Should I get an OLED TV or gaming monitor for my PS5?

Hey there! If you‘re trying to pick between an OLED TV or a high refresh rate gaming monitor to pair with your PS5, I‘ve compared the pros and cons of each to help you decide. As an electronics expert and avid gamer myself, let me share my insight on the key factors so you can choose the best display for your needs.

OLED TV Benefits

First let‘s look at why OLED TVs are so appealing for PS5 gaming:

Incredible Image Quality

With individually lit pixels, OLED TVs can produce truly perfect blacks and an effectively infinite contrast ratio. This makes dark scenes really pop when combined with HDR. According to DisplayNinja testing, OLED TVs can achieve a contrast ratio of up to 1,000,000:1, compared to a typical VA gaming monitor‘s 3000:1. This creates a much more dynamic image.

Lightning Fast Response Times

OLED panels have extremely fast response times of around 0.1 ms from gray-to-gray. This minimizes motion blur and input lag, allowing fast-paced gaming to feel highly responsive. LG‘s latest OLED TVs even advertise 1ms response times to compete with gaming monitors.

Smooth 4K 120Hz Gaming

Many new OLED TVs have HDMI 2.1 inputs supporting 4K resolution at up to 120 frames per second. This allows you to take full advantage of the PS5‘s graphical capabilities for silky smooth gameplay.

Cinematic Screen Sizes

With display sizes ranging from 55" up to 83", OLED TVs provide a much more immersive, cinematic experience compared to smaller desktop monitors. Being closer to a 77" screen fills more of your field of view for greater engagement.

Gaming-Focused Features

Modern OLED TVs include gaming-centric functionality like variable refresh rate (VRR), auto low latency mode (ALLM), and HGiG HDR tone mapping. LG‘s latest models even have a dedicated Game Optimizer menu to toggle these settings.

Downsides of OLED TVs

However, there are some disadvantages to consider as well:

• Higher costs – You can get an equivalent gaming monitor for less than a comparable OLED TV. For example, a 48" LG C1 OLED will cost around $1100, vs. a 27" 1440p/165Hz monitor for under $400.

• Risk of burn-in – Static HUD elements and overlays can burn into OLED displays with very extended use. But most gamers shouldn‘t have issues thanks to built-in safety features.

• Not as fast as 360Hz monitors – While very responsive, OLED TVs top out at 120Hz vs. monitors that go up to 360Hz for hyper-competitive esports gaming.

Gaming Monitor Advantages

On the other hand, dedicated gaming monitors have their own benefits:

Blazing Fast Refresh Rates

It‘s common to find gaming monitors with refresh rates of 165Hz, 240Hz or even 360Hz. This delivers extremely smooth motion clarity that can provide a competitive edge in fast-paced multiplayer titles.

Minimal Input Lag

Gaming monitors strive for the fastest response times possible, often reaching down to 1ms gray-to-gray. Combined with high refresh rates, this results in very little input lag between your controller and on-screen actions.

Adaptive Sync Support

G-Sync and FreeSync support eliminates stuttering and screen tearing while gaming. The PS5 supports AMD‘s FreeSync standard over HDMI.

More Engaging Screen Size

While smaller than massive TV screens, gaming monitors are designed to sit 1-2 feet away on a desk. This provides a more engaged experience relative to the screen size.

Greater Affordability

You can find high performance gaming monitors like the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ with 1440p resolution, 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time for under $400. That‘s hundreds less than an equivalent OLED TV.

Downsides of Gaming Monitors

However, monitors have some disadvantages as well:

• Limited to 16:9 aspect ratio – Most monitors don‘t offer the wide 21:9 cinematic experience provided by many OLED TVs.

• Can‘t match OLED image quality – Even the best LED gaming monitors can‘t produce blacks as deep or contrast ratios as high as OLED.

• Not as immersive – Desktop monitor screen sizes max out around 28", which isn‘t as expansive as a wall-mounted 77" OLED TV.

Key Factors to Consider

So which is better for PS5 gaming? Here are some key factors to help choose between an OLED TV vs. gaming monitor:

• Competitive multiplayer focus – Blazing fast 360Hz monitors give you every possible advantage in reaction time for hyper-competitive esports titles.

• Singleplayer visuals – For immersive, cinematic singleplayer experiences, a 4K 120Hz OLED TV lets you take full advantage of PS5‘s graphics fidelity.

• Refresh rate support – Ensure any display has HDMI 2.1 to enable 4K 120Hz on the PS5, along with VRR and ALLM.

• Screen size needs – Those wanting a more expansive, engaging view should aim for a 65"+ OLED TV. Monitor sizes top out around 28-32".

• Usage environment – Gaming monitors work well in brightly-lit rooms where glare and reflections could be an issue on glossy OLED TVs.

• Audio – OLED TVs provide much better, louder integrated sound than most monitors. But many gamers use headsets instead.

The Bottom Line

After comparing all the factors, here‘s my expert take:

For most PS5 gamers, I‘d likely recommend going with a 55-65" 4K/120Hz OLED TV to get the best overall visuals and immersion. But competitive esports players will benefit most from the lightning quick reflexes of a 360Hz gaming monitor.

Ultimately, it depends on your priorities and usage – ultra-smooth competitive gaming favors high refresh monitors, while story-driven games are best shown off on big screen OLED TVs. Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to help a fellow gamer pick the perfect display.