The Best Gaming TVs for 2026

Gaming from your couch requires a good TV with specific qualities, namely low input lag. I've been reviewing TVs (and gaming devices ) for more than 15 years. I'm a certified TV calibrator , and I test every TV I review using special equipment to get hard numbers I can compare across models. I watch movies and play games on them, too, because numbers aren't everything. The Samsung S95H is the best high-end TV for gaming, and the most responsive, earning our first PCMag Lab Award for lowest input lag . If you want an even brighter picture and wider color range, the TCL QM8L is the best premium LED TV and our first PCMag Lab Award winner for the brightest picture . Both feature high refresh rates with VRR and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, which is ideal for smooth gameplay. But these aren't the only models we recommend, so read on for all of our top picks to find the one that's right for you.

Lowest Input Lag

Samsung 65-Inch S95H OLED TV

Score: 4.5

Pros & Cons

• + Incredibly bright OLED panel

• + Vibrant, lifelike picture with a wide color range

• + Ultra-low input lag is ideal for gaming

• + Built-in 4.2.2-channel speaker system produces a detailed spatial audio sound field

• + Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, and hands-free Alexa support

• + Striking metal frame

• - Incredibly bright OLED panel

• - Vibrant, lifelike picture with a wide color range

• - Ultra-low input lag is ideal for gaming

• - Built-in 4.2.2-channel speaker system produces a detailed spatial audio sound field

• - Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, and hands-free Alexa support

• - Striking metal frame

Why We Picked It

The Samsung S95H is one of the best-looking TVs I've seen yet, and the most responsive one, too. I measured a latency of just 9.2 milliseconds with a 4K60 signal, earning the S95H a PCMag Lab Award for lowest input lag. It's well-equipped, too, with a 165Hz native refresh rate with VRR, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and Nvidia G-Sync.

Who It's For

Home theater fans:Besides the great gaming performance and features, the S95H simply looks and sounds great. It's the brightest OLED TV I've tested, with wide, accurate color. It also has a built-in 4.2.2-channel spatial audio system you can expand with a compatible Samsung soundbar . Samsung's Q-Symphony feature will combine the TV's built-in drivers with the soundbar's for a bigger, more immersive sound field than either can deliver on its own.

Fighting game and FPS players:With the lowest combined latency (4K60 and 1080p120) of any TV I've tested, the S95H stands out for any serious fighting game fans who need to count frames and shooter fans who need every millisecond of responsiveness. It's a PCMag Lab Award winner and the best TV for anyone looking for the lowest possible input lag.

Specs & Configurations

Panel Type: OLED

Screen Size: 65 inches

Resolution: 3,840 by 2,160

Video Inputs: HDMI,RF,USB

HDR: HDR10,HDR10+

HDMI Ports: 4

Streaming Services: Yes

Screen Brightness: 1715 nits

Refresh Rate: 165 Hz

VRR: True

AMD FreeSync: FreeSync Premium Pro

Nvidia G-Sync: G-Sync

Best LED TV

TCL 75QM8L

Score: 4.5

Pros & Cons

• + Incredibly bright picture with wide colors

• + Responsive 144Hz panel with VRR and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

• + Clever remote with backlight, picture mode button, and brightness rocker

• + Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, and hands-free Google Gemini

• + Strong off-angle viewing, particularly compared with RGB LED TVs

• + ATSC 3.0

• - Incredibly bright picture with wide colors

• - Responsive 144Hz panel with VRR and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

• - Clever remote with backlight, picture mode button, and brightness rocker

• - Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, and hands-free Google Gemini

• - Strong off-angle viewing, particularly compared with RGB LED TVs

• - ATSC 3.0

Why We Picked It

The TCL QM8L is the best LED TV I've tested, with a wide enough color range to rival RGB LED models and enough luminance to earn our first PCMag Lab Award for brightest picture. It's also well-equipped for gaming with a 144Hz refresh rate, VRR, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.

Who It's For

Bright rooms:Whether you have a window that catches a lot of sun or just a massive amount of RGB gamer lighting, the QM8L's superlative brightness means it can deliver enough nits to compensate.

Gamers considering RGB LED TVs:I've tested several RGB LED TVs, and while the technology is promising and delivers impressive results on paper, it also consistently shows problems with vibrancy and off-angle viewing. While the QM8L is essentially a very high-end mini-LED QLED TV (TCL calls it SQD-Mini LED), its colors are just as wide as those of RGB LED TVs, and that vividness actually comes through in the games you play and the shows you watch. It's also comfortable to view from the side for couch co-ops and other local multiplayer events.

Specs & Configurations

Panel Type: LED

Screen Size: 75 inches

Resolution: 3,840 by 2,160

Video Inputs: HDMI,RF,USB

HDR: Dolby Vision,HDR10,HDR10+

HDMI Ports: 4

Streaming Services: Yes

Screen Brightness: 3504 nits

Refresh Rate: 144 Hz

VRR: True

Input Lag (1080p120): 5.1 ms

Input Lag (4K60): 9.5 ms

AMD FreeSync: FreeSync Premium Pro

Nvidia G-Sync: None

Best Budget-Friendly TV

Hisense 65U65QF

Score: 4.5

Pros & Cons

• + Affordable

• + Bright, colorful picture

• + 144Hz with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

• + Apple AirPlay

• - Affordable

• - Bright, colorful picture

• - 144Hz with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

• - Apple AirPlay

Why We Picked It

The Hisense U65QF looks far better than its low price implies. A dim picture is one of the most common compromises cheap TVs make, but this is one of the first we've seen in this price range to push past 1,000 nits of light output. That's bright enough to properly display HDR content, and it features wide and accurate colors to complement it. It's also surprisingly well-equipped for gaming, with a native 144Hz refresh rate and VRR, as well as AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, features not often seen on budget TVs.

Who It's For

Budget shoppers:If you want a great-looking TV that can keep up with your games without spending a lot of money, the U65QF is the best choice. It punches far above its weight class for its price, with the refresh rate and low input lag you're looking for.

Specs & Configurations

Panel Type: LED

Screen Size: 65 inches

Resolution: 3,840 by 2,160

Video Inputs: HDMI,Composite,RF,USB

HDR: Dolby Vision,HDR-10

HDMI Ports: 4

Streaming Services: Yes

Screen Brightness: 1024 nits

Refresh Rate: 144 Hz

VRR: True

Input Lag (1080p120): 4.6 ms

Input Lag (4K60): 13.1 ms

AMD FreeSync: FreeSync Premium Pro

Nvidia G-Sync: None

Best Overall Value

Hisense 65U8QG

Score: 4.0

Pros & Cons

• + Incredibly bright picture

• + Deep blacks

• + Wide, accurate colors

• + 4.1.2-channel spatial audio system

• + 165Hz VRR with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

• + Apple AirPlay and Google Cast

• + Side-mounted USB-C port that supports DisplayPort video

• - Incredibly bright picture

• - Deep blacks

• - Wide, accurate colors

• - 4.1.2-channel spatial audio system

• - 165Hz VRR with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

• - Apple AirPlay and Google Cast

• - Side-mounted USB-C port that supports DisplayPort video

Why We Picked It

The Hisense U8QG is one of the brightest and most feature-packed TVs available. Although it's more expensive than its predecessor, the  U8N , it remains reasonably priced. It features 165Hz VRR with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and has a built-in 4.1.2-channel spatial audio speaker system. If you want to easily connect any mobile device you have on hand, you can use the unique side-mounted DisplayPort-over-USB-C ports.

Who It's For

Sound quality enthusiasts:Spatial audio can truly immerse you in the game you're playing, and the U8QG's 4.1.2-channel speaker setup can provide that with a large, detailed sound field in front of you, featuring both vertical and horizontal imaging. It won't give you much of a tactical edge in shooters, though; there are limits to what this type of sound system can produce without separate rear satellites.

Gamers with three or fewer systems:This is an excellent TV with strong gaming performance and numerous features, but be cautious if you frequently use multiple gaming platforms. It only has three HDMI ports, so if you have all three consoles and a gaming PC, you'll have to do some juggling. The USB-C port is convenient and lets you connect a fourth device (that can output over USB-C) at 4K165, but it doesn't support HDR, and means you'll have a visible cable running from the side of your screen when you use it.

Specs & Configurations

Panel Type: LED

Screen Size: 65 inches

Resolution: 3,840 by 2,160

Video Inputs: HDMI,USB,RF

HDR: Dolby Vision,HDR-10

HDMI Ports: 3

Streaming Services: Yes

Screen Brightness: 3200 nits

Refresh Rate: 165 Hz

VRR: True

Input Lag (1080p120): 4.3 ms

Input Lag (4K60): 10.1 ms

AMD FreeSync: FreeSync Premium Pro

Nvidia G-Sync: None

Best OLED TV Value

LG 65-Inch Evo C6 OLED TV

Score: 4.0

Pros & Cons

• + Gorgeous, relatively bright picture with accurate colors

• + Strong streaming features, with Apple AirPlay and Google Cast

• + Hands-free voice control with your choice of Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot for questions and search

• + VRR up to 165Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium, Nvidia, and G-Sync for gaming

• - Gorgeous, relatively bright picture with accurate colors

• - Strong streaming features, with Apple AirPlay and Google Cast

• - Hands-free voice control with your choice of Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot for questions and search

• - VRR up to 165Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium, Nvidia, and G-Sync for gaming

Why We Picked It

The LG Evo C6 is a simply excellent OLED TV with a great-looking picture, and you can usually find it for a reasonable price. Its official MSRP ($2,699.99 for the 65-inch model) might be daunting, but it's often available for well under $2,000. For an OLED, that's an incredible deal. It might not be as bright as LG's much more expensive flagship OLED, but it offers similarly wide and accurate colors, along with plenty of features, including hands-free voice control, Apple AirPlay, and Google Cast, as well as support for both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync for gaming.

Who It's For

PC gamers:With a variable refresh rate of up to 165Hz and both FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync certification, the Evo C6 will deliver smooth, tear-free gameplay, whether you're a Radeon or GeForce PC gamer.

OLED buyers on a budget:If you've been eying an OLED TV for gaming but the price has put you off, the Evo C6 is ideal. It offers the per-pixel light control and slim design that OLED technology affords, at a price comparable with a mid-to-high-end LED TV.

Specs & Configurations

Panel Type: OLED

Screen Size: 65 inches

Resolution: 3,840 by 2,160

Video Inputs: HDMI,RF,USB

HDR: Dolby Vision,HDR10

HDMI Ports: 4

Streaming Services: Yes

Screen Brightness: 1015 nits

Refresh Rate: 120 Hz

VRR: True

Input Lag (1080p120): 4.6 ms

Input Lag (4K60): 12.8 ms

AMD FreeSync: FreeSync Premium

Nvidia G-Sync: G-Sync Compatible

Best Roku TV

Roku 65-Inch Pro Series Mini-LED TV (2025)

Score: 4.0

Pros & Cons

• + Bright, colorful picture

• + Simple, easy-to-use interface

• + Hands-free voice control

• + Remote finder

• - Bright, colorful picture

• - Simple, easy-to-use interface

• - Hands-free voice control

• - Remote finder

Why We Picked It

The 2025 Pro Series is Roku's best TV yet, and the best I've tested that uses the Roku OS smart TV interface. For gaming, it features a 120Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, with very low input lag. Its picture is bright and colorful, you can control it hands-free, plus it even has a remote finder feature.

Who It's For

Simplicity seekers:We recommend Roku devices for their accessible and direct interface, which focuses almost entirely on accessing media with minimal distractions and extraneous features. It's a great platform for anyone who's not particularly tech-savvy, but even if you're an avid gamer, you might prefer its simple interface design, which lets you jump into your favorites without many distracting extras, such as a full voice assistant or comprehensive smart home hub functionality.

Specs & Configurations

Panel Type: LED

Screen Size: 65 inches

Resolution: 3,840 by 2,160

Video Inputs: HDMI,RF,USB

HDR: Dolby Vision,HDR-10

HDMI Ports: 4

Streaming Services: Yes

Screen Brightness: 1941 nits

Refresh Rate: 120 Hz

VRR: True

Input Lag (1080p120): 5.2 ms

Input Lag (4K60): 9.4 ms

AMD FreeSync: FreeSync Premium Pro

Nvidia G-Sync: None

Best Affordable Fire TV

Amazon Ember 65-Inch Mini-LED

Score: 4.0

Pros & Cons

• + Bright picture with balanced color and strong contrast

• + Hands-free Alexa integration

• + Supports Apple AirPlay 2

• + 120Hz with VRR and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

• - Bright picture with balanced color and strong contrast

• - Hands-free Alexa integration

• - Supports Apple AirPlay 2

• - 120Hz with VRR and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

Why We Picked It

The Ember Mini-LED is Amazon's best Fire TV, and far brighter than any other model. It's also the first Amazon TV with a refresh rate higher than 60Hz. Its 120Hz native panel supports VRR with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro at up to 144Hz.

Who It's For

Alexa fans:If you use Alexa almost as much as your game system, the Ember Mini-LED is a great pick thanks to its far-field microphone array for hands-free voice assistance.

Specs & Configurations

Panel Type: LED

Screen Size: 65 inches

Resolution: 3,840 by 2,160

Video Inputs: HDMI,RF,USB

HDR: Dolby Vision,HDR-10

HDMI Ports: 4

Streaming Services: Yes

Screen Brightness: 1623 nits

Refresh Rate: 120 Hz

VRR: True

Input Lag (1080p120): 6.4 ms

AMD FreeSync: FreeSync Premium Pro

Nvidia G-Sync: None

Are TVs Good for Gaming?

Until a few years ago, advanced gaming features and syncing compatibility were primarily reserved for gaming monitors. Now, TVs are getting into the action, and many of those same features are available over HDMI (rather than DisplayPort, something very few TVs offer). They include Auto Low-Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Nvidia G-Sync, and AMD FreeSync.

ALLM is a simple but useful feature for gaming with a PC, Xbox One, or Xbox Series X/S. When you start playing a game, it sends a signal to the TV, which automatically switches to gaming picture mode and activates any other gaming features. And, when you stop playing, it automatically exits that mode and turns off the related features.

TV shows and movies almost all have consistent frame rates, but game frame rates can vary wildly. As a result, TVs with fixed refresh rates of 60Hz or 120Hz can struggle to display action smoothly. VRR means the TV can adjust its refresh rate on the fly to match the video source. It can reduce or eliminate choppiness and screen tearing in your games.

Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync are other frame- and refresh-rate-syncing features. They let a display sync directly with a PC's graphics card (GeForce and Radeon, respectively) and help reduce screen tearing. Depending on your GPU, either of these features is useful if you plan on connecting your PC to your TV.

What TV Has the Lowest Input Lag?

With a latency of just 9.2 milliseconds at 4K60, the Samsung S95H earns our PCMag Lab Award for the lowest input lag.

Input lag is the time between when a TV receives a signal and when the display updates. Fighting games , action games, and other titles that require precise timing perform best with minimal input lag. It can make the difference between feeling like you have total control over everything happening and needing to constantly compensate for what amounts to very tiny pauses that can throw off your game.

Input lag generally ranges from 2 to 120 milliseconds for TVs, with the biggest differences not between TVs but between a given TV's game mode and other picture modes. For example, if you play in Theater picture mode on even the fastest TV, you are likely to experience significant lag.

I use a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Video Signal Lag Tester to measure input lag on TVs. It's a device that uses a light sensor to monitor the screen's flashing sections and determine how long it takes for the picture to change after the signal is sent, down to the tenth of a millisecond. I measure input lag with both a 4K signal at 60Hz and a 1080p signal at 120Hz. For both cases, I use a one-frame rule to determine which TV is best for gaming. A single frame at 60Hz is 16.6 milliseconds, and a frame at 120Hz is 8.9 milliseconds. If a TV is faster than that (has lower lag), you're dealing with almost no discernible input lag.

I record lag times with the TV's game mode active because input lag is most important for gaming. I also note input lag in other picture modes for reference.

The Best TVs for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X

4K is currently the standard for most new TVs. Whether your games feature true 4K resolution or high dynamic range ( HDR ), contrast, and color depends on the platform you use and the game you play.

Microsoft's Xbox Series X (and Series S ) and Sony's PlayStation 5 support 4K resolution (3,840 by 2,160) with HDR. Games on these systems typically look sharper and more vibrant than those for previous-generation consoles such as the Xbox One X  and  PS4 Pro (and much sharper than the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One S , which don't support 4K gaming at all). The new systems also support graphical features, such as  ray tracing, that their predecessors don't. Look for a TV that supports 4K HDR to fully enjoy the latest games.

Refresh rates (the number of times a screen draws a picture per second, measured in Hz) are also important for gaming. All TVs are at least 60Hz, but some are 120Hz (capable of showing twice as many frames per second) or can even hit 144Hz. The newer game consoles support frame rates up to 120fps (though this is still rare). Nonetheless, fast frame rates paired with a high-refresh-rate TV result in ultra-smooth performance.

Should I Get a Gaming Monitor or a TV?

If you want extremely low input lag and much wider support for various refresh rates and VRR, you need to turn toward smaller screens. By that, we mean dedicated gaming monitors. These are specifically designed for gaming and emphasize responsiveness at least as much as picture quality. Input lag of less than 4ms is common in high-end gaming monitors. They can also include PC-friendly features that further improve performance, such as adaptive refresh rates with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync. However, we've seen TVs get closer and closer to these numbers in recent years; many have also begun to offer features like G-Sync and FreeSync, so the distinction between the two might eventually become moot.

The biggest drawback with gaming monitors is that you need to spend much more per square inch. Monitors are generally smaller than TVs and are designed for use from a distance of only a foot or two. They have fewer inputs, don't always feature speakers, and rarely include a remote control. If you want to game from your couch, a gaming monitor simply isn't feasible. But if you're ready to play from your desk, check out our list of the  best gaming monitors .

If you simply want the best picture available, meanwhile, check out our roundups of the  best TVs , the best 65-inch TVs , and the best 75-inch (and up) TVs . And if you want to save some money, head over to our list of the  best cheap TVs , which highlights some models that are still good for gaming.

For more buying advice, see our story on  what TV model numbers and SKUs actually mean .

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