Between Black Friday sales and launches of new consoles, everyone is talking about buying a new TV this year. It seems that everyone – including our own WIRED reviewers – glorifies the virtues of modern panels when paired with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. But you really need a new TV, and if so, what about these new screens, it’s both special?
If you don’t have a 4K HDR TV, you’ll lose a lot
In recent years, TV technology has been in the midst of a major transition, with two major improvements in image quality: 4K and HDR. Without being too technical, they can improve the clarity, color and overall “pop” of your TV’s image, both PS5 and Xbox Series X are ready to take full advantage of these technologies. If you still use a set older than 1080p, the new consoles will still contain some enhancements – see below – but will feel more like incremental upgrades if you don’t have a relatively recent set.
Technically, the state-of-the-art mid-cycle refresh, Xbox One X and PS4 Pro, also used 4K and HDR, although the Xbox Series X takes it further with its Auto HDR feature that adds those bright lights to the Xbox-compatible previous versions, Xbox 360 and Xbox One games. The disc-based versions of both consoles also contain 4K Blu-ray players, which is a great added value if you have a capable TV.
A smoother game and faster charging times will benefit any TV
That doesn’t mean these new consoles are fully about the new TV technology. The more powerful hardware in the PS5 and Xbox Series X can play many games at higher frame rates, which means you’ll get smoother motion and more responsive controls, no matter what TV you’re using – even if it’s a set older than 1080p. Some players may not notice or care about the added smoothness, but I think 60 frames per second is a huge improvement over the latest generation 30 fps game. (Some state-of-the-art games will even have playback options at 120 frames per second, which may require a newer TV.)
In addition, both consoles have added features that have nothing to do with your TV – such as the fast replay feature of the Xbox or the improved haptics of the PS5 and 3D audio for headphones. Both consoles also have super-fast SSDs, which means that charging times will be much brighter compared to Xbox One and PS4. These features are nice, even on old or cheap TVs.
HDMI 2.1 features are nice, but no urgent updates
Finally, if you’ve seen TV buying guides this year, you’ll notice “HDMI 2.1” mentioned as a search game feature if you plan to buy a PS5 or Xbox X series. HDMI 2.1, introduced in 2019, adds a few useful features for games:
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Variable Update Rate (VRR) allows your TV to “sync” every time it refreshes per second to the number of frames emitted by your console. This can reduce screen breakage and certain types of movement. Keep in mind that the Xbox Series X may use a less powerful version of VRR called FreeSync on some Samsung and LG TVs that do not have HDMI 2.1.
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Automatic latency mode (ALLM) automatically puts the TV in Game mode when it detects a game signal. This, along with HDMI 2.1 Fast frame transport (QFT), can reduce the input delay without having to manually activate the game mode every time you turn on the old PlayStation.
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Enhanced Audio Return Channel (ARC) allows your TV to send high-quality sound to a receiver or sound bar. This isn’t a game-specific feature, but it’s useful if you want to stream Dolby Atmos to your TV (PS5 only supports Atmos for Blu-ray Discs, while Xbox Series X supports it in some games).