If you are looking to buy a new TV, it can be difficult to determine the right size to buy. With so many sizes to choose from, it can be hard to know what will be best for your needs and how the size will impact your gaming experience. In order to find the best TV for gaming, follow these 10 tips by Duck Blog when deciding on the correct size for your gaming needs. We also review the best TVs for gaming here.
1) Size Matters (But Not How You Think)
Most gamers, who play on a PC monitor, will tell you that your primary consideration when choosing a new screen should be the resolution. However, there are several other factors that also play into your gaming experience. A bigger screen might sound like it’s better because it can display more, but consider whether or not you’ll actually benefit from those extra pixels. For example, 1080p (1920×1080) is great if you’re gaming with a high-end video card and plan on playing games at high settings—but if you’re just looking for something portable to watch Netflix with friends on in your dorm room or bedroom, 1080p might be overkill. Even 4K (3840×2160) isn’t worth it if your computer and game setup can’t support it.
2) Resolution Matters – A Lot
While buying a bigger, better TV is important, so is picking one with a high resolution. While your eyes might not be able to tell between 720p and 1080p (full HD) at normal distances, pixels matter. For example, while you may not be able to see individual pixels on an 80-inch screen, you will notice when they start to blur together or appear blocky in certain places of your screen. Most game consoles output at 720p; if you’re looking to buy a new TV for gaming, we recommend going with 1080p or 4K.
3) Refresh Rate Matters
There’s a lot of debate about whether refresh rate makes a difference in gaming or not. Many people argue that refresh rate has nothing to do with picture quality and should be completely ignored when it comes to finding a great television. These people will tell you that all that matters is resolution and nothing else. And while they have a point, we still think refresh rate is worth talking about because high-end televisions with higher refresh rates tend to cost more money than those without them, which means that if you’re in an ultra-competitive market for a high-end television (such as gaming), it may be worth your time investing just a little bit more money on one of these sets if it means ensuring you get what you want out of your television.
4) Input Lag Matters
If you’re playing video games on your home television, input lag should be a major concern. Input lag is simply defined as any delay between when an image is sent from a gaming console and when it’s actually displayed on your television. If you’re serious about gaming, you want to make sure that input lag isn’t making you lose. One good way to determine how much lag a television has is by reading reviews from other gamers who already own it. These online posts will include information about how long input lag is and whether or not gamers notice it at all when playing their favorite titles. There are also many websites dedicated solely to analyzing different TVs and detailing their specific input lags.
5) Plasma TVs are Still Great
When it comes to gaming, you’ll want a panel that has fast response times. In tests conducted by Consumer Reports, they found that plasma panels were not only faster than LCDs, but also cheaper and more reliable than other types of flat-panel TVs. If you do opt for a plasma, though, make sure to avoid burn-in by keeping your screen saver on at all times or using an auto-dimming feature. You can even get specially designed glass screens that reduce glare and reflections from lights in your room. These will keep your screen looking fresh no matter how much time you spend playing games or watching movies on it.
6) OLEDs Are Awesome
Don’t have space for a 70-inch or larger 4K UHD display? No problem—pick up an OLED. The organic light-emitting diode displays that make up OLED TVs produce their own light source, so they can be extremely thin (less than an inch thick) and offer some amazing contrast ratios, black levels, and color reproduction. Of course, none of that matters if you can’t afford them. While prices are coming down, you should expect to pay at least $2,000 for an entry-level 55-inch model. If money is no object, though, it’s hard to beat OLEDs right now in terms of picture quality.
7) HDR and WCG are Worth It
High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Wide Color Gamut (WCG) offer more realistic, life-like picture quality. If you’re a serious gamer and want your games to look as photo-realistic as possible on your screen, these features are worth considering. In particular, recent advances in HDR have made it possible for even entry-level 4K sets to compete with top-of-the-line models from just a few years ago. As we mentioned above, if you plan to play video games on your new TV, consider getting one that supports HDR and WCG—you won’t regret it.
8) OLED, LED, or QLED?
So, what does it all mean? For starters, there are three main types of TVs in use today: LCD (which stands for liquid crystal display); OLED (organic light-emitting diode); and QLED (quantum dot light-emitting diode). All three are acronyms, which means they’re all pronounced letter by letter. To further complicate things, each acronym refers to a different kind of technology. LCDs have been around since before flat screens were popular; OLEDs and QLEDs are newer technologies that offer better picture quality than standard LCDs. Here’s how you can tell them apart:
9) 4K Isn’t Always Better Than 1080p
While newer technology tends to be desirable, that doesn’t mean it’s always better. For example, you might assume that 4K is better than 1080p because it has four times as many pixels. But while 4K is indeed a higher resolution, there’s evidence to suggest that most people won’t actually be able to tell much of a difference between the two resolutions in real-world use. It all depends on your viewing distance and display size, so it’s important to consider both when making your purchase. If you plan on sitting very close to your TV (less than three feet away), then investing in a 4K set could make sense—but if you plan on sitting more than five feet away from your screen, then sticking with 1080p may be smarter.
10) 120Hz, 240Hz, Or 600Hz? Why More Is Better!
When you’re looking for a new TV, it can be difficult to know what type of refresh rate is best. You might think that a high-refresh-rate would be ideal, but there are also other factors like display size and viewing distance. In order to make sure your gaming is fast enough—and doesn’t cause eye strain.