From full HD 1080p to 4K to 8K, the world of display resolutions has seen impressive advancements over the last number of years. However, while people often discuss the resolution capabilities of display technologies, the focus is rarely on understanding how to enable these new resolutions. As you probably already know, it takes much more than simply plugging an old cable into a new display. While the introduction of 8K technology might not be the latest news, the ‘implementation of 8K connectivity’ certainly is. With the help of this guide, IT professionals will learn the features and benefits of enabling and navigating the uncharted waters of 8K technology. We’ll cover the following: What is 8K Benefits of 8K Applications of 8K 8K Considerations On the surface, 8K refers to display resolutions of 7680 x 4320 pixels and is the successor to the now popularized 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution found on many StarTech.com products. 8K is also commonly referred to as UHD or Ultra High Definition. While there has been a variety of 8K-enabled displays, cameras, and devices on the market for several years, the adoption of the technology has yet to reach its full potential. As businesses continue to rethink how their offices and workstations are designed in a new hybrid-working world, 8K-enabled technology is something that CTOs, IT Managers, and IT buyers will consider when futureproofing their offices. Devices and accessories that support 8K resolutions offer users the closest true-to-life representation of an image on a screen. Details that may have only been seen in real-life subjects can now be easily viewed on screen. In addition, 8K display technologies offer users more flexibility than previously seen with 4K and 1080p resolutions. For example, zooming or cropping in on an 8K image or video will still allow for a lossless 4K image to be presented with no loss of detail. While possible with 4K as well, the fidelity of your images and videos will remain high. The benefits afforded to users of 8K-enabled technology are in the details. Professionals such as designers, video editors, architects will be free to create visuals that are as close to the actual subject of their work, freeing them to create and deliver true-to-life images and videos to consumers of their content. 8K UHD technology also opens more possibilities for IT professionals who are installing and deploying digital signage applications in retail, commercial, and tradeshow environments. Previously, these implementations required considerably more cables and adapters, making the rollout complex and costly. With 8K offering more in the way of resolution and bandwidth, the overall investment in assets will be reduced. And, as a knock-on effect, the end users working with these large installations daily will have more freedom to work through minor issues thanks to the more straightforward setup. Businesses can also see a considerable benefit to 8K adoption as they continue to re-think the office and, more specifically, the conference rooms of “tomorrow.” In addition, with more and more people working from locations other than the office, 8K adoption allows those who are in the office to connect with remote and hybrid workers more effectively, not being limited by lower-resolution displays and technology. Other professional workers such as medical imagers and doctors will also see advantages to adopting 8K technologies. High-end medical equipment will no longer be restrained by lower-resolution display technology, allowing them to see more accurate representations of the images and videos they use to aid in diagnosing and treating patients. There are a lot of factors to consider as we update and future proof our offices and workspaces, but we can boil it down to three key considerations. 1) Reliability Cables and devices that utilize 8K connectivity need to be reliable. StarTech.com 8K cables, such as our 8K VESA Certified DisplayPort 1.4 Cables feature 34 AWG video cable built with internal wire manager to ensure signal integrity; Metal connector sub-structure & Al-Mylar Foil w/Braid (85% coverage) for superior EMI shielding; and Gold-plated latching DP connectors prevent accidental disconnection. The key takeaway here is that investing in a premium, high performance cable gives both installer and user peace of mind that their cables can be relied on to always deliver maximum performance. 2) Performance Speaking of performance, IT Professionals and the users they support demand cables and accessories to deliver high levels of performance at all times. This is especially true with 8K, due to its high bandwidth requirements. StarTech.com 8K cables are certified and guaranteed to deliver the maximum bandwidth allowed by both HDMI and DisplayPort certifications. For example, certified 8K HDMI cables will deliver 48 Gbps bandwidth, dynamic HDR10+ and support for Dolby Vision delivering the highest quality and performance possible. Comparing this to older “high speed” HDMI cables which were only capable of delivering users 10.2 Gbps performance and lower resolutions and fidelity. 3) Durability StarTech.com 8K cables are tested extensively to meet the rigorous needs of IT Professionals. For example, our VESA Certified DisplayPort 1.4 cables are tested to 5000+ insertions & 300+ bend cycles at +/- 60-degree angles. The cables are also manufactured with a long lasting TPE jacket and strain relief to absorb the stress caused by frequent bends. If you are in the planning phase, or perhaps already deploying new display technology to your users, Ultra-High-Definition Connectivity requires that you have the best accessories and cables that can deliver the reliability, performance and durability that you and your users need; today and into the future. Want to learn more about the benefits of implementing UHD 8K accessories for your business? Visit our Ultra HD Solutions page. 8K Ultra HD Solutions