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How much is Netflix 4K Ultra HD and what broadband speed do you need?

Netflix has launched 4K Ultra HD services in the UK, but how much does it cost? 

More to the point can you even get it? 4K Ultra HD delivers four times the number of pixels as 1080p Full HD. It therefore stands to reason that streaming 4K media over a broadband connection requires more bandwidth. You’ll also need a compatible 4K TV as well and while the prices of 4K sets are falling, they still don’t come cheap.  

If you’re thinking about buying a 4K TV with a view to watching things like House of Cards and Breaking Bad in Ultra HD, here’s some things to consider before you open your wallet. 

How much is Netflix 4K Ultra HD and what broadband speed do you need?
Netflix’s tiny 4K library is growing slowly but surely

How much does Netflix 4K Ultra HD cost in the UK? 

The standard cost of Netflix at the moment is £5.99/month. If you want to access Netflix’s 4K library, you will have to dig a little deeper and pay £8.99/month instead. 

Similar to how you’ll need to pay a bit more if you want Sky, Virgin Media or BT Sport channels in HD, Netflix wants you to part with some extra coin before unlocking the 4K floodgates. 

Maybe floodgates isn’t the best word to use right now – today, there’s little more than a trickle behind those doors, but that trickle will one day turn into a torrent once things like Better Call Saul, Sense8 and Marco Polo start hitting the wires. 

What are the minimum bandwidth requirements for streaming Netflix 4K Ultra HD?

CEO Reed Hastings has said that you’ll need a spare 15-20Mbps of bandwidth at the very least to get Netflix’s 4K streams. 

That’s 15-20Mbps spare bandwidth. In other words, your broadband service needs to be good enough to consistently deliver this kind of juice. If you’re just about getting 15Mbps and someone else comes home from work and starts streaming on another device, goodbye 4K. 

In order to provide a reliable 4K experience, Netflix recommends that you’ve got a spare 25Mbps free, to be on the safe side.  

Given that superfast broadband, as per the UK’s various BDUK (Broadband Delivery for the UK) schemes, is defined as at least 24Mbps, you might not be able to get Netflix in 4K, depending on your distance from your street cabinet

In a nutshell, if you’ve not got a superfast or hyperfast broadband service, 4K Netflix is perhaps not for you – there’s no sense in paying for a service you might not be able to get 100 per cent of the time. 

Have a look at some of these superfast deals for an idea of how much you’d have to pay. Pure FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) ISP Hyperoptic is currently available in 75,000 premises and sells a 100Mbps package for £25/month plus £12.50/month line rental and rual fibre provider Gigaclear charges £37/month for its 50Mbps service. You can check if your current broadband package is 4K ready using our broadband speed test tool.

How can I watch Netflix in 4K?

At the moment, you can only get 4K Netflix via selected Ultra HD TVs. Panasonic’s AX802 and AX902 TVs now offer access to 4K Netflix, as do Sony’s X Series (from the X950B to the X8505B). 

Samsung’s HU range and S9 S9V models also let you tap into Netflix 4K, as does the older F9000 provided you’ve shelled out for an SEK-2500U Evolution Kit (around £330 at the time of writing). 

LG’s UB range of smart TVs and Toshiba’s L8400 and L9400 play ball with Netflix 4K as do Vizio’s P Series TVs. 

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