Top screens for gaming on PlayStation 5

The LG C1 set is great for all consoles. It supports VRR (the technology that adjusts the refresh rate from the console to the TV) for a consistent and stable visual performance. It also lowers lag. With HDMI VRR, Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync onboard, consoles and PC gaming is covered if you don’t have a PS5.

The input lag was 12.5ms. This is slightly slower than the C2 OLED. However, VRR can reduce this number even further. HDMI 2.1 support is available across all HDMI ports. This allows you to plug in your console or computer into any of them. The PS5 also supports 4K/120Hz, which means compatible games can be played with low latency, fast response times, and high quality graphics.

The C1’s picture quality is also outstanding, with incredibly detailed levels that bring out nuance and subtleties that other sets don’t. The HDR picture quality was also impressive in testing across many sources. It displayed great contrast thanks to the rich whites, and deep blacks. You can adjust the TV’s performance based on what type of game you are playing and how much detail in the darkest or brightest areas of the picture.

To get the best out of audio performance, we’d recommend adding a soundbar or sound system to the C1. The built-in speaker system is limited in size and scale, particularly when using Dolby atmos content. Pairing the C1 with a capable Atmos soundbar will offer better audio, for those interested in a high-spec, all-in-one TV/audio system, then there is the 55-inch JZ2000 that’s a little more expensive than the C1 currently is.

Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: LG OLED65C1

If you don’t have the room for a 65-inch model, then Sony XR-55A80J is the screen we’d suggest at a more suitable size. The A80J is one of several Sony TVs designated as ‘Perfect for PS5‘, featuring exclusive features such as Auto HDR Tone Mapping that optimises the HDR performance of the tell, and Auto Genre Picture Mode that detects when you’re playing a game and puts the TV into its lowest latency.

Input lag was measured at 16.3ms. That is a good result for a gaming television, even though the LG C1 has a 60Hz refresh rate. The TV will support HDMI VRR by 2022. This means that the input lag can be further reduced at higher refresh rates of 4K/120Hz, bringing it down to 8.5ms.

There is no Dolby Vision Game mode (the PS5 doesn’t support Dolby Vision for gaming anyway), and measured brightness in the A80J’s game mode to be 712 nits, which is not as bright as the LG C1 can reach. Comparing the two TV’s luminance, we found the A80J placed more of am emphasis on smaller HDR highlights than bigger objects, which may give the C1 the impression of being a brighter screen for gaming.

The A80J through its Acoustic Surface Audio+ speaker technology offered a more direct and forthright performance than the C1, even before we’d even calibrated. Using the built-in tools to calibrate the TV’s sound, it sounded better with dialogue with clarity and detail improved. It also had a decent weight to voices, and good bass to provide a low-end that has impact. While a soundbar or sound system would be recommended, the A80J’s speaker system ensures you won’t need to jump out straight away to get one.

Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: Sony XR-55A80J

If you’re lacking space or gaming in your bedroom, then Sony’s XR-42A90K OLED is tailored for that exact use. At 42-inches, it’s the smallest size you can get an OLED TV, although in terms of price per inch, it doesn’t come at a particularly affordable price come at $1399 / £1699.

Our reviewer found that gaming with a PS5 connected was a great experience for a large screen. Input times are around 20ms, which is a respectable response time that can be brought down further with the TV’s support for HDMI VRR. VRR, 4K/120Hz and eARC are not supported across the two HDMI inputs. The other HDMI input is reserved for eARC. This allows audio to pass through the TV’s compatible soundbars. If you have more than two HDMI 2.1 sources, you’d have to plug in and out the devices you want to use, but if you only have a PS5 and a soundbar then there’s less of a need to do that.

The Sony TV has many exclusive features similar to the A80J. There’s support for Auto HDR Tone Mapping that configures the HDR for the A90K’s capabilities, and Auto Genre Picture Mode that automatically puts the OLED into its lowest latency state when it detects a PlayStation 5.

The picture performance was excellent when gaming. It produced convincing images with naturalistic colours and great contrast. This isn’t the brightest OLED on the market, smaller-sized OLEDs face a struggle trying to replicate the brightness of bigger sizes, but given its 42-inch screen this is likely to be less noticeable given you’ll be sitting close to it.

Like the A80J, the A90K has Sony’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ built in, and the performance delivers direct and detailed audio, with dialogue sounding distinct and coherent. There isn’t much of a low end here, though, so there’s a shortage of punchiness to its sound and there’s a hint of edginess creeping through in the top-end, which only increases with volume. We haven’t yet tested LG’s 42-inch C2 but that would give this Sony a run for its money as it is the more affordable model.

Reviewer: Simon Lucas
Full Review: Sony XR-42A90K