It's game on with a new smart TV!
Bec Summer
STACK Writer
If you’re a gamer looking to upgrade your TV to a 2024 model, you’ll discover a suite of features aimed at players are now standard on many new models. But what do all of those acronyms and buzzwords mean? Look no further than our gaming TV primer.
Game Mode
There’s a slight delay between video going into the TV and it then appearing onscreen – all of the picture-tweaking cleverness that the TV does takes time. While perfect for movies, sports, and more, this isn’t great for gaming, as it can cause a delay between your controller input and the action onscreen.
You’ll find a setting named ‘Game Mode’ – or similar – on the majority of recently made TVs. This switches off most picture processing, making response times as fast as possible for better gaming.
ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode)
A very handy feature that automatically kicks the TV into its game mode (if it has one) when a game system signal is detected, adjusting the settings for optimal performance. ALLM can also work in reverse, adjusting settings for high quality picture when cinema content is detected.
VRR (Variable Refresh Rate)
Designed to improve your gaming performance, VRR can eliminate screen tearing or picture stuttering – caused by the input being different to the frame rate of the monitor – by adjusting the screen’s frame rate to match that of the content you’re viewing. Measured in hertz, the number is how many times per second the screen refreshes.
FreeSync
A real advancement in bringing top gaming performance to everybody, AMD FreeSync technology puts an end to choppy gameplay and broken frames with fluid, artefact-free performance at virtually any frame rate.
There are three levels, all featuring tear-free vision with low latency. AMD FreeSync Premium adds support for low frame rate compensation and a refresh rate of at least 120Hz at minimum FHD resolution, while AMD FreeSync Premium Pro also adds low latency in both SDR and HDR.
HDMI 2.1
Until recently, the version of the HDMI inputs on your TV had been all about keeping up with new video tech. HDMI 1.4 added support for 3D and 4K, for example, while HDMI 2.0 opened the way for HDR video. With HDMI 2.1, the main benefits go straight to gamers, with support for 120fps in both 4K and 8K, plus ALLM and VRR compatibility.
eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel)
An advancement of standard ARC technology, this bandwidth-bolstered feature allows full quality, uncompressed audio in formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X to transmit through the same HDMI cable as the video.
Samsung keeps you in the game
The tech wizards at Samsung have even more to offer gamers in their range of 2024 TVs, which all feature the Samsung Gaming Hub.
Call it up onscreen and you have direct access to hot titles from Xbox GamePass, as well as an assortment of other streaming apps, all in one place. Yes, as long as you have a solid internet connection, and the relevant subscriptions, you can stream games directly to your Samsung TV!
What does this mean? Well, the big plus is that you don’t actually need a console, just BYO PlayStation or Xbox controller. Add an Xbox GamePass and you’ve access to hundreds of top games, including day one releases of Xbox Studios games.
Hot Hisense highlights
The latest Hisense ULED TVs for 2024 have all sorts of advantages to offer gamers.
Hisense’s own Game Mode PRO, on the U7 Series and above, allows you to just plug in a latest generation console, such as PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, and have all the essential settings ready to go. Why faff about when you can be playing?!
This means top-line HDMI 2.1 features including AMD FreeSync Premium, Dolby Vision, VRR up to 144Hz native, ALLM, and dynamic tone, are all engaged when they should be.
There’s also a new pop-up Game Bar when a connected gaming console or PC is in use, allowing players to quickly see which features are active. It even lets you track the current rate of frames per second, as well as input lag status.
LG OLED TVs bring the gaming goodness
If you’re looking for all the latest game-supporting features in one package, then a 2024 LG OLED just may be the ticket.
They feature all the latest technology that comes with HDMI 2.1 – eARC, ALLM, VRR (up to 144Hz) – coupled with a zippy 1ms response time to make lag essentially non-existent.
All LG OLEDs also feature both Game Optimiser and Game Dashboard, giving gamers a central location to tweak relevant settings. Plus, there’s a new Dark Room Mode that adjusts screen brightness accordingly when the lights are off.
If all of that isn’t enough, LG OLEDs are the first TVs to support NVIDIA GeForce NOW, a streaming service that enables gamers to get into 100-plus free-to-play games – including hits like Fortnite, Rocket League, and Genshin Impact – with no console or PC hardware, just a BYO compatible controller. Or you can sign into your Steam or other account and stream compatible games from your library directly.
Flex out
The LG 42” OLED EVO Flex Gaming TV is the solution to the classic conundrum of whether you should get a dedicated monitor, or a TV with a game mode. It does it all!
The “Flex” comes from its ability to have its screen set flat, or in any of 20 states of curvature, all at the push of a button on the included Magic Remote. So, if you’re gaming up close, you can get that wraparound effect. Further back and prefer things flatter for watching a movie? Then the Flex can transform, in seconds.
Chief amongst the Flex’s gaming credentials is a blistering 1ms response time, with other niceties including VRR up to 120Hz, and support for both NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium for tear and stutter-free gaming.
Call up LG’s Game Optimiser menu and you can store your favourite settings for instant recall, or you can tweak away on the Gaming Dashboard. If you’re a PC gamer, you can connect your unit to the Flex via USB, and then peripherals such as mouse and keyboard can be used via the handy Switching Hub feature. Plus, LG has added some fun to the Flex, with four inbuilt RGB lighting strips.
Audio is a critical component of gaming, and the Flex pumps out 40W of virtual 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos sound.
The 42-inch screen delivers 4K, and it’s the biggest you can go without becoming overpowered when sitting up close, while remaining large enough to sit back from and still feel immersed. Plus it’s an OLED, so you’re getting the top tier of TV picture quality, with added anti-glare technology.
When it’s time to kick back and watch a movie, or catch the latest episode of a favourite series, you can be confident that you’re also getting the best TV functionalities. LG’s WebOS platform includes all the popular streaming apps, as well as, of course, terrestrial TV – just add an aerial!
For many years, LG has been leaders in crafting TVs that suit gamer needs brilliantly, and they’ve really upped the versatility factor with the LG OLED Flex.
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