By Alex Jensen
If it seems like we are seeing the release of one premium gaming display product after another, it is likely because demand for gaming equipment has only increased since the arrival of COVID-19 last year. And when spending $500 or more on a games console or graphics card, it is understandable that gamers would also want to buy a high-end display that shows what game creators intended.
Well, OLED TV displays would appear to be perfect in this regard. Consistently top-rated for picture quality, the features that make OLED TVs the supreme option for things like watching movies also apply to games. Indeed, with newer consoles’ games being described as movie-realistic, OLED TVs are in the best position to help their graphics appear as realistic as possible.
Moreover, the fast response times of OLED TVs minimize any delay that can otherwise make gaming a frustrating experience. And as OLED panels are self-emissive, they do not need a backlight and do not leave the greyish hue you might find during dark scenes on other displays. Their individual self-lit pixels are able to show both the darkest and brightest images. Of course, OLED’s offering of maximum eye comfort is another big plus for those immersed in gaming.
It is no surprise then to find OLED TVs being recommended for gaming. As pointed out here, other monitors and competing TVs “are forced to make compromises,” while OLED displays boast adaptive refresh rate, low input latency, and HDR.
As it happens, we are already seeing a gaming trend in OLED’s direction. As was briefly touched on here, 48-inch OLED displays reached the point of being sold out during the pandemic – with abundant evidence of gamers falling in love with 48-inch OLEDs.
The case of the 48-inch OLED TV is interesting. Here you have a display that is on the small side for a household’s main TV option, but which dwarfs LCD gaming monitors that tend to range between 24 and 34 inches. However, it is not just size that makes the 48-inch OLED TV an appealing option for gaming. Consider the 48-inch Bendable OLED that LG Display showcased at CES 2021, with a response time of 0.1ms, a 120Hz refresh rate, a wide variable refresh rate range from 40Hz to 120Hz, and an infinite contrast ratio – features that would be sought after even by competitive gamers because they allow fast-moving graphics to appear as rich and smooth as possible.
Spend a little more and you step up to the ultimate gaming experience: LG’s G1 OLED 4K gaming TV. This display features exceptional picture quality and low input lag and received further backing in this recent review. A further advancement suggests OLED TVs have leapfrogged gaming rivals for another reason, as Dolby Vision at 120Hz promises even smoother and more vibrant gameplay.
The ongoing acceleration in gaming hardware, including OLED displays, is undoubtedly exciting. It creates new possibilities going forward to push the limits of gaming software in the post-pandemic era. And for gamers, that has got to be a virtuous circle.
