If you’re planning to play games using the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X, it’s worth investing in a TV that can take full advantage of what these new consoles can offer. One of the key updates in both these consoles is support for 120fps gaming at 4K resolution. The last generation of Microsoft and Sony game consoles only supported up to 60fps. So it’s important that if you really want to get the best gaming experience, you’ll need a TV that supports HDMI 2.1 with 4K@120Hz support.
Navigate this guide:
- What are Input Lag, VRR, ALLM, and HGiG mode?
- Best OLED Gaming TV: LG C1
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- Also Great: LG G1
- Also Great: Sony A90J
- Affordable OLED Pick: Vizio OLED 2020
- Best LCD Gaming TV: Samsung QN90A
- Also Great: Sony X90J
- Also Great: Samsung Q90/Q90T
- Affordable LCD Pick: Hisense U8G
What are Input Lag, VRR, ALLM, and HGiG mode?
While 4K@120Hz support is great to have, there are a number of other gaming-related features or aspects of your TV that can enhance or hamper your gaming experience.
Input lag
Input lag is basically the delay between pressing a button on a controller and its result showing up on your TV. So if your TV has a higher input lag, your gameplay will feel sluggish. You want a TV that has low input lag.
VRR
VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) is a feature that makes sure that your TV is able to adjust its refresh rate to match the game’s. If there’s no VRR, you may feel judder or lag during gameplay. AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync are two types of VRR implementations that you would see various TVs supporting.
ALLM
ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) is another gaming-related feature that automatically enables a low latency mode when a console is connected so that you can get a fast response time.
HGiG mode
HGiG stands for HDR Gaming Interest Group. It’s essentially a group of companies that have come together to share the best HDR practices among the display and gaming industries. There’s no certification or standard, but you’ll find an HGiG mode or setting in TVs from select manufacturers that basically makes sure you get accurate contrast in HDR games. In fact, HGiG actually frowns upon using the HGiG name for this mode but they do provide best practices around HDR gaming.
Now you know some of the key things to look for in a good gaming TV, let’s dive into the best TVs on the market that support 4K@120Hz gaming.
Best OLED Gaming TV: LG C1
LG C1 is arguably the best OLED gaming TV you can buy today. It comes with pretty much everything you would want from a gaming TV. It packs four HDMI 2.1 ports, all of which can pass through 4K content at 120fps. Being an OLED TV, it provides exceptional contrast. The TV is also capable of 1ms response time and comes with support for VRR and ALLM as well as the HGiG mode.
Additionally, you’ll get LG’s Game Optimizer that puts all gaming-related settings in one place. Moreover, the TV is certified for G-Sync and FreeSync. Since LG C1 also features in our best TVs list, you can expect it to excel in other use-cases as well. It runs on webOS. LG C1 is offered in 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch, and 83-inch screen sizes.
LG C1
- LG C1 is our pick for the best OLED gaming TV that you can buy right now. It looks sleek and has less than a centimeter-wide bezels.
Also Great: LG G1
LG G1 is technically a superior TV to the LG C1, but we believe the marginal improvements provided by G1 don’t match the additional $400-$500 extra that you’d have to pay for it. Having said that, LG G1 offers everything that’s present in the C1 and packs a newer OLED panel, which is slightly better than the panel present in the C1. However, many of you will find it hard to even tell the difference.
Like the C1, you’ll get 4K@120Hz support, super-fast response time, VRR, ALLM, HGiG mode, and HDMI 2.1 on the G1. It also runs on webOS. The LG G1 is offered in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 77-inch screen sizes.
LG G1
- LG G1 packs the company’s best OLED panel to date. It is however much more expensive than the C1.
Also Great: Sony A90J
Sony A90J is another great OLED TV, but its hefty price tag takes it out of a lot of people’s budget and isn’t necessarily justified. Also, it doesn’t come with VRR support out of the box and is set to get it via a software update. Still, it’s amazing to play games on and provides super-fast response time, an input lag of less than 8.5ms, and support for 4K@120Hz. Sony has also included a dedicated game mode.
Moreover, the Sony TV supports HDMI 2.1 in two of the four HDMI ports. Sony A90J runs on the Android TV platform with the new Google TV experience. It’s offered in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 83-inch screen sizes.
Sony A90J
- Sony A90J offers the best OLED experience Sony has ever provided. It also includes the new Google TV experience.
Affordable OLED Pick: Vizio OLED 2020
It’s no secret that OLED TVs can be far more expensive than their LCD counterparts. So if you’re looking for a budget OLED TV that’s also good for gaming, Vizio OLED 2020 is worth considering. It provides low input lag and super-fast response time. There are four HDMI ports on the Vizio TV, of which two support all features of HDMI 2.1, including 4K/ 120fps, ALLM, and VRR. Another HDMI port also supports HDMI 2.1 but only for eARC.
Vizio OLED 2020 runs on the company’s SmartCast platform. It’s offered in 55-inch and 65-inch screen sizes.
Vizio OLED 2020
- Vizio OLED 2020 is an affordable OLED TV that packs all the gaming features you might need.
Best LCD Gaming TV: Samsung QN90A
Samsung QN90A is a great TV that offers superb contrast ratio and uses MiniLED technology to provide local dimming support. Being an LCD, it’s also quite bright and can work without issues in well-lit rooms. Additionally, the TV includes one HDMI port with version 2.1 support and is AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync certified.
You also get features like 4K@120Hz, VRR, ALLM, low input lag, fast response time, and HGiG mode. Moreover, the company has included something called a “Game Bar” to provide quick access to various gaming related features. The Samsung TV runs on the Tizen platform, and is offered in 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, and 85-inch screen sizes.
Samsung QN90A
- Samsung QN90A is our pick for the best LCD gaming TV you can buy right now. It sports a clean look with very thin bezels.
Also Great: Sony X90J
Sony X90J is another great LCD TV for gaming. It comes with full-array local dimming support for a high contrast ratio and deeper blacks. You also get support for low input lag, fast response time, and 4K@120Hz. There are a total of four HDMI ports on the TV, of which two are capable of providing the full set of HDMI 2.1 features, including VRR and ALLM. However, VRR will be available at a later date via a software update.
The Sony TV provides the brand’s typical great picture quality. It runs on the Android TV platform with the new Google TV experience. The TV is offered in 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch screen sizes.
Sony X90J
- The Sony X90J is a great LCD TV for watching content as well as gaming. It comes with features like Dolby Vision, IMAX Enhanced, and Acoustic Multi-Audio.
Also Great: Samsung Q90/Q90T
The Samsung Q90T is an amazing TV for most use-cases, including gaming. It offers excellent contrast ratio, thanks to the local dimming support, and high peak brightness. You also get support for 4K@120Hz, VRR, ALLM, and low input lag. However, out of the TV’s four HDMI ports, only one supports HDMI 2.1 features.
The company has also included something called a “Real Game Enhancer” that improves the game’s motion clarity. Samsung Q90/Q90T runs on the Tizen platform, and it’s offered in 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch screen sizes.
Samsung Q90/Q90T
- Samsung Q90/ Q90T sports an amazing design with a modern and clean look. It also comes with a number of gaming-related features.
Affordable LCD Pick: Hisense U8G
If you don’t want to spend over a thousand dollars getting an LCD gaming TV, the Hisense U8G is a great option. Despite its relatively lower price tag, it competes with the likes of Samsung QN90A and Sony X90J. The TV offers excellent contrast ratio, thanks to local dimming, and up to 1,500 nits of peak brightness. It also excels in video game performance with its low input lag, superb response time, and 4K@120Hz support.
There are a total of four HDMI ports, of which two support HDMI 2.1, providing access to things like VRR and ALLM. The Hisense U8G runs on the Android TV platform, and is offered in 55-inch and 65-inch screen sizes.
Hisense U8G
- Hisense U8G is a relatively affordable LCD TV that’s great in terms of gaming features. It runs on the Android TV platform.
There are the best gaming TVs you can buy right now. Which gaming TV are you planning to get? Let us know in the comments section. Meanwhile, if you’re also interested in the Android TV experience, we have guides on the best Android TVs and the best Android TV streaming devices on the market.
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