Best TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X, Series S for 2022: LG OLED, Samsung QLED, Vizio and more

Sarah Tew/CNET

David Katzmaier/CNET

David Katzmaier/CNET

David Katzmaier/CNET

What TVs assist HDMI 2.1 options?

All of the superior gaming options we have mentioned– 120Hz enter and VRR, in addition to the extra frequent Auto Low Latency Mode, aka Auto Recreation Mode, and eARC — are roughly grouped underneath the HDMI 2.1 commonplace, however not the entire TVs within the charts beneath embrace each function, nor ship the complete video and audio bandwidth that is attainable with HDMI 2.1.

Much more complicated, enter functionality can fluctuate on the identical TV. Behind the bodily connection the place you plug an HDMI cable is a subsection of the TV’s processing, specifically a chip. These chips price cash, like every thing else. So as to maintain prices down, not each enter on the TV is totally able to all the newest options and body charges. To place it one other manner, each street on Earth may be able to freeway speeds, however constructing all of them that manner could be costly and reasonably pointless.

For instance, one HDMI enter is perhaps able to eARC, however not be capable of deal with 4K at 120Hz. Simply one thing to remember as you peruse the charts beneath. Additionally, there are some vital model and mannequin specifics that did not match within the chart; please examine the bullet factors beneath for particulars.

Lastly, the consoles themselves are in a transition interval, too. The {hardware} of the PS5 console can technically assist VRR, however in contrast to the Xbox Collection X and Collection S, it isn’t enabled but. Sony’s PlayStation 5 FAQ says VRR will likely be added by way of a future software program replace. 

What’s 120Hz enter?

Regardless of TVs being able to 120Hz refresh for properly over a decade, the flexibility to enter 120Hz is a much more latest growth. That is largely because of the truth that apart from a reasonably beefy gaming PC, there simply have not been any 120Hz sources. That each one adjustments with the PS5 and Collection X. A few of the TVs on our listing can settle for 4K at 120Hz on all HDMI inputs. Others can solely achieve this on choose inputs and one, the TCL 6-Collection, can solely settle for 120Hz at lower-than-4K decision (1440p).

The Xbox Collection S also can output 4K at 120Hz, however internally the sport is rendered at a decrease decision (1440p) and upscaled before it’s sent to your TV. 

For more information, try the truth about 4K TV refresh rates — and beware pretend 120Hz refresh charges on 4K TVs.

What’s VRR?

VRR, or variable refresh rate, is a brand new TV function that you simply’d in all probability be shocked wasn’t already a factor. All fashionable TVs have a hard and fast refresh charge. A 60Hz TV goes to refresh, or create, a brand new picture 60 instances a second. The issue is a brand new console won’t be able to ship a brand new picture. 

For instance you are in the midst of an enormous boss battle, with a lot of enemies and explosions. The console struggles to render every thing within the allotted time. The TV nonetheless wants one thing so the console would possibly ship a replica of the earlier picture, creating juddering on display, or it would ship {a partially} new picture, ensuing within the picture trying like somebody tore a web page off the highest and revealed the brand new web page beneath.

VRR offers the TV some flexibility to attend for the brand new body from the console. This can lead to higher gaming efficiency with smoother motion and fewer tearing.

What’s ALLM or Recreation mode?

Recreation mode turns off a lot of the image-enhancing options of the TV, decreasing enter lag. We’ll focus on enter lag beneath, however the particular function to search for is named both Auto Low Latency Mode or Auto Recreation Mode. Totally different producers name it one or the opposite, however the fundamental thought is identical. Sensing a sign from the console, the TV switches on recreation mode mechanically. This implies you needn’t discover your TV’s distant to allow recreation mode. Not an enormous deal, however handy. All of the TVs listed above have, or can have, one or the opposite.

What about enter lag?

Enter lag describes how lengthy in milliseconds it takes for the TV to create a picture. If that is too excessive, there is a delay between while you press a button on the controller and when that motion seems on display. In lots of video games, like shooters or platformers, timing is essential and a TV with excessive enter lag may damage your efficiency. 

As a longtime console gamer myself, I can simply discover the distinction between excessive (higher than 100ms) and low enter lag (sub-30ms). The excellent news is, most fashionable TVs have enter lag that is low sufficient that most individuals will not discover it. Largely gone are the times of 100-plus-millisecond enter lags… no less than while you allow recreation mode.

So so long as the TV has a recreation mode, you are in all probability advantageous, although it is value checking CNET’s reviews for the precise numbers to see if it has low enter lag. Decrease, on this case, is at all times higher.

What’s eARC?

Whereas not a console function, eARC is a next-gen TV function to remember. It is the evolution of ARC, or Audio Return Channel. This sends audio from a TV’s inner apps (corresponding to Netflix or Vudu), again down the HDMI cable to a receiver or soundbar. With eARC, newer codecs like Dolby Atmos will be transmitted as properly.

The difficulty is in lots of instances, eARC usually precludes greater resolutions or body charges on the identical enter. So in the event you’ve linked your PS5 to your receiver and the receiver to the TV, you possibly can have eARC audio again from the TV or 4K120, however often not each. That is solely vital in the event you plan on utilizing the inner apps in a TV (as in, not a Roku or Amazon streaming stick) and you need to use the brand new audio codecs by way of eARC.