Where to watch 4K TV shows and movies

Here's a fun fact: Ultra HD, commonly referred to as 4K, has four times the amount of pixels of standard HD. It has twice the horizontal pixels and twice the amount of vertical pixels, resulting in a 3840 x 2160 resolution that makes 4K one of the sharpest formats on the market.

But despite its nearly unparalleled visual fidelity, Ultra HD has one major hurdle to leap before it's ready for prime time: a lack of content - though this is a situation that has been steadily improving over the years.

We're here to help you find the best content with a list of every place you can find 4K Ultra HD TV shows and movies from sources like Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video and YouTube as well as some more obscure places like UltraFlix.

Netflix

4K TV shows and movies

Netflix is a great first stop for A/V enthusiasts on the hunt for ultra-sharp content. Offering plenty of UHD programming from original shows like House of Cards, Daredevil and Marco Polo, to hosting movies as well (though 4K TV shows outnumber UHD movies by quite a bit). There's more than enough content here to keep you occupied until 4K picks up speed.

Ready for Netflix in 4K? Check out our handy "How to watch Netflix in UHD" guide.

Recommended 4K content:

  • House of Cards
  • Daredevil
  • Breaking Bad
  • Marco Polo
  • Black Mirror
  • Jessica Jones
  • Stranger Things
  • Better Call Saul

Amazon Prime Instant Video

4K TV shows and movies

Netflix isn't the only streaming service with access to an Ultra HD collection of films and TV shows: Amazon has plenty of 4K video in both paid and free varieties. 

But in order to get the most out of the service's UHD selection, you're going to need an Amazon Prime subscription so you can access Prime Instant Video. On it you'll find original programming like Bosch, Alpha House, Transparent, Mozart in the Jungle and Red Oaks as well as films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hitch and Philadelphia in 4K.

Can't find something you like on Prime Instant Video? Check out Amazon Instant Video storefront for tons of 4K content available to purchase or rent.

Recommended 4K content:

  • Bosch
  • Alpha House
  • Transparent
  • Mozart in the Jungle
  • Red Oaks
  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
  • Hitch
  • Philadelphia

YouTube

4K TV shows and movies

Here's the scenario: You just bought a brand-new 4K TV and are looking for something to show off at your next party to impress your guests. As strange as this might sound, the Ultra HD content you're searching for is in the same place that you go to watch cute cat videos and skateboarders eating it on concrete. YouTube offers dozens of 4K videos that display landscapes from all over the world in stunning 3,840 x 2,160 resolution.

Recommended 4K content:

UltraFlix

4K TV shows and movies

In the category of "Don't judge a book by its cover" is the Ultra HD streaming service UltraFlix which, admittedly, has a website that looks like it's stuck somewhere around 2005. The service supplies you with 4K movies directly to your PC, Android device or select brands of televisions for a small rental fee. UltraFlix is supported on Samsung, Sony and Vizio TVs.

Recommended 4K content:

  • The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
  • Interstellar
  • Robocop
  • Rocky
  • Ip Man
  • Elton John: The Million Dollar Piano

M-Go (exclusively on Samsung TVs and Roku)

4K TV shows and movies

M-Go's rise to relative power directly correlated with the fall of the physical disc-renting service Blockbuster. When M-Go became the place to rent movies on devices like the Roku 2 and Roku 3, brick and mortar video stores took a dive in attendance. Now that M-Go has to compete with more mainstays like Amazon Instant Video and RedBox, it's had to come up with different ways to stay on top. One such way is Ultra HD movie rentals.

Recommended 4K content:

  • Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
  • X-Men Days of Future Past
  • The Wolverine
  • Life of Pi
  • Die Hard

Sony FMP-X10 4K Media Player

4K TV shows and movies

Everything mentioned up until this point had two things in common. Content is relatively cheap and most are available anywhere in the US and UK. The Sony FMP-X10 is a little different. Pricing for the US-exclusive device starts at $699 (about £450, AU$940) and movies go for around $30 (about £20, AU$40). Movies are downloaded from Sony directly, as opposed to being streamed from one of its servers, however because Sony also owns one of the biggest movie production houses on the planet, its player has one of the largest sources of content to draw from before anyone else.

An extra word of warning before you pony up the $700 for Sony's ultimate UHD machine: Make sure that your TV supports HDCP 2.2. If it doesn't, the X10 will be one of the most expensive paperweights you ever purchase.

Recommended 4K content:

  • The Amazing Spider-Man 2
  • American Hustle
  • Godzilla
  • Pineapple Express

UHD Blu-ray players

There are a growing number of 4K UHD Blu-ray players hitting the market, ranging in price. While there are machines such as the Oppo UDP-203 which come with all the bells and whistles early adopters and cinephiles crave, along with a high price tag, there are also players such as the Panasonic DMP-UB700, which come with far more affordable asking prices.

Check out our best 4K Blu-ray players guide for a run down of the top players you can buy right now.

An increasing number of movies are now being released on 4K UHD Blu-rays as well, and we've got you covered with our list of the best 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray movies.

Nick Pino

Nick Pino is Managing Editor, TV and AV for TechRadar's sister site, Tom's Guide. Previously, he was the Senior Editor of Home Entertainment at TechRadar, covering TVs, headphones, speakers, video games, VR and streaming devices. He's also written for GamesRadar+, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade, and he has a degree in computer science he's not using if anyone wants it.