If you're a competitive gamer looking for the best TV for playing video games, you'll want the best performance possible. Manufacturers have been trying to improve their TV gaming performance to compete with monitors in recent years. When evaluating how good a TV is for gaming, there are four main criteria to consider:
Gaming Features
Gaming features are important. High-end models tend to have gaming features like variable refresh rate (VRR) support and an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) that automatically switches the TV into Game Mode when you launch a game from a compatible device. TVs now also support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so you can play 4k games up to 120 fps on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, or even 4k @ 144Hz without Display Stream Compression (DSC) on a recent GPU. A fast refresh rate, like 120Hz and 144Hz, doesn't only improve the fluidity of gameplay in games that support it, but it almost always improves the TV's input lag and perceived response time, so it's a big deal. A high refresh rate also goes hand-in-hand with VRR, as VRR lets the TV dynamically adjust its refresh rate to match the game's frame rate, minimizing, if not eliminating, any screen tearing that can result from the game's frame rate not matching the TV's refresh rate.
For more information on gaming features, look up our articles on VRR and supported resolutions of TVs.
Input Lag and Response Time
Input lag and response time are other essential components of a good gaming TV. Input lag is the time it takes for a frame sent by a source (like a gaming console) to display on screen. A low input lag makes the entire experience more responsive, as your inputs on a controller or mouse are reflected more quickly onscreen. The best TVs can have an input lag as low as five milliseconds. Response time is the time it takes for a pixel to change from one color to the next, typically measured from a fully black pixel to a fully white one or from one shade of gray (either dark or bright gray) to the opposite shade of gray. OLEDs are the uncontested best TVs regarding response time, as their pixel transitions are nearly instantaneous. However, the best LED TVs for gaming also have very fast transitions. A slow response time is noticeable, as fast-moving objects on screen leave blurry trails behind them.
You can also check out our articles on input lag and response time if you want to know more.
Contrast and Dark Details in Game Mode
An important factor in how games look on a TV lies in the TV's ability to preserve its contrast in Game Mode. To cut down on processing and thus improve input lag, TVs disable much of their processing features in Game Mode. Thus, it's important for a local dimming feature to be fast and accurate in that mode, like if the TV's dimming zone transitions are more noticeable than they are in other picture modes and if the TV's blooming performance differs from these other modes. The best gaming TVs don't show any apparent reduction in contrast in Game Mode.
You can also read our in-depth article on contrast.
Peak Brightness and Reflection Handling
Finally, a TV's peak brightness is very important. For dark room gaming, contrast is more important overall, but peak brightness is essential in HDR for bright highlights to pop next to a TV's deep blacks. Of course, if you're gaming in a bright room, you want your TV's brightness to be high enough to compensate for any glare from direct or ambient lights. Reflection handling is also important here, as TVs with lower peak brightness, like many OLEDs, can compensate for it by having stellar reflection handling, allowing for bright room gaming. Ultimately, brighter TVs look more vibrant, with more realistic HDR, leading to a more immersive experience.
If you'd like to know more, we have in-depth articles about SDR peak brightness, HDR peak brightness, and reflection handling.
We've bought and tested more than 450 TVs, and below are our recommendations for the best overall gaming TVs you can buy. Also, check our picks for the best TVs for watching movies, the best PS5 TVs, and the best TVs for Xbox Series X, or you can vote on which ones you want us to buy and test. To learn more about the 2024 models, check out our 2024 TV lineup page.
The best TV for gaming we've tested is the Samsung S90C OLED. It's a feature-packed TV that delivers an incredible gaming experience. Its low input lag and nearly instantaneous response time result in crystal-clear, fluid motion with no distracting blur or ghosting behind fast-moving objects. The TV delivers impressive picture quality thanks to its QD-OLED panel. It delivers incredibly deep blacks, making this an impressive TV for gaming in a dark room. HDR gaming on the S90C is amazing, but it doesn't support Dolby Vision, although few games support it anyway.
The S90C also looks good in rooms with some lights on, with high peak brightness allowing it to overcome glare. Its viewing angle is incredibly wide, so it's a great choice for playing couch co-op or party games with friends sitting around the TV. All four HDMI inputs support 4k @ 144Hz, so you can take advantage of a PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and a recent PC GPU without compromising motion performance. It also has incredibly low input lag, so you get a responsive experience that's great for competitive PVP games.
The 2024 version of this TV, the Samsung S90D/S90DD OLED, is also available. It has minor upgrades like better HDR brightness and less banding in colors. It's currently a lot more expensive, so unless you really want the small upgrades it offers, you're better off buying the cheaper S90C while it's still available. It's worth mentioning that Samsung's 2024 OLED lineup is confusing, as they've released S90Ds with both WOLED and QD-OLED panels, depending on the region and size. You can read more about this here.
If you regularly game in a bright room or want a TV that will impress your friends during a well-lit party, the best 4k TV for gaming in a bright room that we've tested is the Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED. It's incredibly bright, so this TV easily overcomes glare, and it can display exceptionally bright highlights in HDR games. Speaking of HDR, the TV supports Dolby Vision gaming at up to 120Hz, which is great for those with an Xbox Series X|S. Colors are also very vibrant and lifelike due to the TV's wide color gamut and outstanding color volume. You don't get the same inky blacks you get from an OLED like the Samsung S90C OLED, but it has truly standout contrast for an LED TV, displaying very deep blacks with very minimal blooming. Unlike the S90C, the TV's viewing angle is pretty narrow, so the image doesn't hold up as well when viewed from the sides of the screen.
The TV has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on two of its ports, but one of those ports is also the eARC port, so you're limited if you have both current-gen consoles and a soundbar. The TV supports up to 4k @ 120Hz and VRR for a nearly tear-free gaming experience, meaning it's fully compatible with modern consoles. Its response time isn't nearly as fast as an OLED, but it's still quick enough for minimal blur behind fast motion. The TV's input lag is higher than competing models from other brands. It's still low enough for a responsive feel, but if you're a competitive gamer, you might want to look elsewhere.
If you want an OLED that is not only great at gaming but can also be an excellent home theater TV, consider the upper mid-range LG C3 OLED. The main difference between this TV and the Samsung S90C OLED (minus its 83-inch model) is the specific type of OLED panel used. Both TVs deliver an incredible dark room experience, with inky blacks and no distracting blooming around bright areas of the screen. However, the QD-OLED panel on the S90C allows for brighter and more vibrant colors. The C3 partly makes up for it by being more versatile, as it has better image processing, Dolby Vision gaming at 120Hz, and can passthrough advanced DTS audio formats. Like the S90C, it's also bright enough for a pleasant gaming experience in a moderately lit room.
It delivers incredible gaming performance with a nearly instantaneous response time, resulting in crystal-clear motion with no distracting blur behind fast-moving objects. It's also packed with gaming features, including full HDMI 2.1 bandwidth support on all four inputs, which means you can simultaneously take full advantage of the Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and a powerful PC.
2024's LG C4 OLED is also available. It has minor upgrades like better HDR brightness and accuracy. It also supports up to 4k @ 144Hz for PC gamers with high-end rigs. It's currently quite expensive, though, so unless you're a gamer with a powerful PC, your money is better spent on the cheaper C3 while it's still available and on sale.
If you're looking for a gaming TV in the mid-range price category, consider the LG B3 OLED. It's a truly splendid TV, with only a few drawbacks compared to the more expensive models. The TV has all the features of the more expensive LG C3 OLED, although the B3 is certainly dimmer. It still delivers outstanding picture quality, especially in a dark room, with its near-infinite contrast ratio delivering deep, inky blacks with no distracting blooming. Just make sure to dim the lights when gaming on this TV, as it's not bright enough in HDR to offer a truly immersive gaming experience in bright rooms.
This TV is available in a more narrow range of sizes compared to the more expensive C3: 55, 65, and 77 inches. It's still great for gaming, with its two HDMI 2.1 ports offering up to 4k @ 120Hz support, including Dolby Vision gaming @ 120Hz. Unfortunately, if you have multiple HDMI 2.1 devices, you'll have to navigate around having only two HDMI 2.1 ports. It's compatible with every VRR technology, has a fantastic response time, and has an extremely low input lag in Game Mode. Like other OLEDs, its viewing angle is truly fantastic, making it a great TV for large gaming parties. Overall, this TV is a great entry point into the OLED market.
The newer 2024 LG B4 OLED is also available. It gets noticeably brighter overall and LG has upped the number of HDMI 2.1 bandwidth ports to four to make it more versatile. The B4 is also available in a new 48-inch model, which is great if you need a smaller TV to game in a small room. Unfortunately, the TV is currently very expensive, so unless you want those upgrades, you're better off getting the B3 while it's on sale. If you do need those things, you can currently find the C3 for less than the cost of a B4.
If you'd like the Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED or LG B3 OLED but are tight on money, you can step down to the best lower mid-range gaming TV we've tested, the Hisense U7N. Despite its price, the TV is packed with gaming features. It has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on two of its ports, both capable of up to 4k @ 144Hz. It also has VRR support and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), so you're fully covered if you own either an Xbox Series X|S or a PS5. Motion in fast-paced games has minimal blur behind it thanks to the TV's excellent response time, and its incredibly low input lag delivers a responsive gaming experience.
The TV isn't as bright as the Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED, but it's still very bright, and it has amazing reflection handling, so it overcomes glare when gaming in a well-lit room. If you also game in a dark room, the TV's excellent contrast delivers deep blacks, although there's noticeable blooming. Still, highlights in HDR games really stand out, and colors are vibrant due to the TV's wide color gamut, delivering an impactful HDR experience. It also supports Dolby Vision gaming for those with an Xbox Series X|S. Unfortunately, its viewing angle is very narrow, so it's not the best choice to play party games with a big group.
The best budget gaming TV we've tested is the Hisense U6/U6N. Unlike the picks above, it doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and 4k @ 120Hz support. It still has some basic gaming features like Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and its excellent response means there's only some minor blur behind fast motion, although there's some black smearing in darker games. Its input lag is also low enough for a responsive feel when gaming. What separates this TV from most other budget models is the option to game in up to 1440p @ 120Hz if you prefer a higher frame rate over resolution. The TV also supports VRR, but its range maxes out at 60Hz, so you can't game at 120 fps with VRR.
Despite its price, the TV still provides good picture quality. It has an effective local dimming feature that gives the TV excellent contrast, so you get deep blacks when gaming in a dark room. It's not as bright as the Hisense U7N, but it's still bright enough to use in a well-lit room when gaming in SDR. The TV's HDR brightness isn't quite as good, though, so highlights don't stand out like they should in HDR games. However, it does have a wide color gamut for vibrant colors. Additionally, the TV supports Dolby Vision, so you can game in that HDR format on your Xbox Series X|S.
If you need something even more affordable, the Roku Select Series is the best TV for gaming that's viable for small budgets. It's a decent TV that's a step down from the Hisense U6/U6N, as it can't do 120Hz like that TV can. Its contrast is okay, especially for a TV at this price point, so it looks adequate in a dark room, even without local dimming. That's a good thing since the TV doesn't get bright enough in HDR for rooms with lots of lights, even with its decent reflection handling. It's bright enough for moderately lit rooms, though, especially when playing SDR titles since its SDR brightness is very good. A great feature of this TV is the sheer amount of models available, from a small 24-inch to a big 75-inch. Remember that the 24- and 32-inch models are limited to a 720p resolution, and the 40-inch model is limited to 1080p. The bigger sizes are 4k TVs.
The Roku is light on features; it doesn't have VRR, is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, and doesn't support a 1440p resolution. Still, its spectacular input lag and great response time make it a good TV for gamers. However, like many other LED TVs, there's a noticeable black smear in shadow details due to the TV's slower dark state transitions, but you won't have any issues with slower and brighter titles.
Aug 16, 2024: Replaced the TCL Q5/Q550G QLED with the Hisense U6/U6N in the 'Best Budget Gaming TV' category. We also refreshed some text throughout the article to make it clearer and more concise.
Jun 21, 2024: We replaced the Sony X93L/X93CL with the Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED in the 'Best Bright Room Gaming TV' category and replaced the Hisense U7K with the Hisense U7N in the 'Best Lower Mid-Range Gaming TV' category. We also added the Hisense U8/U8N as a Notable Mention and refreshed the text in that section.
May 23, 2024: Refreshed text throughout the article for clarity and accuracy.
Apr 24, 2024: Added mention of the 2024 Hisense U7N in the 'Best Lower Mid-Range Gaming TV' category, added the newly released LG G4 OLED as a Notable Mention and refreshed some text throughout for clarity.
Mar 27, 2024: Mentioned the newly available LG B4 OLED, LG C4 OLED, and Samsung S90D/S90DD OLED in the 'Best Mid-Range Gaming TV,' the 'Best Upper Mid-Range Gaming TV,' and the 'Best Gaming TV' categories.
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best TVs for playing games currently available. They are adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. Rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.
If you would prefer to make your own decision, here is the list of all of our TV reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. Most TVs are good enough to please most people, and the things we fault TVs on are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.