When it comes to playing next-generation consoles in the best possible conditions, having a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X is just as important as having a Smart TV capable of making the most of the hardware of these two machines.
If you are thinking of renewing your Smart TV and you have video games as one of your hobbies, these are the essential requirements to really make a leap to the new generation and not stop halfway.
Resolution and hertz of your Smart TV for PS5 and XSX
Obviously, as it already happened with the intergenerational models of Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro, 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels) is already the new standard in gaming and the vast majority of games developed or enhanced for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 already work at said ultra-high resolution . That is why the first essential requirement of your gaming television should be that it have 4K. Luckily, the vast majority of Smart TVs sold today are like this. At the moment we do not recommend investing in an 8K television because there is little benefit at the video game level right now.
Another fact to take into account is to take a look at the refresh rate . Years ago the standards were 60 or 90 hertz (Hz), but now we should aim for a Smart TV of 120 Hz or higher. The reason is the directly proportional relationship between the number of hertz of a television and the number of frames per second that it can display. Going to 120fps will result in a smooth on-screen experience, with no latency or screen stuttering.
HDMI 2.1 is essential for your console
A Smart TV that is the perfect match for your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X should have at least one HDMI 2.1 input. This will mean that it will be prepared to support higher resolution, refresh rate and bandwidth for data transmission over the cable, keys in the transmission of the video signal generated by a new generation console.
HDMI 2.1 offers a high bandwidth, 48 Gbps , being able to transmit video in 4K quality at 120 frames per second without any problem. In addition, cables compatible with HDMI 2.1 are more resistant and offer barely perceptible EMI (electromagnetic interference), so fluidity will be one of its great exponents.
Both consoles are also potentially prepared to support 8K resolutions, although that still sounds like a pipe dream rather than a real possibility. More established is the possibility of running different games in 4K and 120 fps.
HDMI also allows you to enjoy variable refresh rates (VRR, we’ll talk about it later), as well as low latency, by integrating ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) that automatically adjusts latency for each situation and helps to eradicate input lag .
VRR, Variable Refresh Rate
As we said just before, VRR refers to variable refresh rates. A Smart TV compatible with this technology is capable of adapting the frame rate that is rendered in real time, achieving a very notable improvement in the quality and fluidity of the image by achieving better calibration. An example: if the console drops even in the signal it sends up to 45 fps, our Smart TV with VRR will also play 45 frames per second at that time. If a short time later the console goes up to 60 fps, the TV will automatically increase the refresh rate to 60 Hz to preserve the synchronization between both devices.
Both brands of new generation game consoles have chosen to integrate compatibility with VRR. Xbox Series X practically since birth and on PS5 since a firmware update in April 2022.
Many of the medium and high-end televisions proposed by LG, Samsung, Sony, Philips and Panasonic, among other brands, implement it by 2022. You have to be careful and check each model well, because the problem is that it is quite difficult to find models compatible with full HDMI 2.1 , mainly because some manufacturers announce such support when it is actually an improved HDMI 2.0.
