The PlayStation 5 is set to launch in late 2020
The ninth-generation console brings with it new technology that allows games to play in 4K quality and at 120 frames per second, and some Blu-ray movies are even expected to be displayed in 8K.
PS5 additionally supports ray-tracing technology and 3D audio. To take advantage of all the capabilities of the hardware, a suitable TV is required. So which screen is best to choose in order to enjoy the best quality while gaming?
When shopping for a TV to use with your PlayStation 5, there are a few specifications you should pay attention to to in order to get the best results:
Having a console that supports 4K, you should immediately reject all TVs that have Full HD quality. It’s true that PS5 can still reproduce the image in very good quality, but it’s a bit like buying a Mustang with an eight under the hood and installing LPG. It’ll run, but you’re definitely limiting its potential
When browsing through store windows, it is best to look for labels with the inscription 4K. If you have a slightly bigger budget, you can afford to buy a TV set supporting 8K. However, it should be remembered that this technology is so far rather rarely used.
In this category, in principle, there are no limitations, except for the available home space. The real fun starts from 50 inches up, but of course nothing prevents you from buying a smaller model. However, in this particular case – size does matter.
That is, the number of images displayed on the screen during one second. In fact – as many players, so many opinions. There will be those for whom 60 Hz is enough (that is, the image is refreshed 60 times per second) and in the case of a TV for PlayStation 5 this is the starting value
Given that the PS5 is capable of displaying 120 frames per second, it would be ideal to find a screen with this frequency or higher. It depends on our individual preferences. Professional gamers should definitely opt for a screen that supports 144 Hz or even 240 Hz for a dynamic, detailed, and streak-free image.
Sounds scary, but in reality it is something very simple. If our console generates 120 frames per second, and our screen refreshes at 60 times per second, the image displayed on the screen must be synchronized, otherwise it will “jitter” and be less dynamic and smooth. This is a big simplification, but the technical details are not so important here.
There are two popular technologies for synchronizing refresh rates – FreeSync from AMD and G-Sync created by Nvidia. In a situation where the TV is going to be tuned for the PlayStation 5, FreeSync seems to be a good choice, if only because it is the technology of the GPU manufacturer in the PS5.
In order for our console to “transfer” the generated image to the TV screen, it must be connected to it in some way. For this is used HDMI 2.1 cable and it is this number that plays a key role here
Its previous version – 2.0 – will send video from the PS5 to the TV at a speed of up to 18 Gbit / s, which is much slower than HDMI 2.1. This will allow us to watch video in 4K and at 60 frames per second, but most games on the PS 5 is expected to support 120 frames. This will be made possible by HDMI 2.1, which offers data transfer rates of 48 Gbit/s, so we’ll even see 8K video
It is worth noting that only HDMI 2.1 supports technologies for frame rate synchronization.
The so-called “input delay” expressed in milliseconds. In practice, it is about how fast our actions will be transferred to the screen, so for example – how much time passes between the movement of the analogue and the movement of our character on the screen.
The smaller the Input Lag value, the better, however, TV manufacturers do not always provide such detailed specifications and to find them you need to search specialist portals.
There is no single, specific model of TV that can be recommended to everyone, regardless of circumstances. It all depends on our individual needs and requirements, on the space in our living room that we can use to place the TV, and also on our financial possibilities.
However, if we plan to buy a new screen specifically for PlayStation 5, it is worth taking into account the above criteria. They will allow us to determine what we really expect from our console and what kind of experience we will get from it.
Main photo: Charles Sims/unsplash.com
