If you're not a big fan of ultrawide monitors, but you want something bigger than a 16:9 32-inch display to play video games, you might be considering a new TV to pair with your PC. Fortunately, many modern TVs have a dedicated gaming picture mode that disables any unnecessary processing to provide the lowest latency possible, and offers advanced gaming features like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, 4k at high refresh rates, and VRR. On top of that, many TVs (especially OLEDs) offer fast response times that provide clear motion. Even though a TV has all those features, it doesn't automatically mean it also offers good image quality, which is still the most important factor if you want your games to look the best they can. Through our rigorous testing procedure, we're able to see which TVs offer the best combination of gaming features and image quality, depending on your budget and needs.
Below are our recommendations for the best TVs to use as a PC monitor. This article mostly focuses on the gaming performance of TVs available in the 42-inch to 48-inch size range, as most people will find anything larger than that too big for monitor usage. Check out our picks for the best gaming TVs if you want a larger TV to pair with your PC. If you're more concerned about all-around performance, see our picks for the best TVs, or take a look at the best monitors if you're still considering one of those instead of a TV. You can also vote on which TVs you want us to buy and test. To learn more about this year's new TVs, check out our 2026 TV lineup page.
We buy and test dozens of TVs yearly, taking an objective, data-driven approach to deliver results you can trust. Our testing process is complex, with hundreds of individual tests that take over a week to complete. Most of our tests use specially designed test patterns that mimic real content, but we also use the same sources you have at home to ensure our results match the real-world experience. We use two main tools for our testing: a Colorimetry Research CR-100 colorimeter and a CR-250 spectroradiometer.
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Best TV Monitor
GamingBright RoomMixed UsageHome TheaterSportsGame Mode ResponsivenessBrightnessBlack LevelColorProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:165HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:OLEDSub-Type:WOLEDDolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:42" 48" 55" 65"The best TV for PC monitor usage is the LG C6 OLED 2026, which is one of the few higher-end TVs on the market available in a 42-inch model. It offers a solid combination of gaming features and picture quality, making it great for PC gamers. The TV has an impressive combination of inky blacks, vibrant colors, and very good brightness, so it looks great regardless of the game you're playing. The TV does a great job overcoming glare from indirect light sources, like overhead lights. However, it struggles a bit with reducing the intensity of direct reflections, which isn't ideal if you have a lamp behind you that's directly facing the screen. Fortunately, blacks stay very deep in a well-lit room, so you don't have to trade in very much image quality when you have your lights on.
The TV has four HDMI 2.1 ports and offers up to 4k @ 165Hz, so you can really push your frame rate if you have a powerful PC. It's compatible with HDMI Forum VRR, FreeSync, and G-SYNC, so you get a tear-free gaming experience regardless of the GPU you own. Response times are nearly instantaneous, so motion is crystal clear, even in fast-paced games. Chroma 4:4:4 signals are displayed properly, which helps with text clarity. However, the text still isn't perfectly clear due to the TV's RWBG subpixel layout, so it's not a great choice if you're doing text-critical work daily.
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Best Mid-Range Monitor TV
GamingBright RoomMixed UsageHome TheaterSportsGame Mode ResponsivenessBrightnessBlack LevelColorProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:144HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:LCDSub-Type:VADolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 98"The best mid-range TV for PC monitor usage is the TCL QM7L. Unfortunately, there are a few trade-offs to going with a cheaper option than the LG C6 OLED 2026. It delivers a worse overall picture quality, with much lower contrast, blurrier motion, and more noticeable ghosting behind fast-moving objects. Like the C6, it supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, but only over two of its HDMI inputs, so it's a bit less flexible if you're planning on connecting multiple devices like a console or two.
It has a few benefits over the C6, though. Its RGB subpixel layout results in much clearer text when you're on the desktop. It also offers a boosted refresh-rate mode that reaches up to 288Hz at a lower resolution, which is great for fast-paced action games like FPS or MOBAs. Unfortunately, it's not available in sizes below 55 inches, so you'll need to sit farther back from the screen for a comfortable gaming experience.
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Best Budget Monitor TV
GamingBright RoomMixed UsageHome TheaterSportsGame Mode ResponsivenessBrightnessBlack LevelColorProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:60HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:LCDSub-Type:IPSDolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85"The Walmart-exclusive Vizio Mini LED Quantum 4K is a decent budget option if you just want something for casual use or to use as a second monitor. Colors aren't as rich or saturated as on the TCL QM7L, but they're vibrant enough that the image doesn't look muted. The TV has local dimming to help deepen blacks, so they avoid looking like charcoal, but it's not nearly as good as the feature on the TCL, so you'll see more haloing around bright details on a dark background. Like the QM7L, it has an RGB subpixel layout, which helps it deliver clear text when you're on the desktop.
It doesn't have any HDMI 2.1 ports, and you're limited to 4k @ 60Hz. However, you can play games at 120Hz in 1080p, which is nice for a TV this affordable. It still supports all three types of VRR to reduce screen tearing. However, there's still visible screen tearing when your frame rate hovers around 55Hz, and it's best to handshake at 120Hz if you want VRR to work as it should. Unfortunately, its slower pixel transitions result in more noticeable motion blur, which limits its performance in fast-paced games.
Notable Mentions
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Samsung QN42S90HAEXZA:
The 42-inch Samsung S90H OLED is an alternative to the LG C6 OLED 2026 and has most of the same features. The Samsung's biggest advantage is its matte coating, which makes it more suitable for bright rooms than the LG. However, the LG is a bit brighter and more versatile thanks to its superior image processing.
See our review -
Hisense UR9SG:
The Hisense UR9SG is a great alternative to the LG C6 OLED 2026. It delivers very good picture quality overall and has a few features aimed at PC gamers, including a handy USB-C port that makes it easy to connect your laptop. Unfortunately, its BGR subpixel layout results in noticeably worse text clarity on desktop.
See our review -
Hisense U7SG:
The Hisense U7SG is a great alternative to the TCL QM7L, offering much better picture quality for gaming and content viewing. Unfortunately, it uses a BGR subpixel layout, so text isn't as clear on the desktop.
See our review
Recent Updates
Sep 23, 2026:
We replaced the LG B5 OLED with the TCL QM7L, as its RGB subpixel layout results in a clearer image from a PC. We also refreshed our Notable Mentions with some more recent models that are more widely available.
Jun 25, 2026:
We replaced the LG C5 OLED with the LG C6 OLED 2026 since the newer model is the better option, and removed the Samsung QN90F because it's no longer available. We added the Vizio Mini LED Quantum 4k to a new 'Best Budget Monitor TV' category to give more options. Finally, we replaced the Samsung S90F OLED with the Samsung S90H OLED in the Notable Mentions.
Apr 13, 2026:
We revised the introduction and some other text throughout the article for clarity.
Jan 15, 2026:
We confirmed the accuracy and availability of our current picks.
Oct 23, 2025:
We revamped the article to specifically focus on TVs available in 42-48" sizes, since anything larger than that is typically too big to use as a monitor. The LG C5 OLED is now our top pick instead of the Samsung S95F OLED, the LG B5 OLED retains its spot as the 'Best Mid-Range' option, and the Samsung QN90F has been added as the 'Best Mini LED' pick. The TCL QM7K and the TCL QM6K have been dropped from the article, since they're only available in larger sizes. Finally, we refreshed the Notable Mentions section.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think is currently the best TV to use as a monitor for most people in each price range. We factor in the price (a cheaper TV wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no TVs that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is a list of recent TVs that are suitable to use as a PC monitor. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no TV is perfect, most TVs are great enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them. If you're still unsure whether a TV or monitor is best for you, check out our article on PC Monitors vs. TVs.
