Before we answer the question, how do I know if my laptop is 4k? We need to talk about why someone may ask it.
It’s safe to say that 4k laptops are becoming massively popular. And they have been since their creation, which we discuss in the article “When Did 4k Come Out”.
After all, laptops themselves produce a lot of sales per year due to their compact nature and ease of use; but when you add in a high quality resolution like 4k, you get sales that will skyrocket as more people become aware of the benefits.
But although many people want a 4k laptop, not everyone has a 4k laptop; are you one of the lucky ones? It’s a valid question because some people might have a laptop which can run 4k and not even know it! And additionally, some people might have recently bought a laptop that’s claiming to have 4k and want to ensure that it’s the case.
So today, we’re aiming to help you find out if your laptop is 4k. And if you find out that you don’t in the process, remember that you can always buy one. There are plenty on the market, but more on that later!
First of all…
What makes a laptop 4k?
A 4k laptop is a laptop which contains a screen with a 4k display. It essentially means that there are considerably more pixels on the screen than you’d get with a regular laptop. And it’s considered to be a big selling point for many people, making 4k laptops more and more popular lately.
Additionally, a laptop with a 4k display is one that has the ability to play a 4k video in 4k. Whereas a regular laptop would downgrade the graphics of the high quality video to make it more suited to the hardware of that laptop.
If all of that was a bit confusing, then you can look at the article “What Is A 4k Laptop” for a more in depth look at this electronic. Or the article “How 4k Works”, for a better view of the technology itself.
So how do you know if your laptop is 4k?
The exact method you use will depend on what type of laptop you have, various systems might require different steps to check if the device is 4k. But there are a few generalized strategies you can use to see if your laptop has a 4k display.
Firstly, you can search the model of your laptop on the internet and find out its features fairly easily. This will typically turn up the answer you need, but you could also add the inquiry “is it 4k” into the search for more clarity.
Additionally you could find a 4k quality video online and see if your laptop will run it on those graphics settings. This will normally be a pretty clear indicator of whether or not you’re dealing with a 4k laptop.
But for most people, the visual difference between a regular laptop display and a 4k laptop display will be pretty obvious without having to take these extra steps. Although you can always feel free to confirm.
And a final step you can take is to call the manufacturer and ask, if all else fails.
Because of how big of a headache it can be to confirm after the fact though, it’s important if you’re searching for a new laptop and want one with a 4k display that you do your due diligence before completing the purchase. The last thing you want to deal with is a return process if you find out you didn’t get what you wanted.
How can you tell if a laptop is 4k before you buy it?
If you’re shopping online then it’s very easy to ensure a laptop has a 4k display, since you can filter your searches to only show those options. If you’re in person then you’ll have to pay close attention to the packaging, and/or ask the sales representative to confirm that the laptop is 4k.
This is why the easiest way to find a 4k laptop is to shop online for it, that way you have all the options at your fingertips and you can confirm that it’s 4k a lot easier with a simple search or look at the reviews. Whereas in person you have to sort through all the selections, and potentially not even find what you came in looking for.
What to do if you’ve purchased a laptop that isn’t 4k?
This will depend a lot on the circumstances of your purchase. So we’ll break it down situation by situation…
- If you’ve just bought a laptop that you thought was 4k but isn’t, then you can return it according to the return policy of the store you bought it from.
- But if you’ve purchased the laptop a long time ago, or if you’ve purchased a laptop with no return policy, then you’ll have to either keep it despite it not being 4k or find a way to sell it in order to raise money for a new one.
In fact, that last strategy can even be employed if you just want to upgrade your 4k laptop. For instance, some UHD laptops might not run as well as others, in which case you may want a different model. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a common issue though, most 4k laptops are remarkably well made and capable of running the technology. We’ve even covered this topic in several articles, such as “Can A Laptop Support A 4k Monitor” and “Can Laptops Output 4k”.
Conclusion –
If you’re in the shopping stages of searching for a 4k laptop then be sure to research thoroughly so that you get the one you’re looking for, and the one that’s the best for you. For instance, we share a lot of that information in our article “Which Laptops Have 4k Display”.
Or if you’re unsure about whether or not you should even make the purchase, then we have articles for you as well. Two of which are “Is A 4k Laptop Worth It” and “Are 4k Laptops Worth It”. And another is, “Does 4k Matter On A Laptop”.
But if you already have a laptop that isn’t 4k then you could always sell it and purchase a new one. Or alternatively, consider getting a 4k monitor to be supported by your current laptop. Regardless of the path though, there are plenty of great resources for finding 4k laptops now because of the growing popularity surrounding them.
Hopefully this post has been one of those great resources and thank you for reading.