For example, while the input lag isn’t significant for every genre of gaming, it can be vital when you’re playing against others online. You want your input lag to be below 30ms, generally believed to be unnoticeable on TVs, and anything below 15ms is more than enough.
Variable refresh rate, or VRR, is another important feature as it reduces judder and screen tearing by ensuring that your TV can match its refresh rate with the frame rate of the gameplay. There are multiple VRR formats – AMD FreeSync, Nvidia G-Sync, and HDMI VRR. Knowing what your TV can handle in terms of VRR is important for a good gaming experience.
Next, Auto Low Latency Mode, or ALLM, is a nifty little feature that makes things more convenient. For example, the TVs with ALLM can receive a signal from a console or computer when you are playing a game, so it should switch on the “Game Mode.” It’s not a necessary feature, but one that’s really great to have, especially for the amount you’re shelling out for a gaming TV.
Lastly, 4K resolution at a 120Hz refresh rate has become a big deal over the last year as the latest consoles from Microsoft and Sony support it. So, if you want to play games in 4K resolution at up to 120fps, your TV should have an HDMI 2.1-capable port. And, since the HDMI 2.1 specification guarantees support for the ALLM and VRR, if your TV supports HDMI 2.1, you can expect to see both of those features as well.
Apart from these gaming-specific features, you’ll also want your TV to be great at other tasks, like offering a top-notch visual experience and fantastic sound quality. We have a great guide covering everything about TV buying from a non-gaming perspective; you should check it out for details on different types of panels, viewing angles, and more.
Best TV for Gaming Overall: LG G1
The G1 is our pick for the best TV for gaming overall. Part of LG’s 2021 lineup, this 4K TV offers exceptional picture quality and packs all features necessary for a fantastic gaming experience.
✓ Low input lag and 1ms response time✓ Four HDMI 2. 1 ports and a 120Hz panel✓ Perfect blacks and brighter ‘OLED evo’ panel✓ HDMI VRR, Nvidia G-Sync, and AMD FreeSync support✓ Five-year panel warranty
✗ Risk of permanent burn-in✗ More expensive than the already excellent C1 and CX
The television’s new “OLED evo” panel makes the picture brighter and more colorful than other OLED TVs in LG’s lineup, like the C1 and the CX. Additionally, LG provides a 5-year limited warranty on the G1 panel to assuage any OLED burn-in concerns.
The LG G1 also sports a unique design that is made for mounting. It is remarkably slim and can be mounted flush to a wall. If you don’t have space for wall mounting, the company sells a stand separately, which is a bummer since a stand is typically not an extra cost.
Coming to the gaming-centric features, the G1 supports all three VRR formats: HDMI VRR, AMD FreeSync, and G-Sync. So no matter which device you’re using for gaming, the television will be able to match the frame rate. It also offers very low input lag, a 120Hz panel, near-instantaneous response time, the ALLM, and four HDMI 2.1-capable ports.
Additionally, LG packs a nifty Game Optimizer feature that puts all your game settings in one place, so you don’t have to rummage through the settings when you want to toggle one option.
All in all, the LG G1 is the absolute best TV for gaming right now. You can get the G1 in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 77-inch sizes.
Best Budget Gaming TV: Hisense U8G
Hisense TVs provide an excellent value for their price tags, and the U8G is no different. This 4K LED TV from Hisense’s 2021 lineup replaces the already great H9G and brings some improvements. These improvements include an excellent color gamut for more lifelike colors, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and better handling of the 120Hz signals.
✓ High peak brightness and excellent contrast ratio✓ Support for Dolby Vision✓ Local dimming with up to 360 zones✓ Sleek design
✗ Local dimming issues in certain situations
Being a LED TV, the U8G has higher brightness than OLED models, making it suitable for gaming in bright rooms. Its peak brightness easily tops more expensive competitors.
The company is also using full-array local dimming, a feature that allows dimming the screen areas that need to be dark while keeping the other parts bright. This results in an excellent contrast ratio. There are 136 local dimming zones in the 55-inch U8G model and 360 zones in the 65-inch model. However, the local dimming on the TV has some limitations. For example, it doesn’t seem to work when the TV is connected to an Xbox and VRR is enabled.
In terms of the gaming-related features, the Hisense TV has a 120Hz panel, low input lag, a great response time, the ALLM, HDMI VRR, and AMD FreeSync support. In addition, thanks to HDMI 2.1, it is also capable of 4K gaming at 120fps.
There are only two sizes available for the Hisense U8G—55-inch and 65-inch. But, if you’re looking to have a great gaming experience on a budget, this is the TV to get.
Best TV for PC Gaming: LG C1
LG TVs are fantastic for gaming, whether you use a console or a PC. So if you want a TV for PC gaming, you can’t go wrong with the company’s C1 model. It has a 4K OLED screen that offers an excellent contrast ratio and wide viewing angles.
✓ 4K display with a 120Hz refresh rate✓ Dolby Vision IQ support✓ Four HDMI 2. 1 ports✓ Available in 48-inch size✓ Excellent viewing angles and picture quality
✗ Susceptible to burn-in✗ Lower peak brightness compared to LED TVs
The TV also supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate and all major VRR standards, including Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium, meaning you get smooth gameplay regardless of the GPU in your computer. Additionally, its fast response time and incredibly low input lag ensure a responsive experience.
The LG C1, which also tops our best TVs roundup, has an exceptional picture quality. And this picture quality doesn’t suffer in the game mode, unlike many other TVs.
In other features, the C1 supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision IQ for high dynamic range content. And all four HDMI ports on the TV are version 2.1. As a result, you can play games in 4K at 120fps and get features like ALLM.
Another reason to get the C1 for your gaming setup is that the TV comes in a relatively smaller size of 48 inches, which can fit on many computer desks. Most other 4K OLED TVs start at 55 inches.
Unfortunately, being an OLED TV, the C1 is susceptible to burn-in. But if you watch varied content, you shouldn’t have any problem. Besides, all LG OLED TVs pack several OLED care tools to ensure burn-in is not an issue.
If you find the 48-inch size too big for your setup and are willing to pay top dollar, you can buy the successor to the C1—the LG C2—in a smaller 42-inch size. While the C1 and C2 provide a similar level of performance, the C2 has higher peak brightness, thanks to its OLED evo panel.
Best TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X: LG G1
Apart from being our pick for the best TV overall for gaming, the LG G1 is also the best smart TV for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. One of the key features of these new game consoles is the support for 4K resolution gaming at 120 frames per second (or FPS). The LG G1 is perfectly capable of handling those specifications without any problems.
✓ Four HDMI 2. 1 ports✓ Support for both AMD FreeSync and G-Sync✓ Near-infinite contrast ratio and excellent viewing angles✓ Five-year limited warranty on OLED panel
✗ Risk of burn-in✗ Expensive than the already great LG C1
The included Game Optimizer dashboard gives you quick access to various VRR formats and lets you select from presets for different game genres to get suitable picture optimizations. Additionally, the presence of four HDMI 2.1-capable ports allows you to connect multiple consoles and other devices and not lose out on any enhancements.
When you’re not gaming, you’ll be able to enjoy movies and TV shows in all their goodness on the G1’s brilliant OLED screen. It provides perfect blacks, a near-infinite contrast ratio, and great viewing angles.
All the gaming-centric features you can need, like ALLM, low input lag, and near-instant response rate, are also available, so this is just a well-rounded, great-looking television. You can buy the G1 in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 77-inch sizes.
Best LED TV for Gaming: Samsung QN90A QLED
While OLED TVs generally offer exceptional image quality, they do have some issues. If you don’t want to deal with the risk of burn-in or need to put your gaming setup in a brightly lit room, an LED TV like the Samsung QN90A makes more sense. The QN90A is Samsung’s flagship 4K QLED TV, and it uses Mini LED for backlighting. The Mini LED system ensures an excellent contrast ratio and high brightness.
✓ Bright 4K QLED panel✓ Mini LED backlighting for excellent contrast✓ Low input lag and wide viewing angles
✗ Only one HDMI 2. 1 port✗ Blooming around bright objects
The QN90A comes with Samsung’s Game Bar that provides easy access to several game-related options, including aspect ratio. Other gaming-centric features, like ALLM, HDMI VRR, AMD FreeSync, very low input lag, and 120Hz panel are also present on the TV.
Samsung has included HDMI 2.1 for next-generation gaming, but unfortunately, only one port supports it. If you’re planning to attach both Xbox Series X and PS5 to the TV, you will only be able to play 4K games at 120fps on one console unless you buy an HDMI 2.1 splitter.
The TV is well-built and features a beautiful design that looks sleek from all angles. It is available in 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch sizes, so it should be easy to pick the size that works best in your home.
Best 8K TV for Gaming: Samsung QN900A 8K QLED TV
While 8K is still far from mainstream adoption, if you’re an early adopter and want to game in 8K, the Samsung QN900A is the best option. It isn’t prohibitively expensive as LG’s OLED 8K offerings, and Samsung regularly provides promotions do drive the prices a bit lower.
✓ Amazing 8K QLED screen✓ Support for both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync✓ Almost bezel-less design✓ Low input lag and a great response time
✗ Blooming around bright objects✗ Low native contrast ratio✗ Expensive
Part of Samsung’s Neo QLED lineup, the QN900A comes with barely any bezels and a slim frame, giving it a fantastic look that seamlessly blends with your room decor.
Samsung has packed pretty much all gaming-related features, including support for HDMI VRR, AMD FreeSync, and Nvidia G-Sync. The TV also offers low input lag, excellent response time, and two HDMI 2.1 ports. In addition, you can game at 4K with 120fps or 8K at 60fps. It’ll make your console games look great even if they don’t support 8K.
One of the drawbacks of the QN900A’s QLED panel is its low native contrast ratio. Micro LED backlighting helps in providing deep blacks, but the television suffers from blooming around bright objects. Unfortunately, it is a problem found in pretty much all 8K LED TVs at this point, so if you’re looking to go 8K, this is something you’ll need to deal with no matter the choice.
You can purchase the Samsung QN900A in 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch sizes.
