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What features and specifications should you look for in a gaming TV?

Are you a bit confused as what specifications and features you should look for in a gaming TV? With so much technology available now, it can be hard to know where to start. We have been picking the brains of our incredibly knowledgeable Technical Service Manager, Mark Ashton to help you navigate it all and choose the best gaming TV for your specific requirements. Mark is a qualified electrical engineer and a total gaming enthusiast so is well positioned to provide you with all of the information that you need when it comes to elevating your gaming experience.

Mark says that there are 11 key features that he would compare when choosing a TV to game on with either an XSX or PS5. His gaming check list is as follows:

• HDMI2.1

  HDMI2.1 has a large bandwidth capability, so can quickly transfer data from the console to the TV.

• HDCP2.3

  HDCP2.3 is a higher bandwidth content protection standard that enables the TV to interpret and decode the content from the console. This usually goes hand-in-hand with HDMI2.1

• 120Hz

  120Hz is the vertical refresh rate, denoting how many times the screen will refresh in 1 second. TV images are is made up of sequential still images.  The more images per second, the smoother the motion will look. Ideally a gamer would want a TV which can support 120Hz.

• 4K UHD

  4K UHD is pretty prevalent when it comes to newer TV ranges. 4K UHD TVs have an impressively good screen resolution with a huge number of smaller and more defined pixels in the display, enabling sharper images and a better gaming experience.

• HDR10+ or Dolby Vision

  HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. The latest standards of HDR, (10+/DolbyVision) include dynamic metadata to allow the displayed images to be as close to how the developer intended as possible. This is a reflection of the Peak Luminance, which is essentially how bright or dull a colour can be represented for developing a wider colour palate for shading and contrast. Dynamic metadata allows for the system to change with the content for extraordinary realistic image delivery that will make you truly feel part of the action.

• 10BIT panel

  10BIT panels offer 30BIT colour which is equivalent to 1billion colours for a truly dynamic range of colour and an altogether better visual gaming experience.

• eARC

  eARC is a necessity for Dolby Atmos and most higher end soundbars.  This is often delivered as part of HDMI2.1but you will need to check the connectors on your chosen TV.

• Variable Refresh Rate

  Variable Refresh Rate allows the TV to modify its refresh rate on the fly as it receives different frame rates from the console. This can stop janky and jumpy images.

• ALLM

  ALLM stands for Auto Low Latency Mode. It is a feature that enables your TV to automatically switch to the best mode for gaming when the console is connected, negating the need to manually switch to a ‘game mode’.

• HFR

  HFR stands for High Frame Rate. Essentially, HFR means that the TV can process images delivered faster than 24frames per second, which is standard for TV/Movies.  Games increasingly run at 60fps, or even 120fps, so HFR is essential for a gaming TV.

• FALD/OLED

  FALD stands for Full Array Local Dimming. It means that the entire screen is backlit as opposed to the cheaper edge-lit backlit TVs.  OLED is organic LED which are LED assemblies (RGB creating 1 pixel) that can be turned off completely.  When it comes to OLED AND FALD, Mark says, ‘With regards to these two technologies, it will ultimately come down to personal preference. FALD will have brighter brights, giving higher peak luminance and a high NIT rating (this is a measurement of screen brightness and 1NIT = 1cd/m². Higher NITs means brighter screen). However, sometimes the blacks can appear a bit grey (backlit black). OLED on the other hand will have blacker blacks as the pixels are fully turned off with no backlight bleed through. Earlier technologies meant that OLEDs were great at blacks and low tones but struggled with creating whites and accentuating bright images while FALD was brilliant at the brighter images but had washed out and grey looking blacks. These days the two technologies are very close in representing the full scale. Personally, I have a FALD and the black representation is great due to better local dimming..’

  Forbes Rentals offers an array of TVs with the aforementioned gaming features. Our recommended choices would be as follows, based on the above information and depending on whether your preference is for OLED or FALD.

Forbes’ Samsung QLED gaming TVs choices

• The QE65Q800T listed on our website fits the most criteria with all of the above features including FALD backlight and 1x HDMI2.1. It allows for one input only but would enable a superb, immersive gaming experience.

• The QE**Q70T has edge-lit backlights and no VRR. It does offer an 8BIT panel with FRC (simulated 10BIT) so it is gaming compatible but wouldn’t deliver the same gaming experience as the QE65Q800T.

Forbes’ Sony OLED gaming TV choice

• The XR55A80KU  has all the required features available via HDMI inputs 3 and 4 (2x HDMI2.1) This brilliant SONY television would probably be our recommended gaming TV for 2022. It would not disappoint even the most discerning gamer.

• For those wanting high spec but without the space for a large screen we would recommend our Sony XR48A90, a master series OLED TV with 120 HZ and ALLM.

Talk to our advisors who can help you choose the right gaming TV. Our 120hz TVs have extremely fast response times, low input lag and amazing resolution. By choosing one of our new Samsung and Sony Smart TVs, gamers can have a game changing experience by switching to their dedicated Game Bar, Game View or Game Mode for ultra-smooth gaming. We would always advise that the size of your room and the sitting distance to the screen will dictate the screen size that you should opt for in order to get the best out of your gaming TV. We also offer options for sound bars to further enhance the audio experience for those that wish to pursue that.

Whatever your gaming preference and whichever connectivity you require, our experienced team would happily guide you through the latest technology and help you choose a TV that will truly help you ‘up your game.’ Don’t forget that all of our televisions are fully installed and set up by our delivery team who will happily guide you through the main features. After installation, our multi-award winning customer service team can offer you virtual assistance by phone or video call whilst you get used to your new TV.