Are you tired of watching your favorite movies and TV shows in low-quality resolution? Do you wish you could enhance the visual experience with sharper details and lifelike colors? If so, upscaling from 1080p to 4K is your solution.

PART 1. 1080p vs 4K: What's the Difference?

4K provides four times the number of pixels compared to 1080p. As a result, 4K offers a much sharper and detailed image than 1080p. With more pixels packed into a smaller area, 4K displays have a much higher pixel density than 1080p displays. This makes the details on the screen appear sharper, crisper, and more lifelike.

Watching content in 4K is a much more immersive experience than watching it in 1080p. The increased resolution and pixel density makes everything look more realistic, and the colors appear more vivid and vibrant. The difference sheet between 1080p and 4k is as follows:

  1080P 4K
Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels 3840 x 2160 pixels
Aspect ratio 16:9 16:9
Details High Detail Ultra High Detail
Ultra HD Ready NO Yes
Display Devices HDTV, computer screens, smartphones 4K TVs, high-end computer screens, smartphones
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One thing to keep in mind is that not all devices are compatible with 4K displays. You need a device that supports 4K resolution to take full advantage of its benefits. In contrast, 1080p is widely supported across various devices, making it a more accessible option.

PART 2. What is Upscaled 4K and Native 4K?

Native 4K refers to content that was recorded or produced in 4K resolution, while upscaled 4K is created by upscaling lower-resolution content, such as upscale 1080p to 4K.

Native 4K offers the highest quality, as it provides a true 4K image with sharp details, vibrant colors, and smooth motion. Upscaled 4K may look almost as good as native 4K, but the quality difference between upscaled 4K and native 4K can vary based on other factors like viewing distance and screen size.

However, some cutting-edge upscaling technologies (such as AI-based upscaling) can achieve surprisingly good results, sometimes very close to native 4K.

upscale 1080p to 4k

PART 3. How to Upscale 1080p to 4K with Best AI-Powered Upscaler

If you’re looking for an easy and effective way to upscale your 1080p videos to 4K, look no further than UniFab Video Enlarger AI. This powerful software uses advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to enhance the resolution of your videos while preserving their quality and sharpness.

4K Upscaling

UniFab Video Enlarger AI

This is a professional AI-based video enhancer designed to improve video quality, such as enlarging video resolution in up to 4k, enhancing video clarity and quality, etc.
Features:
  • Restore your low-res videos into 720p/1080p/4k content
  • Enhance video clarity to a more realistic and vivid visual effect
  • Support video editing to meet your personalized demand
  • Get 50x faster speed with GPU acceleration

How to Upscale 1080p to 4K with UniFab Video Enlarger AI

Step 1

Launch UniFab and choose the 'Enlarger' module.

Install the software on your device and open the interface

Step 2

Load the source and edit the output video

Choose the 'Enlarger' module. Click the Add Video button to select the video you want to upscale to 4k. 

4K Upscaling: how to upscale 1080p to 4k with unifab

Step 3

Customize the restoring video file

Click the settings button to customize your video file for frame rate, resolution, etc. Then click the Strat button at the main interface, UniFab will complete the video task at a lightning speed.

4K Upscaling: how to upscale 1080p to 4k with unifab

TIPs: How to optimize your setting for 4K upscaling?

Upscaling 1080p to 4K is not an easy task, as it requires a lot of processing power and intelligent algorithms to interpolate the missing pixels. However, with the right software and settings, you can achieve amazing results that can rival native 4K content. Here are some tips to help you get the best results when upscaling:

tips to get the best 4k upscaled videos
  • 1. Use high-quality source material: If you upscale a low-quality video, you will end up with a blurry mess. It is better to use 1080p source video to get 4K upscaled videos.

  • 2. Adjust the setting carefully: Take advantages of settings like sharpness, noise reduction, and color correction.

  • 3. Use qualified hardware support: Upscaling is a resource-intensive process, and it can take a long time to complete, especially for long videos. A qualified hardware matters a lot. 

By following these tips, you can achieve excellent results when upscaling 1080p to 4K. Remember to use high-quality source material, choose the right upscaling algorithm, adjust the settings carefully, consider hardware acceleration, and don’t overdo it. With patience and experimentation, you can create stunning 4K content from 1080p footage.

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For more info about the system requirement for the AI enlarger function, please check the official website.

FAQs

1. Can you upscale 1080p to 4K?

You can upscale 1080p to 4K through 2 different ways.

1. Using Video Editing Software: If you want to upscale 1080p video files to 4K before playback, you can use video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, or other video editing programs that support upscaling. These software programs have more sophisticated algorithms and offer more control over the final output.

2. Using Upscaling Software: There are dedicated upscaling software tools available (like UniFab Enlarger AI,Topaz Video Enhance AI) that use artificial intelligence to upscale video content from lower resolutions to higher ones like 4K. They can often yield better results than traditional upscaling methods.

2. Do you lose quality while upscaling?

When upscaling an image or video, there is a potential loss of quality or the introduction of artifacts. The quality of the upscaled content depends on various factors, including the original resolution, the upscaling method used, the quality of the algorithms, and the amount of increase in size. But with UniFab Enlarger AI, you can upscale your low-res videos losslessly which be employs super-resoution technology.

3. Is there a noticeable difference between 1080p and 4K?

Yes, there is a noticeable difference between 1080p (also known as Full HD) and 4K resolution (also known as Ultra HD or UHD) under the right conditions. 4K offers a more immersive and detailed viewing experience. The screen sze may impact the visibility of the difference.

PART 4. Conclusion

As we’ve discussed, upscaling is the process of increasing the resolution of your video content from 1080p to 4K. This can have many benefits, including sharper images and improved color accuracy. 

Now you might have understood 4K upscaling and mastered how to upscale 1080p to 4K with the best 4K upscaler software driven by AI. UniFab Video Enlarger AI is a nice choice to present you with amazing upscaled 4k video. For a comprehensive ai video enhancer, you can go to UniFab All-in-One.