Best TV for Gaming: Tips for Your Perfect Match

When it comes to selecting the ideal televisions for gaming, it’s essential to recognize that the top gaming TVs often rank among the best overall TVs available on the market. While a top-tier TV isn’t strictly necessary to enjoy gaming on your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, possessing the right features can significantly enhance your gaming experience. For those uncertain about where to start, we have compiled comprehensive recommendations and expert advice to assist you in finding a high-quality gaming TV that meets your needs and budget effectively.

Essential Features to Consider When Choosing a Gaming TV

Regardless of whether you plan to use your TV for gaming or other entertainment, high-quality televisions share several common characteristics. Look for models that offer stunning 4K resolution, adequate brightness to effectively combat glare while enhancing HDR content, a high contrast ratio that delivers deep, uniform black tones, and vibrant colors that strike a perfect balance between accuracy and saturation. Furthermore, for an optimal gaming experience, prioritize TVs that exhibit minimal input lag and rapid motion response to ensure a smooth visual experience free from blurring or unwanted artifacts, particularly during fast-paced gaming. Finding a TV that excels in these areas while also fitting your budget can be a challenging yet rewarding endeavor.

Comparing OLED and LCD Technologies for Gaming TVs

As of now, leading OLED TVs are recognized for providing the highest picture quality for both gaming and general viewing. However, the premium pricing of OLED models compared to their LCD counterparts can be a significant consideration. Additionally, some OLED TVs may struggle to achieve the brightness levels needed in well-lit environments, which could affect your viewing experience.

Modern OLED TVs utilize various types of display technologies, such as WOLED (white OLED) and the more advanced QD-OLED (quantum dot OLED). While an in-depth exploration of the differences between these technologies can be complex, the basic distinction lies in the fact that QD-OLED displays incorporate a layer of quantum dots to enhance the color range and brightness compared to traditional WOLED models.

That said, not every QD-OLED TV is guaranteed to outperform others; the individual performance of each model is crucial. Some high-end WOLED TVs, like the LG G4, employ innovative technologies such as Micro Lens Array (MLA) to significantly boost brightness. (It’s noteworthy that LG and other brands are transitioning to a new “four-stack” OLED structure in their upcoming flagship models.) However, most OLED TVs share similar strengths, making a well-priced QD-OLED model an attractive choice for balancing value and picture quality.

If you choose to go for an LCD TV—either to save money or because of poor light control in your room—look for models featuring an advanced backlight with smaller, more precise mini LEDs and effective full-array local dimming. These features typically enhance contrast and improve lighting details. Many of these models, including some budget-friendly options, incorporate quantum dots to enrich color performance, often branded as “QLED” TVs. While they may not match the vibrant colors and motion clarity of top OLED sets, they often provide brighter images at more accessible price points, and some of the best can still deliver impressive picture quality.

Unlocking the Full Potential of Gaming with HDMI 2.1 Support

To fully enjoy your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S gaming experience, it’s imperative to choose a TV that offers complete HDMI 2.1 support. This latest HDMI specification significantly boosts maximum bandwidth to 48 gigabits per second, up from the previous 18 Gbps of HDMI 2.0, and introduces several features tailored for enhanced gaming performance. Key features include variable refresh rate (VRR) and automatic low latency mode (ALLM), which we’ll discuss in greater detail shortly.

Perhaps the most significant advantage of HDMI 2.1 is its capability to transmit crisp 4K video at refresh rates of up to 120Hz when connected to modern consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, or even up to 144Hz with a powerful gaming PC. While not every game for the PS5 or Xbox Series X/S supports these high frame rates—some only do at reduced resolutions—those that do will provide a notably smoother and more fluid gaming experience. HDMI 2.1 also supports the Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC), allowing you to transfer high-quality lossless audio from a connected source device to a compatible soundbar or receiver.

When selecting a gaming TV, having multiple full HDMI 2.1 ports is highly advantageous. The term “full” is crucial here. As highlighted by TFT Central, due to HDMI 2.1’s backward compatibility with HDMI 2.0, some manufacturers may label HDMI ports as “HDMI 2.1” even if they do not fully support the upgraded features. We recommend ensuring that your chosen model genuinely offers full HDMI 2.1 capabilities if you are serious about gaming. Furthermore, while HDMI 2.1 is currently the gold standard, it’s worth noting that the HDMI Forum announced the HDMI 2.2 specification at CES 2025, which promises greater maximum bandwidth of 96 Gbps, potentially allowing for even higher resolutions and refresh rates.

Enhancing Picture Quality with HDR — High Dynamic Range Technology

High Dynamic Range (HDR) refers to a television’s capability to produce a broader spectrum between the darkest and brightest portions of an image. This wider range reveals details that may remain hidden on standard dynamic range (SDR) displays, especially in very dark or extremely bright sections of an image. Additionally, HDR typically enhances color reproduction, showcasing a wider palette of richer, more vibrant colors that align closely with the creator’s original intent.

To obtain an HDR experience, you require both HDR-capable content and a television that can display such content. HDR comes in various formats, which generally fall into two categories: those using static metadata (e.g., HDR10) and those employing dynamic metadata (e.g., HDR10+, Dolby Vision). The latter enables the TV to optimize its brightness and colors per scene or even per frame, while static formats use a single set of optimized settings throughout the entire content. Compatibility with these formats can vary by TV, content, and gaming console. For instance, the Xbox Series X and S support Dolby Vision for gaming, while the PS5 does not.

The positive aspect is that most televisions available today are HDR-ready to some extent, even in more budget-friendly options. However, the extent to which a TV can maximize HDR capabilities varies significantly. In the realm of video games, fewer titles are designed to leverage HDR compared to movies, though the number is steadily increasing, highlighting the wider variance in HDR quality.

Understanding HGiG — HDR Gaming Interest Group

The HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGiG) comprises members from Sony, Microsoft, various TV manufacturers, and game developers. This collaboration ideally allows all parties to communicate effectively, ensuring that when you start a new game on a console or PC, it automatically recognizes your display. This recognition facilitates automatic adjustments in the game’s internal settings to optimize picture quality based on your display’s capabilities, preserving details in both the brightest and darkest areas of the screen. For instance, a bright daylight scene at the end of a dark tunnel should display as a well-lit environment rather than an overexposed white blob.

While this is a beneficial concept, the practical application can be more complex. Not all televisions clearly indicate HGiG compatibility in their settings, and only a limited number of PlayStation and Xbox games adhere to these guidelines. If you see an HGiG option in your TV’s tone mapping settings, enable it before adjusting your console’s HDR settings. If you’re playing a game that supports HDR and HGiG, you should experience excellent results without needing to constantly tweak luminance levels. However, the visual output may still differ based on your TV and the specific game you’re playing. For example, certain LG OLED TVs may perform better with their Dynamic Tone Mapping setting. Ultimately, choose the settings that provide you with the most visually pleasing experience.

Maximize Your Gameplay with ALLM — Auto Low Latency Mode

Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) enables compatible devices, such as your PS5 or Xbox, to signal the TV to switch into a picture mode designed to minimize lag between receiving each frame and displaying it. This precise synchronization eliminates unnecessary processing, which can create crucial milliseconds of difference in gameplay. In essence, ALLM allows your TV to enter “Game” mode automatically when it detects you are playing a game and revert to regular mode when you switch to watching movies or shows.

Achieve Smooth Gameplay with VRR — Variable Refresh Rate Technology

Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) is a term that most gamers are becoming increasingly familiar with. Many gamers have experienced issues like slowdown, screen tearing, or stuttering when the console struggles to render frames at the target speed, typically at 30 or 60 frames per second on a TV. VRR technology ensures that everything remains in synchronization: your display will only show the next frame when it is ready, resulting in smoother and more responsive gameplay, even if the system cannot consistently achieve its target frame rate.

Various implementations of VRR exist, including Nvidia’s G-Sync, AMD’s FreeSync, and the HDMI Forum’s VRR, which is incorporated in the HDMI 2.1 standard. For VRR to function effectively, both the TV and the connected device must support the same VRR technology, and different devices may only be compatible with VRR within specific refresh rate ranges. For instance, on a 120Hz display, the PS5’s VRR operates between 48Hz and 120Hz.

It’s important to note that the PS5 supports HDMI Forum VRR, while the Xbox Series X/S supports both HDMI Forum VRR and FreeSync. Gaming PCs may utilize G-Sync or FreeSync based on whether they are equipped with Nvidia or AMD graphics cards. A high-quality gaming TV should support all major VRR formats, but the absence of G-Sync isn’t a dealbreaker if you only plan to game on a PS5 or Xbox.

8K Resolution: Why You Can Skip It

One aspect that should not be a primary concern is 8K support. Although both the PS5 and Xbox Series X are technically capable of outputting 8K video, there are currently very few games designed for that resolution, and the practical advantages of 8K are minimal unless you sit extremely close to a large screen. Additionally, the limited availability of 8K TVs on the market generally comes with a hefty price tag.

Top Gaming TVs Available Right Now

There is rarely a perfect time to purchase a new TV; prices for current models consistently decline, while next year’s upgrades are always on the horizon. This is particularly evident following CES, where brands like Samsung and LG revealed their initial 2025 lineup details, while Hisense, TCL, and Panasonic introduced a selection of new models. Some of these upcoming releases may be worth waiting for, especially at the higher end. However, in the price ranges where most consumers typically shop, many of the new models seem to be more evolutionary than revolutionary.

As we still have a few months before 2024’s models are fully replaced, the current generation will offer much better value as they become more affordable. Although Engadget does not conduct formal TV reviews, we have thoroughly researched the market and compiled a list of well-received models from trusted review sites such as Rtings, Wirecutter, Reviewed, PCMag, and others.