Are OLED TVs good for PC gaming?
OLED TVs have emerged in recent years as compelling options for PC gaming due to their exceptional picture quality and gaming-friendly features. Compared to traditional LCD displays, OLED TVs have significant advantages that can provide a better overall gaming experience when used as PC gaming monitors.
Extremely Fast Response Times
One of the most important aspects of a display for gaming is response time – the time it takes for pixels to change from one color to another. OLED TVs have response times of around 0.1 ms which is near instantaneous. This results in little to no motion blur in fast moving visuals in games. Such quick response times allow OLED TVs to fully take advantage of high frame rates from gaming PCs. Smooth and sharp motion clarity gives a competitive edge in fast-paced multiplayer titles.
Perfect Blacks and Infinite Contrast
OLED pixels can be turned fully off to produce perfect black levels. This enables an infinite contrast ratio compared to LCD displays which look greyish in dark scenes due to backlight bleed. The deeper blacks and higher contrast make games look more cinematic with added pop and depth to visuals. It also helps reveal detail in dark areas avoiding washed out shadows or crushed blacks. First-person shooters and horror games truly shine on OLED displays thanks to their high contrast.
High Refresh Rates
The latest 4K OLED TVs from LG, Sony and others support refresh rates of up to 120Hz at the full 4K resolution. This allows them to display frame rates up to 120 fps fully leveraging the power of high-end gaming PCs and new consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Games look incredibly smooth and responsive at higher fps. A 120Hz OLED TV paired with a top gaming PC is a sublime gaming experience.
Accurate and Wide Color Gamuts
OLED panels can reproduce color with high accuracy covering nearly 100% of the DCI-P3 color space. Vibrant and accurate colors allow games to be viewed as intended by their creators. The wider color gamut also helps make games more lifelike and immersive. HDR content can also take full advantage of the excellent contrast and color of OLED TVs.
Gaming Features
Modern OLED TVs include gaming-centric features to reduce latency and enhance performance. Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) automatically switches to low latency settings when gaming. Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) matches the TV‘s refresh rate dynamically to the game‘s frame rate eliminating stuttering and screen tearing. Newer HDMI 2.1 ports offer high bandwidth for 4K 120Hz support.
Burn-in Concerns
OLED burn-in from static screen elements has been a concern for potential gaming usage. However, according to extensive long-term burn-in testing done by RTings, permanent burn-in is unlikely with varied content consumption. The test OLED TV used for up to 18 hours per day displayed temporary image retention but no permanent burn-in after over 9,000 hours cumulative usage.
Eye Comfort
OLED TVs emit much less blue light than LCDs which can cause eye strain and sleep disruption. The per-pixel light control avoids using a backlight allowing OLED TVs to have safer light emission. This makes OLED TVs comfortable to use for extended gaming sessions.
Big Screen Immersion
Large screen sizes of OLED TVs allow for engrossing gaming experiences, especially when used as a PC monitor at a desk. Sitting up-close to a large OLED display provides an engaging sense of immersion not possible with smaller monitors. 55 to 65 inch screens balance cost and big-screen impact for many gamers.
Value Proposition
For their price, OLED TVs provide significantly larger screen sizes compared to equivalent gaming monitors using the same OLED panel technology. Because TV manufacturing has economies of scale, OLED TVs can offer more screen real estate for less than smaller gaming OLED monitors. A 48-inch OLED TV can cost half as much as a 27-inch 4K 144Hz OLED gaming monitor.
In summary, OLED TVs are highly compelling options for PC gaming. Their fast response times, perfect blacks, wide colors, smooth refresh rates and large screen sizes create engrossing gaming experiences. While concerns around burn-in exist, it is unlikely to be a problem with normal varied usage. For gamers who want the best possible visuals and performance, OLED TVs are hard to beat.Hi there! As an avid gamer and home entertainment technology geek, I often get asked if OLED TVs are good options for PC gaming. After extensively testing and researching the latest OLED TVs, I can confidently say that they are excellent choices for gaming thanks to their stunning visual performance and gaming-friendly features. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll break down all the key advantages of using an OLED TV as a PC gaming display so you can decide if an OLED TV is right for your setup.
OLED TVs have virtually instantaneous response times for crystal clear motion
One of the most crucial aspects of a gaming display is response time – the speed at which pixels can change color. Slow response times lead to unsightly visual artifacts like motion blur, ghosting, and smearing, which can ruin gaming immersion. OLED TVs shine here with average response times of just 0.1 ms according to detailed lab testing by display experts like Rtings. That’s up to 20 times faster than many LCD displays which average 2-5 ms. This near-instant pixel response completely eliminates motion blur in fast-paced games, giving OLED TVs crystal clear motion clarity.
To illustrate the difference, popular gaming monitors like the Asus PG279QZ achieve an impressive 1 ms response time. But even that is 10 times slower than OLED TVs like the LG C2 which registers an astonishing 0.1 ms – the current fastest display technology available. This allows OLED TVs to fully take advantage of high frame rates from PCs and next-gen consoles for buttery smooth gameplay. According to Rtings, OLEDs “are excellent for nearly any type of gaming thanks to their incredibly fast response time speed."
Infinite contrast and perfect blacks for added depth and immersion
OLED pixels have the unique ability to turn completely off to create perfect black levels. This gives OLED TVs essentially infinite contrast since their blacks are limited only by how bright their pixels can get. Even the best LCD displays look greyish in dark scenes due to light bleed from their ever-present backlight. OLED’s perfect blacks make shadows truly black without losing detail. This added depth and contrast makes games feel more cinematic and immersive according to DisplayNinja. Scenes with mixed bright and dark elements showcase the strengths of OLED TVs thanks to their pixel-level light control.
OLED contrast is also unaffected by viewing angle. LCD monitors lose contrast when viewed from the side which can break gaming immersion. OLED TVs maintain their incredible contrast from any angle. So dark horror games or competitive shooters with dark areas will look much better on an OLED TV, helping you get more engrossed and play better.
HDR looks stunning with wide colors and exceptional contrast
OLED TVs support HDR with both Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats. Their perfect blacks, bright highlights and wide color gamuts allow them to take full advantage of HDR content. PCs with HDR-capable graphics can game in HDR for added realism. OLED TVs cover nearly 100% of the DCI-P3 color space used in cinema. Their per-pixel control means colors stay vibrant and accurate even in bright scenes. This exceedingly wide color gamut combined with high contrast gives HDR gaming on OLED TVs incredible realism that immerses you deeper into virtual worlds.
High 120Hz refresh rates for super smooth gaming
The latest generation of 4K OLED TVs support high 120Hz refresh rates at 4K resolution. This allows them to display up to 120 frames per second fully leveraging the power of high-end gaming PCs and new consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X without any frame loss. Games look extremely fluid and responsive at 120 fps with crystal clear motion.
Using the LG C2 OLED as an example, it has an impressive input lag of just 5ms when using the 120Hz @ 4K setting according to Rtings. This level of responsiveness combined with the clarity of 120 fps makes for an incredible gaming experience whether you’re into competitive multiplayer or story-driven single player games. Using a large, high refresh rate OLED TV as a PC monitor is gaming bliss.
G-Sync and FreeSync support for smooth variable refresh rates
Smooth gameplay requires syncing the game’s frame rate with the display’s refresh rate. Without syncing, visual artifacts like stuttering and tearing occur. OLED TVs support variable refresh rate technologies like Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync. G-Sync and FreeSync dynamically match the TV’s refresh rate to the game’s frame rate in real-time. This eliminates stuttering and tearing, allowing the game’s FPS to fluctuate smoothly.
Gaming monitors have traditionally had better VRR support. But many new OLED TVs like the Sony A90K now support G-Sync and FreeSync with inputs up to 4K 120Hz for stutter-free high FPS gaming according to Tom’s Guide. VRR makes lower frame rates smoother too allowing PCs to maintain playability between 30 to 120 fps. OLED TVs now offer VRR implementation on par with monitors.
Gaming features optimized for performance
Modern OLED TVs come equipped with gaming-centric features to optimize responsiveness and reduce input lag. Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) automatically switches the TV into low latency game mode when you start playing. This minimizes input delay between your controls and on-screen actions. Variable refresh rate (VRR) matches the TV’s refresh rate to the game FPS as mentioned earlier.
Latest HDMI 2.1 ports on new OLED TVs allow up to 48Gbps bandwidth which can handle 4K 120Hz gaming without compression. Some TVs like the LG G2 include settings to adjust aspect ratios to avoid distortion and input delays when gaming according to CNET. While not as tweakable as monitors, OLED TV settings still allow optimizing for responsiveness and personal visual preferences when gaming.
Burn-in mitigation technologies make burn-in rare
OLED burn-in from static screen elements is often cited as a concern for gaming usage. However, according to extensive burn-in testing of over 9,000 hours cumulative usage by Rtings, permanent burn-in is unlikely with typical real-world usage. All OLED TVs employ preventative measures like pixel shifting and logo detection. The test TV displayed temporary image retention after displaying the same content for many hours, but this faded quickly. Rtings concluded “we don’t expect most people who watch varied content without static areas to experience burn-in issues with an OLED TV.”
LG’s current generation OLED TVs like the C2 use powerful onboard processors to constantly monitor for static areas and make imperceptible compensation adjustments to avoid uneven wear according to CNET. So while potential image retention from long static imagery is worth keeping in mind, real burn-in risk even after years of gaming is low on modern OLED TVs based on objective testing evidence.
OLED TVs emit less harmful blue light for eye comfort
Extensive gaming sessions can strain your eyes. OLED TVs emit far less blue light than LCD displays. Blue light at night from screens hampers sleep hormone production leading to disruption of circadian rhythms. OLED TVs avoid using a backlight allowing them to have safer light emission profiles. Research by display analysis site DisplayMate showed OLED TVs emit only 3-5% of the blue light that LCD TVs do. The comfortable, non-fatiguing viewing experience of OLED TVs is better for long gaming use according to Eyesafe. So your eyes feel more relaxed even after multiple hours of gaming.
| Display Type | Blue Light Emission |
|---|---|
| OLED TV | 3-5% of LCD levels |
| LCD Monitor/TV | 100% baseline |
Large screen immersion you can’t get from a monitor
Optimal screen size comes down to viewing distance. OLED TVs are available from 42 to over 80 inches! When used as a PC monitor at desk distance, a large OLED TV can provide engrossing immersion. Manygamers are moving to giant screens like the 48-83 inch LG C2 OLED according to PC Gamer. Sitting close to a massive, high quality OLED display gives you peripheral vision encompassing views for deeply engaging gaming. This level of immersion is simply not possible with standard monitors.
Ideal PC viewing distance is 1.5-2x the diagonal screen size. So for a 55 inch OLED TV, you’d want to sit about 2.5-3 ft away. This allows you to view the entire screen without excessive head movement while providing engrossing field of view coverage. Above 65 inches, ergonomics and pixel density get less optimal for desktop use according to Tom’s Hardware. For many gamers, 55 to 65 inches balances screen size and practicality. Couch gaming on even larger OLED TVs provides the ultimate screen filling experience.
You get far more screen for your money compared to gaming monitors
Gaming monitors using OLED panels are extremely expensive. Because TV manufacturing has economies of scale, OLED TVs can offer significantly larger screen sizes for less compared to small OLED monitors. Let’s break down some real-world examples:
| Display | Screen Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| LG 48" C2 OLED TV | 48 inches | 4K 120Hz | $1300 |
| Alienware 34" Curved OLED Monitor | 34 inches | 1440p 175Hz | $1300 |
| Asus 27" OLED Monitor | 27 inches | 4K 138Hz | $1500 |
The 48 inch LG C2 OLED TV provides over double the screen size compared to the 34 inch Alienware OLED monitor for the same price. And it has 75% more pixels driving those pixels at 4K resolution. The premium 27 inch Asus OLED monitor costs over $200 more while giving you less than half the screen size! So OLED TVs give you a lot more stunning OLED visuals for your money.
The future looks bright with new innovations on the horizon
OLED TV technology keeps improving each year. LG recently unveiled their new EX panel that can hit brightness levels up to 30% higher than their acclaimed 2022 model OLED TVs according to CNET. Higher peak brightness gives OLEDs even more HDR pop to stand up to bright living room lighting. Samsung is releasing their first QD-OLED TVs in 2022 which combine quantum dot and OLED tech for wider colors.
Higher refresh rates are also coming with rumors indicating LG is prepping 144Hz OLED TV panels for release in 2024-2024 according to Forbes. That would allow displaying up to 144fps for unprecedented gaming smoothness. New HDMI 2.1 graphics cards are finally rolling out which can fully power 4K 120Hz HDR gaming visuals. The already stunning gaming experience of OLED TVs is set to get even better.
The verdict? OLED TVs are outstanding for PC gaming
So in summary, OLED TVs have decisive advantages that make them excellent choices as PC gaming displays. Their near instant response times eliminate motion blur for clear motion. Infinite contrast ratios enabled by perfect blacks generate incredible depth and immersion. Wide colors and great HDR support make games look more realistic than ever.
Smooth, tear-free variable refresh rates, low input lag, and high 120Hz frame rates at 4K resolution provide incredibly responsive, fluid gaming. And you get the benefits of superior image quality in bigger screen sizes compared to gaming monitors. While some concerns around burn-in exist, it is unlikely to be a problem with typical mixed usage according to extensive testing.
The stunning visual performance, smooth gaming experience and engrossing sense of immersion offered by large, high quality OLED TVs is hard for any avid gamer to pass up. I hope this detailed guide gave you all the information you need to decide if an OLED TV is the right upgrade for your epic gaming setup. Let me know if you have any other questions!
