South Africans can buy 4K TVs that are great for gaming for prices as low as R6,998.
Across brands like Hisense, TCL, LG, and Samsung, the most affordable 4K gaming TVs are priced in the R7,000 to R10,000 range, while the most expensive TVs on our list approach R50,000.
When picking a TV that is particularly good for gaming, there are a few features that you must look for.
These start with FreeSync and a high refresh rate – preferably at least 120Hz.
While not all games support such a high refresh rate, many do, and in these cases it will give you a vastly superior gaming experience.
In combination with Freesync, a high refresh rate will give you a smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience.
Another reason to buy a high refresh rate TV is that most of them come with VRR.
VRR syncs your TV’s frame rate to the output of your console, resulting in smoother gameplay and maximising the power of your console.
Unlocking your console’s full capabilities and taking advantage of your TV’s high native refresh rate also requires the right connection to your TV.
For the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, HDMI 2.1 is required, which allows for gaming at 4K, 120Hz.
Most modern 4K TVs will include at least one HDMI 2.1 port – but it is better to check this before making a purchase you will regret.
Unique gaming technologies
The above are the raw features you can compare across most TVs to determine the quality of the gaming experience.
Beyond this, many 4K TVs now come with gaming-specific features that can enhance your sessions with improved visuals or audio.
Examples of this are “gaming mode” variants, which reduce input lag, optimise refresh rates, and enhance picture quality.
Certain brands also have in-house optimising software, such as TCL’s Game Master menu.
Game Master optimises your TV for gaming by reducing input lag, enabling ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), and activating up to 144Hz VRR.
It is difficult to compare these unqiue technologies between TVs, but having one of these additional optimising tools can only be a positive.
We outline our top picks, available on Takealot at the time of writing, below.
TCL 55-inch C655 4K QLED Google Smart TV – R6,998
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz Native panel (Up to 120Hz VRR via Dual Line Gate acceleration). |
| Connectivity | 3x HDMI inputs (HDMI 2.1 features supported, eARC on Port 1), 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth. |
| Screen optimisation | 120Hz Game Accelerator mode, AMD FreeSync Premium, AiPQ Pro Engine, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). |
Hisense 55-inch Q7Q 4K UHD QLED Gaming Smart TV – R6,999
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
| Connectivity | 4x HDMI inputs (HDMI 2.1 features supported via designated inputs), 2x USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0. |
| Screen optimisation | Game Mode Pro, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), AMD FreeSync Premium, and Smooth Motion frame-interpolation. |
TCL 55-inch P8K 4K QLED Google Smart TV – R7,999
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
| Connectivity | 4x HDMI inputs (including HDMI 2.1 eARC/ARC), 2x USB, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.4. |
| Screen optimisation | TCL Game Master menu, AMD FreeSync, VRR, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and AiPQ Processor optimisation. |
Hisense 55-inch U7Q 4K MiniLED Smart TV – R9,488
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
| Connectivity | 4x HDMI inputs (HDMI 2.1 compliant on Ports 3 and 4 supporting 4K, 144Hz), 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.0. |
| Screen optimisation | 144Hz Game Mode Pro, AMD FreeSync Premium, VRR, (Auto Low Latency Mode) ALLM, and Dolby Vision IQ automatic room-light mapping. |
Hisense 55-inch A8H 120Hz 4K Smart OLED TV – R17,153
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
| Connectivity | 4x HDMI ports (HDMI 2.1 support for 4K at 120Hz on specific inputs), 2x USB, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.0. |
| Screen optimisation | Dynamic Launch Pad Game Mode, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), VRR, and Pixel Dimming burn-in mitigation software. |
LG 65-inch C4 AI 4K OLED EVO Smart TV – R28,999
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz Native (for PC gaming) and 120Hz Native (for consoles). |
| Connectivity | 4x HDMI 2.1 (All ports support 4K at 144Hz/120Hz, eARC on Port 2), 3x USB, Wi-Fi 5, and Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Screen optimisation | LG Game Optimiser and Dashboard, NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium, VRR, and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). |
Samsung 98-inch DU9000 4K UHD Smart TV – R34,999
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
| Connectivity | 3x HDMI ports (includes HDMI 2.1 gaming feature support), 2x USB-A, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.2. |
| Screen optimisation | Motion Xcelerator 120Hz, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Game Bar UI, and VRR support. |
Samsung 65-inch QN90D 4K NEO QLED Smart TV – R40,009
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
| Connectivity | 4x HDMI 2.1 (All ports support 4K at144Hz, eARC supported), 2x USB-A, Wi-Fi 5, and Bluetooth 5.2. |
| Screen optimisation | Samsung Gaming Hub, Motion Xcelerator 144Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, Game Motion Plus, Dynamic Black EQ, VRR, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Anti-Reflection coating. |
LG 65-inch B4 4K OLED Smart TV – R41,649
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
| Connectivity | 4x HDMI 2.1 (All ports support 4K at 120Hz, eARC on Port 3), 2x USB, Wi-Fi 5, and Bluetooth 5.0. |
| Screen optimisation | LG Game Optimiser, NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync, VRR, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), HGiG, and Dolby Vision Gaming engine. |
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