Best 4k UHDÂ TV – For Gaming & Entertainment
I think we can all agree that better resolution, graphics and frame rates sound great.
Not long ago a 4k TV were all greatly overpriced, but the pricing on these beauties are quickly becoming more reasonable.
And with the release of the PS4 Pro, which does not work properly without a 4k tv. We thought it a perfect time to test out 4k UHDÂ flat screens, in the hopes of finding the best 4k TVÂ out there.
A lot of 4k monitors are still greatly overpriced, compared to their performance. So it is quite easy to make a horrible purchase.
We ended up with 5 amazing tv’s, that we really loved. So here is our top 5 buying guide for 4k UHDÂ TV’s.
5. Hisense 65H7B2 4K UHD Smart LED TV
We will start this list off with some fantastic value for money. Hisense is one of the less famous brands, which usually means they offer a more attractive price tag. This combined with the fact that the TV is actually really amazing makes it an awesome buy for those on a budget.
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We weren’t expecting too much from this tv from Hisense, mostly due to its very modest price. I’m glad to say, however, that we were very pleasantly surprised. The picture is quite incredible and will blow anyone away who is not used to a 4k TV.
The tv comes in a nice, secure packing, making sure no harm will come to it through shipping. It does feel very qualitative for its price range, but beside this, there was no great surprise in the unpacking process. The TV comes with what you’d expect, 2 feet and mounting hardware, which is easily attachable. A manual, remote(with batteries) cables etc.
From the front, this TV looks absolutely stunning, especially the very thin borders makes it a real treat. It is not an ultra thin flat screen by any means, however. Which is how they managed to make such a great tv, with such a modest price tag. This can be annoying if you want to hang it on the wall, not that it can’t be done, it is just much easier with an ultra-thin model.
To be honest, if one of the biggest issues with this TV is that it ain’t thinner, I think Hisense did a very good job. It also suffers from some vague backlight bleeding. This means that when the screen is really black you will be able to see some light from the corners ”bleed” into the picture. Thankfully it was not more than you’d expect from most LED TVs.
Final Verdict
The different ‘modes’ worked really well, the gaming mode, in particular, is great. When taken to game mode, the refresh rate and response time are greatly improved and makes for a very smooth gaming experience. Making this a solid pick for console gamers and entertainment lovers alike.
If you are looking for your first 4k TV, I will highly recommend this Hisense flat screen. It is by no means the best one out there, but it is also one of the cheapest 4k UHD monitors on the market. It has a great picture, beautiful frontal design, functional ‘game mode’ and just overall great value for money.
Specifications
- Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
- Backlight: LED
- Inches: 43, 50, 55, 65
- Resolution: 4k UHD
- Smart Function: Yes
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4. VIZIO M55-C2 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV
Moving on to this tv from Vizio, which is without a doubt the best bang for your buck when it comes to 4k TVs. Obviously, at this pricing, the tv do have a few problems, but it is far less than you’d expect.
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First of all the picture and coloring are excellent, far better than you’d expect from a budget TV. Unfortunately, it kind of requires you to calibrate it properly, since the starting picture is not optimal. After using 10-15 minutes on calibrating, I did manage to find the perfect calibrating settings for me. You do not need to be a tech geek or anything to do this yourself and it is an easy fix.
It is quite annoying that the default picture is so far from what it can be. On the other hand, it just proves that the calibrate options are really powerful and makes the TV more customizable. And spending 10-15 minutes setting it up is such a small effort and only has to be done once.
A smart feature is something that is often very weak on smart TVs on a budget. This is not the case at all with this one though. The apps are fast and responsive and the connection is great.
The last minor issue we found was the sound. It is not horrible by any means, but could have been a lot nicer and feels like a weird feature to down-prioritize.
Design wise it looks great, but not incredible. The only reason it’s not incredible is the thickness, it is not thick like the Hisense TV, but not ultra thin either. The frame, however, is very slim and makes the picture look even better.
This TV also has a very effective ‘game mode’ option. Which simply reduces latency, to the point where there is none. It also improves the response time and just smoothes out your gaming experience. Making it a perfect partner for your new PS4 pro.
Final Verdict
This Vizio 4k UHD flat screen is the best bang for your buck out there. Especially when talking about the picture, it easily did better than TV’s way above its price class, at least once it was calibrated properly.
The minor issues such as calibrating and less than perfect sound are such minor issues. At least when looking at the insane amount of value for money this TV offers.
Specifications
- Refresh Rate: 120 Hz (effective)
- Backlight: LED
- Inches: 43, 50, 55, 65, 70, 80
- Resolution: 4k Ultra HD
- Smart Function: Yes
3. Samsung 55 inch Curved 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV
Samsung is revered, for making high-quality TVs with a slick design. This beauty is no different, with its quality curved looks and outstanding performance. It terms of price, it is way cheaper than most curved 4k tv’s of its size, but actually feels a lot more expensive than it is.
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It is not easy to find a curved TV with great sound and picture at a reasonable price. Fortunately, Samsung has made this curved beauty, which is just that. The 4k UHD picture looks great on its own but combined with the curved design it grants a superb immersive feeling.
The smart function is responsive and effective and even includes great Bluetooth. Making it very easy to hook your phone up to the tv.
If you look solely at the picture it is one of the worst on the list. This is, however, a list of the 5 best 4k TV’s, so that does not mean the picture is bad, far from it. Except for the number 1 on this list it is honestly hard to tell the picture quality apart since they all have superb 4k UHD picture.
For a mere LED TV, the blacks and whites are quite outstanding. The black are truly black and whites are really white, which resembles an OLED TV quite a lot. This is really impressive for any LED TV.
This TV only comes in a 55-inch version, which is a nice size, but annoying if you prefer something bigger or smaller.
We bought it with the curved soundbar extra feature, which is quite cheap. Without it, the sound is actually pretty good, but adding the soundbar enhances the overall experience a lot.
Final Verdict
If you love curved TV’s with great overall sound and picture quality, this is a real bargain. It is the best curved 4k TV of its respective price class.
The coloring seems like it is more gaming focused, which can be either a pro or con, depending on your preferences. If you use your TV mainly for console gaming and maybe some series, then this is a great pick. It also works surprisingly well as a PC monitor, but mostly in grand beautiful gaming titles, and won’t work well in competitive gaming.
Specifications
- Motion Rate: 120 MR (effective)
- Backlight: LED
- Inches: 55
- Resolution: 4k Ultra HD
- Smart Function: Yes, with both wi-fi and bluetooth
2. Samsung 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV
As mentioned earlier, Samsung is known for their great TV’s, so 1 was not enough for this list. This one is a little more high-end than the aforementioned Samsung, but without being expensive. For those extra bucks, you get a lot of additional performance and an upgrade to SUHD.
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So what is SUHD? Well, the UHD obviously stands for ultra high-definition, but Samsung is yet to officially state what the S stands for. So let’s assume it stands for Super UHD since Samsung refers to it as the future of UHD TVs. The big question is: is it? The short answer is: no. There are definitely improvements from UHD to SUHD, but it is basically a cheaper version of OLED. Samsung decided that developing OLED technology was too expensive, and it seems they are trying to replace it with SUHD. Even Though SUHD is a lot cheaper to develop and it improves on the UHD tech, it’s not nearly as good as the OLED technology.
SUHD is all about bringing clearer colors, better contrasts, and a sharper picture. It accomplishes this very well, and even though SUHD is inferior to OLED, this TV has outstanding picture quality and amazing colors.
It definitely deserves the number 2 spot on this list and beats the aforementioned TV’s in every way, except for the price. This does not mean that it is insanely expensive, but it is quite high-end. But it is impossible to achieve this kind of quality, without paying a little extra.
The design is something we really enjoyed about this 4k TV. It is ultra thin and has a slick simplistic overall design philosophy. So when you invest in this beauty, you don’t just get a TV, you get a piece of art for your living room.
The new 2016 smart software from Samsung are brilliant. Most smart TV’s are quite annoying to navigate, but with the new software, it is a much smoother experience.
Final Verdict
Even though SUHD is not as good as OLED, it is still the best picture technology in this price class. So if you are not willing to pay the extra buck for an OLED TV, this is as good as it gets.
Samsung is renowned for their TV’s and with good reason too. When buying a new Samsung TV you are sure to get the best quality for your money, and a fantastic customer service.
The SUHD worked very well with both entertainment and gaming. This TV does not have a game mode, however, but that is simply because it doesn’t need it. it has an astounding 240 motion rate, which creates one of the smoothest gaming experiences I have ever tried.
Specifications
- Motion Rate: 240 MR
- Backlight: LED
- Inches: 49, 55, 60, 65
- Resolution: 4k SUHD
- Smart Function: Yes
1. LG Electronics Flat 4K Ultra HD Smart OLED TV
We are now moving up to the big league with this OLED tv from LG. The air-brushed aluminum design, combined with the paper-thin build, makes it more than a tv. This is art, and with it being an OLED TV, it performs just as well as it looks.
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For those who do not know, OLED TV’s where the next big thing, but only Samsung and LG were developing it due to its high development cost. Samsung then decided to stop developing their OLED technology, leaving only LG with this beautiful technology. No matter what Samsung tries to tell you about their SUHD tech, it is not nearly as good as LG’s OLED technology. LG quite simply has the best picture quality of all TV manufacturers on the market right now.
It’s hard to explain exactly what makes this TV one of the best in the world, and definitely the best of its price class. You cannot achieve a sharper resolution, better motion rate, or more defining colors.
This Tv has complete black black’s and complete white whites. Which I know sounds strange, but it is something you cannot appreciate before you actually try it. This completely removes the problem with backlight bleeding and grants a more immersive experience than ever before.
LG has always had my favorite smart TV software. With the new upgrades to this software, it is even better and is easily the best smart software on the market.
The SUHD TV from Samsung is incredibly thin, but this LG TV takes it to a whole new level. The frame is basically non-existent and the TV itself is paper-thin. This makes it the most beautiful TV I have ever gazed upon, and makes it a true piece of technology era art.
Sitting back in our console gaming chair, and playing the Witcher 3 on this TV is the most majestic gaming experience I have had in years.
Final Verdict
This is by far the most expensive on the list, but also by far the best. This is for those who demand the best of the best, and won’t settle for less. We will recommend it to anyone who loves movies, grand series like Game of Thrones and of course gaming. If all you do with your TV is watch the news and maybe see a couple of ‘Big Bang Theory’ episodes, then this will be a waste of your money.
But for those who truly love grand, cinematic experiences. This is the best TV out there and has futuristic technology that will make sure it stays relevant for many years to come.
Specifications
- Backlight: OLED
- Inches: 55, 65
- Resolution: 4k Ultra HD
- Smart Function: Yes
Factors to consider when looking for a new 4k TV.
The price of 4K TVs has been steadily coming down, allowing for more people to afford them. As our list indicates, there are quite a few types of 4K televisions out there. We’ve got a rundown of all the factors and tech involved that can help shape your purchase decision.
Tech Involved.
The first and probably the most important factor for people is the display technology involved. Brands like LG, Samsung are humongous and have opted to go on different routes when creating their flagship 4K TVs. 4K sets as of now employ three different tech OLED, LED and an LED-LCD combo.
Samsung utilizes its SUHD or super Ultra HD sets to try to outperform OLED TVs on the market. The higher end OLED TVs tend to be on the pricier side but offer amazing quality. The SUHD offers solid performance as well. Picking between the two can be very subjective and will come down to what you features you are after.
LG has gone down the OLED route and OLEDs are known for offering things like true blacks, lightning fast refresh rates, a breathtaking display of colors and superb contrast ratios. The SUHD offers similar benefits as well by using Nanocrystal technology. Basically, a layer of crystals is present over the LED giving rise to higher quality colors and brightness.
When we talk about the panel or display technology HDR becomes a very important term. HDR or high dynamic range basically refers to the contrast between the bright and dark colours. The contrast ratios and color accuracy are very important as they make or break a 4K experience. This color quality is what makes a lot of OLEDs the preferred option. Overall when you factor in things like brightness, colour range, HDR, refresh rates offered makes choosing a panel a very subjective choice.
Connectivity
Connectivity is also an important factor when making your decision. Ideally, your TV should have a minimum of 2 HDMI ports. Make sure it also has an HDCP 2.2 port so that you can access 4K content from Blu-ray players to set-top boxes. HDMI 2.0a is also preferred since you get a smooth refresh rate of at least 60Hz when you watch HDR content.
At the moment there are no consoles out there that can really cater properly to the 4K gaming experience. So buying a 4K TV for the sole purpose of gaming might not be advisable for the time being. However this is expected to change in the future so it would be ideal if you’re TV comes equipped with a Display Port 1.2 slot so that it can be connected to graphic cards that handle 4K. Other input options or Home theater systems and USB inputs are pretty standard with peripherals like Chromecast growing in popularity.
Size & Design
To get the true 4K experience it’s better to go for a large TV. A UHD that’s north of 55 inches will provide the kind of immersive experience that the 4K promises to offer. Settling for a smaller size might mitigate the experience. Design wise there are many options with flat panel and curved options. A lot of Curved displays are entering the market with brands like Samsung promoting the tech. Picture quality wise both are great but if you are into the habit of having a lot of guests over then the flat panel would be the safer choice considering as it has better viewing angles. OLED also has an advantage over LCD screens in the sense that the viewing angles offered are 160 degrees whereas the full-color angles on an LCD are lesser than 100.
Refresh Rates
This is basically the frequency with which the screen is redrawn. 1080P screens can boast super high refresh rates of 240Hz too which makes them a great choice for gamers. 4K screens on the other hand offer 120Hz. To put these figures into perspective, 60Hz is the standard refresh rates on computer monitors which are quite adequate for a lot of movies. 120Hz is quite ideal for watching sports and anything that involves rapid actions.
Price
The price of a 4K depends on a lot of factors but the main one is the display technology. OLEDs tend to cost more than their LCD counterparts. OLED’s quality is definitely on the superior side though. If you are not keen on spending north of $1500 on a giant OLED, then the SUHD variant would be a great choice as it is far better than cheaper LCD or OLED variants. Avoid going for really cheap options as these will lack good contrast ratios and quality which makes the upgrade essentially worthless. Brands like Hisense and Samsung’s lower end curved TV options offer a great solution for those looking to spend less than $1000.
