Best gaming TVs 2023: top picks to go with your PS5 and Xbox Series X

We've just passed the three-year anniversary of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, two consoles that truly upped the stakes for console gaming performance. With them came full 4K/120Hz support for ultra-high definition and responsive gaming. As well as this we received variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM) to further improve motion and reduce input lag 

However, to truly take advantage of these "next-generation" features, you'll need a TV that supports them. The market has responded to gamers asking for more features in a rather positive way, with high refresh rates and those aforementioned gaming specs. 

The main benefit of these new gaming TVs is HDMI 2.1, the latest generation of HDMI connection that is required to access these features. Some TVs have taken this to heart with a full array of four HDMI 2.1 connectors, ideal for hooking up multiple consoles, a PC and even a soundbar or AVR, while others have only managed to squeeze in two. 

The TVs on this list offer the very best in gaming specs, with offerings from Samsung, Sony, TCL and, most notably, LG. In fact, LG dominates this list with the G3 and C3 models, as it has gone all-in on gaming with plenty of excellent features such as the excellent game menu, hence why it occupies a majority of this list.

The quick list

Here's a quick breakdown of our picks for the best gaming TVs with a short summary and some of the key features that each offers. Want more details? Click the photo of the TV to drop down to the in-depth entry.  

The best gaming TV overall

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This one had us worried. The 65-inch C3 isn't a big upgrade on its predecessor, and carries a much higher price, so we feared the same might be true of its 42-inch sibling. Thankfully not. Because while the smaller C3 still isn't a big improvement on its equivalent C2, it's still miles ahead of the competition. Add to that an eminently reasonable price, and you have hands down the best all-round gaming TV you can buy.

Why? Where do we start? Its gaming spec is peerless, with four HDMI 2.1 ports enabling a full suite of gaming features like VRR, ALLM, 4K120, Dolby Vision gaming and HGiG. LG's TVs are unique in offering Dolby Vision gaming right up to 4K/120Hz, and its HGiG mode is particularly well implemented, making it easy to get better HDR tone mapping in many modern games.

Because it's a smaller set, the pixel density is higher, making graphics sharper and the action that bit crisper. And while it's not as bright as a bigger TV, it's still immensely dynamic, with subtle shading and natural colours. In short, everything looks as it should, which is essential when gaming.

Away from gaming, it's still an excellent TV. The Alpha 9 Gen 6 processor brings plenty of picture improvements, and the webOS 23 operating system has been streamlined to make it easier to use. It sounds a little weedy – as do most TVs this size – and the feet could do with being able to extend to more easily accommodate a soundbar (which you should definitely invest in). But for most people, this is the best gaming TV around.

Read the full LG OLED42C3 review

Best large gaming TV

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The 65-inch take on LG's C3 only earned four stars, but that was for a very good reason: it wasn't a big improvement on the C2. This allowed rivals like the Sony A80L to gain ground. But if it's gaming we're talking about, LG's effort is the better bet.

That's because, like the 42-inch model above, it has four HDMI 2.1 ports, meaning you can plug in multiple gaming consoles at once while still using one socket for a soundbar via eARC. Also like the 42-incher, it supports all the usual gaming features these ports allow (VRR, ALLM) along with rarer standards like HGiG and Dolby Vision gaming (which the Sony doesn't support).

The other reason for its four-star review? Its high launch price. But that's since come down significantly. Even the fact it's similar to the C2 it replaces isn't really a big drawback, seeing as the C2 was a multi-Award winner.

The C3 retains the elegant design of the C2 but adds a new processor for even better visuals and more advanced audio upmixing. The webOS 23 operating system is simpler than last year's version too, and easier to navigate, and it brings a more sophisticated Game Optimiser menu complete with a dedicated sound sub-menu. 

Picture quality is refined, subtle and plenty detailed, and that goes for games as well as movies and TV shows. Some highlights are a little brighter than the C2's, and there's a healthy amount of shadow detail throughout. The sound is still a poor relation to the picture, but that's easily fixed with a decent soundbar. If you want gaming on a big screen, this is the TV for you.

Read the full LG OLED65C3 review

Best cheap gaming TV

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At this price, even a modestly-specced 65-inch TV would look pretty attractive, but this one is that and then some. In fact, it has most of the gaming features you could ask for, making it very attractive to anyone looking to get their gaming kicks on a big screen that costs less.

It's a bit chunkier than a lot of TVs at this size, and not evenly thick throughout, so you wall mount it at your own risk. But the bulk houses plenty of features, including plenty for gamers, like two HDMI 2.1 sockets (out of four HDMIs) capable of handling 4K games at 120Hz, and a Game Master Pro 2.0 system with support for VRR in the AMD FreeSync and ‘basic’ HDMI flavours and ALLM switching so the TV will always turn to its fast-response Game mode when a game source is detected.

There's even a dedicated gaming menu, with helpful signal information and game-specific features like an Aiming Aid, multiple game picture presets, and the facility to adjust the brightness of dark parts of the picture without overcooking the brightness elsewhere.

And when it comes time for telly? You'll be equally well served, with support for all the main HDR formats, including Dolby Vision at 4K/120Hz, which not many TVs can boast. Google TV handles the software side of things, and TCL will even gift UK customers who are missing some catch-up services a free Roku streaming stick to fill the gaps.

Add bright pictures, excellent black levels for the price and a high level of sharpness and clarity and you've got yourself a bargain TV that can mix it with the big boys.

Read the full TCL 65C845K review

Best premium gaming TV

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Imagine all the gaming-specific features of the 65-inch C3 but with an even better screen, and you've basically got the G3.

That better screen has Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech to boost brightness, which has long been considered the chink in OLED's armour. And it works. Highlights are noticeably brighter than the G2 that came before it, making the overall picture more vibrant and immersive. This extra brightness helps the contrast, making the darker parts of the picture look even more pitch black, with more dark detail visible within.

This will benefit gamers as well as cinephiles, of course. Gamers can also enjoy all of the same gaming features as on the C3, like four HDMI 2.1 ports capable of handling 4K/120Hz, ALLM and VRR, as well as Dolby Vision gaming up to 4K/120Hz and HGiG for more accurate tone mapping. You also get the same Game Optimiser menu with the Boost mode to reduce input lag to under 10ms.

The G3 does carry a premium over the C3, so you'll have to weigh up how much you'll value the extra brightness. But if money is no object, this is the best premium gaming TV going.

Read the full LG OLED65G3 review

Best Sony gaming TV

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Surprised? You shouldn't be. True, the A80L only has two HDMI 2.1 ports, and ok, it doesn't support Dolby Vision gaming or HGiG, but it is certified as 'perfect for PlayStation', and so can calibrate itself to the best settings for your PS5. That applies whether you're gaming or watching a film on the console (though in our experience this isn't 100 per cent accurate, so it's always worth checking these settings yourself).

Still, it's a nice extra. And seeing as the PS5 doesn't support Dolby Vision gaming, PlayStation gamers really won't be missing out with this TV.

Those two HDMIs can handle the usual 4K120, VRR and ALLM standards, so gamers are well catered for. And in terms of picture quality, this TV takes some beating.

It effortlessly combines the spectacular and the subtle, creating an image that's more than the sum of its parts. There's real solidity to the picture, giving it a greater sense of depth and making it look more realistic. Sony's TVs have consistently tested best for motion processing, so fast-moving games pose the A80L no problems. Detail is also outstanding, with clothing textures, skin imperfections and complex patterns all rendered crisply but without artificial definition. PS5 gamers – and viewers – look no further.

Read the full Sony XR-55A80L review

Best non-OLED gaming TV

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