Is QLED good for gaming? This is one of the questions gamers ask these days. No one wants to buy a TV that impedes good gaming experience. Every gamer wants a TV with blistering performance.
In this article we look at QLED TVs in detail and answer other related questions you might have. We highlight key features: contrast, viewing angles, input lag, VRR (variable refresh rate) and other important performance indicators worth knowing about QLEDs.
Now, is QLED worth it for gaming? Is QLED or OLED better for gaming? Will a QLED TV work with new generation of gaming consoles? Find out.
What is QLED?
For the uninitiated, QLED stands for Quantum-dot Light Emitting Diode. A quantum dot display is a display that uses quantum dots, semiconductor nanocrystals which produce pure monochromatic red, green, and blue light.
The quantum dots QLED TVs posses enhance their colour and brightness. In fact, these dots are now adopted by the manufacturers of high quality dynamic range LED/LCD TVs. An Insight Media White Paper suggests that the term QLED refers to any LED/LCD TV that uses Quantum Dot technology.
Samsung, TCL, Vizio, and Hisense have very good QLED TVs.
QLED vs OLED
OLED is a shortened form of Organic Light-Emitting Diode. An OLED display has a carbon-based film which serves as a channel for conductors to pass current and emit light. The pixels contained in OLED TVs produce light and colour in a single element. That is, light is emitted on a pixel-by-pixel basis.
OLED TVs have better contrast and black levels than QLED TVs.
When it comes to brightness, QLED TVs reign supreme. This is because unlike OLED TVs where each pixel produces its own light, each pixel in QLED TVs uses separate backlights for light production. That said, some OLED TVs can get really bright.
As far as colour performance goes, both QLED and OLED TVs deliver images with excellent colour accuracy, and colour brightness.
Next is viewing angles. OLED TVs have better viewing angles than QLEDs. So with OLEDs, you get excellent pictures irrespective of your sitting position. No loss of uniformity or contrast when you’re not directly in front of the screen.
With QLED TVs, you have lots of sizes to choose from. At the time of writing, you can choose between 32-, 43-, 49-, 55-, 65-, 75-, 82-, 85- and 98-inch sizes. OLEDs come in 48-, 55-, 65-, 77-, 83- and 88-inch.
Now to important gaming features. We can confidently say that OLED and QLED TVs have excellent gaming features. You can find OLEDs and QLEDs with VRR (variable refresh rate), low input lag, and good response time. The LG CX OLED TV and Samsung Q90T QLED TV are good examples.
So, is QLED good for gaming?
Yes, QLED is good for gaming. That said, you should be concerned about features like refresh rates, input lag, response time, ports and other key gaming features instead of display type.
Be sure to go for a TV with future proof. You don’t want a TV that can’t support new gaming consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
A QLED TV like the Samsung Q90T, boasts 120Hz refresh rate, an impressive display, and excellent viewing angles. There’s the G-Sync and Freesync support. The Samsung QLED Q90T’s Real Game Enhancer+, extra motion clarity automatically reduces halo and blur in fast moving game scenes. Viewing angles are spot on, too. Elsewhere, one of the HDMI ports is HDMI 2.1. This supports eARC and variable refresh rate (VRR), auto low latency mode (ALLM) and up to 4K 120Hz signals.
Other QLED TVs with future proof and excellent performance chops geared towards enhancing your gaming experience include Samsung Q80T QLED, TCL 5 Series/S535 QLED 2020, and Vizio P75Qx-H1 Quantum X.
OLED TVs are not bad for gaming
Yes, you read that right. While QLEDs are perfect for gaming, OLED TVs (we are looking at you, LG CX OLED TV, LG C9, and C8) are also pretty good for playing video games without a hitch. Like QLEDs, good OLED TVs offer smooth and responsive gaming performance.
The LG CX OLED TV, for instance, has a thin panel which boasts an outstanding picture quality. Contrast is excellent, and colours are real. Brightness is pretty good.
Four ports on the LG CX OLED TV support HDMI 2.1. Like the HDMIs on the Samsung Q90T TV, and the LG NANO85 4K Smart TV, one of the HDMIs on the LG CX OLED is ARC/eARC compatible. The TV is well suited to gaming as the HDMI ports support 4K gaming at 120Hz.
Furthermore, the LG CX OLED TV has a very low input lag in ‘Game’ mode. Plus, it supports G-Sync and FreeSync variable refresh rate. Response time is super fast.
Best QLED TVs for gaming
Which QLED TV is best for gaming? Well, here are our favourite QLED TVs for gaming.
1. Samsung Q90T QLED 4K TV
Samsung Q90T QLED 4K TV Key Specifications
Screen Size: 55-inch
Smart TV: Yes
Resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Panel Type: QLED
Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
HDR Compatibility: Yes
Size: 48.3 x 27.8 x 1.4 inches
Weight: 44.3 pounds
Connections: 4 x HDMI Connections, HDMI 2.1 (eArc), 2 USB Connections, LAN Port, 802.11AC built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RS232 Control (Ex-Link), IP Control Support, Optical Audio Output Port
2. TCL 5 Series/S535 QLED 2020
TCL 5 Series/S535 QLED 2020 Key Specifications
Screen Size: 55-inch
Smart TV: Yes
Resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Panel Type: QLED
Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
HDR Compatibility: Yes
Size: 48.4 x 3.0 x 28.1 inches
Weight: 32.6 pounds
Connections: 4 x HDMI Connections eArc, 1 x USB 2.0 Connection, Composite Video + L&R Audio In, Audio Output, RF Input (NTSC, ATSC), Ethernet, SPDIF Digital Audio
3. Vizio P75QX-H1 Quantum X Smart TV
Vizio P75QX-H1 Quantum X Smart TV Key Specifications
Screen Size: 75-inch
Smart TV: Yes
Resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Panel Type: QLED
Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
HDR Compatibility: Yes
Size: 65.72 x 39.18 x 2.65 inches
Weight: 78.59 pounds
Connections: 4 x HDMI 2.1, eARC, Composite, RCA Audio Out, Optical Audio Out
4. Samsung Q80T QLED
Samsung Q80T QLED 4K TV Key Specifications
Screen Size: 65-inch
Smart TV: Yes
Resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Panel Type: QLED
Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
HDR Compatibility: Yes
Size: 56.9 x 32.7 x 2.1 inches
Weight: 53.1 pounds
Connections: 4 x HDMI Connections, HDMI 2.1, eArc, 2 USB Connections, LAN Port, 802.11AC built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RS232 Control (Ex-Link), IP Control Support, Optical Audio Output Port
5. Samsung Q70T
Samsung Q70T QLED 4K TV Key Specifications
Screen Size: 65-inch
Smart TV: Yes
Resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Panel Type: QLED
Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
HDR Compatibility: Yes
Size: 57.1 x 32.6 x 2.3 inches
Weight: 49.2 pounds
Connections: 4 x HDMI Connections, HDMI 2.1, eArc, 2 USB Connections, LAN Port, 802.11AC built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RS232 Control (Ex-Link), IP Control Support, Optical Audio Output Port
Final Thoughts
Now you know what QLED stands for (especially with regard to display technology), and its suitability for gaming. Overall, QLEDs are perfect for gaming. Many new QLEDs on the market boast excellent refresh rates, impressive display, low input lag, and good response time. If you’re looking to buy a new smart TV for gaming, QLED TVs are worth considering.
