These are recommended Televisions for playing PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and more

Playing game on televisions is one of the great idea. Next-gen consoles are already around the corner. And the latest batch of PC graphics cards, too. The first cards of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3000 family are arriving in stores little by little, and on October 28, AMD will present its new graphics processors with RDNA 2 architecture , so we may not have to wait long to get one. of your new graphics cards.

However, consoles and graphics cards are only responsible for part of the experience. If we want them to give us their full potential, the ideal is that we connect them to a television, or a monitor, that is capable of squeezing them 100% . And, unfortunately, devices that meet this requirement are rare. Even so, in stores we can already find televisions to match. This article is dedicated to them.

This is what we ask of a television to squeeze the next video games

Possibly it is not in the plans of many users to invest a part of their savings in a new television, especially if they already have a model with a relatively recent 4K UHD panel. The expense involved in buying a new console or a graphics card of the latest batch is important, and it is normal that many fans cannot, or do not want, to spend more money on a trendy TV.

Fortunately, we can be sure that the new generation hardware will give us a great experience on any television that is not too old. If you have a 4K UHD panel and compelling HDR our experience should be very satisfying. And on a Full HD device it is reasonable to expect that we can at least enjoy a sustained 60 FPS refreshment in all games (fingers crossed that that is the case).

In any case, as we have proposed from the owner, the objective of this article is to investigate the televisions that are prepared to take full advantage of the capabilities of the new hardware for games. And this places us in front of a question: what characteristics must a capable TV have to promise us this? At the time we are preparing this article we have detailed information about the GeForce RTX 3000 graphics cards and the Xbox Series X and S consoles , but it does not about the upcoming AMD RDNA 2 cards, and we are missing some more information about for PlayStation 5.

We know that both the new Microsoft consoles and the latest NVIDIA graphics cards have HDMI 2.1 connectivity , and the most reasonable thing is that PS5 and upcoming AMD graphics cards follow in their footsteps. For this reason, these are the characteristics that televisions must have that we need if we want the new generation hardware to offer us the best possible experience:

• HDMI 2.1 connectivity
• Variable refresh rate ( VRR )
• Automatic Low Latency Mode ( ALLM )
• A 4K UHD or 8K panel with a native 120 Hz refresh
• HDR support (ideally compatible with both Dolby Vision and HDR10 +)
• The lowest possible response time and input latency

HDMI 2.1: its 48 Gbps make the difference

One of the most relevant innovations proposed by the HDMI 2.1 standard compared to revision 2.0 is the maximum transfer speed that the links that implement it can reach, which goes from the latter’s 18 Gbps to a much juicier 48 Gbps . This increase of 30 Gbps allows HDMI 2.1 to carry video signals with 4K UHD resolution and a cadence of 120 Hz, or 8K at 60 Hz, among many other combinations.

These are the most ambitious resolutions and frame rates that the new iteration supports: 4K @ 50/60 Hz, 4K @ 100/120 Hz, 5K @ 50/60 Hz, 5K @ 100/120 Hz, 8K @ 50 / 60 Hz, 8K @ 100/120 Hz, 10K @ 50/60 Hz and 10K @ 100/120 Hz. It is important that we bear in mind that to transport 4K @ 120 Hz and 8K @ 60 Hz signals it is essential that we use one of the new HDMI cables with Ultra High Speed ​​certification.

On the other hand, as far as colorimetry is concerned, the HDMI 2.1 specification supports the BT.2020 color space with 10, 12 and 16-bit encoding. In addition, it also incorporates VESA DSC 1.2a quality lossless video signal compression technology, which allows us to achieve resolutions higher than 4K @ 50/60 Hz and 8K @ 60 Hz with 4: 2: 0 color coding. 10 bits, such as 8K @ 120 Hz and 10K @ 120 Hz.

VRR: Ideal is to have FreeSync and G-SYNC

VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) technology is part of the list of innovations contemplated by the HDMI 2.1 standard, but some televisions propose it to us despite not implementing all the features of this standard. This feature is very interesting for video game fans. And thanks to it we can obtain smoother and more fluid images, which has a profound and very beneficial impact on our gaming experience.

VRR is an adaptive refreshment technique related to AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC, two technologies that PC gamers are familiar with. Its purpose is to synchronize the images emitted by the GPU of the PC or the console and those reproduced by the television, which helps us combat such annoying defects as tearing and stuttering.

The first graphic defect causes the image to be deformed by a line that crosses it horizontally from one end to the other, and the second induces the appearance of small jumps in the cadence of images that reduce fluidity and can ruin our experience. Some TVs of the latest batch are compatible with FreeSync or G-SYNC, although LG has chosen what for users is undoubtedly the best option for its flexibility: implement both technologies.

ALLM: no longer need to manually activate low latency mode

Like VRR, ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) technology is part of the list of innovations contemplated by the HDMI 2.1 standard, although some televisions incorporate it despite not implementing all the features of this standard. It is very attractive to play because it manages to significantly reduce latency, which is the time that elapses from when we send a signal from our control knob to the console or PC until the moment it is reflected on the television.

The low latency automatic mode makes it possible for the device that we have connected to send a signal to our televisions that tells it to activate the gaming mode automatically, thus avoiding the user having to do it manually. By enabling this mode, the television deactivates a good part of the image processing, a very effective strategy that allows the most ambitious devices to offer us an input latency of less than 10 ms.

120 Hz – smoother and more accurate, with less latency

Currently all high-end televisions, and most mid-range devices, incorporate a panel with a native refresh rate of 120 Hz. The combination of this refresh rate and some of the adaptive synchronization technologies of the that we have spoken a few paragraphs above does not only offer us a smoother movement; it also manages to significantly reduce input latency, which puts significantly more precise control in our hands.

OLED vs LCD / QLED: these are the advantages and disadvantages of each technology
If we stick to its performance with games, which is what interests us in this article, neither of these technologies manages to impose itself on all fronts to the other. OLED panels have very attractive characteristics for gamers that go beyond their image quality, such as, for example, a very low response time that minimizes motion blur. But some LCD panel TVs outperform them for their higher brightness delivery capabilities, allowing them to reproduce more spectacular HDR. This table summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of these technologies based on their gaming performance:

Seven TVs that promise us a great experience with the new hardware

Currently there are not many televisions that meet all the requirements in which we have investigated in this article. And they don’t because so far few brands have clearly opted to implement the full HDMI 2.1 standard in their devices . LG is the manufacturer that has been wetted with more forcefulness; in fact, all of its 2019 OLED TVs and mid- and high-end LCD LED models from that same year featured HDMI 2.1 connectivity. Fortunately, this year’s team maintains that commitment.

Samsung began by partially implementing the HDMI 2.1 standard in its 2019 high-end QLED TVs, and this year its successors propose a full implementation of this standard, but usually on only one of the four HDMI ports they incorporate. And Sony, which is the third company that has opted to introduce the full 2.1 standard in its televisions, for the moment it has only implemented it in two models: in the same two devices that we are going to talk about in this article.

LG NanoCell 866NA Televisions

This TV has a powerful asset in its favor: it is one of the cheapest models with full support of the HDMI 2.1 standard that we can currently find. Of course, it only offers us this connectivity in two of the four HDMI ports that it incorporates. It uses an IPS-type LCD panel with Full Array LED backlighting and implements LG’s latest nanocrystal technology.

Plus, you don’t just have VRR and ALLM technologies; Another point in its favor is that it is compatible with FreeSync from AMD. It is a pity that it is not also compatible with G-SYNC, from NVIDIA, and, above all, that in addition to being compatible with Dolby Vision and HDR10 it is not also compatible with HDR10 +.

LG NANOCELL 866NA

LG C9

This OLED TV belongs to last year’s range, but we have decided to include it in this selection for two reasons. The first is that it has everything we can ask of a televisions for latest-batch games, and the second is that its price has dropped significantly due to the fact that the models of the CX family, which is its successor, have already arrived in stores. .

There are not many in stock , but looking a little it is still possible to find it at a good price. In addition, it has two characteristics that this year’s CX model does not have: it processes content with DTS sound and its HDMI 2.1 links can carry data at the maximum 48 Gbps that the standard defines. If you want to know it in depth you can consult our analysis.

LG C9 Televisions

LG CX

This TV is the successor to the C9 model we just reviewed, and like that one, it has everything it takes to work hand in hand with next-gen consoles. Its four HDMI ports implement the 2.1 standard, so all of them put VRR and ALLM technologies in our hands. In addition, it has a very low input latency, and, as you would expect from an OLED device, its response time is minimal.

Another asset in its favor: it is compatible with both FreeSync from AMD and G-SYNC from NVIDIA. But it is not perfect. There are its drawbacks: it does not process HDR10 + content, it does not decode DTS audio and the bandwidth of the HDMI 2.1 ports has been cut to 40 Gbps . If you want to know it in depth you can consult our analysis.

Samsung QLED Q70T

This QLED TV is next to LG’s NanoCell 866NA that we have reviewed a few paragraphs above and Sony’s XH90 that we are going to explore later one of the HDMI 2.1 models with a more attractive price. On paper, it is an interesting option for users who have a moderate budget, like the character that QLED technology gives to images and prefer to opt for an LCD TV to not worry about the possibility of long-term image retention. .

It is an interesting model, but it also has shortcomings that users are interested in knowing. The first is that only one of its HDMI ports implements the 2.1 standard. In addition, its LED backlighting is peripheral, and not Full Array LED, like the other options with LCD panel in this selection. And it can process HDR10 +, HDR10 and HLG content, but not Dolby Vision. It is a pity that all televisions put us on a plate with a certain problem. Let’s cross our fingers that in 2021 they correct the shortcomings of their models this year.

Samsung QLED Q95T

This TV is Samsung’s current flagship model with a 4K UHD panel, which clearly anticipates what we can expect from it: outstanding brightness delivery capacity, very well resolved colorimetry and surprisingly low latency . We had the opportunity to analyze it in depth at the end of last May, and it showed us that it feels as good with games as it does with movies.

But, like the other models in this selection, it is not perfect. And is that only one of its four HDMI ports implements the full 2.1 standard. Also, despite having a high price, it does not process Dolby Vision and Atmos content . And it doesn’t decode DTS audio either. Hopefully in 2021 all brands bet on bringing HDMI 2.1 connectivity to all ports on their televisions.

Sony XH90

As I anticipated a few lines above, this is one of the two televisions in Sony’s current portfolio that sport the ‘Ready for PlayStation 5‘ label . And this means that they implement the HDMI 2.1 standard to make it possible, among other features, to transport 4K video signals at 120 Hz . Its panel is LCD VA type, uses the Full Array LED backlight and processes Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG content.

Its main shortcomings, which it has, are similar to those of most of its competitors: only two HDMI ports implement the full 2.1 standard. And, in addition, it does not process HDR10 + content . Another piece of information that users must take into account is that Sony has confirmed that to enable support for the HDMI 2.1 standard on this TV, it will be necessary to install a firmware update that will arrive next winter. Hopefully it won’t be delayed much beyond the arrival in PlayStation 5 stores.

Sony ZH8 Televisions

We close the selection of televisions for games that we propose with the most ambitious model of all: this ZH8 equipped with a VA LCD panel with 8K resolution and Full Array LED backlighting. We haven’t had a chance to review it yet, but if it comes just a little closer to the MASTER Series ZG9 we reviewed last year, it will definitely perform at a very high level.

As expected of a TV with an 8K panel, it offers us full HDMI 2.1 connectivity, although, like the XH90 model we just talked about, we will have to wait until Sony releases the firmware update that it has promised for this winter to be able to enjoy all its benefits. Again, being the most expensive TV in the article does not exempt you from room for improvement. The most obvious absence, beyond the tangible possibility that not all its ports are HDMI 2.1 (we have not been able to confirm it) is its incompatibility with HDR10 + content.