If you have an Xbox Series X or are planning on getting one, you might need a new TV to use the Series X’s full potential. When evaluating how good a TV is for gaming on an Xbox Series X, four main criteria are considered.

Gaming Features

The Xbox Series X supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth all the way up to 4k @ 120Hz. The HDMI 2.1 bandwidth means higher resolutions and faster refresh rates than the Xbox One series of consoles. A fast refresh rate, like 120Hz, improves the gameplay fluidity in games that support it. It also almost always improves the TV’s input lag and perceived response time, so it’s a big deal for competitive Xbox gamers or those prioritizing frame rate and fluidity over graphical fidelity. A high refresh rate also goes hand-in-hand with variable refresh rate (VRR) support, as it lets the TV dynamically adjust its refresh rate to match the game’s frame rate. This minimizes, if not eliminates, any screen tearing that can result from the game’s frame rate not matching the TV’s refresh rate.

For more information on gaming features, look up our articles on VRR and supported resolutions of TVs.

Input Lag and Response Time

Another essential component of a good gaming TV for the Xbox Series X console is its input lag and response time. Input lag is the time it takes for a frame sent by a source (like a gaming console) to be displayed on screen. A low input lag makes the entire experience more responsive, as your inputs on a controller or mouse are reflected quickly on the screen. The best TVs can have an input lag as low as five milliseconds. Response time is how long it takes for a pixel to change from one color to the next, typically measured from a fully black pixel to a fully white one or from one shade of gray (either dark or bright gray) to the opposite shade of gray. OLEDs are the uncontested best TVs regarding response time, as their pixel transitions are nearly instantaneous. The best LED TVs for gaming also have very fast transitions; however, a slow response time is noticeable, as fast-moving objects on screen leave blurry trails behind them.

You can also check out our articles on input lag and response time if you want to know more.

Contrast and Dark Details in Game Mode

An important factor in how games look on a TV is its ability to preserve its contrast in Game Mode. To cut down on processing and thus improve input lag, TVs disable many of their processing features in Game Mode. We look at whether the TV’s local dimming feature is still fast and accurate in that mode, which includes seeing if the TV’s dimming zone transitions are more noticeable than in other picture modes and if the TV’s blooming performance differs from these other modes. The best gaming TVs don’t show any apparent reduction in contrast in Game Mode.

You can also read our in-depth article on contrast.

Peak Brightness and Reflection Handling

Finally, we pay attention to how bright the TV gets. For dark room gaming, contrast is more important overall, but HDR peak brightness is also important as the Xbox Series X supports HDR, and you want bright highlights to pop next to a TV’s deep blacks. Of course, if you’re gaming in a bright room, you want your TV’s brightness to be high enough to compensate for any glare from direct or ambient lights. Reflection handling is also important here, as TVs with lower peak brightness, like many OLEDs, can compensate for it by having stellar reflection handling, allowing for bright room gaming. If you’re planning on playing older Xbox One and Xbox 360 titles on your console, then a good SDR peak brightness is also crucial, although if you don’t care about accuracy, you can set your Xbox console to do Auto HDR, which converts SDR games to HDR.

If you’d like to know more, we have in-depth articles about SDR peak brightness, HDR peak brightness, and reflection handling. While this recommendation is focused on the Xbox Series X, the picks are the same for the Xbox Series S.

We’ve bought and tested more than 425 TVs, and below are our recommendations for the best 4k TV for Xbox Series X. For more options, check out our recommendations for the best gaming TVs, the best 120Hz TVs, and the best TVs. You can also vote on which ones you want us to buy and test. To learn more about the upcoming 2024 models, check out our 2024 TV lineup page.