5 Best Cheap TVs for Gaming

The best gaming TVs can cost thousands of dollars, but you don't have to spend a fortune to get a great gaming experience. These affordable options include advanced features like mini-LED backlighting, HDMI 2.1 ports for next-gen consoles, and smooth 120Hz refresh rates to keep you focused on the action.

LG QNED80 URA Series

The LG QNED80 2023 has an impressive picture. Its sleek design is perfectly matched by a brilliant Quantum Dot panel that bursts with vivid, accurate colors. Its content upscaling is flawless, ensuring even older games and low-resolution movies are rendered in crisp 4K quality . It can also brighten up dark scenes without dimming them, delivering vibrant, stunning picture quality.

On the gaming front, the QNED80 boasts smooth 4K 120Hz performance with VRR across two HDMI ports, making it the perfect choice for next-gen console gaming. Motion handling is excellent, keeping every detail sharp even in the most intense action scenes. While the lack of proper local dimming can result in a slight halo effect in some scenes, it's a small compromise for such an impressive feature set.

TCL Q6

While there are cheaper options, the TCL Q6 stands out for its vibrant, low-latency experience that lets you dominate fast-paced battles. Don't let the HDMI 2.0 ports fool you; high-refresh gaming is still vibrant and great here, hitting a smooth 120Hz with VRR at 1080p or 1440p.

The QLED panel delivers stunning picture quality with vibrant colors and striking highlights. However, the lack of local dimming means that some blacks can look a little grey in dark scenes, and there can be occasional blurring in HDR. Still, the overall picture quality is great, and Dolby Vision adds a little cinematic magic to your games and movies.

Sony BRAVIA TV X85K

The Sony BRAVIA TV X85K is a rare gem among budget gaming TVs. Not only does it let you stream fast-paced games in smooth 4K 120Hz on PS5, it also delivers a detailed and vivid viewing experience thanks to exclusive features like Auto HDR Tone Mapping.

The X85K isn’t all about speed. Despite lacking a mini-LED backlight, Sony has expertly tuned this TV to outperform other midrange offerings. The higher native contrast ratio and brighter panel make HDR content look more realistic and deep. Combine that with vibrant colors and Dolby Vision, and you have a TV that’s capable of watching movies, sports, and anything else you can dream up.

LG C3

It may seem expensive at first glance, but the LG C3 is actually a relatively budget-friendly hidden gem among OLED TVs . While similar options like the Samsung S90C are positioned at the high end, the C3 delivers the hallmark strengths of OLED – incredible contrast, deep blacks, vibrant colours and a host of smart features – all at a very competitive price.

Compared to budget TVs, the C3 delivers smoother gameplay and superior motion clarity thanks to near-instantaneous response times and low input lag. All four HDMI ports support 4K gaming at 120Hz, perfect for next-gen consoles and high-end PCs. And its flexible size, including a compact 42-inch option, makes it ideal for a variety of gaming setups.

Hisense U7K

Hisense offers a compelling package with the U7K, proving you don’t need cutting-edge tech like Dolby Vision and mini-LEDs. Boasting proper local dimming support and a blazing 1,000 nits of brightness, this mid-range TV shines, especially with HDR content. Whether you’re watching a movie in a dark or bright room, it delivers the IMAX experience right into the comfort of your home.

The surprises don't stop there: the U7K boasts a native refresh rate of 144Hz, which beats the 120Hz standard of most gaming TVs, making it perfect for PC gamers who want every competitive advantage. It also boasts low input lag and smooth VRR across all refresh rates. While FreeSync may not work with HDR on a PC with an AMD GPU, G-Sync and other VRR formats work flawlessly.