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Choosing the Best 4K Gaming TV: Our Picks for 2021

Tom P

7th December 2020

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What is a 4k TV?

Some years back, standard HD resolutions (720p and 1080p) were developed. The HDTV market eventually dominated. The prices dropped as a result, and now, even the most economical TV watchers can have one at their comfort. Finally, the 4K ultra HD became available, and not all TVs supported this massive jump in visual fidelity. 4k resolution relates to the horizontal display resolution that is approximately 4000 pixels. There are several 4k resolutions commonly used by digital cinematography and digital television. However, the dominant 4k standard in television is 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD).

A 4K TV is a TV set with a 4K resolution, and it has 3840 horizontal pixels and vertical pixels of 2160. When it comes to 4K TV products and specifications, the resolution is always shown as 3840×2160. The resolution tells you more about the number of pixels that are put together on display.

Pixels come together to create the image you see on your screen. For a TV screen to have a higher resolution, the pixel count should be higher. Finally, the ‘K’ in 4K stands for kilo, which means that the TV has attained a resolution of about 4000 pixels.

Unlike the traditional Full HD (1920 x 1080), a 4K TV has four times more pixels. Thanks to the greater pixel density, even when the TV sizes are the same, the 4K TV picture quality remains outstanding, detailed, and vivid. This difference is visible on more giant TV screens.

Try comparing two different attributes between the traditional 65″ Full HD TV to the 65″ 4K TV. It is easier to see the difference in pixels because they are smaller for higher resolution TVs, unlike lower-resolution TVs. With a 4K TV, you can have an immersive experience without any limitations of viewing from a distance.

What is the best TV size for gaming?

When looking for the best TV size for gaming, there are various factors that one needs to consider. It might depend on the size of the room, lighting, and comfort. When you have a smaller screen, the less the distance will be between the gamer and the screen. But when you have a bigger screen, it is less strenuous while watching from a distance. Significant factors to put into consideration when looking for a gaming TV are the pixels.

Investing in the best gaming TV has never been too urgent, especially with the next-gen Xbox Series X console that has launched and the PS5 on its heels trying to save its space in the world of gamers. With this kind of gaming gadget, you’d surely need a TV that serves it right.

Most of the time, the TV size depends on the gaming device. You can use a TV size from 32inches – 55inches if you are for gaming consoles. However, for PC gaming, you can go for a 32inch 4K TV. It is essential to consider if the distance is appropriate and ensure that the viewing angles give you the full benefit in competitive gaming.

Casual gaming requires more visual experience with less performance. It merely means that your TV should have features like 4K compatibility, HDR, and adaptive sync suggestions for better visual quality. For casual gaming, you can go for a 40 – 65inches plus.

However, personal preference ultimately depends on how close or far you sit from your screen. Unlike a gaming monitor, with a TV, the bigger the size, the better and more fun the gaming experience is. Finally, a larger screen offers a better platform for multi-players in the multi-playing split-screen setup.

How to Choose the Best Gaming TV’s

How does one choose the best gaming TV? Coming down to a final decision is not an easy endeavor. It is a confusing stage because there are many factors you are bound to consider before making any purchase. It would be best if you did significant research to avoid time-wasting and money on something you didn’t expect when you are playing your favorite game.

While you are looking for the best gaming TV, you need to consider the screen’s size. It is not about picking up the most significant TV available or one that you can afford. It is because you might end up with a TV that gets blurry during gaming, or the foreground can be fuzzy.

While buying a gaming TV, here is a quick list of specs that you should consider;

• 4K and HDR. If you are in a position to get yourself a future-proof 4K HDR TV with a comfortable refresh rate and low latency, then go for it.
• Latency/lag. TVs with low latency are always the best when it comes to gaming. Ensure you buy a gaming TV with a Latency of 30ms or less.
• OLED. If you are used to 120Hz, forget about OLED TVs. However, it’s worth it getting one with a comfortable refresh rate and low latency.
• Video inputs. RCA, s-video, HDMI, and coaxial are aspects you need to check. Ensure you buy a TV with all the inputs you might need.

It would be best to consider other aspects: big screen, connectivity, the display, optimized picture and sound technology, and the gaming mode.

What Is Input Lag and Why It Is Important

Input lag is an essential aspect that gamers need to consider while getting the best screen. Input lag, also known as display lag, is the time measured in milliseconds. It is the duration it takes for your TV to respond and display the commands you have inputted through devices such as a controller, mouse, or keyboard.

It also involves image processing such as HDR, deinterlacing, scaling / up converting, frame interpretation, etc.

In gaming, input lag is vital for competitive games because every millisecond counts. However, TV nor monitor manufacturers don’t state the input lag in the display specs. Therefore, doing detailed research before getting a new gaming TV is essential.

No gamer wants to push a button and sit there to wait for inputs to register after seconds, whether the task is typing, drawing, programming, and worst of all, while playing your all-time favorite video game. Everyone wants their input to be as fast as possible.

Often, not many tasks require super-fast reflexes. However, in the video game medium, various game genres may need the gamer to make the most instantaneous decisions and inputs. For example, games like first-person shooters, real-time strategy games, music rhythm games, third-person shooters, action games, fighting games, racing games, and shoot em; up. While playing such games, a critical split decision within milliseconds is required.

Should I Consider a Q-Led TV For Gaming?

If you are a gamer, there has never been the perfect time to take your gaming experience even further and upgrade to a QLED TV. The fluid and quick action QLED TV 4K HDR helps bring out the best of your gaming skills and abilities.

The low millisecond input lag ensures you get a subtle, obscured movement. QLED TVs ultra-fast motion rate reveals how soft the most challenging games can prove to be, with sacrificing finesse. With its precise timing to emerge at the peak, QLED TV has built a seamless change into the world of gaming.

QLED TV has the easiest way to connect your consoles to enhance your overall gaming experience. It has a One Connect Box, a straightforward and clean way to connect your consoles right to your smart QLED TV. QLED TVs are fitted with auto-detection technology that helps detect consoles when connected.

So, one console connection to the One Connect Box, and you are good to go. Once the console connection is successful, you can easily control your multiple devices with a single remote control to quickly get into gaming with HDR.

A QLED TV comes with more than just playing your go-to console games. A single gaze into the smart hub, and you can find various available games that you can stream on StreamLink. Through the platform, you can play and connect with other gamers from different parts of the world.

With a QLED TV, you are sure of getting the most immersive and responsive gaming experience from all over the world. From a stunning 4K HDR view to Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) with a low input lag of as low as 10ms with object tracking sound, QLED TV brings the future generation of gaming to life.

What Is the Best TV for Gaming on Ps5 or Xbox?

 For gamers, a good picture might not be enough. The best TV with a low input might be the game-changer between winning and losing. In other cases, if you need to amp up your best video game, it’s worth splashing out on a brighter, more giant TV and one with deep and visible blacks that will put you right into the action.

It has never been the best time and season to have the best TV for gaming because new graphic cards are almost out, and a new console generation is only weeks away. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X collaboration coincides with the TV world’s most exciting time, 4K HDR becoming standard even on the cheapest sets. New technologies such as the 120Hz, refresh rates, and adaptive sync with low latency boost games’ response.

While shopping for the best TV for gaming, you need to know that the best TV should offer input latency of around 12ms. The average mode offers 20ms, while slower screens offer 30ms. It is technically different from 15ms in-between. Your screen needs to have gaming modes, which may go by different modes depending on your TV, to accomplish these speeds.

Also, the best TV should be able to handle motion and check on their peak brightness figures. A good gaming TV should have the right HDR format and a robust built-in interface. As you ensure your TV’s desired choice has the features mentioned above, don’t forget to check another final and most crucial element, HDMI 2.1.

HDMI 2.1 standard allows for both 8K 60Hz and 120Hz content to bring a significant boost to the responsiveness and the resolution. HDMI 2.1 is an essential aspect to consider in both next-gen graphics and next-gen consoles when going for a high-en option TV. PS5 and the Xbox series games consoles have many next-gen pictures that you can only require a cutting edge TV to explore fully.

Is a television with Game Mode Important?

Ever looked at your TV and wondered what all those settings are? Like what ‘game mode’ thing is this? Maybe you even tried to figure out what it does. The game mode is a system that can be enabled in the settings section of your TV or monitor menu.

The game mode is a display setting on different screens that are majorly used when playing games. It prioritizes the response between your gaming machine and tour TV. It plays an essential role in the reduction of input delay. It reduces the time between the moment you press a button and something happening on your screen to a minimum.

A television with a game mode drops any unnecessary image processing that it usually does and ensures that your gaming session goes uninterrupted. In most cases, it can reduce the resolution to give you the best response time, depending on the manufacturer.

A television with a game mode can drastically improve your gameplay performance based on its quality. Some game modes can quickly reduce your input lag by 50 milliseconds. It makes it a significant aspect a gamer should consider.

While playing video games, a television with a game mode makes your controls much flexible, better, effective, and more responsive. When you input a command, it is easy to recognize how fast your inputs are detected.

When the game mode is enabled on some TVs, it ensures that all the active processing that the screen does to images are stripped away as fast as possible. It is more like doing away with a few milliseconds, for 10ms to 6ms. The final result is that your game will feel more fast and responsive.

The Best 4K Gaming TV: Samsung Q90T QLED

This is the crème de la crème of 4K Gaming TVs, thanks to the myriad of fantastic features that make it a perfect match for gamers. This television can fit into virtually any room for starters, be it a living room set up or a darkened theater room. This bright TV uses the Dynamic picture setting and can hit up to 2000 nits of peak brightness, making it appropriate for use in both light and dark rooms. 

The TV stands on a metallic pedestal and comes with an HDMI 2.1 port and three HDMI 2.0b ports, two USB ports, Ethernet, coaxial and digital optical cords. This TV can easily be set up with the SmartThings app or with the remote, but you are better off using the app if you need the smart home ecosystem function.

It features Tizen, the smart TV platform, which is responsive and fast. It also features Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Amazon, Rakuten TV, YouTube, Apple TV, and Hulu. While it has the HDR10+, it does not have Dolby Vision support. With the TV’s Mobile Multi View with Casting, you can view the images on TV and phone simultaneously. It also features the ambient mode that is great for blending into the background when the telly is not used. 

This TV also offers Full Array Local Dimming that means better contrast as different LED zones can be turned off and on as appropriate. You can adjust the brightness to improve color accuracy, and the picture modes are just as dynamic. The Samsung Quantum Processor 4K means that both HD SDR and 4K HDR content looks great on this screen. 

For gamers, it would be worth noting that this model offers VRR and Game Mode’s auto-low latency for a great gaming experience. With the Object Tracking Sound feature from Samsung and eight built-in speakers, it provides the best audio you can find.

The TV does not have the OneConnect Box that allows the slotting of HDMI connections to one box.

Best 4K Gaming TV Under £1,000: Samsung Q80T QLED

The Samsung Q80T is one of the best LED panel 4K TVs in the market today. It comes in a variety of sizes ranging from 50, 55, 65, 75 and 85 inches. Other outstanding features include exceptional picture quality, motion handling, and the fact that it provides the perfect gaming experience. The television features a local dimming feature that means inky blacks that are great for darkroom gaming.

Together with the Black Frame Insertion feature, the image gets even more precise. The television’s response time is outstanding, and it can make motion appear more fluid by interpolating lower frame rate games.

The television’s refresh rate stands at 120 Hz and has FreeSync support to reduce screen tearing. Since the tv features Samsung’s “Ultra Viewing Angle,” it features exceptional viewing angles and is good with reflections. Interestingly, this TBV eliminates the need for calibration as it has excellent color accuracy right from the start. The viewing experience will be perfect right from the start.

The television is great for those gaming in HDR, thanks to the HDR color gamut that ensures vivid colors and brightness. Therefore, this television is the answer if you like sharp color and pop. It also features Samsung’s Tizen OS, which is known for the hundreds of apps available in the play store and user-friendliness. 

While this television has many advantages and positive features, it has a few cons. One of them is the dirty screen effect. Additionally, the screen is not G-SYNC compatible, and despite being able to interpolate lower frame rates, there is an input lag. While there are numerous advantages and outstanding features and only a few disadvantages encountered while using this television, it comes at a cost-effective price of under $1000, making it one of the best 4K gaming televisions. 

The Cheap Alternative: LG49UN71006LB LG 4K Gaming TV

This 49-inch TV is every gamer’s wildest dream. This television will take all the entertainment in your home to a new level and will have you and your family and friends glued to the screen for hours. It is perfect for games, sports, and cinema and captures minute details and vivid colors for you to enjoy. 

The LG49UN71 has a quad-core processor 4K that enhances the watching and gaming experience. This processor eliminates video noise while creating vivid color and contrast. In this way, the television 0can perfectly upscale lower quality images and reproduce them in a close to 4K quality. The television also embraces the ThinQ AI technology that is convenient for cinema and game lovers.

Through this brilliant technology, you can control and command your television with natural voice recognition through LG’s Magic Remote. Natural voice recognition is available in many languages, including English, German, French, Korean, Spanish, Japanese, Turkish, Arabic, Thai, Swedish, Indonesian, and many more. 

Apart from this television model’s outstanding gaming experience, the TV allows you to experience content as the content creator intended. With a processor that automatically switches off motion smoothing, you get the full motion picture effect, which creates a cinematic experience. If you are a sucker for high definition and you do not want to break the bank as you try to acquire high-end 4k televisions, then this is the right TV for you.

The LG49UN71 provides HDR picture quality and supports varied HDR formats such as HLG Pro and HDR10 Pro. This means that you will no longer view poor quality pictures but will enjoy crisp, vivid, high-quality images. 

Another quality that makes the G49UN71 stand out is the sound quality created by the multiple virtual audio channels. The television features the Bluetooth Surround Ready technology for those who love to be immersed in a 3D stadium atmosphere. You need to connect compatible Bluetooth speakers to your television. With this television, you will get a sophisticated sound experience that will be difficult to get from other 4k televisions in the market.

Apart from the games you would love to play on this screen; you can enjoy content from Netflix, Disney, Apple TV, and BBC iPlayer. Besides, you can start playing your favorite games with this LG UHD TV without experiencing delays. If you are a sports lover, you can capture all the details of your favorite team with the LG Sports Alert feature that gives real-time alerts even when watching something else on the TV. This TV is ideal for those who love sleek designs that blend well with a room. 

While this television is worth the budget, it lacks a built-in-camera that would have made it more exciting. This would be an excellent TV to enjoy on a cold rainy day as you seek entertainment and excitement indoors. You should also be careful when unpacking it and use the edges to pull it out to avoid screen damages. 

The Underdog 4K Gaming TV: HISENSE 55U8QFTUK                        

Hisense tried its hand at QLED, and the result was stunning in the form of the Hisense 55U8QFTUK. Whether you will be watching murder documentaries or seeking to enjoy Premier League matches on your TV, nothing bears the stunning detail that this Hisense model provides with its outstanding 4K resolution. The screen features a wide array of colors thanks to the QLED display, making sure that you catch the slightest color details and see everything as close to reality as can be. The TV comes in a 55-inch size and with a raised screen that gives a floating television illusion. It is easy to put the television together as the parts fit in easily. The television supports all HDR forms, including HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG, and the panel can attain a brightness of 1000 nits.

The on-screen motion is clear and smooth because of the 120Hz fast motion rate. The TV incorporates the Motion Compensation and Estimate technologies to encourage smooth scene transitions and make the movement more natural compared to lower resolution televisions. With such attention to detail, it can be easy to tell a chameleon camouflaging on a leaf or a polar bear on ice, which adds to a positive watching experience. 

If you are buying a 4K Gaming TV, it makes sense to want immersive sounds to match the television’s quality pictures. Hisense 55U8QFTUK delivers just that with a Dolby Atmos virtual surround and a JBL-tuned speaker that ensures that the sound is as good as the video. Watching an explosion will feel as if it is happening right in your living room, and the horror in the story will feel just as real with this television.

The television also features an Alexa voice remote that is built-in. This remote enables you to use voice control. Therefore, you can easily control your television using just your voice to ask for weather reports or switch to your favorite show playing on a different channel. With this powerful technology, you will be able to control other smart devices in the home. 

While the TV works great with HD content, the upscaling prowess of this Hisense model comes to question when upscaling SD. The content lacks detail and sharpness and is blurry. Further, there is some noise noted around pictures in HD. 

The Value Option: Samsung 65” TU7100

Samsung is one of the undisputed names when it comes to 4K TVs, and it is easy to see why with the second model making it to our list. This TV is a great value option for those seeking a 4K TV at a lower price. One of its outstanding features is the HDMI inputs, along with the 4K LED panel, Apple Airplay, and Bluetooth compatibility, and a USB socket. It also features integrated WIFI and an Ethernet socket.

The television’s HDMI supports low latency mode, which is a feature that console gamers will enjoy. There is also an HDMI socket that is eARC-enabled, which means it can be used with most soundbars. The television also features the HDR10+ for use by Amazon Prime Video.

Unfortunately, you cannot use the TV for other Xbox and PS5 series at this price, and the TV has no Dolby Vision HDR. It is compatible with several smart TV apps, including BT Sport, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. If you are a lover of the Crystal display and its benefits, then this Samsung model promises you the best of sharp contrasts and bright colors so that whatever you are viewing seems lifelike and realistic. This model also does the upscaling to 4K resolution well, and the sound adjusts according to the content you are consuming and features 4K UHD resolution for detail. 

The TV also has one remote functionality and Smart Hub to enhance the experience. You can easily find all your content and control compatible devices with the television’s remote control. For game lovers, you will be pleased with the Auto Game Mode that eliminates low lag rates.

There is a lot that goes into buying the perfect 4K TV as a gamer. However, the ones we feature here are top of the range and will offer the best service.