What is IMAX Enhanced and do you really need it?
IMAX has extended its brand from cinema screens into the home with "IMAX Enhanced," a certification appearing on a growing number of titles on services like Disney+. However, the label can be misleading, as it does not guarantee the absolute best picture or sound quality: streaming bitrates are capped to avoid buffering, and 4K Blu-ray discs typically offer superior technical fidelity even without the IMAX name attached.
The certification's main appeal is a taller aspect ratio, with IMAX Enhanced films on Disney+ presented at 1.90:1 rather than the standard 2.39:1 widescreen, filling more of a typical 16:9 television screen, alongside HDR and Digital Media Remastering for improved image quality. It also promises "theatre-quality" sound, though this depends on the viewer having equipment supporting DTS:X spatial audio. Notably, no special IMAX-certified hardware is required to benefit from the format, unlike standards such as Dolby Vision, and physical 4K Blu-ray releases from studios such as Disney often lack the expanded aspect ratio altogether, forcing viewers to choose between IMAX Enhanced's wider framing on streaming or a disc's superior detail.
- IMAX Enhanced is a home-viewing certification, not just a cinema format
- It offers a taller aspect ratio and HDR, but limited streaming bitrates
- No special hardware needed, unlike some competing standards