Best Gaming TV 2023: The best TVs for gaming

This generation of TVs has been a dream for gamers with features such as auto low latency mode, variable refresh rates and 4K/120Hz more accessible than ever, helping to make playing games at home slicker and better. At the head of that charge has been LG, and the OLED42C2 is a TV suited for bedroom gamers.

It’s LG’s smallest OLED yet at 42-inches, which means it’s of a size that it can double up as a gaming monitor as well as screen for watching films. ALLM, VRR and 4K/120Hz are available across all the HDMI inputs, and LG along with some Samsung TVs have been the TVs to be able to do this thus far.

It’s useful in the sense that you can plug as many gaming sources console into anyone of the inputs and not have to worry about using up the eARC port, which passes over high quality audio to a connected soundbar. Of the three 42-inch OLEDs we’ve tested in the Panasonic LZ980 and Sony A90K, neither of those models can match the LG for connectivity of gaming features.

We measured latency at 12.9ms, which is not the fastest on the market (Samsung’s TVs are class-leading in this regard) but with HDMI VRR, Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro supported, whether you’re a console or PC gamer, you can experience almost imperceptible levels of lag for a faster, slicker performance.

There are more gaming features with Game Optimiser that tweak settings to optimise the TV’s performance for specific genre of games. You can also see the TV’s current performance in terms of frame rates and change aspects of the picture such as black levels so you can peak into the darker parts of the picture and perhaps get a competitive advantage by spotting another player.

We found picture quality to impress when playing Gran Turismo 7 on the PS5. It’s a sharp, clear and detailed, with a screen brightness we measured at 699 nits on a 5% window a very good performance for a TV of this size. That helped brighten the highlights, especially the decals of the cars and the glint of sunshine off their surfaces, as well as making for a bright picture performance in general. Unlike cheaper TVs, switching to game mode doesn’t impact the appearance of colours in a negative way.

The OLED42C2 also features support for Dolby Vision Gaming, which will be of more use to Xbox Series gamers, helping to improve the HDR performance of compatible games, as well as offering a high performance with 4K/120Hz frame rates (where supported) and improved contrast.

We found it’s a decent-sounding TV, though we wouldn’t opt for the Game Optimiser sound mode. While it’s smoother-sounding than the sharp AI Sound Pro mode, it’s still a little too sharp and crisp when playing GT7, and it sounded very loud at normal listening levels, which made it hard to distinguish between the music, car engines and other effects. Standard is much smoother by comparison.

Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: LG OLED42C2

If it’s some truly spectacular picture quality you’re after, the Samsung QE65QN95B delivers. Its picture performance comes courtesy of its Mini LED backlight that we found offered otherworldly peak brightness.

We measured it to be nearly 3000 nits in its Dynamic picture mode (less so in its game mode but still very bright). This goes hand-in-hand with a brilliant HDR performance and vibrant colours helped by improved picture processing for the 2022 TVs.

HDMI 2.1 is supported and the QN95B can pump out 4K/120Hz frame rates for top-tier performance from current-gen gaming consoles. There’s official support for AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro VRR technology and uncredited support for Nvidia G-Sync, both of which will help PC gamers play with less screen tear and better responsiveness.

We measured input lag with a recorded time of 10.4ms, which is better than what you’d get out of the box from the LG OLED65C2. You’ll also find a handy Game Dashboard feature that can give you easy access to picture adjustment features and a quick summary of the input signal being received. With Samsung’s Game Motion Plus feature, you can trade the quick latency time for smoother motion and picture enhancements, useful for games that aren’t built around fast reactions.

The speakers offer a serviceable performance for gaming with clear dialogue and good placement of effects. That performance is encouraged by Dolby Atmos support, which works well alongside the Object Tracking Sound (OTS) speakers that offer a detailed presentation with a nice width to it. At times though, we found the sound a little hemmed compared to the picture quality on offer, but pair this telly with a great soundbar, and you’ll have an all-conquering gaming setup.

Reviewer: John Archer
Full review: Samsung QE65QN95B

LG’s C-Series OLED TVs have long been some of the best gaming TVs, and the OLED65C2 is definitely one of its best yet.

Its HDMI 2.1 support allows it to output at a full 4K 120Hz with compatible games on the PS5 and Xbox Series X. The C2 features handy creature comforts such as VRR (AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync) and ALLM and in terms of input lag, we measured latency at a fast 12.9ms.

As well as offering smooth 120Hz output with little to no tearing or stuttering, the OLED65C2 also features truly excellent picture quality thanks to its OLED Evo panel that produces vibrant colours, contrast and perfect blacks that only an OLED can. Features such as Dolby Vision Gaming help to increase detail in the brightest and darkest parts of the image for a more revealing picture. The Game Optimiser menu helps to customise the LG C2’s performance for whatever game you’re playing, whether it’s adjusting the latency or changing in-game brightness levels.

If that wasn’t enough, the LG OLED65C2 also supports game streaming services such as Nvidia’s GeForce Now and Google Stadia, so you don’t even need a console or PC as long as you’re willing to pay a subscription fee. When it comes to speakers, the OLED65C2 features some crisp and clear audio, complete with spacious Dolby Atmos for extra immersion, which will be of major importance for games for an increasingly cinematic experience. At times, the audio lacked a bit of heft and power, so like most TVs we’d suggest you consider a separate dedicated audio unit.

Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: LG OLED65C2

Although the QN900A 8K models have been replaced by the latest QN900B TVs, the Samsung QE65QN900A is still available for a much lower price. If you want to game in 8K then this is a TV we’d recommend to do so.

It’s an LCD LED TV that we found boasted incredible detail and truly impressive contrast, with OLED-esque deep blacks combined with high brightness that averaged around 2000 nits from out tests, offering vibrant and accurate colours.

There are the coterie of gaming-related features with fast input times that we measured at 10.1ms. With VRR enabled that can be brought down to almost zero. Gamers should take note of the four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K/120Hz support that puts the QN900A ahead of the LG 75QNED99 8K TV, which lacks some of these high-end features for gaming.

AMD FreeSync VRR ensures a fast, responsive and improved picture performance with compatible games on a PC, while there’s uncertified Nvidia G-Sync gaming possible too, so while you could play G-Sync games on this 8K TV, though the performance won’t be optimised for it.

Other gaming related functions include Game Bar, which is like the Game Optimiser on the LG C2 that gives gamers quick access to settings at the bottom of the screen. Game Motion Plus improves image quality at a hit to latency for games that don’t require fast twitch response (like an RPG), while there’s more in store for gamers in the Super UltraWide Game View mode that stretches PC games to a 21:9 or 32:9 aspect ratio that mirrors the type of performance you get from Samsung’s curved Odyssey Neo screens.

Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: Samsung QE65QN900A