What Type of TV Is Best for Gaming? - A Buyer's Guide (2025)

The main factors in a TV for gaming are refresh rate and response time. These determine how well a TV can handle the motion in your games. A combination of a higher refresh rate and lower response time is best for optimal motion handling, which makes for a smoother gaming experience. If a TV has a high refresh rate but a high response time, fast movements can appear blurry.

The size, resolution, brightness levels, color accuracy, and HDR handling also determine how a TV displays your games.

In this article, I'll guide you through what type of TV is best for gaming, along with what to look for when buying a TV for gaming.

If you want the best all-around TV for gaming, OLED TVs are my recommendation.

Below are some of My OLED TV Recommendations if you need help choosing the best OLED TV.

You can find all OLED TVs here: OLED TVs on Amazon

QLED TVs might not be as great as OLED TVs, but they are still a good option for gaming while also being much less expensive.

Below are some of My QLED TV Recommendations if you need help choosing the best QLED TV.

You can find all QLED TVs here: QLED TVs on Amazon

Response time and refresh rate determine how a TV handles motion. The lower the response time and the higher the refresh rate, the better. Displays with a low response time and high refresh rate (120+ Hz) are recommended for the best gaming experience.

Fast movements in games like quick camera pans or rapid character motion will look blurry on a TV that doesn't handle motion well. This is why good motion handling is essential for gaming.

OLED displays have an excellent response time and refresh rate for video games, making them one of the best types of displays for gaming. These TVs have the best refresh rate and response time currently on the market.

Other TVs like LED and QLED can have similar refresh rates but often have higher response times, which is not ideal. Since OLED has a high refresh rate and low response time, they are best overall compared to other TV types.

Response time measures how quickly a display's pixels can transition from one color to another. This is typically measured by calculating the time needed to switch between black and white, expressed in milliseconds (ms). Lower response times are better.

Displays with higher response times exhibit motion blur during fast-paced content such as sports broadcasts, action movies, and video games. For smooth motion, a response time of 5 ms or lower is recommended, though competitive gamers often prefer 1 ms or less. OLED displays easily surpass these standards with their sub-millisecond performance.

Response Time

LED	Good
QLED	Good
OLED	Excellent
Mini-LED	Very Good
MicroLED	Excellent

Refresh rate refers to how many times per second a display redraws the screen, measured in hertz (Hz). For example, a 120 Hz display refreshes 120 times per second. Most OLED displays in 2025 offer at least 120 Hz, which is sufficient for general use and casual gaming. High-end OLED gaming monitors can reach 240 Hz to 360 Hz, while many smartphones feature adaptive refresh rates that adjust between 1 Hz and 120 Hz (or higher) to balance smoothness and battery life. For comparison, older displays typically operated at 60 Hz, which is now considered the baseline standard.

The higher the resolution, the crisper the picture will be, as long as the content you're displaying supports that resolution. Many 4K TVs have upscaling features that can enhance lower resolution content.

4K resolution is the most popular currently and provides excellent image quality. While 8K TVs are available, most content doesn't support that high of a resolution yet, so 4K is more than sufficient for gaming in 2025.

All OLED TVs have at least a 4K resolution. While other types of TVs may support the same resolution, OLED TVs still produce a sharper picture due to their other qualities like high contrast ratio, excellent refresh rate, and low response time.

You can learn more about TV resolution.

TV Resolutions

	Resolution
8K UHD (Ultra HD)	7680 x 4320
4K UHD (Ultra HD)	3840 x 2160
1440p / QHD (Quad HD)	2560 x 1440
1080p / FHD (Full HD)	1920 x 1080
720p / HD (High Definition)	1280 x 720

TV Resolution Comparison Brandon Jones / TechReviewer

Poor black levels result in a lack of true black in outer space scenes, dark indoor shots, and end credits. Instead, the blacks appear as more of a gray color.

The deep colors provided by good black levels are most noticeable in low-lit rooms, like a dark family room, bedroom, or theater. They won't be as visible if you watch your TV in daylight or bright rooms.

OLED TVs have the highest quality black levels out of any type of TV. The deep black levels come from the ability to turn off individual pixels on the screen, eliminating any possibility of backlight bleeding to other parts of the screen.

Black Levels

LED	Limited
QLED	Limited
OLED	Excellent
Mini-LED	Very Good
MicroLED	Excellent

If you are going to be gaming in daylight or a bright room, choose a TV that can handle higher brightness levels. The brightness of the TV matters most when viewing it in bright lighting conditions since it'll have to compete with other lighting in the room. For example, in a well-lit living room or office, you'd want to use a TV with good brightness levels.

QLED TVs have the best brightness levels. If you are gaming in a bright room most of the time, this may be the best option. OLED TVs are great in most other conditions, though.

Peak Brightness

LED	Good
QLED	Excellent
OLED	Moderate
Mini-LED	Excellent
MicroLED	Excellent

Light bleed, or backlight bleed, is more noticeable during nighttime viewing or in rooms with low light. If you're planning to put your TV in a dark room, you'll want to get a TV that doesn't have as much light bleed.

You can learn more about backlight bleed in LED TVs.

Backlight Bleed

LED	Yes
QLED	Yes
OLED	No
Mini-LED	Minimal
MicroLED	No

High-dynamic-range (HDR) is an increasingly popular feature. It can enhance your picture by expanding the contrast ratio and colors to create a more realistic, natural image. To enjoy this feature, however, the content you're viewing needs to support HDR.

HDR usually performs best when a TV has high brightness levels. The high brightness levels in QLED TVs can allow for impressive HDR. With that said, OLED TVs still have the best HDR quality due to their extreme contrast and black levels. It's best not to use OLED TVs in very bright rooms, though.

Contrast Ratio

LED	3K-6K:1
QLED	4K-8K:1
OLED	Infinite
Mini-LED	10K-100K:1
MicroLED	Infinite

Excellent color accuracy determines whether or not you'll get the best and naturally vivid images on your screen. Color accuracy is one of the most important aspects to look for in a TV.

While QLED TVs have excellent color accuracy, OLED TVs have the best overall quality still. The contrast and black levels in OLED TVs allow the colors to stand out more, which makes them appear more vibrant despite QLED TVs having slightly better technical color accuracy.

QLED and OLED TVs both advertise having 100% color volume, but real-world performance better indicates how good each type of TV is for gaming.

Color Accuracy

LED	Good
QLED	Excellent
OLED	Excellent
Mini-LED	Excellent
MicroLED	Excellent

Here we compare all of the qualities of most types of TVs.

TV Type Comparison

	LED	QLED	OLED	Mini-LED	MicroLED
Viewing Angle	Good	Good	Excellent	Good	Excellent
Black Levels	Limited	Limited	Excellent	Very Good	Excellent
Color Accuracy	Good	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Burn-in Risk	No	No	Yes	No	Minimal
Peak Brightness	Good	Excellent	Moderate	Excellent	Excellent
Lifespan	60K+ Hours	60K+ Hours	100K+ Hours	60K+ Hours	100K+ Hours
Contrast Ratio	3K-6K:1	4K-8K:1	Infinite	10K-100K:1	Infinite
Response Time	Good	Good	Excellent	Very Good	Excellent
Backlight Bleed	Yes	Yes	No	Minimal	No
Price Range	$	$$	$$$	$$$$	$$$$$

• This is an exceptional TV for any use, whether for movies, games, sports, or as a PC monitor.
• Fast refresh rates reduce motion blur and make animations smoother.
• This TV has wide viewing angles, perfect for many people watching TV together (like most OLED TVs).
• It has an extreme contrast ratio capable of producing pitch-black scenes without suffering from blooming.
• This TV offers improved brightness compared to previous generations, making it suitable for most room lighting conditions.
• This has the fastest response time for smooth fast-moving content, great for games or sports.
• The LG C5 OLED TV also supports very low input lag and variable refresh rate, both of which are also needed for gaming.
• It's superb for HDR content due to its extreme contrast ratio and wide color gamut.
• Check the latest price of the LG C5 OLED TV on Amazon

• This TV has superb picture quality with an extreme contrast ratio, perfect for your home theater room.
• The Sony BRAVIA 8 II TV has excellent color out of the box, so there's no need for color calibration.
• This TV offers improved brightness performance, making it suitable for various room lighting conditions.
• This TV has Google TV built-in, allowing you to watch from most of your streaming services quickly and smoothly.
• The Sony BRAVIA 8 II TV has very low input lag and quick response time, both of which are excellent for sports and gaming.
• Check the latest price of the Sony BRAVIA 8 II TV on Amazon

• This is an exceptional TV for any use, whether for movies, games, sports or as a PC monitor.
• It's the "Neo" QLED variant, which has an excellent contrast ratio and deep blacks.
• This will also work great in a bright room.
• The Samsung QN90B Neo QLED also supports low input lag, variable refresh rate, and fast response time, all of which are needed for gaming.
• Check the latest price of the Samsung QN90B Neo QLED on Amazon

• This is an excellent Neo QLED TV variant for use in bright rooms while having fantastic response time, low input lag, and vivid natural colors.
• The Samsung QN85B QLED has wide viewing angles and high brightness to overcome screen glare.
• It's superb for HDR content due to its high brightness and wide color gamut.
• A negative to this TV is that it has lower contrast compared to the QN90B.
• Check the latest price of the Samsung QN85B QLED on Amazon

• Great for watching sports or TV shows together with family and friends due to the wide viewing angles while keeping accurate colors.
• It's also quick enough for gaming and great for using as a PC monitor.
• A negative to this TV is that it has lower contrast compared to the QN90B and lower local dimming compared to both TVs mentioned above.
• This TV also has high brightness for HDR along with wide viewing angles.
• Check the latest price of the Samsung Q80B QLED on Amazon

Want to learn more about OLED TVs? Check out the articles in my OLED TV series:

• Ultimate Guide to OLED TVs.
• Are OLED TVs Good for Gaming?
• Do OLED TVs Have Good Viewing Angles?
• What Is the Response Time of an OLED TV?
• Do OLED TVs Have True Black Levels?
• How Bright Are OLED TVs Compared to Other TVs?
• What Is the Refresh Rate of an OLED TV?

Want to learn more about TVs? Check out the articles in my TV series:

• Best TV Display Types
• TV Resolution Explained - 8K UHD vs. 4K vs. QHD vs. FHD
• Choosing the Best TV for Your Room
• Best TV for Playing PlayStation 5 Games
• What Type of TV Is Best for Gaming?
• Ultimate Guide to Samsung QLED TVs
• Best Type of TV for Bright Rooms
• What Type of TV Has the Best Refresh Rate & Response Time?
• What Type of TV Has the Best Viewing Angle?
• Do LED TVs Have Backlight Bleed?
• How to choose the best soundbar for your TV