New gaming TV advice

[punio75]

Well, thanks to an unexpected bonus at work I am now shopping for TV's!!

I'm trying to source the living room TV as pretty future proof (for the next 5 years or so)

55" size.
I've looked at the LG C9 as it has hdmi 2.1 - some people say this is needed for future consoles for optimum playing. Is this correct?
Or is this way down the line? It is likely I will buy one of the new consoles next year, whether PS5 or Xbox I'm not sure but I would like it to be at its best.


I also would like a smaller tv for other machines I have or may purchase in the future. Therefore a decent tv for Panasonic Q (have component cable) Snes and Dreamcast would be great. This would go in the office so not much bigger than 30" really. Or do I look at monitors as its likely it could be gaming only.
I would love a CRT but the size/bulk is just not practical anymore.

Any help appreciated.

[Jaz]

I want the C9 65 as this is according to reviews one of the best tvs ever made. Yes the new hdmi standard will be on the next gen consoles so it’s one of the main reasons to get the set. Superb TV.

[EvilBoris]

C9 is the most future proofed available right now due to it have HDMI 2.1 , VRR and 120hz at 4K

[wakka]

Yeah, echoing the guys above, C9 is the one to get if gaming is the main priority.

Personally I'm lusting after a Panasonic GZ2000. They are really expensive though, ~£3300.

[punio75]

Yeah, way out my price range! Should be able to get the Panasonic GZ950 or C9 for around £1400 now (and perhaps a little less Black Friday.)

They are my top two choices.

Any ideas for a nice smaller set?

[wakka]

The GZ950 looks so dope. Yeah, more realistically in my price range too...as I say, lusting, rather than purchasing, when it comes to the 2000!

The problem is that it doesn't support HDMI 2.1, so no VRR, which is a nice feature which the next gen consoles will support. So, if you're buying a TV today, really the C9 is the better bet. I'm sure next year's Panasonics will have 2.1, but that's a ways away.

I really don't follow small TVs so can't say on that one. If I were in your shoes I'd probably be looking at something like this: https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-home-entertainment/televisions/televisions/sony-bravia-kdl32we613-32-smart-hdr-led-tv-10159822-pdt.html with an OSSC for upscaling.

[EvilBoris]

Once you fall below 55inch, the image quality rapidly falls off, particularly for the modern HDR formats.

Get a C9 and be done with it unless you are planning on having it calibrated, the difference between it and the GZ950 is going to be fairly academic.
Panasonic only produce sets for Europe and my experience with them was that the long term software support wasn’t great.

I’ve got a Samsung Q9FN, which is really nice and better suited for a bright room, it supports VRR, but not full bandwidth HDMI 2.1



Btw, if anybody does want a display calibrated, do let me know

I’d totally have an updated model of the GZ2000 if they make one with VRR

[wakka]

Once you fall below 55inch, the image quality rapidly falls off, particularly for the modern HDR formats.

Get a C9 and be done with it unless you are planning on having it calibrated, the difference between it and the GZ950 is going to be fairly academic.
Panasonic only produce sets for Europe and my experience with them was that the long term software support wasn’t great.

I’ve got a Samsung Q9FN, which is really nice and better suited for a bright room, it supports VRR, but not full bandwidth HDMI 2.1



Btw, if anybody does want a display calibrated, do let me know

I’d totally have an updated model of the GZ2000 if they make one with VRR

Out of interest, why is the Panasonic better if you are getting calibration done?

[fuse]

Btw, if anybody does want a display calibrated, do let me know

Ooh, are you doing this yourself? Like a few other folks on here, I had Lyris have a crack at one of my displays before.

[EvilBoris]

Out of interest, why is the Panasonic better if you are getting calibration done?

It's just amazingly colour accurate overall and handles the near black levels better than the LG.
That's incredible nitpicky and probably not really within the range of what a normal person is likely to perceive. But if you want to KNOW you have a super-accurate image (within the limits of what an OLED can realistically achieve), then the Panasonic is class-leading.

It's big brother the GZ2000 has some additional cooling which allows it to bump up it's average brightness, which makes it literally the class-leading OLED available to consumers.

[EvilBoris]

Ooh, are you doing this yourself? Like a few other folks on here, I had Lyris have a crack at one of my displays before.

Yeah, I've ended up investing in meters and software since I started covering HDR for Eurogamer and HDTVtest

[QualityChimp]

Ooh, are you doing this yourself? Like a few other folks on here, I had Lyris have a crack at one of my displays before.

[MENTION=75]Lyris[/MENTION]! I was trying to remember the resident TV expert, but I kept thinking it was [MENTION=5676]laruso[/MENTION], but he's the really good guitarist!

Where are they now?!

I should probably calibrate my projector at some point...

[punio75]

Yeah, I remember badgering Lyris with questions back in the day!
Over to you now EvilBoris!

I had a look at both sets in the flesh today (only during my lunch break so I didn't have long) I preferred in the flash the Panasonic. However I think for gaming needs the LG will be the one I go for. Unless all this 2.1 business is not utilised next gen!
Looking at some reviews the OS seems to be better on the LG. Seems neither have Apple TV built in but I'm not using that too much at the mo.

[EvilBoris]

Xbox One X actually already supports VRR, so there will be support moving forwards.

The LG is about to be updated to allow for G-SYNC also

[Lyris]

I am here! But I live in New York now. Reach out to my old boss Vincent Teoh at HDTVtest for calibration fun.