The PS4 or Sony PlayStation 4 Slim is the slimmer and lighter version of the PS4 console, which in turn is the most popular game console of its generation. With that said, what’s the best television set when gaming with the PS4?
You can avail of the Sony PlayStation 4 Slim or PS4 Slim on Amazon for about $340, give or take a hundred bucks. It even comes with a 1 terabyte hard drive to house all your gigabytes of games inside the device instead of through the standard propriety BDs or Blu-Ray Discs from Sony as well.
On that note, let’s discuss the best tv for ps4 slim. What’s the best television type—be it a 4K smart TV, QLED TV, or OLED TV—that can showcase the full HD capabilities of the PS4 in all its glory? Keep on reading to find out.
Buying Guide for PS4 Slim TVs
Should you get an ordinary CRT TV for your PS4 Slim? That won’t give you the full breadth of abilities, frame rate, and HD clarity possible on this established game console. Even as more and more people are getting their own PS5, the PS4 remains a dominant force in 2020s gaming.
Any Full HD LED TV is Okay for Those with Budget Concerns
If you don’t want to upgrade to a PS4 Pro or 4K-capable devices because of your limited budget, then you can go on with life watching cable TV or terrestrial TV with your CRT or even your Full HD LED TV. They’re both perfectly serviceable for your needs.
Best TV for PS4 SlimHowever, if you do own a PS4 Slim and similar while wishing to take advantage of its higher-grade graphics, detail, and movement with a proper TV option then the best course of action involves getting a 4KTV. That’s the only way you can unleash the true might of your PS4, PS4 Pro, or PS4 Slim.
How to See the HD Difference
For TV sizes smaller than 40 inches, you won’t see the clear differences in picture quality between SD (Standard Definition) and HD (High Definition) videogames. They both look clear and clean on such screens. What’s the point of playing a PS4 Slim game if you have a less capable TV display?
However, once you switch to above 40 inches, the SD resolutions of 480p/i (progressive scan or interlaced) or 576p/i and below will look much more pixilated and rough while truly HD (720p) or full HD (1080p) videogames remain crystal clear and more detailed.
Shopping for a Proper 4KTV
When shopping for a proper 4KTV to take advantage of the 4K Blu-Ray abilities of the PS4—an expansion of Blu-Ray’s introduction to the mainstream care of the earlier PS3 model—you should look for the following specs.
- The Brand: A Sony TV will likely offer compatibility features to your Sony PS4 than other TVs. Other names to choose from include LG and Samsung. They offer good aftersales service and their reputations precede them.
- The Input Ports: The TV should have all the right input ports for your PS4 and PS4 Slim. If you can find a 4KTV with more than 2 HDMI ports the better. It will save you the cost of a splitter or extra external ports.
- The Design: A PS4 Slim should be paired with a similarly slim or flatscreen TV you can hang on your wall or put in deep space with its much smaller footprint compared to a boxy CRT TV. You might want it or not. It’s your decision.
- Smart or Non-Smart: A smart TV costs you extra but it saves you extra gadgetry to allow it to connect to the Internet or download Android apps. You can get a 4K non-smart TV with a bigger screen if you don’t need extra smart features.
- Hi-Fi Sound: You should have high fidelity sound of the DTS or Dolby variety. To get theatrical-level sound, you’ll need to setup speakers all around your living room or den. However, the speakers of your TV should stand alone in case you can’t afford even a soundbar.
- 4K with HDR Feature: The High Dynamic Range (HDR) feature for a 4K resolution TV will ensure you won’t only (literally) get a bigger picture with high frame rate motion, you’ll also get more color variance, resulting in smoother color transitions and variegation.
Shopping for a Proper Gaming 4KTV
When searching for a great gaming experience for your PS4 Slim, PS4 Pro, or “standard” PS4 as well as your PC, Xbox, or Nintendo consoles, the right gaming PC should play an important role. Your CRT or “vanilla” flatscreen TV might not cut it.
You need a 4KTV in order to get the most out of your PS4. Do the right amount of research and look out for the following features below.
- Screen Size: The whole point of 4KTV and a 4K machine like the PS4 is that you can get a bigger screen size and still have a detailed picture that doesn’t flicker or look like a slideshow when in movement instead of a pixilated mess.
A bigger screen means you have a better sense of immersion. Alas, if you’re going to sit close the screen anyway you might not need too big a screen. If your couch is a good distance away from the screen a cinematic-sized screen should suffice.
- Input Lag Time: One of the most important requirements to watch out for is input lag time. Even a delay of milliseconds when receiving a signal can result in desynchronized audio or your game input delay (this can affect games like fighting games or FPS games)
If you’re playing a fast-paced game you need less input lag time or have a TV with a “game mode” feature available. Get a TV with an input lag of 40 milliseconds or lower for multi-player games or 55 milliseconds for single-player campaigns.
- Display Technology: OLED and LED LCD includes some of the most popular gaming display technologies available. Except for TVs from LG, nearly all 4K televisions use the more affordable LED display.
However, OLED (organic light-emitting diode separate from LCD tech with transmissive technology) or even QLED (LCD display with quantum dots with emissive technology) have better picture quality.
- Refresh Rate: The refresh rate gets measured in Hz or hertz. This depicts how often the TV changes the image on the screen. This means that if you’re playing a high frame rate game with loads of animation or detailed movement, you need a high refresh rate to match.
The refresh rate also impacts the input lag. Your input will register faster on the screen with a higher refresh rate compared to a screen with a lower refresh rate (hence the delay). Don’t overspend on such a feature since most 4KTVs should offer a max 60Hz or 120Hz rate anyway.
Top 6 Best PS4 Slim TVs
The best TVs for use with the PS4 Slim include the following.
1. The Jam-Packed TCL TV with 4K Ultra HD Spread across a 55-Inch LED Screen for Hardcore Gamers
This feature-rich 2018 model of the TCL 55R617 offers a 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV with Roku compatibility. It has a 4K or 3840 x 2160 resolution and a refresh rate of 60Hz.
Long story short, it offers an affordable price, lighting fast input lag at 17.9ms, and great contrast levels. However, its color richness doesn’t reach OLED level.
Features:
| Screen Size | 55 inches |
| Resolution | 4K (Dolby Vision HDR10) |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
| Input Lag | 17.9ms |
| Sound | Standard speaker with HDMI ARC or 35mm audio jack option for external speakers |
| Connectivity Technology | Wi-Fi and HDMI |
| Item Weight | 38.2 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 48.5 x 10.7 x 30.9 inches |
2. An Even Bigger Screen with Better Motion Handling for a Cost-Effective LG Smart TV Investment
In regards to the LG Electronics 65SK8000, it’s the higher-rated Smart 4KTV compared to the TCL model with a bigger 65-inch screen. It’s compatible with both Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
It impressed us with its motion handling, incredibly fast gaming input lag, and quality specs. We weren’t so impressed by its underwhelming black levels that made the colors look grayish at times.
Features:
| Screen Size | 65 inches |
| Resolution | 4K (4K Cinema HDR) |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz (TruMotion 240) |
| Input Lag | 14ms |
| Sound | Dolby Atmos 2.2 Ch 40W (WF: 20W) with optical, mini-jack, and HDMI ARC for external speakers |
| Connectivity Technology | Wireless, Bluetooth, USB, Ethernet, and HDMI |
| Item Weight | 57.8 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 12.5 x 57.3 x 36.1 inches |
3. Another TCL Model That Provides a Slightly Smaller Screen to Fit Smaller Budgets
Although the TCL 50FS3800 50-Inch 1080p Roku Smart LED TV has a smaller 50-inch screen, it compares favorably to its wider counterparts to make it a cost-effective deal as a PS4 Slim TV.
It’s a great value option for smaller budgets with a 1080p FHD display to boot. However, it lacks an Ethernet port.
Features:
| Screen Size | 50 inches |
| Resolution | 1080p Full HD |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Input Lag | 29.4ms |
| Sound | Standard speaker with HDMI ARC, digital optical, or 35mm audio jack option for external speakers. |
| Connectivity Technology | 3 HDMI (1 w/ ARC), 1 USB, RF, and Composite |
| Item Weight | 26 Pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 25.8 x 8.7 x 44.5 inches |
4. Affordable 4K Gaming TV from Samsung with a Comprehensive List of Gaming Features
This affordable PS4 Slim TV model from 2016—the Samsung UN40KU6300—has less input lag than the 1080p TCL model and a comparable input lag (only about 2ms longer) to the 4K UHD TCL model or LG option.
It also comes complete with UHD upscaling features as well as sharp color and contrast with UHD dimming from its HD PurCoolor tech. However, it has below average light reflection.
Features:
| Screen Size | 40 inches |
| Resolution | 4K Ultra HD (PurColor Technology) |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
| Input Lag | 19.6ms |
| Sound | Standard speaker with HDMI ARC or optical output option for external speakers. |
| Connectivity Technology | 3 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, 1 Ethernet port, and Wi-Fi connectivity |
| Item Weight | 50.5 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 53.7 x 2.5 x 31.1 inches |
5. The Fastest and Most Responsive PS4 Gaming TV on This List from LG
At 43 inches, the LG UK6300PUE 4KTV has a bigger screen than the Samsung option. It’s the fastest and most responsive TV on this list at 12ms. It’s even faster than the other LG option, the LG Electronics 65SK8000 with its 14ms input lag.
Another notable thing about this gaming TV is the fact that even though it lacks the Dolby Atmos 2.2 of the 65SK8000, its standalone standard LG TV speaker surpasses all other speakers. It’s so good you can use it without the external speaker option.
Features:
| Screen Size | 43 inches |
| Resolution | 4K Ultra HD (HDR10 with IPS technology for in-plane switching) |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz (TruMotion) |
| Input Lag | 12ms |
| Sound | Hi-Fi TV speaker with 1 Optical and ARC Support via HDMI |
| Connectivity Technology | 3 HDMI, 2 USB, 1 RF, 1 Composite in shared with component, and 1 Ethernet |
| Item Weight | 18.5 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 8.5 x 38.5 x 24.8 inches |
6. An Inexpensive Entry Level PS4 Gaming TV for Guests and Kids by Hisense
As for Hisense 32H3B1, it’s much slower in terms of refresh rate and input lag, has a smaller screen, and is only 1080 FHD. Its long input lag might limit it for use in strategy games or RPGs instead of action games like FPS or fighting games.
However, it’s even more affordable than the 50-inch TCL option, has better contrast for its price, and has a comparable screen size to even the high 4K resolution Samsung.
Features:
| Screen Size | 32 inches |
| Resolution | 720p HD (Native) and up to 1080p Full HD |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Input Lag | 52.7ms |
| Sound | Standard speaker with HDMI ARC or digital audio option for external speakers. |
| Connectivity Technology | 3 HDMI, 1 USB, 1 RF, 1 RCA, component, 1 RCA composite |
| Item Weight | 10.78 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 28.9 x 7.1 x 18.8 inches |
Always Remember This As Well
The best TV for PS4 (as well as Wii-U and Xbox One) is LG Electronics 65SK8000, followed by Hisense 32H3B1 and LG Electronics 43UK6300PUE. They offer the best balance between price and quality, thus maximizing your investment and ensuring an immersive experience when playing your PS4 Slim.
Clearly define your requirements using this guide for PS4 Slim TVs. This way, you won’t be overwhelmed by the wide array of 4KTV choices out there. You’ll specifically get the best ones out there to cater to your gaming needs without worrying too much about input lag and refresh rate.
References:
- “I got PS4 slim. What tv should I get?“, Quora.com, March 13, 2017
- “PlayStation 4 Slim 1TB Console“, Amazon.com, Retrieved November 21, 2021
