, when Samsung introduced the first 8K TV4, soon followed by LG, Sony, and others. But while TV makers were quick to experiment with 8K, smartphones never made the jump. A handful of devices now record in 8K5, but none offer 8K screens, and given the limits of practicality, it’s unlikely they ever will.
As consumers, we’re used to seeing our cars, laptops, and especially our iPhones offer better and better technology every few years. That’s not really been the case with our new TVs, at least, pertaining to resolution. To put this into perspective, let’s line up the launches of 4K and 8K devices alongside each new iPhone:
| Year | New iPhone | Super HD Device Launch |
| 2012 | iPhone 5 | 4K TV launched |
| 2015 | iPhone 6s | 4K smartphone launched |
| 2018 | iPhone XS | 8K TV launched |
| 2025 | iPhone 17 | — |
The contrast is striking. The biggest leap in TV resolution happened in 2018 with the debut of 8K. That same year, Apple released the iPhone XS, which featured an OLED display, a 12MP camera, and LTE connectivity. Fast-forward to 2025 and the iPhone 16 has evolved dramatically: an advanced 48MP camera system, longer battery life, faster charging, next gen 5G connectivity, improved water and dust resistance, usb-c cabling, and a host of AI-powered features.
Now compare that to televisions. From 2018 to 2025, iPhones advanced through six new generations while TV resolution barely budged. In fact, fewer than 1% of TVs sold in 2025 have been 8K models6, and Samsung is the only major brand still releasing new 8K sets7. Most others have quietly stepped back, selling only leftover models from prior years.
The bottom line is this: while most tech continues to improve year after year, TV resolution has stalled. 4K has become the standard capability, and 8K has failed to gain real traction.
Why has this happened? We’ll unpack this in the next section.
Just because you have a 4K TV or even an 8K TV doesn’t mean that everything you watch on that TV will actually be that resolution. In reality, most of the content you view on a 4K TV will be viewed at a lower resolution. Let's dive into why.
The majority of broadcast television in 2025 is still shown in 1080i (interlaced), meaning only half the lines in a video frame are refreshed at a time to conserve bandwidth. Conversely, the 720p (progressive) format refreshes all lines sequentially, drawing a complete, stable image. This progressive format is crucial for high-action events like sports, preventing motion blur on fast-moving objects across the screen. While next-generation TV broadcasts will occasionally deliver higher resolutions for special events, most viewers watching on a modern 4K TV are not viewing true 1080p content.
For those who primarily stream, none of the major OTT apps, including HBO Max, Disney+, and Netflix, disclose exactly how much of their catalog is available in 4K. What is well known is that the majority of their libraries are 1080p, not 4K8. Even if you want 4K on Netflix, you won’t get it on their Standard Plan at $17.99 per month. You'll need to upgrade to the Premium Plan at $24.99 per month to watch in 4K9. Even then, most of the shows that you’ll be interested in viewing likely will still be 1080p.
If you’ve always assumed your expensive new TV was delivering true 4K or 8K content, this information might be a bit of a shock — sorry to break the news! On a more serious note, this lack of widespread, high-resolution content is a major reason why consumers aren't flocking to buy 8K TVs yet; the content simply isn't available to watch
Diving into aggregated streaming service data from 202510, you might be surprised by which devices people use most frequently to watch content. Since many viewers hop between multiple screens, these percentages don’t add up to exactly 100%. Let’s start from fourth place and count down to the top device.
Coming in last, we have tablets, used by around 20% of viewers for regular streaming. That’s not too shocking — a quick glance around any restaurant or youth sporting event usually reveals kids locked into their tablets with the focus of a chess master in a championship match.
Laptops and computers account for roughly 30% of all streaming viewers. As someone who has always relied on a computer for entertainment — from apartment living to long business trips — I can attest that the laptop remains the most flexible option. It's the go-to device for convenient, on-the-go streaming, especially for those who never adopted traditional broadcast TV.
In second place, we find Smart TVs, making up about 45% of streaming device usage. Of course, family movie nights are still spent on the biggest screen in the house. But the real leader in streaming today isn’t your 65-inch living room centerpiece — it’s the tiny screen in your hand. Mobile devices account for over 60% of regular streaming viewership.
It’s not all that surprising, is it? Considering how people upgrade their phones year after year, it’s clear our attention gravitates to them. Depending on which study you read, people check their phones anywhere from 5811 to over 20012 times a day. If the truth lies somewhere in the middle — say, around 130 times — that’s a staggering amount of daily attention given to our little bright rectangles.
So, when it comes to live streaming, the most important screen size probably isn’t 55, 65, 75, or even 85 inches. It’s closer to around 6.5 inches: the size of the average smartphone screen13.
When you consider that 8K devices are uncommon, most viewers aren't receiving true 4K content, broadcast television rarely outputs full 1080p, and the majority of streaming occurs on small mobile screens, a powerful case emerges. This context proves that 720p and 1080p are not outdated; they remain highly relevant and efficient resolutions for the current video landscape.
Streaming your events in 1080p, or even 720p, is more than okay. What matters far more than overhauling your setup for 4K is crafting a great viewing experience: an enjoyable production to watch, a professional live audio mix to listen to, and a streaming provider that keeps your broadcast smooth and uninterrupted even when the internet isn’t cooperating.
Whether your viewers are watching on smartphones or smart TVs, achieving those outcomes in 720p or 1080p will always beat a “4K” stream that buffers, glitches, or drops out. Reliability and experience win every time.
Though live stream resolution tends to get all the attention, there are several other factors that make just as much — if not more — of a difference in overall stream quality. Here are a few worth prioritizing:
Frame Rate: Doubling your frame rate from 30 to 60 frames per second can make a huge difference for action-heavy broadcasts, ensuring motion looks smooth and every detail stays sharp.
Protocol: Features like data retransmission, transcoding, and forward error correction keep your stream stable across multiple quality levels, minimizing interruptions when network conditions fluctuate.
Compression Standard: Using HEVC (H.265) compression allows you to maintain excellent image quality while significantly reducing bandwidth requirements, which is a win for both you and your viewers.
Since 2013, BoxCast has helped organizations of every kind broadcast their live events with exceptional clarity and reliability, and includes all of the features listed above. If you’re looking to elevate your overall live streaming quality, we make it easy and affordable. Simply check out our proven live broadcasting platform below.
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