Hulu is bringing back 4K streaming for some shows and devices

Hulu
(Image credit: Hulu)

Hulu is currently behind rivals such as Netflix and iTunes when it comes to support for 4K content, but the service has now switched on 4K streaming again – for some shows and some devices.

4K content streaming was pulled from Hulu last year, though the company didn't really explain why or make any sort of official announcement about the move.

Now it's back – but again the news has kind of quietly slipped out (it seems to have shown up first on Twitter). You can read more details on the official Hulu support page.

Exactly which shows are available in 4K isn't clear: Hulu says a "select list of programming" is available, and that the list "continues to grow". What we know for sure is that all the Hulu Originals can be viewed in 4K.

Supported devices

You're also going to need the right device to take advantage of the content Hulu is now offering in 4K. For the time being only the Apple TV 4K and the Chromecast Ultra will show streams at the top resolution.

Hulu says you're going to need connection speeds of around 16 Mbps to get the top quality 4K UHD streams. That compares with 6 Mbps for 1080p streams and 3 Mbps for 720p streams. As usual the quality will automatically adjust based on your connection speed.

Even in its present limited form, having some 4K content available means Hulu is catching up with its rivals in the streaming space – and with more services appearing this year, the market is about to get even more competitive.

The 4K resolutions should be available now, so if you're a Hulu subscriber, fire up The Handmaid's Tale or Catch-22 to see all those extra pixels.

Via 9to5Google

David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.