The 5 Best 4K Gaming TVs in 2023

With the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, it’s safe to say that we’ve entered into a new era of 4K gaming. The PS4 and Xbox One X were great at playing 1080p games, with 4K playback reserved for a few select, less-demanding titles. But the new generation of consoles comes with vastly improved hardware and software that allow you to play your favorite games in their high-resolution 4K splendor.

However, to enjoy games at such high resolutions, you’ll need a good 4K TV that has been optimized for gaming. The best 4K gaming TVs offer cutting-edge input lag, response time, variable refresh rate, HDR, and great viewing angles, among others. The following are the best 4K gaming TVs on the market today.

Also helpful: your gaming TV can double as an entertainment provider with these top Blu-ray players. Or you could play PC games on your smart TV.

1. Best Overall: Samsung S95B OLED

Price: $1,699

It may not surprise you that our best gaming TV pick is a high-end OLED, considering the remarkable advantages the tech brings to gaming. The Samsung S95B OLED delivers a superior gaming experience to most other OLEDs, thanks to its significantly higher brightness and markedly better HDR performance.

Thanks to its OLED panel, the S95B features an infinite contrast ratio and a near-instantaneous response time of 3.8 ms. Even its total input lag, when gaming at 4K 120Hz settings, is a remarkable 5.4 ms, making this TV ideally suited for fast-paced multiplayer games and story-based single-player titles. Its Quantum Dot–powered OLED panel can reach brightness levels of 1000+ nits, which, combined with its incredible contrast ratio, results in an excellent HDR experience.

The S95B is arguably the best gaming display you can buy. Apart from the still-lacking Tizen OS UI and slightly poor performance in bright rooms, the S95B doesn’t miss a beat.

Pros

• 120Hz performance at 4K, 1440p, and 1080p
• Looks stunning
• Plenty bright, even in HDR Game Mode
• FreeSync support for smooth, variable refresh rate (VRR) gaming
• Incredibly low input lag and response time

Cons

• Tizen OS
• No Dolby Vision
• Performs best only in dark rooms

Good to know: you can use a projector as a TV if you set everything up correctly.

2. Best OLED: LG C2 OLED

Price: $1,699

The LG C2 OLED is still one of the best gaming TVs you can get your hands on. It combines ultra-fast gaming performance, eye-popping visual fidelity, and gorgeous design with a price that’s still digestible for a large television. There is no shortage of features or AI-powered trickery with the LG C2, and it’s one of the best investments you can make if you’re serious about gaming.

Thanks to LG’s top-notch OLED panel and infinite contrast ratio, this television has the best visuals. The brightness levels easily reach 800 nits, delivering a superb HDR experience. The TV also features a blazing-fast 2.4 ms response time and 5.9 ms input lag at 4K 120Hz. The C2 is more than enough OLED TV for even the most hardcore gamer.

Whether you’re after Dolby Vision, HDR10, or HLG, the LG C2 supports all and sports inky black levels for a no-compromise HDR experience. It even supports the relatively new HGiG standard for gaming. Its Game Optimizer interface makes life easier, as you can access brightness, color depth, white balance, sharpness, and many more settings on one screen.

Pros

• G-Sync, FreeSync, and four 120Hz HDMI 2.1 ports
• OLED brilliance and blazing-fast response time
• High-end processor automatically boosts brightness
• Game Optimizer and GeForce Now

Cons

• Not the brightest panel on the market
• HDR10+ not available

Tip: if you are having issues with your display, follow these troubleshooting tips for TVs that show “no signal.”

3. Best QLED: Samsung QN95B Neo QLED

Price: $1,599

While LED TVs seem to have always existed, QLED or Quantum Dot LED TVs have become popular only in the last five to six years. With the Samsung QN95B Neo QLED, the Korean giant has brought possibly the best-ever QLED TV to the market.

QLED TVs aim to offer something the otherwise perfect OLEDs still can’t: high brightness. Using a Mini LED backlight, the QN95B sometimes manages to break the 2,000 nits barrier. Furthermore, this is also one of the first models to feature a 144Hz refresh rate alongside an outstanding contrast ratio and local dimming for exceptional HDR performance.

We also need to talk about the One Connect box containing every TV port. Instead of connecting a bunch of cables to the back of your TV, you can connect a single cable between your One Connect box and the TV. All the other cables for power, HDMI, Ethernet, USB, and more go into the One Connect box. This dramatically reduces cable clutter and provides that clean look desired by many gamers for their living room setup.

Pros

• Record-breaking brightness
• Outstanding colors and contrast deliver impressive HDR
• Four HDMI 2.1 ports and FreeSync Premium for best-in-class gaming
• Incredibly low input lag
• Excellent 7.3 ms response time and 5.4 ms input lag at 4K 144Hz
• One Connect Box for cleaner cables

Cons

• Tizen OS’s Smart features revamp is a step in the wrong direction

Also helpful: compare the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch before buying a new gaming console.

4. Best Mini LED: Sony X95K

Price: $1,899

Sony TVs are known for their excellent picture quality and accurate color reproduction. The Sony X95K adds top-notch contrast and brightness to that list. Using a Mini LED backlight has allowed Sony to control light and dark areas of the image on a granular level, allowing the contrast ratio to benefit HDR performance.

Sony’s flagship LED TV, the X95K, also includes gaming features and an advanced processor that powers its impressive picture quality and sound. Sony has provided two HDMI 2.1 ports, variable refresh rate, and Dolby Vision to enable 4K 120Hz gaming. The variable refresh rate is powered by G-Sync and HDMI Forum VRR (a standard form of VRR in HDMI 2.1) to adjust refresh rates for smooth gaming. The X95K also sports top-notch response time and input lag numbers of 9.9 ms and 10.0 ms (4K 120Hz), respectively.

You’ll have to make do with the sub-par viewing angles and the high asking price compared to other models on this list, but for gamers who want their TV to look and sound good – even in non-gaming scenarios – the Sony X95K is one of the best Mini LED options on the market.

Pros

• Mini LED enables close to 1,500 nits of brightness and excellent contrast
• Cognitive Processor XR enhances picture and sound
• HDMI 2.1 and G-Sync enable smooth, high-refresh gaming
• Simple and snappy UI
• Sony’s exceptional color accuracy

Cons

• Viewing angles are not the best
• Expensive compared to the competition

Tip: you can easily fix a TV that isn’t connecting to Wi-Fi.

5. Best Budget Option: TCL 6-Series R646

Price: $579

High-end picture quality and gaming features tend to cost quite a lot, especially if you’re shopping for Sony, Samsung, or LG. But budget brands like TCL constantly bring features like Mini LED backlighting, HDMI 2.1, and VRR with more affordable prices. TCL’s 6-Series R646 brings all of these capabilities in a pocket-friendly model that lets you enjoy excellent picture quality and gaming performance at one-third the price of the flagships from the big brands.

The 6-Series R646 is a QLED TV with Mini LED backlighting, much like many other products from the competition. Thanks to that, it has an outstanding contrast ratio and exceptional peak brightness (1000+ nits) that combine to deliver an impressive HDR performance. Its 11.1 ms response time and 5.8 ms input lag at 4K 120Hz will also impress you.

For the price, the Google TV–powered 6-Series R646 features a fantastic dynamic range, handles reflections well, and its local dimming is surprisingly effective. Brands like TCL and Hisense have started competing with Samsung and LG at the very high end of TV tech, thanks to which some high-end features have also trickled down to their budget segment. Despite narrow viewing angles and some smearing issues at times of fast motion on the screen, the 6-Series R646 is ideal for gamers who aren’t dead-set on opting for a bigger brand and want incredible value for their money.

Pros

• Awe-inspiring contrast and brightness for the price
• HDMI 2.1 and FreeSync support for smooth gaming
• Excellent input lag and response time
• No major blooming issues like other budget TVs
• Supports HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG

Cons

• Narrow viewing angles
• Some black smearing when there are fast-moving objects

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best TV size for PS5 gaming?

We recommend at least a 55-inch TV, but ideally, a 65-inch TV for gaming on the PS5. Today, you can get a 4K TV with a 120Hz refresh rate and excellent response times in the $500 to $1000 range. A fast and large-screen TV will enhance your gaming experience on the PS5, as you’ll be able to appreciate the visuals, even from a more considerable distance.

Is a gaming monitor better than an OLED TV?

Regarding refresh rates and response time, gaming monitors, especially OLED ones, are still better than OLED TVs. You can get gaming monitors with refresh rates as high as 500Hz, while OLED TVs will top out at 144Hz. While 500Hz might be impractical, gaming monitors still offer much more flexibility regarding refresh rate options. On the contrary, if you’re only interested in single-player, story-based games, you’ll have a much more enjoyable experience on a large-screen OLED TV.

Can I use a TV as a monitor for gaming?

Gaming monitors typically need to have extremely low response times and input lag. Additionally, they have refresh rates generally in the 144Hz to 360Hz range. Using your TV as a gaming monitor requires at least a 120Hz refresh rate, and competitive response time and input lag. While you can get these specs in even some budget TVs today, you must consider size and resolution. Your TV will most likely be a 4K TV, so your graphics card needs to be seriously powerful. Anything more significant than 42 inches will not provide a comfortable desktop experience. Due to these factors, very few TVs can be used as gaming monitors.

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