4K streaming content has been available on Netflix for the past two years, but has been limited to certain capable streaming boxes and smart TVs. Now, Microsoft has revealed that 4K streaming is finally coming to Windows 10 PCs, but with one major caveat: only systems running Intel’s seventh generation Kaby Lake CPUs will have access to it.
4K steaming was deliberately withheld from PCs over piracy fears from Hollywood studios. The combination of Windows 10 – which, from its Anniversary Update onwards, carries the PlayReady 3.0 hardware-based DRM system – and Kaby Lake processors – the only Intel CPU capable of decoding the 10-bit HEVC video codec, which comes with HDCP 2.2 protection support – has now provided Netflix with enough security to protect against its 4K content from being ripped by pirates.
While the move might be great news for the handful of people running Kaby Lake systems – mobile versions of the seventh generation chip have been released, but the desktop versions are not expected until 2017 – another disappointing catch with Netflix’s 4K streaming is that it is locked to Microsoft Edge, since it’s the only browser that supports PlayReady 3.0.
It seems that Netflix’s strict control against piracy of its 4K content is locking out the majority of its PC-owning userbase, which will surely take a few years to catch up to the video-on-demand service’s hardware requirements. Hooray for DRM!
SpeakersSpeakersYesSpeaker amount and power output2x 2 WattDimensionsLength / Depth252.5 mmWidth614 mmHeight525.8 mmWeight7.4 kgStandards / SpecificationsAdaptive…
Thermal SpecificationsMax. TDP125 WCPUCPU ManufacturerIntelCPU SeriesIntel Core i7CPU Socket1700CPU ArchitectureIntel Alder Lake-SCPU Cores12CPU Threads20Performance Cores8Efficiency…
AOC 24B3HA2 23.6 1920x1080 VA 100Hz 1m Widescreen LED Multimedia Monitor - Black High-performance clarity…
Fan SpecificationsFan Size140 mmColourPrimary ColourBlackSecondary ColourWhiteMaterialsMaterialsAluminium, Copper, RubberLightingLightingYesLighting ColourRGBLighting CompatibilityCorsair iCUEAdditional ContentsIncluded fans2x 140 mmTypeCPU…
This monitor is built with features that make incredible visuals. With VESA ClearMR 9000 and…
The AMD RDNA™ 3 Architecture elevated by buffed cooling and power delivery to effortlessly churn…