The best 4K OLED TVs for gaming | June 2021
The excellence in television, to date, is represented by OLEDs , a type of panel that manages to independently manage each pixel and reaches a level in the rendering of blacks simply incomparable to other technologies. These models are mostly widespread in the cinematographic field, therefore suggested for films and TV series, but in the last period they have also taken hold in the gaming field, even if due to a known problem called burn-in, some are quite alarmed and prefer to opt for an LED or QLED (our guide here). Once this fear has been overcome, however, which can be curbed by doing a periodic refresh of the pixels and activating the inactivity settings to send the screen off when you do not type any input, it will be difficult to go back: once you find yourself in front of such detailed and deep images, you will be sure that you have made the right choice.
Having said that, let's see which are the best models on the market, both with HDMI 2.1 and therefore ready for the new consoles, and for HDMI 2.0 inputs.
The best 4K OLED TVs
LG C1 Sony A90J Sony A8 Philips 855 LG C9The best 4K OLED TVs with HDMI 2.1
LG C1
We have reiterated this several times in our guides dedicated to the best Gaming TVs, and even here we can only repeat ourselves: to date, budget permitting, the best solution to play is LG C1, an OLED panel completely dedicated to functionality HDMI 2.1 is also recommended for watching movies and TV series.Let's start by telling you that you can find it in various sizes, from 48 ", the smallest, up to 77" (obviously the price varies depending on the size). As for the features, however, we have 40 Gbps of available bandwidth, not 48 as one might expect. However, this is not a problem at all, since Xbox Series X can manage a maximum of 40 Gbps, therefore perfectly in line with LG CX; while PlayStation 5 is limited to just 32 Gbps. In any case, for both sides, the bandwidth will be more than enough to handle RGB, 4K, HDR signals. A slightly different speech for 4K at 120Hz, which forces PlayStation 5 to lower the color format to YUV 422, unlike what happens with the Microsoft flagship console.
Band apart, the panel supports VRR, eliminating all forms of tearing and managing variable frame rates in the best possible way, and ALLM, i.e. the automatic switch to game mode, in order to minimize response time, which we report to be less than 10ms.
» Click here to buy LG C1 48 ″
Sony A90J
Sony's very first OLED to support 120Hz and all the features related to HDMI 2.1, this TV is definitely for you in case you are looking for a very high-end OLED.We would like to point out the presence of many HDR formats and a very high peak of brightness for an OLED, which makes this model one of the brightest and most effective regarding the rendering of HDR images. The only drawback, which unfortunately also afflicts the company's LED TVs, such as the XH90, is the fact that it is not possible to view Dolby Vision and 4K 120Hz sources at the same time, since the TV has two distinct HDMI formats, which you will have to change continuously in the case connect this panel to Xbox Series X, just to give an example, since it is the only console with full Dolby support, unlike PlayStation 5.
The best 4K OLED TVs with HDMI 2.0
Sony A9
Lo we know, we know: as the title suggests, the Sony A9 does not support any gaming features linked to HDMI 2.1 functionality, limiting itself only to inputs designed for 2.0, therefore at 18 Gbps. However, well specify that, at least for the moment, OLED TVs capable of making the most of the new generation consoles are very few and are mostly LG branded, as you have seen above. As mentioned at the beginning, therefore, HDMI 2.0 models are also included in this article, and the A9 is one of them.Coming to the panel, the available sizes are 55 ", 65" and 77 "and obviously support HDR in all the more traditional formats, including the always excellent Dolby Vision. The audio is not far behind, thanks to the support for Dolby Atmos. Then there are a whole series of features also designed for the great cinema and TV series, among which an image mode designed ad hoc to use Netflix stands out. So not only gaming, but also more: a fairly complete television.
Philips 855
Even Philips is able to have its say in the world of OLED TVs, and proves it with the excellent 855, a 4K HDR model that, despite giving up all the features such as ALLM or VRR, is certainly not reproached for the quality of the images.Also in this case the available sizes are different, even if , at least for the moment, the 65 ″ one is the most popular. We point out how the support for the most common HDR standards, from HDR 10 which is most widespread for video games to Dolby Vision, ideal for TV Series and Movies.
Finally, the design is very nice; the ambient light technology that makes the images even brighter is also very interesting.
The cheapest OLED TV
LG C9
It is a bit strange to call it an economic model, since the cost is around 800 euros, but for an OLED with these characteristics the price is absolutely extraordinary.Unlike the models that we have suggested in the paragraph dedicated to televisions with specifications related to HDMI 2.1, this version of LG C9 is the very first released on the market, but does not give up on features such as VRR and ALLM. Nonetheless, we are still talking about an OLED and a technology that rarely lets itself be reproached. By the way, if you want sensational depth of images but don't want to spend a fortune, this is the model for you.
4K OLED: the most important features
HDMI 2.0 or 2.1?
Since the consoles fully support the new HDMI 2.1 formats, our advice is to focus on televisions with this feature, unless not necessarily having to compromise on the budget. HDMI 2.1, in fact, allows you to enjoy 4K images at 120Hz and with chroma 444, which is the best of the best in terms of color rendering. There are also other features such as ALLM and VRR, which drastically reduce input lag and screen tearing.Input lag and HDR
Once you've decided on the HDMI format, it's the time to choose a panel that also has a low input lag (fortunately, today, a lot reduced even on TV) and that supports the most common HDR formats. The most popular in the gaming field is HDR10; in the background, but it is entirely in the experimental phase and exclusively concerns the Xbox, Dolby Vision.Well make a clarification: to date the HDR experience in gaming is a bit dirty, in the sense that there is no it's a good collaboration between screen, console and software. This is why, for some years now, HGIG has been launched, born from the union of all the most well-known TV manufacturers to solve these problems. Only in this way, in fact, will you get excellent communication between the devices and it will not be necessary to manually calibrate HDR on every single video game.
