BINGE price rise: How much and is it worth it for 4K support?
BINGE is finally getting 4K capability, but the cost will be passed onto customers.
More price hikes hit streaming and this time around its for Foxtel's very own BINGE.
BINGE price rise details
BINGE is raising the price of both its Standard and Premium packages on 24 October 2023 by $2 and $4 a month as it launches 4K compatibility around the same time.
Both packages are currently limited to HD.
They're currently priced at $16 and $18 per month respectively and will soon set customers back $18 a month for the Standard Plan and $22 a month for Premium subscriptions.
The price rise also coincidentally aligns with that of HBO Max. While HBO Max doesn't exist in Australia, BINGE has largely masqueraded as it.
It was only July last year when BINGE raised the price of its Standard subscription from $14 to $16.
Unfortunately, the upcoming cost changes from BINGE will be the fifth price rise for Australian streaming services in the last 12 months.
BINGE 4K details
BINGE is becoming the first Foxtel service outside of Foxtel iQ to add 4K capabilities.
This is happening even before the likes of its sister product Kayo which is nearly 2 years older than BINGE.
It finally means that popular HBO shows such as Game of Thrones, House of Dragon, The Last of Us, The White Lotus will be able to be streamed in Australia with 4K.
Check out BINGE with a 7-day free trial
BINGE has remained tight-lipped on details in the press release that was sent out highlighting the change.
It is also yet to confirm the full suite of devices that 4K is coming to but is safe to assume that 4K compatibility will definitely include Apple TV.
Other existing devices that are 4K compatible and could be added to the list include Chromecast, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One X, Xbox One S, Telstra TV and Amazon Firestick.
There's also the range of Smart TVs including Android, Samsung, Hisense and LG, but 4K would only work if the TV itself was also 4K.
Just note we aren't confirming these devices will have 4K compatibility on BINGE immediately or at all. These are just the devices you can already watch BINGE on and are also 4K compatible.
The other requirement stated by BINGE is you will require a "minimum broadband speed of 25Mbps".
Is it worth getting BINGE in 4K?
If you're already paying for a Standard plan and you like the content then it's worth stomaching the extra $2 a month.
The Standard subscription allows you to have 2 simultaneous streams which should be enough for most households.
For those on the Premium subscription I'd recommend trying to downgrade to the Standard level and pocketing an extra $4 per month.
The Premium subscription is now going to be only 99 cents less than Netflix's most expensive plan.
Given that most people carry a Netflix account (that can no longer be shared) forking out nearly $45 per month for those 2 combined is an expensive treat.
Are there more changes coming to BINGE?
On 2 October BINGE halved its free trial from 14 to 7 days.
It has added 3 new news channels as of 5 October including CNN, MSNBC and Bloomberg Television.
With the upcoming price rise and addition of 4K, it will be hard to imagine anything else major will be announced this year.
However, there are rumours involving BINGE and potential bundles under Foxtel escapade Project Magneto which dates back to 2022.
Longer term there's still ongoing chatter about HBO Max coming to Australia but those plans won't happen until 2025 according to a Warner Bros Discovery's President.
Looking for something new to watch? See our pick for the best streaming service this month.
