Best TV Specs for Gaming | LG

Having the right TV for gaming can give you the edge during your next marathon multiplayer session, or shave valuable seconds off retro spped druns. Here's our guide to the most crucial gaming TV specs and how making the right choice can boost your in-play prowess.

What makes a good gaming TV?
- A good refresh rate. A display which refreshes as fast as possible, with less judder and an overall smoother game-playing experience.
- Low input lag. So your virtual footballers show the same split-second reflexes onscreen as you do.
- Game mode settings. Calibrate your screen settings to get the best out of your gaming experience, then save time and store them automatically.
- Crisp, clear colours. The latest consoles are HDR-compatible, which unlocks a new layer of colourful brilliance in-game.

How important is refresh rate in gaming?
A TV screen’s refresh rate is used to define the amount that it redraws what’s onscreen. TVs with lower refresh rates update the screen fewer times per minute, which may cause motion blur. Motion blur may create a cool effect on most modern racing titles, but it can also be an unwelcome distraction in the heat of battle, when precision is required.
LG OLED TVs take almost no time at all to change the pixel display as their self-emitting pixels power themselves – rather than being lit up by a backlight. Fast-moving pixels mean fast-moving action and because of the reduced time to change what’s onscreen, there’s a minimal trail effect that you might see elsewhere.
This means that when you need laser-sharp focus, an LG OLED TV can provide the crisp image you need without motion blur.
 Will I notice input lag while gaming?
In gaming terms, input lag is the time between a player using a controller or keyboard, and the corresponding movements being displayed onscreen. Measured in milliseconds, input lag can affect your reaction time in the game. A low lag time translated to the screen can make all the difference when meeting a pinpoint cross into the penalty area.
It’s no longer only a question of how a game looks, but how it plays too. And with input lag reaching as low as 11.5ms on an LG TV, your sharpshooting skills will no longer be hampered by slow response times onscreen.

What does Game Mode do on my LG TV?
Game Mode can make your gaming reactions even sharper with reduced input lag, while ensuring the sound and picture remain at the same high quality your console delivers.
When you’re watching a movie or catching up on the latest box set, your TV processes the incoming signal and converts it into even sharper visuals, for a more memorable cinematic experience in your living room. However, if you’re playing outside Game Mode, this process increases the time taken between your reflexive controller movements and the action showing up onscreen.
Switching your TV to Game Mode means no pre-processing of the graphics and sound, so your reaction times are reflected onscreen and you can dodge, duck and dive more accurately.
What’s more, you can save your graphics and sound settings in Game Mode, just the way you want them. It means you can savour every detail of your next spacefaring voyage, or the atmosphere of the virtual stadium, as the game creators intended them. And that’s without needing to reconfigure the contrast, colour displays or commentary volume every time you switch back from your normal settings.

Do gaming TVs support HDR?
High Dynamic Range, or HDR, is the next great leap forward for games consoles. The Xbox One and PS4 both support HDR, which gives you a deeper, more defined palette of colours, plus deep blacks and brilliant whites to work with, provided your TV is HDR-compatible too. Load a game of your favourite horror title and the difference is clear – all too real, in fact – so be prepared to see with unparalleled clarity what’s lurking in the dark.
Choosing a TV for gaming can be tricky when many manufacturers focus on viewing quality over active ease of use. As the new generation of consoles bring a wide range of additional home entertainment options to our living rooms, the right TV can enhance your enjoyment and your gameplay. For a gaming experience you’ll love, check out the range of LG OLED TVs, and see which of the current crop of hit titles is turning the gaming world upside down.