Gaming displays have certainly come a long way over the years. From the bulky CRTs that we were happy to leave behind, to leaner LCDs that have long dominated the market. But there is a new shift happening in the world of gaming displays. In the past, gamers chose to game on monitors rather than TVs because most TVs could simply not compete when it came down to response times and input lag. But with LG’s OLED tech, that’s changing.

Display manufacturers like LG are now making televisions that are more geared towards gamers. As a result, LG’s OLED TVs outperform most gaming monitors on the market, boasting unbeatable response times, built-in features to make the gaming experience even more immersive, and infinite contrast levels only made possible with the power of self-lit pixels.

But there’s a big difference between reading about a display and experiencing it for yourself. Gamers might be asking themselves: what does gaming on an OLED TV actually feel like? To answer that, we’ve asked a South African gaming host, influencer, and Xbox “MVP” – Glenn Alexander – to try out LG’s flagship gaming TV, the OLED C1, so he can put it to the test.

The eye of the beholder

Whereas conventional LED TVs rely on backlighting to produce an image, OLED uses self-lit pixels that can turn on and off on an individual level, which results in a level of contrast that other display technologies cannot compete with.

So how did the picture quality on OLED compare to other gaming displays?

“The picture quality on the LG OLED C1 is mind-blowing. The first game I tried was Red Dead Redemption 2. The game graphics were already of a high standard, but the level of detail on the C1 was on another level. In Red Dead Online, the evenings I spent in the Wild West were darker and made the game even more immersive for me. Overall, the contrast popped off screen very distinctively and I could see every star in the night sky. Perfect black, perfect colour.”

When speed matters

LG’s OLED TVs boast the lowest response times on the market at a lightning-fast 1 millisecond, giving gamers the critical edge over their opponents.

So, Glenn, how responsive did your inputs on the OLED feel?

“I played fast-paced games like Fortnite where fast building and reactions can mean the difference between winning or losing your gun fights. I noticed zero input lag on screen, and it never felt like the display had to catch up with my builds.”

Next-gen gaming capabilities

The LG OLED C1 and G1 models are the world’s first TVs to support Dolby Vision HDR at 120Hz in 4K for gaming, as well as Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos. To enable 4K at 120Hz on next-gen consoles like the Xbox Series X/S, LG’s OLED TVs also come standard with four HDMI 2.1 ports.

How did you find gaming in 4K at 120Hz?

“Being able to game in 4K at 120Hz is every gamer’s dream. Going from your standard 1080p high definition at 60Hz to 4K at 120 Hz is so noticeable on the C1. This is how games were designed to be played, and I will find it very difficult to go back without noticing the difference.”

Adaptive technologies

LG’s OLED TVs were the first to have NVIDIA G-SYNC support for big-screen gaming. They also come with AMD FreeSync, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Auto-Low Latency Mode (ALLM). These adaptive syncing technologies reduce stuttering, tearing, and ghosting, and you can customise these settings with Game Optimiser while busy gaming.

When trying out the Game Optimiser settings, did you notice any significant improvements in gameplay?

“Yes, I actually have. I've spent a good number of hours playing around with the various Game Optimiser settings the C1 comes with. Every gamer is different and being able adjust the game settings according to my personal preferences is a game changer. I didn’t experience any stuttering whatsoever, and I also managed to get my perfect look and feel for all my games by tweaking the settings.” 

Made for gamers

The Game Optimiser on LG’s OLED TVs uses an α9 Gen 4 Intelligent Processor to detect specific game genres, optimising the picture and audio accordingly. These TVs are also the world’s first eye-safe certified low blue light displays, reducing eye strain during prolonged hours of play.

Did you have any prolonged gaming sessions? If so, did your eyes get tired?

“Being a dedicated gamer, prolonged gaming sessions are second nature to me, and prolonged sessions can be exceptionally long - especially during weekends or holidays. One of the first things I noticed was the distinctive lack of eye fatigue. Not once did I feel that my eyes were tired or taking strain. Easily one of my most favourite features of the C1.”

The flagship gaming TV

Self-lit pixels, low response time, low input lag, 4K at 120Hz, adaptive syncing technologies - LG’s 48-inch C1 OLED TV clearly ticks all of the boxes of a great gaming display. And that’s probably why it earned EISA’s first-ever Best Gaming TV award in 2021. With a stamp of approval from Glenn Alexander, fellow gamers should be sure to keep an eye out for LG’s Black Friday specials coming this November so they can grab one for less.