4k UHD Support on motherboards? Real or Marketing Hype?

[TheDarkKnight]

So I've been browsing some motherboards on NewEgg and I came across this one from MSI touting 4k UHD Support on this specific model:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130789

Is this marketing hype or something tangible that I should seriously consider when I purchase my next motherboard?

Exactly what features of the motherboard give and support this 4k UHD capability? I wanna know how to compare it to other motherboards claiming 4k UHD support also.

 

[alcoholbob]

what do you mean by 4k UHD Support, like full HDCP 2.2 support? You won't see that until at least 2016 in discrete GPUs and maybe not CPU IGPs until 2017.

4K Blu Ray players, AV receivers and TVs will be fully 4k HDCP 2.2 compliant by the end of 2015.

 

[TheDarkKnight]

what do you mean by 4k UHD Support, like full HDCP 2.2 support? You won't see that until at least 2016 in discrete GPUs and maybe not CPU IGPs until 2017.

4K Blu Ray players, AV receivers and TVs will be fully 4k HDCP 2.2 compliant by the end of 2015.

I don't know what I mean. You tell me, what does the motherboard maker hyping "4k UHD Support" on their product mean when they say it? That was my question.

Couldn't you just as easily buy a discrete graphics card that gives you the capability to push 3840x2160 pixels on a monitor? Isn't that where you would generally be looking for the ability. I am just so baffled by some of these comments that motherboard makers put on their products to sell more.

 

[rickon66]

I think it means that it will output 4k from the integrated graphics on some Intel processors. IIRC 24 frames per sec? Certainly no gaming.

 

[tommo123]

i'd imagine onboard supports 4k (at 30hz or something).

 

[piasabird]

There are some video cards and monitors that support higher than 1080p approaching 4k. There are also some 4k monitors on the market if you want a $6k monitor (Guessing). I imagine prices will drop if this catches on. I think I saw a couple of tests using upscaling to 4k and the video looked a little better than say 1080p. To get to UHD it is possible to use HDMI and use both video lanes as one video signal. HDMI is capable of 2 video signals at 1080p or higher in some of the HDMI versions like HDMI 1.4.

I noticed that my last motherboard, Gigabyte Z87N-WIFI said it supported 4k. I take it to mean they meant some kind of CPU with 4k IGP support. That still means someone has to buy a 4k monitor assuming INTEL will make a 4k IGP.

I am trying to wait and see what Microsoft and the Motherboard manufacturers come up with when MS Windows 10 is released. It might be time to purchase a better HDTV.