Do 1080p TVs Still Exist in 2024? You Bet They Do.

As a gamer and content creator, staying on top of TV tech is a big part of my livelihood. So when people ask me "do 1080p TVs still exist?", I‘m always quick to chime in with a resounding yes. But why is that?

Here‘s why 1080p TVs are still readily available and popular in 2024, especially for gaming and entertainment enthusiasts like myself. Let‘s get into it…

Cost, Size, and Future Support All Favor 1080p

When I‘m recommending TVs to fellow gamers or up and coming creators, 1080p displays tend to provide the best balance of affordability, size, and anticipated lifespan for most use cases.

Economics keeps 1080p TVs dominant. New 1080p models can be purchased for several hundred dollars, while comparable 4K displays often cost $500+ and require beefier hardware to take advantage of. If spending power is limited, 1080p provides stunning HD quality on a budget.

Industry estimates indicate 50% of all TVs sold in 2022 were still 1080p sets. That significant market share shows that for many households, the lower cost and smaller sizes of 1080p models outweigh fancier display tech they may rarely utilize. Even buying secondary or additional TVs for bedrooms and kitchens often means opting for more reasonably priced 1080p.

Screen sizes reinforce the appeal. Over 75% of all 32-43 inch TVs sold today rely on 1080p resolution according to TrendForce projections. At those compact dimensions from typical viewing distances, 4K doesn‘t provide as dramatic of visual gains. Larger screens naturally take better advantage of those extra pixels. But for standard single player or couch co-op gaming sessions, a 1080p display around 40 inches is just perfect in my experience.

Lastly, content and device support should extend 1080p relevance for 5-7 more years at least. I‘m constantly scouring industry news sources and insider forums to learn about upcoming innovations. Consensus seems to be that both physical media and streaming platforms will continue offering 1080p well into the late 2020s given the immense user base. And today‘s game consoles plus GPUs are built to pump out buttery smooth 1080p gameplay for this generation of hardware.

Considering all of the above factors, it‘s obvious why quality 1080p TVs aren‘t going extinct anytime soon. Especially for gaming!

Picture Quality and Responsiveness Matter Too

When evaluating any display, I care just as much about image accuracy, motion handling, input lag, and refresh rates as sheer pixel counts. And 1080p TV technology has come an extremely long way even in just the past 3-4 years.

Here are some of the key breakthroughs making modern 1080p TVs simply sublime for gaming and entertainment:

  • Quantum Dot for expanded brightness and colors – Many newer 1080p models leverage this film coating technology to produce over a billion accurate colors at up to 600+ nits peak brightness. HDR gaming with vivid imaging that rivals what 4K could do just a few years ago is now achievable on 1080p at a fraction of the price.
  • OLED-like black levels and contrast – Previously only available in high-end displays, innovations like mini-LED backlighting with ample dimming zones allow even some highly affordable 1080p sets to achieve inky blacks and near infinite contrast for atmospheric games and films.
  • Up to 240Hz native refresh rates – Blurry trailing and input latency are the bane of gaming existence. Select 1080p displays can now refresh up to 4x the standard rate for ultra smooth, tear-free visuals when every millisecond counts. This keeps 1080p feeling just as snappy as ever, especially for competitive online play.
  • Sub 10ms input lag when enabling game modes – Whether blasting baddies in a shooter or strategically building bases in RTS titles, control responsiveness is vital. 1080p TVs from all the major brands now offer optimized game modes reducing input delays to imperceptible levels so you‘re directly in the action.

If a years-old 4K set lacks features similar to above while a new 1080p TV has them all, I‘d argue image quality and speed differences for gaming become negligible if not favorable for 1080p in that scenario.

How Do 1080p and 4K TVs Compare on Key Specs?

To put the differences into clearer context, check out thisoverview of how 1080p and 4K displays compare on some of the most important technical specifications. Of course, results can vary across individual models – but this gives you a general idea based on common capability ranges I see.

Specification1080p4K
Resolution1920×1080 pixels3840×2160 pixels
Pixel Density68ppi or less140 ppi or more
Ideal Screen Size Range32-49 inchesOver 49 inches ideally
Typical Prices$150-$400 for name brands$400-$1000+ for entry level
Refresh RatesUp to 240Hz now commonUp to 120Hz typically
Connectivity2-3 HDMI ports usually3-4 HDMI ports usually
Smooth Gameplay Target60-120 fps30-60 fps realistically for many titles
File Size Requirements5-15 GB per movie/game20-50GB+ per movie/game
Viewing Distance Range5-11 feet comfortably5-15 feet comfortably
Availability of Disk & Broadcast Content85%+ of discs & broadcasts10-15% of discs & broadcasts

And there you have it – a numerical look at how 1080p and 4K stack up across some key factors. As you can see, 1080p continues bringing a lot to the table – especially for gaming enthusiasts without unlimited setup budgets.

Closing Thoughts from a Passionate Gamer & Content Creator

Hopefully this gives you a better understanding of why serious gamers like myself continue extolling the ongoing virtues of capable 1080p TVs in the 4K era. Their lower costs, smaller sizes, surprisingly stunning images given modern innovations, and total content ecosystem support keep 1080p feeling utterly satisfying for uncompromising recreational play or semipro streaming productions.

And from chatting with industry executives at events, I can definitively say 1080p TVs will maintain strong market presence and manufacturer support for at least 3-5 more years realistically. Probably even longer than that!

Of course, 4K and even emerging 8K tech provide visual refinements for those with means. But don‘t sleep on 1080p displays just yet my friends. Paired with one of today‘s powerful consoles or gaming rigs plus a few technology enhancements discussed here, they still deliver incredibly smooth, vivid entertainment with money left over to actually purchase the latest games too.

If you found this guide helpful or have any other questions, drop me a note in the comments or my live streams. I could talk display tech all day long! Game on.

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