As all avid gamers will know, when it comes to playing to win, only the best TV will do. That's why we've picked out the latest and best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X. These eye-popping windows into your gaming world are designed and engineered with console gamers in mind. Without the right TV, some of the features you've been expecting from a next-gen piece of kit like the Xbox Series X could be lost.
So, what are the tech specs that you should be looking for? Well, for starters, there's the need for ultra-low latency, high and variable refresh rates, and that deep HDR colour palette. Then there's the 4K television panel type itself, with OLED, QLED and QD-OLED competing over contrast levels and colour representation. Naturally, you're going to want absolute cutting-edge V-sync technology too, for less screen-tearing and judder-free gameplay.
Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X in 2023 at a glance:
• Best overall 4K gaming TV: LG C2 55-inch 4K Smart OLED TV - View offer at Amazon
• Best budget 4K gaming TV: Hisense 55A6EGTUK (55 Inch) 4K UHD Smart TV - View offer at Amazon
• Best big screen 4K gaming TV: Samsung 75 Inch QN95B Neo QLED 4K Smart TV (2022) - View offer at Amazon
• Best high-end 4K gaming TV: Sony Bravia XR-85X95K - View offer at Marks Electrical
Previously, most of your Xbox One gaming has probably been at 60fps - or lower if you go back far enough. With 4K screens now becoming the norm, the Xbox Series X increasingly offers some terrific games at a super-high 120fps. Fans of games like Halo Infinite, Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone will be enthralled by smooth motion and clarity - as long as they've chosen the right 4K TV for their gaming sessions.
Perhaps your console allegiance lies with Sony, in that case, we've picked out yet another great selection of 4K TVs perfect for the PS5. But for those in the Microsoft camp, here's our pick of the best 4K TVs for the Xbox Series X. You're about to enter a whole new world of gaming excellence.
Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X in 2023
Best overall 4K gaming TV
LG has packed gamer-friendly features into this C2 OLED TV. Top of the gaming feature list is the 120hz variable refresh rate and support for both AMD and NVIDIA sync technologies. HDMI 2.1 ports support a response time of 1 ms, so you can expect low input lag.
As for sound, you also get Dolby Atmos for the best, most immersive sound from the 40W speakers. There's the usual real-time AI picture-enhancing tech too. And now on to LG's Game Optimiser, with extra settings to push your gaming experience to new technical heights. For us, this comes very close to being a perfect gaming TV in future-proofing terms.
Pros
- One of the fastest displays ever made
- Fantastic picture quality
- Total console support with G-Sync and FreeSync tech
Cons
- The sound would benefit from a soundbar for those who want more bass
- OLED screen not as bright as QLED rivals
Best budget 4K gaming TV
Being on a budget naturally means making some sacrifices here and there. But when it comes to gaming, the last thing you want to leave behind is visual clarity. So, to hit this incredibly low price point, the A6EG uses a standard 60Hz LED panel. But behind that screen lies some serious technical credentials.
Hisense has thrown in the king of HDR colour palette performance: Dolby Vision. Exellent sound comes courtesy of DTS Virtual X. And, of course, you have a dedicated Game Mode that reduces input lag. There's Smooth Motion too, for making fast-action look slick. Other than not having the 120Hz variable refresh rate preferred by some gamers, this Hisense is the best TV for large-screen gaming on a budget.
Pros
- Fantastic value
- Very thin bezels for a budget TV model
- Solid colours
- Excellent HDR
Cons
- Weak speakers
- Can't compete with higher-end (more expensive) televisions
Best big screen 4K gaming TV
Samsung's Neo QLEDs take the lead over comparable OLEDs and standard QLEDs in terms of brightness. The 120hz variable refresh rate is there for silky smooth gameplay, but even better than that is the inclusion of AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, so wave goodbye to screen tearing and stutter. Resolution is bolstered by this TV's Neo Quantum Processor 4K. Analysing every scene o the fly, the AI-powered image enhancement will push your visual gaming experience even higher.
Sound-wise, the QN90B will really blast out those in-game sound effects and cinematic music. But if that's not enough power, the addition of Samsung's Q-Symphony will pair your eight internal multi-directional TV speakers with your soundbar too. Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital will elevate the soundstage of your first-person shooter to envelop the room for total immersion. You even get Alexa voice control built-in.
Pros
- Excellent 120Hz variable refresh rate
- Gamer-friendly features and modes
- Stunning Dolby Atmos surround sound and Q-Symphony speaker feature
- HDR and picture processing is breathtaking
Cons
- A problem for some, a feature for most - this can be extremely bright in darker rooms
- No Dolby Vision
Best mid-budget 4K gaming TV
One of the panel types we haven't touched on in this list is Full Array LED. We think these screens are a good choice for gamers because they're slightly more affordable but still give you the rich gaming features you'll need. You're not going to get the absolute bloom-free blacks of an OLED TV, but the backlighting of this Sony is tightly zoned, so it will come close. The 120hz variable refresh rate and super-low input lag are there to give you the edge. Then there's XR Motion Clarity for even smoother fast-motion - essential for both gaming and sports fans. Sound is cutting edge too, with the excellent Acoustic Multi-Audio feature to ensure that in-game sounds seem to come from the right spot on the screen.
Sony has included its 'Perfect for PlayStation 5' feature set it builds into its newer TVs. Now, we know what you're thinking; 'a Sony TV for an Xbox?' Well, no matter which camp you're in, this TV absolutely worthy of your consideration - it's a perfect TV for any console gamer. Sony's packed it with tonnes of gaming tech, perfect for both your Xbox and PS5.
Pros
- Excellent HDR quality
- Good choice for bright environments
- Variable refresh rate
Cons
- Not the same contrast or bloom-free black levels as OLED
- Some may prefer to add a soundbar for more volume
Best QD-OLED 4K gaming TV
Samsung's utterly astounding S95B is a real breakthrough in TV tech. The choice between QLED and OLED has always been tough. Do you go for colour over contrast? Speed over brightness? Both QLED and OLED have their advantages and disadvantages, but now we don't even have to choose.
Samsung's S95B is a combination of both Quantum Dot and OLED technology, so we truly get the best of both worlds. Gone is the backlight, and gone is the dim-looking OLED screen. Instead, the S95B has an incredible 120 Hz refresh rate, up to 2,000 nits of brightness, thanks to the excellent QLED TV quality and those pure OLED dark tones that never fail to look amazing.
Pros
- Incredible ground-breaking screen technology
- Excellent 60w sound
- 120Hz variable refresh rate
Cons
- Tizen OS is fast, but UI isn't to everyone's taste
Best high-end 4K gaming TV
markselectrical.co.uk
Another Sony and another panel type to compete with OLED and QLED - Mini LED. In much the same way as Full Array LED screens do, this technology uses miniature LEDs to provide a similar pixel-by-pixel control and accurate, bright colours. The brilliant 120hz variable refresh rate is joined by Nvidia's G-Sync tech for reducing screen-tearing. If you're an Xbox player, you'll still love gaming on this TV. With super-low input lag and fast response times, you'll be beating the competition. If you like Sony but not the 85-inch price tag, there's more in our run-down of the best Sony TVs.
But, back to this 85" wonder. Sony is well known for top-of-the-line tech wizardry, and here we have Cognitive Processor XR for enhanced picture detail, plus TRILUMINOS Pro and XR Motion Clarity for more colour and less motion blur. XR 4K Upscaling, voice control and six in-built speakers with Dolby Atmos round off this stunning package.
Pros
- Gorgeous screen for brightness and rich HDR colours
- Perfect variable refresh rate
- Dolby Vision
- Dolby Atmos
- Nvidia G-sync
Cons
- No HDR10+
- Dolby Vision only supported up to 4k / 60Hz on Xbox Series X
- Some light bleed on blacks and mid-tones due to Mini LED backlighting
Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X in 2023: Buyer's guide
OLED versus QLED and other panel types
Whether it's the stunning vibrancy of QLED or the terrific contrast of OLED, it can be daunting to choose between the two hotly contested TV technologies. Now, Samsung has lived up to its reputation for innovation with the addition of a hybrid between the two: QD-OLED. So what's better for gaming?
OLED
OLED technology has ultra-low latency. This is the response time between when you press a button on your controller and the game reacting to it. The lack of backlight in OLED TVs means that response times are often 1-2 milliseconds. A 120Hz panel would also provide that crisp, pin-point accuracy that you've been looking for. OLEDs work by generating their own source of light, which also means they can be controlled (or turned off) pixel by pixel for perfect blacks and excellent detail.
QLED
QLED used to be an inferior option regarding response times, but now that's a thing of the past. There are plenty of 120Hz panels and ultra-high-speed response times to choose from. When you pair this with QLED's vastly superior vibrant colour range and high brightness levels, QLED is our pick for the best 4K TV panels for gaming. The only real downside of the way QLED panels work is the fact that they don't generate their own light. This means that they're dependent on the backlight. Backlit panels typically suffer from blooming or light-bleed from light areas into dark parts of the image. But, with excellent local dimming zones built into the best models, this is much less of an issue now.
QD-OLED
QD-OLED is the new kid on the block. Samsung has paired the fine control of OLEDs with the brightness and extended colour accuracy of QLED for what is probably the most exciting TV tech innovation of recent years. The only thing that stops us from widely recommending it is that they're currently only offered by a handful of manufacturers.
Mini-LED
Mini-LED panels also deliver a very high-resolution alternative to OLED. As you'd expect, with more densely-packed LEDs also comes the ability to finely control brightness and contrast. Local dimming zones drive deeper and truer blacks. The overall brightness a Mini LED panel can throw out is a little better than OLED. This makes for more accurate HDR performance. But, Mini LEDs don't have the near-infinite level of contrast that OLEDs have when turned off.
Choose the best refresh rate
Refresh rate refers to how many times per second your display can display a new image, measured in Hertz (Hz). The faster the refresh rate, the smoother the gameplay experience, giving you a slight performance edge when it comes to those intense 1v1 duels where every frame counts.
Consider specialist gaming features
4K TVs like the ones on our list come packed with features aimed squarely at gamers. Not only can you find special Game Modes for automatic picture optimisation settings and super-low latency, there are often entire menus to help you navigate your gaming settings and access related content via smart functions. By researching your shortlist of TVs and comparing these features, you'll find the right one for you.
Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X: Frequently asked questions
What Xbox Series X games support 120fps?
120fps gameplay isn't supported across the board. Only a select number of games can run at such a high framerate, and only a fraction of those games can simultaneously run at 4K. Here are our favourites;
Halo Infinite - supported at 1440p and 1080p
Doom Eternal - supported at 1800p / 1080p
Psychonauts 2 - supported at 1440p and 1080p
Sea of Thieves - supported up to 1080p
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - supported up to 1200p
Fortnite - supported up to 1440p
Destiny 2- supported up to 4K
What HDMI cables do I need for 120fps?
You'll need HDMI 2.1 cables to support 120fps, as well as any 4K gameplay you plan on doing. Despite cables being backwards-compatible, if your TV HDMI port only supports a lower version, it won't matter how good your cable is; you'll only be able to watch what your TV will support. HDMI 2.1 supports a higher range of video resolutions and refresh rates, plus dynamic HDR. So, if in doubt, always go for HDMI 2.1 cables or higher, such as the KabelDirekt HDMI 2.1 cable below. If you want more to choose from, check out our picks of the best HDMI cables of 2023.
Best value HDMI 2.1 cables
One of the best deals on reliably built HDMI cables to be found, this three-metre one from German brand KabelDirekt is the perfect length to suit most gaming setups.
Pros
- HDMI 2.1 support
- Good practical length
Cons
- None that we can find
What is Xbox Game Pass?
Game Pass is a fantastic way to play all of your favourite new and old Xbox games, going all the way back to the original Xbox, all on one system. As soon as you join, you get access to a ridiculously huge library of content, games like Forza Horizon 5, Gears 5, Halo Infinite, Sea of Thieves, Subnautica, the list is endless. If you're not a console gamer, you can still get the Game Pass for just £1 on the first month. What a steal.
What's the difference between full-HD and 4K?
Full HD is a 1080p screen (usually 1920 x 1080p) that is fairly sharp and is perfect for solid gaming on a budget, but 4K is an entirely different beast. At 4x the resolution of full-HD, 4K is sharp and beautiful to behold. With the addition of HDR (High Dynamic Range) on top, 4K TVs are capable of producing over a billion different colour shades, over the 16 million of standard HD.
Xbox Series X versus PS5 - what's the best?
A hotly debated issue, each console has its ups and downs. We've thoroughly examined the various pros and cons in our article Xbox Series X vs PS5 to help you choose. Choosing one of the best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X doesn't mean it won't work with other consoles, so don't feel constrained by any of the options we've listed here. Xbox, PS5, Nintendo Switch - you name it. If it's a gaming device with a HDMI port, it's all good.
Is an Xbox better than a PC for gaming?
This is another flashpoint for gamers on either side of this divide. As you might expect, it's down to you and the kind of gamer you are. There was a time when most gaming consoles could not support peripherals like gaming keyboards or a mouse, and that would be enough to steer gamers in one direction or another when choosing a system. But now that's no longer the case, so the decision really comes down to a handful of factors.
Firstly, some games are only available on consoles and vice versa, so check first to see the gaming catalogues for either system. Second, if you're the techie type and are used to the flexibility and upgradability that being a PC owner gives you, you might not appreciate being locked into the build and specs of an off-the-shelf console. If you're more the plug-and-play type but still want amazing 4K visuals and modern features like HDR, an Xbox Series X is absolutely the way to go.
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Chris Duffill is a Tech Product Writer for What's The Best. He specialises in audiovisual, computing, and gadgets. He also writes for Yours.