As an option – that makes sense in a way that Plex could be asking “from which of these files you’d like to create a version?”. Still, either by choice, or a setting with the fallback, but not as rule to always create a version from 1080p and not 4K or 8K. I mean, some of us are actually want to create 4K H264 ‘Original’ versions from original 4K HEVC MKVs, for example. Even if there’s another 1080p original there.
The point of versions is to optimize streaming and do transcode for compatible players ahead of time. In that case, you may want to have a version for both 1080p AND 2160p originals since you have both for some reason in the first place and do not want to remove one or another.
So “Plex should take 1080p version for transcoding instead of 4K” – I don’t agree that it should, but user probably should have a choice of that: either in settings (automated that based on current hardware, manual that based on limiting to e.g. 1080p), or from the “Optimize” dialog perspective.
