So you already have your PS5 preorder and/or Xbox Series X preorder locked in, but is your television ready? You need the best gaming TVs for the PS5 and Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S if you want the best looking picture. Both consoles are built to create a true 4 K image that the PS4 Pro or Xbox One X can look significantly better than anything, so you will certainly want to get the best 4 K gaming TV money you can buy and there are actually quite a few budget gaming TVs for you.
The crop of gaming TVs this year is stepping up things by offering HDMI 2.1 ports for 4 K 120Hz gameplay, like the next-generation consoles, and almost all of them come with FreeSync support to help smooth your frame rate. What’s more, we’re seeing some of the brightest TVs ever launched, as well as some blow your mind picture clarity.
Here’s a look at our top three personal picks for best TV for gaming in 2020
LG 65″ Class CX Series Smart OLED 4K TV
AS far as we are concerned, the best gaming TV you can buy is the LG 65 ‘Class CX Series Smart OLED 4 K TV (OLED65CXPUA). It costs a pretty penny at $2,500, but thanks to its quick response time and native 120Hz refresh rate, it is one of the best gaming screens. As OLED displays are emissive, which means that each pixel produces its own light rather than a backlight, you can also get true blacks right next to bright highlights.
The LG OLED65CXPUA also comes fstandard with four HDMI 2.1 ports so that you can enjoy the 4 K gaming from either the PS5 or Xbox Series X at up to 120Hz streaming. The OLED line of LG is also one of the few TVs that supports both FreeSync and G-Sync at the same time, so you will never see screen tearing or a rocky frame rate regardless of your game choice.
Sony 65″ Class X900H Smart LED 4K TV
For a 4 K 120Hz experience that won’t cost a lot, there’s no better choice than the Sony XBR65X900H if you’re looking for a gaming TV (read our review). The Sony X900H provides a full suite of HDMI 2.1 ports with all the high resolution and quick response time you need for both the Xbox Series X / S and the PS5, at $1,699 or less for a 65-inch display. Better still, this 4 K TV also supports variable refresh rate support on the next-gen consoles for a tear-free gaming experience and, by our calculation, the low-latency game mode decreases latency to just 17.2ms.
The TV uses a VA screen, which with vivid colors provides the perfect combination of responsiveness and picture quality. For superb blacks and contrast, there’s also a full-array local dimming, and expect vivid colors from this 4 K TV. It’s not all that shabby for one of the most affordable gaming televisions on the market right now.
TCL 55″ Class 6-Series QLED Roku Smart TV
If you’re planning to get the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 and want an affordable TV that’s ready to let you make the most of them, the latest 55-inch TCL 6-Series TV is it. This 4K TV can deliver an amazing picture thanks to its use of Mini LED and QLED technologies, giving you a stunningly bright picture with vivid colors. The HDR experience is aided along by 240 local dimming zones to deliver a strong contrast ratio, letting you take full advantage of Dolby Vision and HDR 10. All that, and it’s only $650.
When it comes to gaming, you’ll find this TV is the first to have THX Certified Game Mode. This ensures the TCL 6-Series can automatically detect games and switch into game mode, which enables a variable refresh rate, reduces processing to minimize input lag and pixel response time, and does still more to improve the visual quality of your games. Though the new TCL 6-Series offers a 120Hz refresh rate, it doesn’t support 4K inputs at 120Hz, so you’ll have to decide whether you want to game at 4K at 60Hz or prefer to go with 1440p at 120Hz.
A Word About Wall Mounted TVs and TV Calibration
If you are going to invest in a new TV as well as a new gaming console you might be wondering if you’ll enjoy a better gaming experience if you have it mounted on the wall.
The majority of new flats screen TVs are designed to be wall mounted, with pre-made holes in the back for attaching to mounts and brackets. The room it saves you is the most important advantage of wall mounted TVs. They hardly stick out at all, because they are so thin and can be secured so close to the wall, ensuring you don’t need to take up floor space with a table or stand.
As the focal point of a room, wall mounted TVs are used and offer a sleek and modern finish. It is possible to cover the cables, make the space less cluttered and decrease the chance of tripping over them. It will also leave lots of room for your gaming console and peripherals.
Mounting a TV that has cost you a lot of money is something best left to the pros however, and the nest TV mounting professionals are those who can also calibrate your TV properly. A correctly calibrated TV would actually look more appealing to the eye, and can draw less power and even last longer, depending on its light output afterwards.
This is because, in general, a calibrated TV has a dimmer image than the default settings for “torch mode.” Therefore, since the TV generates less light, it requires less power and, due to decreased pressure on the light-generating sections of the TV, can enjoy a longer lifespan. This is particularly true of OLED TVs.