The best projectors are the ideal way to get the biggest possible image with the least amount of fuss. Whether you’re looking for a premium 4K projector for a home theater, a more portable one that can be temporarily set up on a coffee table for gaming or watching sports, or a battery-powered model that can be toted outdoors for backyard movie nights, there’s a projector out there that will suit your needs.

Our guide to the best projectors includes several different types, but the main two mainly used for home theater are 'long throw' and 'ultra short throw (UST)' projectors. These typically get paired with a projection screen permanently mounted on a wall, though there are many different screen options available, including retractable ones that can be hidden away when not in use. Beyond long throw and UST models, there are 'short throw' projectors designed for non-permanent and portable setups.

Projector capabilities vary widely, with different models providing different image resolutions – up to 8K – brightness levels, and high dynamic range support. Projector features are also all over the map, with some providing just a basic video display, and others offering built-in streaming apps and smart features like voice control that you’ll find on the best TVs, along with potent built-in speakers.

We review new projectors to find the best ones as they arrive, putting them through a rigorous testing process that involves viewing in a range of lighting conditions from daylight viewing to full darkness. We also record peak brightness, contrast ratio, and color gamut coverage, so you’ll know how the projector measures up to the manufacturer’s specifications. We've then rounded up the best of all kinds here – but if you're looking for specifically the best 4K projector, the best ultra short throw projector, the best portable projector, or the best outdoor projector, you can dig further into those option in those guides.

The best projectors you can buy

The best projector for home theater

The Epson LS9000 replaces the LS12000 as our top pick for dedicated home theater setups, offering nearly the same performance at a lower price. In fact, its $3,999 / £2,999 / AU$7,299 price tag makes it feel like a relative bargain in a category where rival Sony and JVC models can cost significantly more. And despite being the most affordable member of Epson’s Pro Cinema laser lineup, it carries much of the same design DNA that has made the LS series so well regarded.

With a rated 2,200 lumens of brightness, the LS9000 is more than bright enough for light-controlled rooms, and it comes with a generous set of installation features too, which should help you fine-tune your setup. HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG high dynamic range formats are supported, and the projector uses the same 15-element VRX glass lens featured in the step-up LS12000. Motorized lens shift, zoom and focus simplify placement, and a powered lens cover keeps the optics protected when not in use.

In our review, we noted that the LS9000 can deliver an inviting, accurate image in a dark room, with Natural mode producing excellent color accuracy and crisp detail. Contrast performance handled difficult scenes well, and while HDR requires some manual tweaking due to the lack of dynamic tone mapping, the overall results were consistently strong. Dual HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support also make it a very capable gaming projector.

It's not perfect considering the lack of dynamic tone mapping. Also, you’ll need to view in a properly darkened room to get the best performance.

However, if you’re building a home theater and want clean, accurate, cinematic images with high-end features at a more reasonable price, the Epson LS9000 is an excellent choice.

Read the full Epson LS9000 review

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The best budget 4K projector

The BenQ GP520 proves that a good 4K projector doesn’t have to cost a fortune. It’s available at an incredibly low price for 4K projection but still delivers plenty of brightness and a sharp picture, making it a promising pick for budget home theaters.

The GP520 really shines in terms of brightness. Its LED light source pushes out 2,600 ANSI lumens, a level that rivals projectors that are several times its price. It’s as bright as budget 4K projectors can get, and it means you can still enjoy a good image without needing a completely dark room.

The picture quality is crisp and the HDR10+ support helps bring out detail in compatible content. Colors aren’t the most vivid and you won’t find any real gaming features, but in the right conditions the GP520 impresses. Motion handling is also good for a projector in this price range.

BenQ has added some good extras here too, like integrated Google TV for streaming, as well as built-in speakers that aren’t fantastic but will get the job done if you don’t want to hook up an external sound system. The compact design of the projector also makes it easy to move it around from room to room. Or you can even carry it for movie nights away from home.

Overall, the BenQ GP520 offers a winning combination of sharp 4K resolution, excellent brightness and all-in-one convenience at an affordable price. It’s not perfect, but as far as budget 4K projectors go, it’s one of the best value choices around.

Read our full BenQ GP520 review

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The best ultra short throw projector

The Hisense PX3-Pro is an ultra short throw projector from a company that has consistently pushed the UST envelope, offering a wide range of models that provide better features and performance with each generation. At $3,499 / £2,499 the PX3-Pro is affordably priced for a UST, and it’s capable of beaming images up to 150 inches with an impressive 3,000 lumens specified brightness.

A key PX3-Pro feature is its tri-chroma DLP light engine, which generates bright, pictures with “simply astounding color,” as we noted in our Hisense PX3-Pro review. It also has comprehensive HDR support, covering the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats – something typically not found in projectors. This capability “made the latest seasons of The Rings of Power in HDR10+ and The Avengers: Endgame in Dolby Vision both look fantastic.” The PX3-Pro’s 50W built-in Harman Kardon-designed speakers, which can “get loud enough to match the size of the pictures,” also impressed us when we tested it.

The PX3-Pro’s Google TV smart TV interface is a superior option to the more basic Android TV system built into many projectors, and importantly, it features a Netflix app for streaming. Support for both 4K 120Hz and 1080p 240Hz input also makes the PX3-Pro a great choice for gaming, and it has an appealing retro-futuristic design that will make it stand out in your living room in a good way. If you’re looking to go the UST projector route for your home theater, this is the model we’d recommend.

Read the full Hisense PX3-Pro review

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The best portable projector

Samsung’s The Freestyle 2nd Gen is in many ways the ultimate portable projector. It’s incredibly compact, but can project images as large as 100 inches (and as small as 30 inches). It features the same Tizen smart TV platform as Samsung TVs, and that includes Samsung Gaming Hub for cloud-based gaming from apps like Xbox and Nvidia GeForce Now.

Samsung also offers a range of accessories for The Freestyle 2nd Gen that can give you battery power for outdoor viewing and even an option to plug it into a ceiling light fixture. And when you're not using it as a projector, it can serve as a wireless speaker for music streaming.

When we reviewed The Freestyle 2nd Gen, we found it to be significantly less bright than a typical projector used for home theater, but that wasn’t completely unexpected given the Samsung’s small size and 230 lumens brightness specification. But picture quality isn’t the main point with The Freestyle 2nd Gen. This is a projector that lets you easily beam a big video image anywhere you go, and The Freestyle 2nd Gen’s automatic keystone and focus features make sure the image looks perfectly square (or rectangular, to be exact) as soon as you set it up.

At $799 / £649, The Freestyle 2nd Gen is pricey for a 1080p-resolution portable projector, though it can regularly be found for less during seasonal sales events. What gives Samsung’s portable added value is its high level of flexibility, ease of setup, and superior built-in smart TV interface, all of which combine to make The Freestyle 2nd Gen an easy sell.

Read the full Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen review

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The best projector for outdoors

Looking for a projector that’s not just portable, but road-worthy? With its rugged case and carrying handle, the Anker Nebula Mars 3 looks more like a lantern than a projector. Anker’s portable beamer actually features a flashlight along with its video projection capability, and its built-in battery can last for over two hours – so long enough for a movie – at full power before needing to be recharged.

The Anker Nebula Mars 3’s built-in battery, of course, makes it a perfect option for backyard – or campsite – movie nights where the projector’s LED DLP light engine will illuminate a portable screen of up to 200 inches with a specified 1,000 lumens brightness. It uses the Android TV platform for streaming and has automatic focus, keystone, and framing adjustments that proved very effective in our testing.

When we reviewed the Nebula Mars 3, we found it to have “a good-looking picture, but not an exceptional one.” Resolution is limited to 1080p HD, colors lack the vibrance of similar projectors with an RGB laser light engine, and shadowy scenes come across with limited black detail. The built-in sound is powerful for a portable projector, however, but in this case, it’s limited to mono.

It may not be the best overall portable projector, and at $1,099 / £999 / AU$1,199) it’s not the cheapest, but if you’re looking to take a projector outside, the Nebula Mars 3 with its built-in battery and rugged build quality – and flashlight! – is the best option we’ve found. Grab it by the handle and hit the great outdoors.

Read the full Anker Nebula Mars 3 review

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The best projector for gaming

The BenQ X3100i is the company’s top gaming projector, and with its stylish white with orange trim case, it very much looks the part. At $2,799 / £2,099, the X3100 is not exactly cheap, but its bright picture, responsive performance, and ability to shift into 240Hz mode, make it a fantastic choice for someone who wants a projector equally adept for movie watching and gaming.

BenQ’s 4LED DLP light engine beams 4K images at a specified 3,300 ANSI lumens with 100% UHDA-P3 color space coverage. The picture is bright enough that you can use it in less than cave-like lighting conditions, and, as we noted in our X3100i review, “Movies and TV look awesome with this projector, especially when viewed on a 100-inch or larger screen.”

As good as movies look, gaming is the real draw here, and BenQ’s specs cite latency at an ultra-low 4ms (1080p@240Hz). In our review, we found gaming performance to be incredibly smooth, noting that “whipping around the battlefield and snapping at different targets was a breeze.” Adding to the fun is the X3100i’s potent built-in speakers, which provide more than adequate sound in a reasonably sized room.

While some portable-type projectors rely on automatic setup features that can reduce resolution, the X3100i features an optical zoom control and vertical and horizontal lens shift for setup. Streaming is carried out using the included Android TV dongle, but you can add the streaming stick of your choice, along with any other device you care to connect, such as a PS5 or Xbox Series X, to the projector’s three HDMI ports.

Read the full BenQ X3100i review

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The best 8K projector

The JVC DLA-NZ800 (along with its big brother, the JVC DLA-NZ900) holds the distinction of being the only 8K projector aimed at the home theater market. And while true 8K display is an NZ800 feature, that’s something it achieves via its e-shiftX processing, which effectively quadruples the number of pixels displayed by its native 4K imaging device through optical shifting.

No matter how it’s done, the NZ800 displays wonderfully detailed 8K and upscaled 4K pictures. In our JVC DLA-NZ800 review, we called it a “revelation,” and also cited its processing of HD and lower-resolution pictures as “superb.” In our testing and measurements, we confirmed that the NZ800 hit its specified 2,700 lumens brightness, and is also capable of 100% UHDA-P3 color space coverage, making this an all-around fantastic projector for watching movies on 4K Blu-ray and high-quality streaming.

Projectors generally struggle to keep up with the high brightness peaks in high dynamic range sources, but the JVC’s dynamic HDR tone mapping helps in this regard through real-time analysis of metadata and the HDR signal. A Deep Black feature and dynamic laser control additionally help here by deepening shadows while boosting brightness in highlights without introducing any of the “pumping” artifacts that such systems can introduce.

Along with excelling at movies, the NZ800 is also a great gaming projector, with 4K 120Hz support on its HDMI 2.1 inputs and 36ms input lag – a very low amount for a projector. It also displays 3D, making it one of the few long-throw projectors left to support that feature. At $15,999 / £15,999 / AU$24,999, the NZ800 is hardly a casual purchase, but given its performance and features, it more than justifies its price.

Read the full JVC DLA-NZ800 review

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The best projector for sports

There are plenty of reasons why the Epson QL7000 is our top pick for watching sports, but the most important is its exceptionally high brightness. With 10,000 lumens output, it delivers a projected image bright enough to handle daylight viewing conditions – something few other projectors can match.

Most home theater projectors top out around 2,500 to 3,000 lumens, but the QL7000 competes with some of the best TVs for sheer brightness. It uses a laser 3LCD light engine and pixel-shifting to produce crisp 4K images, powered by Epson’s 32-bit QZX Picture Processor for upscaling and overall picture refinement. It also supports HDR10 and HLG, though not HDR10+, which is gaining traction in newer projectors.

Gamers will appreciate the QL7000’s pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, which support 4K at 120Hz and ALLM, plus a low input lag of just 19.6ms. But where it really shines is sports. The ultra-bright image holds up beautifully in rooms with ambient light, making everything from football to Formula 1 feel incredibly immersive on a screen size that can reach up to 300 inches.

Its sleek, compact design stands out among high-lumen projectors, which are often bulky and industrial-looking. You also get flexible lens options, including ultra-short-throw choices for tight spaces where a standard projector setup might not work.

Yes, the QL7000 comes with a high price tag. Especially once you factor in a separate lens. But for sports fans who want top-tier performance in real-world viewing conditions (not just pitch-black rooms), it’s the best option available. It’s a specialist projector built for bright, multi-use spaces and if that’s what your setup demands, the results are well worth the investment.

Read the full Epson QL7000 review

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How to choose the best projector

Choosing the best projector for you will depend on how and where you plan to use it. If you’re looking to set up a home theater for watching movies on a separate projection screen with an elaborate Dolby Atmos speaker rig, or perhaps even one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, you’re going to want a long throw 4K laser projector. These typically get mounted on the ceiling or a high shelf at the back of the room and are designed for viewing in dim or completely dark environments.

Long throw projectors don’t always have the highest brightness (between 2,000 and 3,000 lumens is a typical specification) but generally do provide the highest contrast ratio (the difference between the deepest black and the brightest white in an image) and best high dynamic range handling.

If you’re looking for a big image and don’t mind using a projection screen but don’t want a projector hanging from the ceiling, an ultra short throw (UST) projector will be the ticket. These projectors typically get installed a foot or so from a wall where they can beam an up to 150-inch image. The best UST projectors use an RGB laser light engine that lets them deliver both high brightness and extended color gamut coverage (with some models handling not just the full UHDA-P3 color space but the larger BT.2020 one as well).

Unlike long throw projectors, UST models usually feature powerful built-in speakers – with Dolby Atmos support, in some cases – and a smart TV interface for streaming, so they provide an all-one-solution home theater solution.

If you want a projector that can temporarily be set up on a coffee table for gaming or watching the occasional movie, then a short throw projector will be the best option. The best of these provide brightness levels that match long throw models, along with 4K resolution and extended color gamut coverage. Some short throw projectors are also specifically designed for gaming, with features such as a game mode with low input lag and 4K 120Hz (and in some cases, 1080p 240Hz support).

While it can be argued that any projector is a portable projector, there are compact models with carrying handles that are designed to be toted from place to place. These generally have lower brightness than other projector types, and most lack 4K and HDR support. Most have built-in streaming capability and built-in speakers, along with a Bluetooth output for linking up with one of the best wireless speakers for even better sound.

If you want to use a portable projector outdoors, models with either a built-in battery or a battery pack option will let you quickly get up and running for a backyard movie night without having to run an extension cord to the projector.

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How we test the best projectors

At TechRadar, we test projectors in a range of lighting conditions, from bright rooms to dim and completely dark environments. We also test the projector with a suitable projection screen – a low-gain matte white screen for long throw models, and an ambient light-rejecting screen for UST models.

Both video test patterns and reference movie clips are used to evaluate the projector’s performance in displaying bright, high-contrast images and saturated colors. We’ll test for picture detail, noise reduction processing and motion handling, and if the projector has substantial built-in speakers, we’ll also evaluate its ability to play movie soundtracks and TV dialogue clearly and dynamically.

When measurements are provided, we’ll report on the projector’s peak brightness with HDR and SDR sources, contrast ratio, and color gamut coverage. We’ll also provide an average Delta E (the level of difference between the ‘perfect’ test pattern source and what is shown on-screen) for the projector’s color and grayscale.

For projectors with a smart TV interface, we’ll evaluate its ease of use and the variety of streaming apps on offer. We’ll also test its performance for gaming, measuring input lag and evaluating the smoothness of gameplay using an Xbox Series X or PS5 gaming console.

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The latest updates to this guide

January 2, 2026
Replaced the Epson LS12000 with the Epson LS9000 as our 'best for home theater' pick based on recent testing.

September 14, 2025
Replaced the LG Cinebeam Q with the BenQ GP520 as our 'best budget 4K' pick, based on recent testing.

July 7, 2025
Added the Epson QL7000 as a new entry in the #9 spot as our 'Best for sports' pick, based on recent testing.

May 15, 2025
Replaced BenQ X300G with BenQ X3100i as 'Best for gaming' option due to the former's limited supply.

March 17, 2025
Added JVC DLA-NZ800 to guide as 'Best for 8K' option.

January 17, 2025
Added section 'New projectors coming in 2025 ' with details on models introduced at the CES trade show.

November 20, 2024
Best Projectors buyer's guide launched.

When looking for the best gaming TV, you obviously want to balance fantastic image quality with a budget that's right for you, and a size that fits into your room, just like any other TV. But there are also several specific gaming requirements you need to consider as well.

For our list of the best gaming TVs, we prioritize things a bit different to our overall list of the best TVs. For example, we want gaming TVs need to have a low level of input lag, meaning there isn't a delay between you pressing a button and what you see on your screen. We also want them to have HDMI 2.1 support on as many HDMI ports as possible, so they're future-proof, and to have great gaming features in general.

We test these ourselves, using specialist equipment as well as playing games consoles during the review process. We look for input lag of under 15ms to suit the majority of gamers, or under 10ms for those who want the absolute best results, and we make sure that the gaming features really do work as promised.

Today's top TVs all have high-end gaming features built-in. Higher-end models, including many of the best OLED TVs, are usually excellent for gaming regardless of which one you choose, though some are slightly better value than others. Budget TVs can be great for gaming too, but be warned that some won't have 4K 120Hz support or HDMI 2.1 if they're super-cheap.

The quick list

If you want to quickly find the perfect gaming TV for you, try this list – you can also get a more in-depth write-up of any particular model by clicking the TV link!

The best gaming TVs you can buy

The best gaming TV for most people

The LG C5 builds on everything that made the C4 before it one of the best gaming TVs, refining performance with a new Alpha 9 Gen 8 AI processor and a brightness boost that makes HDR gaming look even more vivid. With sizes from 42 to 83 inches, it suits everything from desk setups to home cinema gaming spaces.

The C5 remains a gaming powerhouse, featuring four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 144 Hz support, VRR (including Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium), ALLM, HGiG and Dolby Vision Gaming. Input lag is measured at a super low 9.2 ms, which makes gameplay fluid and super responsive whether you’re on console or PC. Cloud gaming apps are here, like GeForce Now and Amazon Luna, which are also built-in via the Game Quick Card, which you’ll find on LG’s updated webOS 25 interface.

Picture quality really is outstanding. You’ll get rich contrast, vibrant colors and impressive HDR performance, especially considering this is a mid-range OLED. The only weak spot is audio. The 2.2-channel Dolby Atmos system is fine, but just fine. Pairing the C5 with a soundbar is your best bet, as that’s where you’ll see its full cinematic and gaming potential.

Although it’s only a modest upgrade over the C4 and currently more expensive, the LG C5 delivers premium gaming performance, superb image quality and long-term versatility too, making it our current top pick and one of 2025’s best gaming TVs.

Read the full LG C5 review

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Best gaming TV for PS5

The Sony Bravia 8 is Sony's only new OLED for 2024, with the brand opting for mini-LED in its flagship Bravia 9 model instead. Although only offering some incremental upgrades over its predecessor, the Sony A80L, it still serves as the best option for PS5 owners thanks to its PS5-centric features.

The Bravia 8 comes with 'Perfect for PS5' features built-in, including a HDR tone mapping mode that activates when a PS5 is connected to tune highlights and shadows for the exact capabilities of this TV, so you better visibility in the brightest and darkest areas. It also supports 4K 120Hz, VRR and ALLM. It has an improved 12.8ms input lag time compared with the 16.5ms its predecessor produced (which is better than the lag we measured in our Sony Bravia 9 review too, despite that being the higher-end model).

But it's not just features where the Bravia 8 is a solid option. We were impressed by the Bravia 8's picture for gaming, noting how good its backlight control was and we said that when playing Marvel's Spider-Man 2 "Spidey’s suit and buildings exhibit clear shine where they’re being hit by sunlight". The Bravia 8's improved HDR brightness also helped give images a more vivid look.

Speaking of pictures, the Bravia 8 is also a fantastic companion for movies. The rich colors and pixel-perfect contrast give everything a dynamic pop on screen, adding an extra layer of vibrancy. Black levels are also superb, with dark details taking on a refined quality.

The Bravia 8 also delivers with its built-in sound, with plenty of immersion, accurate placement and an engaging feel. While its gaming features and performance may not be the best on the list, the Bravia 8 is still an excellent gaming option.

Read our full Sony Bravia 8 review

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The best budget gaming TV in the US

The Hisense U7N's stacked suite of gaming features is ideal for PS5 and Xbox Series X owners and it has a great quality mini-LED picture, all for significantly less than the other TVs on this list.

With 4K 120Hz (with 144Hz option), Dolby Vision gaming, VRR including AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-sync, ALLM and a Game Bar menu, the U7N has a near-complete list of gaming features you'd expect to find on more premium gaming TVs.

The U7N's picture has bright, bold colors but with no sacrifice of contrast and black levels, which is an impressive accomplishment for a budget mini-LED TV. Textures and details are refined and accurate, giving the picture plenty of depth. The U7N suffers from some backlight blooming and its contrast fades when viewed off-axis, but overall the U7N's picture is great and adds an extra layer to gaming.

Sadly, the U7N's sound quality doesn't quite match its picture, but its directional sound, solid bass, and clear dialogue will suit a lot of games, as we discovered testing with Battlefield V. Ultimately though, its narrow soundstage means a soundbar may be required.

Bang for your buck is at the core of the U7N. With prices sitting roughly at $800 for a 65-inch screen size, it is hard to argue against the performance and features it delivers for the price.

Read our full Hisense U7N review

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The best budget gaming TV in the UK

The Samsung Q80D proves that you don't need to spend a fortune to get a comprehensive TV as it delivers a bright, colorful picture, a brilliant stock of gaming features and surprisingly good sound – all for less than you'd expect. Combine all that into one package and you get an excellent, affordable gaming TV.

The Q80D is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, all of which support 4K,120Hz, VRR (including both HDMI and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro varieties) and ALLM. Thankfully, the Q80D backs up these features with performance, with an ultra low 9.8ms input lag time that we described in our review as "exhilaratingly responsive".

But, it's not just gaming performance where the Q80D triumphs, as it delivers a dynamic, colorful picture that's superb for both games and movies. We noted in our review that it offers surprisingly rich black levels and contrast better "than any other LCD TV I can think of in its class". It also displays textures in a sharp, yet natural style that gives pictures a lifelike quality. The Q80D's colors are also top-notch once you've done some setup.

Sound can often be hit-or-miss with TVs, especially more budget models, but this isn't true for the Q80D. It won't dethrone the best TVs for sound, but the Q80D's built-in sound is impressive for its price range. It has a large soundstage, excellent sound placement and great Atmos staging – plus good bass levels and clear speech. Sound also extends beyond the screen, giving you an even better sense of immersion.

The Q80D carries the triple threat of picture, features and performance that make a great gaming TV. It's easily the stand-out gaming TV in its price range.

Read our full Samsung Q80D review

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The best gaming TV for lighter rooms

Daytime gaming can be a challenge, but the Samsung QN90F's high brightness, reflection-beating Glare Free screen and vibrant colours make gaming in a bright room easy.

With four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K 165Hz, VRR (AMD FreeSync Premium Pro), HGiG, ALLM and HDR10+ gaming, the QN90F is well equipped for current-gen consoles. It also has an ultra-low 9.5ms input lag time for impressively slick performance and features Samsung's Gaming Hub, which serves as a portal for all things gaming, including access to plenty of apps such as Xbox.

The QN90F's picture holds up well in well-lit rooms thanks to its high peak brightness (2,087 nits) and fullscreen brightness (667 nits) and effective Glare Free screen. It also delivers realistic details and textures and stunning contrast, with deep black levels.

While the QN90F may be one of the pricier TVs on this list, it delivers across the board for both gaming and picture quality. If you find your room is too bright for a standard TV, the QN90F could be the answer.

Read our full Samsung QN90F review

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The cheapest gaming OLED TV

OLED gaming doesn't have to be expensive, and this is proven by the LG B4 – the cheapest 2024 OLED TV you can buy. Despite its cheaper price, the B4 comes with plenty of features and a punchy performance that will keep gamers happy, especially with the introduction of its new features. The B4 is also available in a 48-inch size for the first time, perfect for gaming in bedrooms or smaller living rooms.

The B4 carries an improved list of gaming features over its predecessor, the LG B3, with four HDMI 2.1 ports for the first time. All of these ports support 4K 120Hz, Dolby Vision gaming, VRR (AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync accounted for), HGiG and ALLM. It also delivers an ultra-low 9.2ms input lag time when Boost mode is activated in the Game Optimizer menu.

In our review of the B4, we were impressed not only by its gaming chops, calling it "an excellent gaming TV for price" but also by its picture quality. We found that the Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode provided accurate presentation of color and contrast when watching Godzilla Minus One and also delivered excellent black levels throughout viewing. We were even impressed with its upscaling of non-4K sources, describing these images as "crisp with great detail."

It's not all perfect for the B4, as its lower brightness pales compared to most of the other TVs here, and its built-in sound is average, but if you're looking for a way to introduce OLED to your TV gaming setup and are on a budget, the B4 is your best choice.

Read our full LG B4 review

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The best OLED gaming TV for brightness

The LG G5 features LG's latest OLED panel tech: the Primary Tandem RGB OLED (or four-stack). This panel delivers stunningly high brightness levels for OLED (the brightest we've measured so far) and when combined with the G5's full array of gaming features, it's the ideal TV for those who want OLED gaming in bright rooms.

Equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, the G5 supports 4K 165Hz, VRR (incluidng AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia GSync formats) Dolby Vision gaming and ALLM, meaning it covers every base. Combine this with its ultra-responsive performance (and low 9.1ms input lag time) and you get a superb OLED for gaming.

We measured the G5's peak brightness at 2,268 nits and fullscreen brightness at 331 nits (both in Filmmaker Mode), making it the brightest OLED we've tested so far. Its high brightness lets it be used in brighter viewing environments while maintaining accurate color, black levels and contrast.

The flagship G5 is undoubtedly a pricey, premium OLED TV. While there are better-priced mid-range options, such as the LG C4 at the top of this list, when it comes to bright room gaming, there aren't any better OLED TVs than the G5.

Read our full LG G5 review

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The best elite gaming TV for PS5

The Sony Bravia 9 uses Sony's XR Backlight Master Drive with High Peak Luminance, which is a new twist on mini-LED tech that encompasses custom 22-bit LED drivers to offer significantly more refined local dimming, meaning best-in-class contrast for a mini-LED, and it's a fantastic improvement to pictures for both movies and gaming.

The Bravia 9 features PS5-exclusive features including Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode when it detects a PS5, displaying the best picture possible. It also comes with 4K 120Hz, VRR (including Nvidia GSync but sadly not AMD FreeSync), Dolby Vision gaming and a Game Bar to make easy settings adjustments while gaming. While we did measure a higher-than-expected 17ms input lag time (most premium sets around this price have been sub-10ms), combining the Bravia 9's features with its picture quality makes for an excellent gaming experience as long as you're not a literal pro gamer.

Speaking of picture quality, the Bravia 9's is simply stunning. The sophisticated mini-LED tech means OLED-level blacks with rich contrast and exceptional brightness - 2,280 nits in standard mode in fact - that will be perfect for daytime viewing. Crucially, there's also little-to-no light bleed in high contrast images, something that is a regular issue for other mini-LED TVs.

In terms of built-in audio quality, the Bravia 9 follows in a long line of Sony sets that prioritize sound as well as picture. Acoustic Multi Audio+ creates an excellent sense of space and immersion and Voice Zoom 3 boosts dialogue levels during intense scenes. There's also even more unlocked when the Bravia 9 is paired with a Sony soundbar, including Acosutic Center Sync (using the Bravia 9's speakers as a bonus center channel) and 360 spatial audio mapping (creating phantom speakers for even more sound).

The Bravia 9 is undoubtedly pricey and is available in more limited sizes in the UK (75 and 85-inch only) but for those looking to go big with their gaming (especially PS5 owners), this is one of the best premium options you can get.

Read our full Sony Bravia 9 review

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The best cheap gaming TV

The Hisense U6N may not have all the bells and whistles of the other gaming TVs on this list, but it does have a good stock of features and delivers solid performance, especially for its budget-friendly price.

Despite no 120Hz support, the U6N offers 4K 60Hz, VRR (AMD FreeSync, Nvidia G-Sync and HDMI Forum), ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming. it also has a solid 13.2ms input lag time for smooth performance at 60fps.

In our Hisense U6N review, we were impressed not only by the U6N's gaming performance but also by its picture quality. While not as refined as more premium sets, the U6N still delivers good detail, solid contrast and punchy, natural colors that are better than its budget price would suggest.

The U6N however will require some tweaking in the settings and we'd recommend adding a soundbar for anything more than casual viewing. But, if you're looking for a cheap TV to play games at 60fps, then it's hard to argue against what the U6N offers.

Read our full Hisense U6N review

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How to choose the best gaming TV

New gaming TVs for 2025

At CES 2025, several brands revealed their TV lineups for 2025 and among them were a few TVs that could make their way onto this list, either alongside or replacing their predecessors.

From Samsung, we have the Samsung S95F, its flagship 2025 OLED and predecessor to the Samsung S95D. It carries improved gaming features including 165Hz refresh rate for PC gaming, but it's the improved, second-generation OLED Glare Free tech we're excited about. We loved OLED Glare Free (an anti-reflection screen) on the S95D as it effectively eliminated reflections in bright viewing environments and from what we've seen of the second-gen version on the S95F, it's just as effective and maintains more accurate black levels.

Also from Samsung is the Samsung QN90F, the successor to the best TV for bright rooms on this list, the Samsung QN90D. The QN90F will also have a Glare Free screen and we're expecting a brightness increase, which will hopefully make the QN90F even better than its predecessor for gaming in bright environments.

Panasonic revealed the Panasonic Z95B, its 2025 flagship OLED, which will come stocked with a near-full suite of gaming features. It also uses a four-stack OLED panel and from what we've seen, its picture is seriously impressive. If its sound quality is anything like its predecessor, the Panasonic Z95A, the Z95B could be an excellent all-rounder.

We've yet to hear about new gaming TVs from Hisense, Sony, Philips and TCL, and we're still waiting for more details on the LG B5 OLED, but we expect there'll be other competitive TVs to follow in the footsteps of the Hisense U8N, Sony Bravia 8, Philips OLED809 and OLED909 and more in 2025.

How we test the best gaming TVs

• We primarily test the best gaming TVs in Game Mode with an Xbox Series X

• We test latency using a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag tester

• We test image quality with a test pattern generator, colorimeter and other specialized equipment

When we test the best gaming TVs, we’re mainly looking at gaming performance and related features that enhance gaming. For these tests, we apply the same criteria used in our reviews such as picture and audio quality based on objective and subjective tests.

For gaming TVs, we use a gaming console (mainly an Xbox Series X although this can vary based on the reviewer) to test motion performance with graphics, analyzing latency and response time. We put the TV in its Game Mode during these tests to keep it consistent across each model and to maximize the gaming experience.

We also look for features such as VRR and 120Hz refresh rate to test their effectiveness. Not all the best gaming TVs have to provide these features, but it’s something we take into consideration during testing. To test latency added by the TV’s processing, we use a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag tester, with that measurement taken in the set’s Game Mode.

We also test picture quality with movies and TV shows, cycling through preset picture modes such as Standard and Movie to determine which is the most accurate. We’ll then play a variety of sources including 4K Blu-ray, 4K and HD streaming, and lower-res formats such as broadcast TV and DVD to evaluate the TV’s upscaling.

Another important area we test is how well a gaming TV handles dark tones, looking particularly at black uniformity (the ability to evenly display black across the screen) and its overall contrast.

We use specialized equipment, including a test pattern generator and colorimeter, to take measurements for our objective tests, with the results recorded in Portrait Displays’ Calman calibration software.

To test a TV’s overall brightness, we use various-sized white windows, including 10% and 100%. A 10% window provides a standardized indication of the peak brightness that can be expected, whereas 100% shows how consistently it can display a bright image such as a colorful video game. These tests also determine how a TV handles screen reflections, which is crucial for daytime gaming.

The color reproduction tests we make with both HDR and SDR sources are important to see how faithfully and accurately a TV can display source material, and they also indicate the maximum color gamut available. We additionally test for grayscale accuracy, looking at how consistently a TV tracks gray tones on the screen from black to white.

We aim to keep conditions consistent across our tests, but it’s worth noting that some writer setups do vary. We always strive, however, to use equivalent equipment and procedures so our results are comparable across TVs.

You can read more in-depth about how we test TVs at TechRadar at that link, and in particular for this guide, how we test TV input lag.

Other TVs we've tested

Hisense U8N: A super-bright, feature-packed mini-LED TV, the Hisense U8N comes with a good stock of gaming features at an affordable price (though it's better priced in the US than anywhere else). While it is a superb TV, the Samsung Q80D and Hisense U7N are cheaper, and have a great list of gaming features in their own right. But, as you can read in our Hisense U8N review, it's still a fantastic TV.

LG G4: The LG G4 is a premium OLED TV that delivers a premium gaming experience with a full stock of features across four HDMI 2.1 ports. Its MLA OLED panel means it delivers phenomenal brightness for an OLED, and its detail, contrast and color are incredible, too. While it's a superb TV, we preferred the Samsung S95D overall as the best TV for 'Super-bright OLED' as it delivers not only higher peak and fullscreen brightness, but its OLED Glare Free screen makes it perfect for daytime gaming. However, if you want Dolby Vision gaming support, read our LG G4 review, because the G4 carries that feature.

TCL QM851G: The TCL has spectacular brightness levels that make it a great option for brighter room gaming, but the Samsung QN90D is our choice due to its superior processing and wider range of size options (the QM851G starts at 65-inch). Make no mistake, as our TCL QM851G review says, this TV still delivers excellent picture quality, sound and a good number of gaming features so is still one for consideration. (Note that this is a US-only TV – the closest UK/Europe equivalent is the TCL C855)

Philips OLED809/OLED909: Philips' OLED TVs strongest weapon and most unique factor is their Ambilight feature, a series of lights around the TV that project colors onto the wall behind. This adds a truly unique layer to gaming that make things feel even bigger and more immersive, plus both sets are stacked with gaming features and deliver amazing picture quality and sound. Unfortunately, they're only available in the UK and they don't quite offer the same value and performance ratio that the LG C4 does, especially because they only have two HDMI 2.1 ports each. However, read our Philips OLED809 review and our Philips OLED909 review if you like the idea of a TV that feels much bigger than it is.

Panasonic Z95A: The Panasonic Z95A is a fantastic flagship OLED TV that not only delivers exceptional picture quality, but unparalleled sound that's immersive and expansive. It also makes for a great gaming TV with 4K 144Hz, VRR and Dolby Vision gaming. But, it doesn't quite match up the Samsung S95D or LG C4 in terms of OLED gaming performance and value – again, especially because it has only two HDMI 2.1 ports. But that sound may make up for it, as our Panasonic Z95A review digs into.

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED: A budget-friendly, QLED TV, the Amazon Omni QLED carries a decent amount of gaming features, incluidng VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming support and while it may be limited to 4K, 60Hz, we found in our Amazon Omni QLED review that "gaming performance is surprisingly good for a cheaper TV" and that its picture quality is colorful, natural and detailed for the price. While it is a good budget TV, the Hisense U6N takes its spot on the list as it offers mini-LED and more gaming features for only a fractional amount more.

TCL C855: A UK-specific model, the TCL C855 is an excellent mini-LED TV that has a great stock of gaming features, including 4K, 120Hz, VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming all included. It also delivers effective local dimming that results in superb contrast and black levels as well as bright and colorful picture quality. It doesn't quite make the list as the Samsung Q80d offers a more complete gaming experience, but find out more about this brilliant TV in our TCL C855 review.

Hisense 110UX: A big screen gaming experience like no other, the massive 110-inch Hisense UX has a solid list of gaming features and the performance to match. It also has great picture quality and a decent sound system, as we discovered in our Hisense 110UX review. You'll just first have to get over the shock of its price ($15,000!).

Panasonic Z85A: A mid-range OLED with much to offer, the Z85A's good list of gaming features matches up to other rival OLEDs, as we noted in our Panasonic Z85A review. The Z85A has a detailed picture with powerful contrast, but it is pricier than rival OLEDs such as the LG B4 and LG C4.

The latest updates to this best gaming TVs guide

24 October 2025
Swapped the LG C4 for the new LG C5 as our 'best gaming TV for most people' based on our recent testing and review.

14 July 2025
Swapped the Samsung QN90D for the Samsung QN90F for best for bright rooms as the latter features and anti-reflection screen and higher brightness levels.

6 May 2025
Swapped the Samsung S95D for the LG G5 as 'best super-bright OLED' for the latter's superior brightness levels.

10 March 2025
Added in a gallery of images for each entry on this list. Added more models we've tested to our Other TVs we've tested section.

14 February 2025
Added in the Hisense U6N as 'best cheap gaming TV'. Added in a section explaining PS5 and Xbox Series X specific features. Added Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED and TCL C855 to Also Consider section.

17 January 2025
Added a section discussing new gaming TVs we are expecting in 2025 that could be added to this list.

23 December 2024
Moved the LG C4 to become the best overall gaming TV as stock of the Samsung S90C runs out. We also introduced an Also Consider section with information about other sets that didn't make the list.

25 November 2024
Added in Buy it if boxes for each entry, explaining two reasons to buy and avoid each TV on this list

14 November 2024
Added a Black Friday TV deals section, explaining the deals we're likely to see on the TVs from this guide.

18 October 2024
Replaced the Sony A80L with the Sony Bravia 8, and the LG B3 with the LG B4, based on our testing.

19 September 2024
Replaced the Samsung QN90C with the Samsung QN90D as 'best for bright rooms'.

20 August 2024
Replaced the Samsung Q80C with the Samsung Q80D for 'best budget gaming TV (UK)

23 July 2024
Added the Sony Bravia 9 as 'best elite TV for PS5'

28 June 2024
Removed Amazon Omni QLED as 'best cheap TV'. Removed Hisense U8K as 'best cheaper 120Hz TV in the US'. Samsung Q80C became 'best budget (UK)' instead of 'best cheaper 120Hz gaming TV in the UK'. Added Hisense U7N as 'best budget (US)'.

3 June 2024
Replaced the LG C3 with the LG C4 as "The best for size options" due to improved picture brightness and gaming features.

3 May 2024
Replaced the Samsung S95C with the S95D as best super bright OLED, thanks to anti-reflection tech and higher peak brightness levels.

28 March 2024
Added test result charts for all TVs, to make them easier to compare.

27 February 2024
Added to the 'How We Test' section with a more in-depth breakdown of how our testing of the TV in this list works.

24 January 2024
Updated the FAQ's section with 'What new gaming TVs are coming in 2024?' discussing some of the latest models we're keeping our eyes on.

15 December 2023
Replaced Samsung Q80B with Samsung Q80C for 'best cheaper 120Hz (UK)' due to stock levels.

6 October 2023
Added the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED as best cheap gaming TV, Hisense U8K and Samsung Q80B became 'best budget 120Hz gaming TV' for US and UK respectively. LG B3 replaced LG B2 for best budget OLED due to stock levels. Swapped Samsung QN85B for Samsung QN90C as best for bright rooms, due to low stock levels, and the Hisense matching the QN85B for brightness.

22 August 2023
Added the Samsung S90C as our new number one recommendation, based on our review and discussion of its merits compared to the LG C3. Added the LG C3 as the best option with a broad range of sizes. Replaced the Sony A80K with the newer Sony A80L.

13 July 2023
Checked all products against our latest reviews.

26 June 2023
Added this 'latest updates' section, to help readers see what recent changes have been made. Checked the products in the list against our latest reviews.

20 April 2023
Changed the structure of the guide to make it easier to find particular models that suit different needs, and to navigate to those models. Added Samsung S95C to the list, and removed some models.

6 March 2023
Updated the list to reflect current TV options, including adding the Samsung QN95B.

Know this: when Paris and hi-fi collide, I will always want to be there. And so it came to pass, at the Paris Audio Show, which ends today (October 27).

Want to hear multi-driver towers of power from the likes of Sonus Faber? (The very new Amati Supreme speakers were on show, see the main image of this piece, yours for a cool $78,000 / £75,000 / €78,000 / approx. AU$123,000).

How about Magico (above, you'll see the Magico S2, priced from £41,500 / AU$83,999, so around $55,400 before taxes), lit from below and hooked up to a system that can come home with you – for a fee you'd have to discuss with your bank manager? Maybe you just prefer live DJ sets on the second floor?

Enjoy the idea of passing by alien-like spherical Planet L Performance speakers from Elipson (see below) and the newest multi-room kit from WiiM? How about wandering into rooms with outstanding 5.1.2 surround-sound systems and outrageously huge screens just as the atomic bomb drops in Oppenheimer – or Timothee Chalamet deals with a particularly tricksy sand worm in Dune: Part 2? Or do you simply want to hole-up in a little booth with the newest set of outrageously expensive open-back headphones and a lovely supplied source device, just to make friends with music again? It's all here.

And as luck would have it, so was I. Here's the best I saw and heard at the show – but do note that I'm unable to cover every single product and experience. Want to know about the newest and best headphones I heard at the Paris Audio Show? Click the link, friend. Otherwise, let's get going.

1. Adele's L-Acoustics Syva performance – on Syva-Syva Sub stereo speakers

For me, watching recorded gigs on TV can often be a game of 'spot the Syva' or 'spot the line array' – both L-Acoustics creations. But at the Paris Audio Show, I was able to listen to Adele perform using L-Acoustics' Syvas, on an L-Acoustics Syva-Syva Sub stereo system – even while they were still setting the room up (hurrah for early press access).

And let me tell you right now: the sound blew me away. It's the first time I've heard these speakers purely in a stereo setup and not in L-Acoustics' phenomenal Highgate facility, where several of these same Syva-Syva Subs (and dozens of other L-Acoustics speakers) are squirreled away into the walls and overhead to create an incredibly immersive gig space.

My colleague Jamie experienced Max Cooper's new album On Being at the space earlier this year and told me he never wants to go back to stereo, but having heard these speakers purely in that way now, I adore how they sound for impact, clarity, expanse and dynamic nuance.

In case you don't know (I did not), Adele held a special concert at the Los Angeles Griffith Observatory for her 2021 CBS television special, Adele One Night Only – yes, the same observatory that Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone danced through in La-La Land. And as you watch her at full voice, the camera pans out to reveal L-Acoustics' Syva-Syva Subs dotted around the open-air auditorium.

Oh, to have been there… but honestly, this setup (I'm told in hushed tones they go for around $26,500 per pair) is a close second, and one you could enjoy every day…

2. Oppenheimer on Valerion's 200" home cinema and Thunderbeats sound system

Imagine having a 200-inch home cinema system of your very own. Well, Valerion can deliver it with ease, and even priced it all up for me as I stood there.

You've got your VisionMaster Max for $4,999 / £4,349 / €4,999 / AU$7,555; your Thunderbeat Speaker System, a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos solution that'll set you back a not-unreasonable £1,499 (so, maybe $2,000 or AU$3,050) and Valerion's 200-inch 'Matte White' screen, for £899 (around $1,199 or AU$1,830). Obviously there's more to consider here, but that's the basics covered.

I sit with two other people in Valerion's screening room during the early-access press night. Cillian Murphy is on-screen. As the room becomes a bomb site and the first ever atomic bomb drops on Hiroshima, I realize Valerion didn't call them 'Thunderbeat' speakers for nothing. It was an emotionally charged performance for those of us lucky enough to have been in the room before the big show got underway.

3. WiiM's new Sound speakers used as rear channels alongside Elipson towers

We covered the launch of the WiiM Sound just days ago and, interestingly, any price information on the show stands in Paris had been removed – they're so new that pricing probably hadn't been finalized when the setup was conceived. Nevertheless, WiiM is keen to show them off, as a stereo pair but also as rear channels in a home cinema setup that also comprises the WiiM Sub Pro and Elipson Prestige Facet II 24F – June 2025-release speakers that sell for around £1,000 per pair.

I stood and watched a key section of Dune: Part 2. First, a disclaimer: it was a little too busy and noisy to truly appraise the sound from my standing spot, this being my second day at the Paris Audio Show and, to my dismay, they also let normal people in – many of whom had taken up residence on the seated sweet-spots – alongside the esteemed audio fourth estate. However, I can tell you that purely owing to the independent volume readings on each WiiM Sound's screen, I think I would prefer them to using to Sonos Era 100s in a similar setup…

4. Bowers & Wilkins and Marantz, yes, but look at the elevated AudioQuest cables

If you know me, you'll know I've never met a Bowers & Wilkins speaker or Marantz amplification solution I couldn't get along with.

But this room was different, because on the early-access press evening when the room was still fully lit (and not 100% finished) I got to see the full extent of audiophile perfectionism: AudioQuest cables and actual AudioQuest cable risers, to lift your carefully arranged, high-quality audio cables off the floor. Why do this? To reduce potential vibrational nasties in the audio signal and increase clarity, focus and detail.

When I was still a very green audio journo in 2019, I wrote an entire roundup on 'hi-fi myths that actually work' – think playing a CD from the beginning (rather than pausing it and resuming) to get better timing, listening in the dark, listening at night, running in your hi-fi separates and, yes, elevating your cables from vibrations.

That piece still hounds me to this day – and yet I maintain that keeping your cables off the floor helps your system sound better. And having heard it again on this outstanding system, I won't be changing my mind (or that piece) any time soon.

5. The extras…

This is not a dedicated entry – think more a 'best of the rest' I saw in passing at the Paris Audio Show – but I can't let such a roundup end without mentioning these hi-fi morsels of joy.

First up is the fact that I have seen Pro-Ject's new Elvis-themed turntable and it looks even better in real life than I could've imagined – as does the AC/DC deck (which annoyingly I didn't manage to photograph).

Elsewhere, I'm happy to report that McIntosh's amplification is still glowing gorgeously green in a hi-fi listening facility near you, and Koss is still making gloriously retro headphones, which makes sense – the company invented the first true stereo headphones designed for personal listening, the SP-3, in 1958.

Oh, and on October 15, Danish hi-fi outfit Eltax released a turntable called 'Spinster'. Why nobody has thought of naming a deck thus before is something I pondered for most of the Eurostar train journey back to London…

Everyone has their own personal preference when it comes to how they watch movies and TV at home. Many people will find a simple yet convenient combination of a TV and a standalone soundbar to be the ideal package for immersive nights on the sofa.

Others may invest in one of the best projectors for a more authentic, cinema-like experience. Then, of course, you have those who demand the very best their space and budget can afford – which will likely comprise one of the best TVs and one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. Or, if space permits, a fully-fledged surround-sound speaker system.

When putting a system together though, how much thought do any of us give to cables? They're an essential accessory, yet most of us get by with (at best) the random cords that come bundled with our electronics or (at worst) are just laying around the house. I mean, a cable is a cable, right?

In many ways, yes, it is. As long as your cable supports the necessary standards to handle the various standards your TV and sound system supports – such as Dolby Atmos audio or 4K HDR imagery – then any HDMI cable will do.

It wasn't their transmission capabilities that I hadn't considered before, though. I've generally used cables that come with their respective products to much success. However, what I hadn’t considered was the aesthetics of my cabling. You know, the really important stuff.

Setting the scene

I’ve realised in recent years that I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my home theater. Fortunately, so is my partner, so there's no bickering or compromising when it comes to making a purchase to level up our lounge room.

As a result, our home cinema setup comprises an 83-inch LG G5 OLED TV and a full Sonos speaker package – Arc Ultra, Era 300s for surrounds and Sub 3. We’ve also recently added some Era 100s as part of an (admittedly successful) experiment, which I’m excited to flesh out my thoughts about in a future article.

I know this system can be improved upon. If we had the space, we’d get a home cinema amplifier and a full speaker package, but our apartment in Sydney, Australia won’t accomodate that. The Sonos system is therefore as near a perfect home theater system as we can get. Since adding a Sony UDP-X700 4K Blu-ray player to the mix and investing in a number of 4K Blu-ray discs, I’ve never been more excited to just stay at home with a glass of wine and settle in for movie nights.

It all sounds fantastic, and it was very nearly perfect... if it weren’t for the unsightly HDMI cables sneakily hanging down behind the screen and snaking their way into the TV bench. The G5 OLED’s central-mounted stand is hidden by the Arc Ultra soundbar and if it weren’t for those damn cables, the screen really would look as though it were floating. The HDMI cables were ruining the illusion.

A solutions man

The only way to resolve the monstrosity that was hanging cables was to invest in some longer versions that I could weave through the TV’s surprisingly impressive cable management system. So, during the recent Amazon Prime Day sale, I picked up a couple of 3-meter Ugreen HDMI 2.1 cables at a discount, ultimately costing me AU$22 each.

They arrived the next day and I immediately ripped them out their packets, pulled my TV bench forward and got to work rearranging everything behind the scenes. I’d never seriously used LG's cable management system before, and I was actually quite naive about its benefits.

Thanks to the extra length of the new HDMI cables, I’ve now been able to run them through the TV stand at the back, up through a couple of dedicated cut outs, and then along the TV’s rear panel, where they’re held in place by clips before finally slotting into the HDMI ports.

Getting results

Once they were connected, I moved the whole unit back into position so I could marvel at my work. I was so happy I could’ve cried. Gone were the eyesore dangling cables, replaced by glorious empty space.

Now, the TV does genuinely give off the illusion of floating and, for the time being at least, my home cinema setup is perfect. Sometimes the simplest upgrades – in this case about $24 / £28 / AU$44 worth of cables – can make all the difference.

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A home theater – or home cinema in the UK – is a bespoke space where comfort meets the latest in cutting-edge AV tech and home automation convenience. It’s a space to breathe easy, escape from the world, and settle back for movie watching, sports viewing, and gaming.

A home theater can be something as simple as one of the best TVs or best projectors paired with one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, but there are also dedicated professionals who can take a home theater to the next level when it comes to picture and sound quality and design.

As we regularly do for TechRadar’s Home Theater Week, we’ve assembled a gallery of truly awesome theaters, most of which have been recently completed and feature current examples of the best AV tech. We hope these theaters inspire you to create or commission your own home theater dream space, which can be as simple or as elaborate as you care to make it.

1. Basement Buildout Magic - Audio Advice x Dawn Christine Architects

This installation started life as an empty basement space that Dawn Christine Architects sought to transform into an epic compound for entertaining and family recreation. The theater section measures 20 feet deep by 18 feet wide and features a 148-inch acoustically transparent 2.40:1 Stewart Filmscreen SnoMatte 100 screen, concealing JBL Synthesis SCL-2 2 in-wall speakers for the left, center, and right channels, along with dual SSW-2 12-Inch subwoofers.

The system’s 10,000-lumen Sony GTZ380 laser projector is one of the brightest home theater projectors you can buy, and here it sits in a small enclosure behind the seating area, where its large size won’t detract from the installation’s theater-like design, which is enhanced by multicolored lighting.

The rest of the system consists of JBL Synthesis speakers for the surround and height channels, an Anthem AVM 70 AV receiver, and Anthem 3- and 5-channel amplifiers.

Equipment used:

• Sony GTZ380 laser projector
• 148-inch acoustically transparent 2.40:1 Stewart Filmscreen SnoMatte 100 screen
• JBL Synthesis SCL-2 in-wall speakers (LCR)
• JBL Synthesis SCL-6 speakers (side and rear)
• SCL-5 2-Way in-ceiling speakers (overhead)
• Anthem MCA 325 Gen 2 3-channel power amp
• Anthem MCA 525 5-channel amp
• Anthem AVM 70 AV receiver
• JBL DSi 2.0 MA4-D 4-channel home theater power amplifier
• 2x SSW-2 Dual 12-Inch subwoofers
• 2x BL S4S In-Wall Subwoofers
• Control4 home control system

2. Westminster townhouse home theater - Homeplay x L-Acoustics

This install, by Surrey, UK-based installer Homeplay, transforms a plain media room into a fully fledged home cinema in a townhouse in Westminster, London. James Ratcliffe of Homeplay recalls, “The room was pretty uninspiring and as such completely unused,” so he and his team stripped back the whole room to its bare bones and started again, facing challenges such as “poor sound quality, rattling walls and intrusive pipe noise.”

Working with L-Acoustics, the resulting home cinema room is a 9.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos system with three L-Acoustics Soka on-wall speakers for the LCR channels, two L-Acoustics Syva subwoofers, and ten L-Acoustics X4i speakers, with six for surrounds and four for height. The system is powered by the L-Acoustic LA7.16i amplified controller and includes a StormAudio Evo digital sound processor, which can decode up to 24 channels.

To complete the system, a Sony VPL-X7000ES 4K projector provides the visuals and is paired with a Screen Research drop-down projector screen. Control4 smart home integration is included for easy control of the room, and acoustic treatment is provided by Cinema Build Systems.

Equipment used:

• Sony VPL-XW7000ES projector
• LA7.16i amplified controller
• 3x L-Acoustics Soka speakers (LCR)
• 2x L-Acoustics Syva (subwoofer)
• 6x L-Acoustics X4i speakers (surrounds)
• 4x L-Acoustics X4i speakers (height)

3. The Ultimate Home Theater Gaming Setup - Audio Advice x DIY Guy

AV retailer and custom installation outfit Audio Advice is based in Raleigh, North Carolina, a city closely associated with Fortnite creator Epic Games. Unsurprisingly, they are called upon to do plenty of installations where gamers can experience the ultimate in sound and picture quality for both gaming and movies.

This installation was actually carried out by a skilled DIYer associated with the company and is based around a custom-built gaming PC with a 30-series Nvidia 3060 graphics card featuring three HDMI outputs. Those outputs feed an Epson 6050 front projector mounted behind the system’s central 11.5-foot-wide acoustically transparent screen, along with two Epson LS500 projectors mounted behind the room’s side screens.

An all-KEF speaker system supplies the audio, with Ci5160REF-THX Reference Series In-wall speakers up front for the LCR channels, and six KEF subwoofers for the bottom end. As you enter the theater, you’ll see a digital movie poster, with software supplied by Great Dane Cinemas. We’re not sure what that digital movie poster is all about, but we'd definitely want one for the entrance to our own home theater.

Equipment used:

• 11.5 feet wide acoustically transparent screen with Epson 6050 projector
• 2x Epson LS500 projectors
• Custom-built gaming PC using a 30-series Nvidia 3060 graphics card
• KEF Ci5160REF-THX Reference Series In-wall speakers (LCR)
• KEF Ci3160RL-THX in-wall speakers (rear and surrounds)
• KEF Ci200RR-THX in-ceiling speakers (overhead)
• 4x KEF Ci3160RLb-THX subwoofers
• 2x KEF Kube 12b subwoofers
• Control4 home control system

4. Hove home theater - Dr Smart Homes x AWE Europe

The client for this installation is a movie fan who dedicated a windowless room in their ultra-modern new home to a home cinema. The client was happy to be guided by Dr Smart Homes and AWE Europe on pretty much every decision but one: “The only non-negotiable was the starlight ceiling,” said Daniel Cannard of Dr Smart Homes.

The resulting home cinema is a 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos system. Three Bowers & Wilkins CWM7.3 S2 in-wall speakers serve as the left, right, and center channels, with two Bowers & Wilkins CWM7.5 S2 speakers serving as the rears. The speaker system is rounded out by two Bowers & Wilkins CCM662 600 series ceiling speakers and two Bowers & Wilkins ASW610 subwoofers. Running this setup is the Marantz Cinema 60, a 7-channel, 100W per channel AV receiver.

Completing the home cinema setup is an Epson EH-LS12000B 4K projector and an acoustically transparent 3m cinema screen.

Aesthetically, the cinema room is complemented by two rows of reclining cinema chairs and the aforementioned starlight ceiling, as well as a pick’n’mix corner for “the full movie night experience.”

Equipment used:

• Epson EH-LS12000B projector
• Marantz Cinema 60 AV receiver
• 3x Bowers & Wilkins CWM7.3 S2 speakers (LCR channels)
• 2x Bowers & Wilkins CWM7.5 S2 speakers ( rear channels)
• 2x Bowers & Wilkins CCM662 600 speakers (height channels)
• 2x Bowers & Wilkins ASW610 (subwoofers)

5. Warwickshire home theater - AWE x Mark Maddock Custom Installation

This bespoke home cinema is located in Warwickshire, England, and features a state-of-the-art 7.4.4-channel Dolby Atmos sound system. Starting without any specific equipment requirements other than wanting a starlight ceiling, Mark Maddock Custom Installation had a completely blank canvas from which to work.

The system is based around a Sony VPL-XW7000 4K laser projector and a 4m acoustically transparent screen. With Blu-ray used as a source, the installation includes bespoke shelving for Blu-ray and DVD storage.

On the audio side, a Marantz AV10 processor drives a Bowers & Wilkins CWM8.3D in-wall speakers for the front left, center, and right channels, along with Bowers & Wilkins in-wall surround and in-ceiling height speakers. Four Bowers & Wilkins CTSW15 in-wall subwoofers bring the bass, and the system was calibrated by Cinema Build Systems, who additionally provided the acoustic and visual treatments, including a fabric wall.

Equipment used:

• Sony VPL-XW7000 4K laser projector
• 4m acoustically transparent screen
• Bowers & Wilkins CWM8.3D in-wall speakers (LCR)
• 4x CWM8.5D speakers (rear and back surround)
• Four CCM8.5D in-ceiling speakers (overhead )
• 4x Bowers & Wilkins CTSW15 in-wall subwoofers

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Achieving an authentic, cinema-like experience at home is a desire shared by many of us. Whether you have the space and budget for a dedicated movie screening room, or instead need to settle for one of the best TVs paired with one of the best soundbars in your living area, it’s always nice to be able to sit back, relax and experience excellent picture and sound quality from the comfort of your own home.

This feeling is front and center at TechRadar right now as it’s our Home Theater Week 2025. We’re publishing a series of features, reviews and other home theater-related topics, coinciding with the annual CEDIA Expo, which kicked off on Thursday, September 4.

The first article to go live was my Kaleidescape Strato E review. This deep-dive will let you in on my full thoughts about the high-end movie player (the quick of it is, it’s fantastic), but I wanted to highlight the exact moment I knew just how special a product the Strato E – and, by and large, the wider Kaleidescape product lineup – was. It has nothing to do with picture quality (although that’s mind-blowing), but it's all about the sound.

A love of film

I’m very fortunate that my partner shares my love of cinema. If anything, he loves it more, and without hesitation he can rattle off actor after actor, the movies they’ve done and the awards they’ve won. He’s an encyclopedia. What he loves more than anything, however, is sound. As for me, with over 10 years experience writing about home entertainment and hi-fi products, I also appreciate how much sound can affect the movie-watching experience and, further, my own emotions.

When I took delivery of the Kaleidescape Strato E, the first film I purchased from the Movie Store was Gravity. Even though it was only available in HD quality (a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray was slated for May 2025 but has yet to come to fruition), it included a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. I was sold. Having watched the movie at the cinema when it was released in 2013, I’ve been waiting 12 years to see it again in comparable quality. With the Strato E at my disposal, that was now possible.

Despite being a movie that has little dialogue and, in comparison to many other releases, less sound overall, Gravity is a masterclass in object placement and a genuinely great advert for Dolby Atmos.

Had it have been released this year, I'm certain it would've made my colleague Matt Bolton's list of the 10 Dolby Atmos movies to test your home theater system.

Space for sound

I had the player connected to a full Sonos home theater system – Arc Ultra, 2x Era 300s for surrounds and a Sub 3 – and from the moment the movie started, my partner and I were there in space with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. The two characters are first seen way off in the distance, but you can hear them talking, albeit quietly. Their voices were perfectly placed to the front right of my seating position. And, rather than coming through clearly as if they were right there next to us, the Atmos soundtrack superbly encapsulated the distance from the viewer.

As the two of them move closer and closer to the screen, the volume increases so naturally that you could easily forget you’re watching a movie rather than floating in space yourself.

A little further into the movie, the soundtrack gets more involved and pushes your system’s capabilities even further. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney’s characters get into a spot of trouble courtesy of debris from a cascade of satellite breakups, damaging their ship and sending them spinning out of control. Fragments are flying past and I could hear each piece swooping in from behind my seating position and out in front of me. Height channels are used effectively here, too, and it really does sound like you are enveloped in the same action as the two protagonists.

The music soundtrack is also full of dynamism here. It builds instantly and becomes so intense to really signify the danger the duo are in.

The movie is replete with excellent Atmos scenes from start to finish; the final one I’ll note is subtle but significant enough that it deserves a mention. When Ryan (Sandra Bullock) is left alone floating in space, scared and breathing heavily, the camera is positioned outside her spacesuit. It slowly pans inwards, ending up inside her helmet. When the camera moves inside, the soundtrack audibly changes as her breathing intensifies. It’s a subtle shift, but it really does show off what Dolby Atmos can do when it’s executed well, i.e. it really is as if the audience is sharing her experience.

Down to Earth

Now, I have to admit, I’ve yet to see the same movie on its regular Blu-ray release, which also includes a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, so I can’t vouch for any potential difference in quality. I would be confident in saying that, if you have a decent Atmos speaker system, you will unlock the full potential of this spatial audio gem.

Ideally, I’d recommend a soundbar or speaker system with dedicated rear speakers as you’ll get a much more authentic and effective enveloping effect. However, as you’ll see in our guide to the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, single-box solutions are constantly improving and are powerful enough to deliver height and scale.

Whatever solution you’re able to achieve in your home, make sure not to focus solely on image quality when creating a system. The soundtrack carries a movie far more in my opinion, especially one as good as Gravity’s.

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Kaleidescape might not be a name you’re familiar with in Australia. That’s because, until now, the company hasn’t had a presence Down Under.

If you're familiar with the brand and what it does – ie produce some of the finest at-home movie players usually reserved for the luxurious custom install market – then the company’s arrival on our shores could be the most exciting news you read all year.

It’s certainly up there with the most exciting AV announcements for me at least.

Kaleidescape is, according to the company, the “only digital movie provider with lossless audio and full reference video quality” via its players which, following the recent launch of the Strato M, now sits at three models.

The Strato M is more entry-level by Kaleidescape standards in that it only outputs in 2K quality, and it sits below the Strato C and Strato V. Both of these players output in 4K quality, with the Strato V having the extra benefit of Dolby Vision HDR support.

All three players are now available to buy in Australia, along with Kaleidescape's Terra Prime media servers for storing content downloaded from the brand's store.

Australian pricing has been confirmed as AU$3,999 for the Strato M, AU$5,899 for the Strato C and AU$7,499 for the Strato V. Terra Prime servers start at AU$10,999 for 12TB of storage.

Big news for big-screen movie fans

While the brand is new to Australia, I've been familiar with Kaleidescape for some time as I'm a home cinema enthusiast and the brand has had a cult-like following overseas. What I'm unfamiliar with is exactly how its products work.

Fortunately, my US-based colleague Al Griffin has previously been given the opportunity to experience a full Kaleidescape system for himself and, based on his impressions, I can’t wait to experience it myself.

What seems apparent to Kaleidescape’s success isn’t necessarily the equipment it produces, but its online store for movie downloads and the user interface to navigate through a downloaded collection. As Al said in his article, “Videos downloaded from the company’s store have a 10 times higher bitrate than typical streaming services and consequently present a crisper image that’s free of compression artifacts."

“And unlike streaming services," he adds, "which all use the lossy and highly compressed Dolby Digital Plus audio format, Kaleidescape provides lossless, bit-for-bit soundtracks in the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats also offered on Ultra HD Blu-ray disc.”

Indeed, Priscilla Morgan, president and COO of the company told me, “Kaleidescape obtains the mezzanine files directly from the studios and we have a comprehensive review process from our content team ensuring the quality that the director intended.”

I’m a sucker for top-quality movies at home, both in terms of picture and sound. I’ve even claimed before that my TV’s built-in streaming apps sound better than the Apple TV 4K. While I’m currently happy with the quality I’m able to get at home, both from the best streaming services and my growing collection of Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray discs, the prospect of that being eclipsed by a Kaleidescape media player is one that’s hard not to be excited by.

Kaleidescape says 3,000 titles are available as of the launch today, with more being added on a daily basis. Content will of course be the true key factor to Kaleidescape’s success. When my colleagues at What Hi-Fi? reviewed the Strato C movie player in the UK last year, they noticed the movie store lacked content from major studios including Disney and NBC Universal, among others, due to licensing restrictions. I haven’t yet been able to confirm if these studios are also missing from the Australian store but will update this article as soon as I find out.

Bridging the gap

I was a little skeptical as to the breadth of the home theatre community in Australia, but Priscilla quickly debunked those thoughts, assuring me that “Australia has passionate home theatre enthusiasts who appreciate the very best in picture and sound quality.”

She added that “feedback from Australian dealers and distributors indicated there is a strong demand for Kaleidescape, and they are excited it is finally coming to their market."

Now, make no mistake, a Kaleidescape system is going to be best suited as an addition to a dedicated home cinema. Not only because it will likely be kitted out with a screen and sound system to faithfully reproduce the high-quality movies, TV shows and concert videos from Kaleidescape’s store, but also because those with a home cinema are likely going to be the only ones willing to spend big on the required equipment.

That being said, the Strato M in particular could present itself as a more cost-effective option. Priscilla Morgan adds, “With Strato players and Terra Prime servers that range in capabilities and price points, we offer a wide range of products for customers looking to enter the Kaleidescape ecosystem." So, what could have feasibly been seen as only an aspiration for many, could now be a more realistic temptation.

With Kaleidscape products now being available in Australia, I hope I don’t have to wait too long to discover what they’re truly capable of. I’m just worried that once I do, I’ll no longer be content with the reality of my living room setup.

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It's been a huge year for projectors so far – with high-quality beamers arriving from the likes of LG, Samsung, BenQ, and more. But as we hit the halfway point of 2024, it's time to assess the changes we've seen in the projector market, as well as any rumors and announcements for the second half of the year.

Projectors are changing; whereas they were once a niche TV alternative, they're now a serious replacement for a TV setup, whether you're a committed cinephile with a dedicated home cinema room and projection screen, or a camper who's looking for an easy way to watch movies.

And the slate of 2024 models is showing that the traditional benefits of most projectors (flexibility, scalability, portability) are improving while the common downsides (low brightness, limited blacks) are farther away than ever. 

Here's a quick overview of the excellent projectors we've seen launch in 2024 so far, and a glimpse of what might be coming next.

Projectors in 2024: what have been the biggest launches so far this year?

Our guide to the best portable projectors has been given a serious shakeup in 2024. This year has seen a flood of excellent 4K projectors with a portable mindset – ensuring that shoppers don't need to choose between flexibility and picture quality – to the extent that in January we wrote that it could be "the end of home theater as we know it".

We've seen a second-gen Samsung Freestyle, an $800 / £650 follow-up to the 2022 original that was already one of our favorite portable projectors. It brought improved support for Xbox and Nvidia cloud-based gaming services, as well as the option to install it in a ceiling light socket. 

Our Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen review noted that its brightness (230 lumens) and HD resolution leave a little to be desired, but it's still a fantastic option for those after a smart projector with a great interface, 30-100 inch projection and the ability to easily move images around.

But LG is the major player that's brought its exceptional CineBeam range to the portable market with the stylish CineBeam Q (above), which achieves 4K resolution and 500 lumens brightness as well as the excellent webOS streaming platform from high-end LG TVs. At $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,499, it prices out the more budget Samsung Freestyle, but with a 4.5/5 rating in our LG CineBeam Q review, it's well worth the upgrade. 

And for those after a truly bright experience, the JMGO N1S Ultra 4K is another new portable projector with Ultra HD resolution and up to 3000 ANSI lumens, alongside a brilliantly compact design and sturdy gimbal for tilting and rotating the projection with pinpoint accuracy.

There are plenty of new advancements for fixed-position projectors, too. The XGIMI Horizon Ultra (above) is the first long-throw projector that supports Dolby Vision, the dynamic HDR format that tweaks color, contrast and bright highlights on the fly for a more vivid, true-to-life viewing experience – and one that counters the assumption that projectors are condemned to produce dim images and struggle with dark scenes. 

In our XGIMI Horizon Ultra review we praised the 2,300 lumens output and wrote that "the blacks are deep and HDR performance brilliant, with great brightness even in well-lit conditions." 

At $1,699 / £1,749 / AU$3,499, the XGIMI Horizon Ultra is still far cheaper than many of the premium projectors we review, and it's proof that, in 2024, even mid-range options are managing to be competitive on lots of the most important metrics.

Projectors in 2024: what launches are we expecting during the rest of the year?

The main absence from 2024's projector lineup so far is Samsung's The Premiere 8K, which was shown off at CES 2024 (and CES 2023 before that), but has yet to officially the market, with no firm release date in sight.

This is the first ever wireless 8K projector, for incredible 8K resolution images, 4000 lumens, and up to 150-inch projection with a wire-free beamer and ultra short-throw technology. 

You will need Samsung's One Connect Box to wirelessly transmit 8K video to the projector, but it does mean you can keep the additional hardware and cables out of view on a cozy movie night. A built-in 8.2.2 channel Dolby Atmos sound system doesn't hurt, either, and marks a notable upgrade over the high-end Samsung Premiere LSP9T, which is currently the best 4K projector we'd recommend for sound quality.

As an alternative for the best 8K TVs, the incoming Premiere 8K is an interesting proposition. While the present for projectors seems to be in bringing high-end specs to portable models, the future seems to be (somewhat similarly) in bringing wireless tech to the high end – and the winners are most certainly us.

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If, like me, you love watching movies at home, then you’ll already know that high quality TVs and soundbars are essential for getting a true cinema-like experience from the comfort of your sofa. But in my opinion, an LED lightstrip attached to the back of a TV is actually a far more beneficial investment. 

The Govee T2 is one such lightstrip that I wish I’d bought a few months ago, but instead I bought the Nanoleaf 4D. The Nanoleaf 4D LED lightstrip is still a great product, and the way it mimics colours on the screen which are then projected onto the wall behind, has proven to be far more immersive overall than the LG G3 OLED alone that I watch my movies on. 

The Nanoleaf 4D relies on a single camera positioned above the TV (it can also be installed below the screen) to ‘see’ what’s being displayed so it can mimic the colours as they’re cast onto the wall behind the screen. The Govee T2 meanwhile has two camera lenses, one for each side of the TV, meaning it should be more accurate when it comes to colour reproduction. And right now, it’s hit its lowest Australian price ever on Amazon, thanks to a 40% discount at Amazon,

My Nanoleaf 4D is still a great backlight, but I have noticed on occasion that the colour of light being projected onto the wall behind isn’t accurate – it sometimes projects green when the image on screen is actually black. I can’t be entirely sure if this is due to the single camera not being able to see the entire screen effectively, or if the software just isn’t as capable as I expected. 

Because the Govee T2 has two camera lenses and 60 LED lights per metre, it should prove to be more accurate. We haven’t reviewed the Govee T2 here at TechRadar, but our colleagues at GamesRadar have, and they found it to be a genuinely useful and immersive upgrade for gaming sessions in particular. User reviews on Amazon are strong too, and it currently holds a 4.5 rating out of five based on over 2,000 reviews.

What also seems to be apparent is that the Govee T2 lightstrip uses a strong adhesive to stick to your TV, and it has additional clips to ensure it stays in place. 

I’ve always been interested in the Govee T2, but its regular price of AU$229.99 was too expensive for me, which is why I went for the more affordable Nanolead 4D. But now Amazon has slashed 40% off its price, it could be one of the wisest investments you ever make for your home cinema. 

• For more Amazon deals and discounts, check out our round up of the latest Amazon coupon codes

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One-minute review

The Nanoleaf Skylight is an alternative indoor lighting solution that can provide everything from strong white lighting to subtle mood lighting in whatever brightness or color you desire, and easily sits among some of the best smart lights. The simple square panel design belies the true nature of the device, which reveals itself once it’s brought to life in brilliant technicolor via the app or PC/Mac software. 

It’s not all sweetness and light though. The installation is a bit more involved than the usual Nanoleaf ‘stick the LEDs onto something and plug them into a power outlet’ scenario. 

The main panel is the same as any other ceiling light, in that it’s hardwired into the lighting circuit. If you have experience installing traditional light fittings, you shouldn’t find it too challenging, but, as always, get a professional to install it if you’re at all unsure; this is dangerous work.

Once the lights are up and running, you can control them with the free Nanoleaf software for PC, Mac or phone app, and it soon becomes apparent just how flexible the system is. I put it through its paces for a couple of weeks and its performance impressed me. I can see a broad range of uses within my home, but the cost seems prohibitive and I did have a fair few teething issues. So, is it worth the asking price? Read on.

Nanoleaf Skylight review: price and availability

• List price: starts at $249 / £229 / AU$469 for a three-light starter kit. Other options include;
  • Expansion pack (1 panel): $69.99 / £69.99 / AU$139.99
  • Starter kit (6 pack): $459.96 / £418.61 / AU$609.90
  • Starter kit (9 pack): $669.93 / £623.64 / AU$889.90
  • Starter kit (12 pack): $879.90 / £828.66 / AU$1,309.90
• Available in the US, UK and Australia 

The Nanoleaf Skylight was released in February 2024 and the starter kit is available for $249 / £229 / AU$469 directly from Nanoleaf’s US, UK and Australian websites and Amazon. 

The starter pack consists of one main unit, which is wired directly into the mains electricity, and two expansion panels. Larger kits are available from Nanoleaf consisting of six, nine, and twelve lights, and there’s also a single-panel expansion pack. 

Nanoleaf Skylight review: Specs

Nanoleaf Skylight review: Design

• Minimalist and unobtrusive (when they’re off)
• Modular design allows for a multitude of configurations
• Unique ceiling-mounted lighting system

Anyone who enjoyed playing on the Atari 2600 in the 70s will get a kick out of the look of these lights. I like the pixel-esque aesthetic and would love to create some huge ceiling icons with a 9x9 square - if only it were possible to control the color for each square individually. I mean, who wouldn’t want a 2.7-square-meter Space Invader or Pac-Man on their ceiling? Unfortunately, that would set me back approximately £5.5k and 1300 Watts, so this vision will forever be a dream.

The combined equal depths of the housing and diffuser are nicely proportioned to the 300 x 300 face but I’m not completely sold on its shiny surface. Maybe a matt finish wouldn’t diffuse the light so well or look any better, though.

The cable management inside the units is well-designed but a little fragile. Each side has two cable routing holes that allow for some more interesting offset configurations if you don’t just want a symmetrical layout. The rubber bungs for these holes can be left in situ as the cables can be passed through slits in them. 

Little features like this make it feel like Nanoleaf spent a great deal of time and effort getting the hardware design right, but then rushed the component selection and software testing. I’ll cover this in more detail in the performance section. 

As is the running theme with this review, the Nanoleaf Skylight’s design is akin to the troubled second album by your favorite band. You buy the record because you love what they do but feel they have let you down.

Nanoleaf Skylight review: Installation

If you skipped over the one-minute review, I will reiterate: if you have experience installing traditional light fittings, you shouldn’t find it challenging, but, as always, get a professional to install it if you are unsure.

Your existing wiring will likely be too inflexible to follow the path to the connectors in the Skylight and it only requires two wires. The rest of the wiring must be out of the way above the ceiling. I replicated the connections within the existing light fitting and increased the size of the hole in the ceiling to do this. 

The next hurdle is the rather poor installation instructions, which erroneously show the plasterboard self-drilling fittings as being screwed through the housing, for example. In reality, the fittings should screw directly into the ceiling and the screws should go through the housing and into those fittings. I say “should screw directly into the ceiling” as during my installation, two of the supplied fittings broke off in the ceiling before I gave up with them. 

Fortunately, I had some more robust metal fittings to hand, which saved the day. To be fair, my ceiling is ‘mature’, and perhaps drilling a 4mm guide hole first would have reduced the mortality rate of the plastic fittings. There are, however, plenty of other inaccuracies in the installation instructions, which add to the confusion. If these instructions were a cake, the missing ingredient would be “care”.   

A bit more wiggle room in the screw holes would also be of benefit as screwing or drilling into a ceiling is prone to error unless you are Spider-Man. Usually, fittings have a combination of horizontal and vertical slots that allow for errors made during drilling or screwing. I’d also recommend ensuring that someone is available during installation to provide placement directions, as it’s not easy to get things straight on a ladder facing upwards. 

Once the primary unit is up, the others are very straightforward. I found it much easier to install the data wires (the short wires with square connector blocks at the ends) between the light units first, and then push through the power wires. Alternatively, the rubber grommets can easily be removed but they may be needed at a later date, should you want to move or reconfigure the lights. Routing the cables between the lights is made easier by the numerous clips built into the unit for this purpose, but, as I learned when I managed to break one, they are a little fragile.

After restoring power at your dwelling’s fuse box and flicking on your light switch at the wall, the Skylight will initially come on at low brightness. It will then increase in brightness to signify that it’s ready to pair with the Nanoleaf app.

Nanoleaf Skylight review: Performance

The first thing that struck me about the Skylight was how much light it gives off. If you sometimes need a bright, even white light while assembling something or taking things to bits, this light is your friend. It’s reminiscent of old-school fluorescent lighting without the irradiation and mercury poisoning. 

The Skylight can, of course, emit any color you wish, but be warned that the color is not uniform across the surface of the diffuser. Inevitably, though, you will need to address the elephant in the room – the Nanoleaf app.  

In previous reviews of Nanoleaf products, I’ve described the Nanoleaf app as “wayward”. Perhaps I am just unlucky, but every time I add a new Nanoleaf product to my network there is a period of chaos. Some of the mayhem may be due to the many and varied devices that I have, and the synchronization between the home automation systems and their cloud accounts. Whatever the root cause, there will be a couple of days of rebooting, deleting, and adding devices until everything works again. The app will invariably have a different view of reality, which may or may not change depending on whether you look at it. Schrödinger’s app.

The sense of frustration was further compounded by the hardware itself misbehaving. I had a period where the light was flickering when set to white light at full power. Following this, the unit then point-blank refused to switch on even after I removed the face plate to press the reset button. Flash forward to the time of writing, I can’t replicate the flickering and it has behaved itself consistently for a few days. 

It’s like having a cat on your ceiling; you ask it to do something and it will ignore you, show you its backside, and walk away. Schrödinger’s app and cat… On the plus side, the supplied scenes are good, you can create your own or use scenes created by others, and these can all be synchronized and used in Apple Homekit. You could avoid using the Nanoleaf app altogether, but you would miss out on firmware and app updates. It’s a necessary evil. 

I have spent many hours with the Nanoleaf app thanks to one of my favorite bits of kit, the Nanoleaf 4D. I was looking forward to using Sync+ to extend the screen colors to the Skylight but, no, it does not work. So, I have two products that support Sync+ but do not support each other… right. 

Not to worry, as Nanoleaf should be applauded for developing a desktop app for both PC and Apple Mac (both Intel and Apple Silicon), which offers screen mirroring. The screen mirroring via the desktop app is a great idea and works well with the 3-pack starter kit laid out in a straight line, but I do wonder how the app would know if you have offset your units in a stepped layout. It also didn’t work with all of the games I tried. I wanted to watch a film via Apple TV+ while mirroring the screen to the Skylight, but the Mac was unhappy about sharing. Thank you, Apple. 

It’s a similar state of affairs with the rhythm feature – a great idea but it falls at the last fence. You can select which source the sound is coming from, but that doesn’t seem to work as well now as it did when I first received the device. Having said that, it is good enough and as I write the Skylight is gently pulsing color along to the music. Wonderful.

Unlike dumb lights, the best smart lights offer a host of control options but that’s not always a boon with wired lights like the Nanoleaf Skylight. When the Skylight has been powered off at the wall, it will take about a minute to appear online within your home automation system or the app when you flick the switch on again. 

Normally that’s not an issue with smart lights, but the problem with the Skylight then becomes the almost imperceptible little ticking noise that the skylight makes when it has power but is not on. It’s akin to Chinese water torture and drives you nuts after a while. I’d strongly recommend using one of the best smart switches for easier control and happier ears.

On top of all this is the lack of Matter support and no built-in thread border router as promised at CES 2023. I like Nanoleaf, I like its ideas and that it makes these feature-rich products happen, but a simple thing like testing could make them so much better. 

Nanoleaf Skylight: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

The Nanoleaf Skylight is, as far as I’m aware, a unique product, so it is difficult to find a direct equivalent. Here are some alternatives if you want to dip your toe into smart lighting, but don’t want to give it the full beans.  

Nanoleaf Skylight: How I tested

• I used the Skylight for work and play for over a month.
• I tested the PC/Mac application on both platforms where possible. 
• I controlled the device from both the Nanoleaf iPhone app and Apple Homekit.

I installed the Skylight in the room where I spend the majority of my time during the dark winter months. I tried to understand what each feature within the application does and how reliable/repeatable they are. Any inconsistencies were investigated but I have yet to find any form of event logging to help me understand exactly what it thinks it is doing.

I powered down my whole house to simulate a power cut to see how it would recover and also rebooted the Wi-Fi router and other devices in my smart home setup at various points.

I kept a log of any updates to the versions of the applications and the device’s firmware. I avoided using Beta versions of the application.

For the majority of the time it performed as expected but it is not bulletproof.

Two-minute review

Nanoleaf’s 4D TV-syncing strip lights are a first for the brand, which is known best for making some of the best smart lights available. With Nanoleaf 4D, the brand has easily accomplished one of the best Ambilight alternatives and created some serious competition for established brands in the space such as Philips Hue and Govee. 

The set is available in two sizes, one for screens up to 65 inches and the other for models up to 85 inches, and come in at a fairly affordable price of $99 / £89 / AU$189 and $119 / £119 / AU$229 respectively. 

Out of the box, the Nanoleaf 4D kit consists of an LED light strip that is attached to the back of the screen and plugged into a control box, which in turn connects to a camera that detects the colors displayed on the screen. The kit illuminates the LEDs to match the picture on your screen, throwing the colors onto the wall behind the screen for a pleasing synchronized glow around the screen. 

The camera can either be mounted atop the TV with the included armature, or placed on your TV table using its built-in stand, and those concerned about prying digital eyes around their home will be pleased to learn that the camera also comes with a magnetic privacy cover.

One of the slight niggles I found when setting up the lights concerned how the cables that connect the lights and camera to the controls are positioned. The rather vague instructions in the handbook encourage you to begin your light strip placement in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen, meaning the wire for the lights trails from that corner, while the camera cable falls centrally. 

This leaves you with a choice of either bending and sticking the light strip wire or having the control sit somewhere near the right-hand side of your screen, lest you run out of wire length to play with. All in all, although not a major issue, I value a neat home entertainment setup and this doesn’t necessarily facilitate that.

Installation is otherwise very straightforward, although you will need to remove your television from the wall to fit the lightstrip, and potentially need a second pair of hands if you’re a real perfectionist. I cheated as my test screen is on a stand! The kit comes supplied with corner mounting blocks which allow the strip to curve around the corners (rather than creating a loop out of the strip which would create problems in accurately matching the colours to the screen.)

There are 10 color zones per meter and 30 LEDs per meter, and the strip can be cut to length at specific 10-centimetre intervals. This does mean you might end up with a gap or excess of the strip when they meet at the end, but a little trial and error with placement before sticking anything on will minimize this. 

Once that’s done, simply peel off the tape backing and stick that strip down, and you’re all set. The strip does tend to peel away from the back of the screen where the two ends meet, but that’s easily resolved by applying some more double-sided sticky tape.

The Nanoleaf app is nicely laid out and works well most of the time, but can occasionally crash. Whilst I appreciate that all software has bugs, some sort of an error message would be nice. Having said that, the things that you can do with this software and the kit impressed me; the Nanoleaf 4D does all of the usual colored lighting tricks that LED strips do. But let’s face it, screen synchronization is what we’re here for. 

The app guides you through mapping out your TV lights, and once you’re set up, you can create your own scenes, or you can use the Magic Scenes feature to create a palette based on a mood or keywords (although I found that the latter favored washed-out hues).

You can choose between four settings (or dimensions, between 1D and 4D), which range from an ambient white glow to the aforementioned screen-matching lights akin to the gold standard Ambilight-style experience. It’s a little tricky to find clear guidance on what each of the dimensions does, so here is my take on it.

1D: White light that’s well suited to documentaries and general viewing

2D: Block color that’s great for ambiance, representing an average of the color displayed on-screen 

3D: Splashes of color reflective of on-screen action, but not extending the screen 

4D: Colors extend from the edges of the screen for full immersion

You can change the color settings by cycling through the controls or via the app. 

Nanoleaf 4D features the same sound-reactive functionality boasted by its smart light siblings, and as a bonus, responds to sound far better than the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights I reviewed last month.

Once I had finished playing with all of the settings I played a few games and films and noticed that one side of the screen was not displaying the screen colors correctly. Further investigation revealed the problem; I needed to close a white door that was being reflected on the screen. You have a choice: either be mindful of the lighting and reflective objects in the room or spend between 4 or 5 times as much on a Philips Hue system for its HDMI linking.  

The only feature I found myself missing is a perennial issue for non-HDMI smart screen lights – automatic screen detection. Call me lazy, but I’d prefer my lights to come on when they detect on-screen activity, rather than requiring me to use the app or physical control.

Overall, I’d say the Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip kit is a great low-cost alternative to the Philips Hue system that just edges out the other low-cost alternatives in several areas; it’s easy to install, well-designed and the results can be spectacular. This thing is so versatile and colorful that it made me want to get some Nanoleaf wall tiles to test their claim of the 4D’s ability to “extend the screen sync effects across 50+ Nanoleaf RGB lights”. Look, somebody’s got to do it…

Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip kit: price and availability

List price:

• TVs & monitors up to 65-inch: $99 / £89.99 / AU$189.99
• TVs & monitors up to 85-inch: $119 / £119.99 / AU$229.99
• Camera only kit: $79.99 / £69.99 / AU$149.99

The Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip Kit are available directly from the Nanoleaf website, starting at $79.99 / $69.99 / AU$149.99 for the camera-only kit. You can also buy the camera-only kit from Amazon in the UK but curiously, not the full kit - however in the US, you can buy all three packages on Amazon. 

The camera-only kit is a great cost-effective option which can be used with the Nanoleaf RGB LED light strip or any RGB light strip that has USB-C connection.

Value-wise, the Nanoleaf 4D is undoubtedly one of the best, if not the best value smart TV lights - the Philips Hue alternative for 75-inch and over TVs is nearly $100 / £100 / AU$300 more expensive at $249.99 / £209.99 / AU$509.95, and you'll need a Philips Hu bridge if you don't already have one. Govee's lights sit squarely in between but don't offer such consistency or smooth light performance as Nanoleaf. 

Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip kit review: Specs

Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip kit: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip kit review: How I tested

• I installed the Nanoleaf application and added the Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip Kit to Apple HomeKit 
• I tested all of the modes and scenes against different types of content (i.e. films, TV programs, Games) and resolutions 
• I tested each claimed feature e.g. “Reacts to music” where possible 
• I tested the kit under various lighting conditions. 

I had already tested a pre-release version of this kit last year which was unfortunately defective and a very frustrating experience. The days that I spent trying to get it to work reliably were not wasted though as it gave me a good understanding of how the thing works and how it has been improved.

I was pleased to be able to make use of scenes in Apple Homekit which I  could not get to work when I tested the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights last month. I switched off Bluetooth on my phone and ran all of the tests again to find out if there was any function that used Bluetooth and everything behaved normally. 

The room I use to test things is the worst-case scenario for the Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip Kit as it is almost completely white. Everything gets reflected on the screen, especially in daylight which affects the colors that the camera detects. I was pleasantly surprised during testing to find that some of the reflection problems could be dialed out using a custom vibrancy set which allows you to change the values for Dynamic range, saturation, and white balance.

Samsung HW-Q700C: Two-minute review

In a bid to become one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars to have graced our testing process, the Samsung HW-Q700C presents itself as a similar TV-boosting soundbar solution as the HW-Q800C. Essentially, it too is a mid-tier offering capable of pumping out Dolby Atmos from a single bar and subwoofer combination. Like its slightly bigger brother, there are no rear speakers, nor do you get the truly insane levels of power exhibited by the top-of-the-range HW-Q990C. Differentiating it from the 800C, the Q700C on test here adopts a 3.1.2-channel output – compared to the 5.1.2 layout of the 800 – making it a good option for those wanting to boost the sound coming from their TV in a smaller-sized room. And, as with all Samsung soundbars, you can take advantage of extra features if you own a compatible Samsung TV such as Q Symphony, which is explained in greater detail further down. 

At $549.99 / £599 / AU$899 – although you can regularly find it for less in all territories – it’s what could be deemed affordable, and while some may wish they had the extra couple of channels found on the 800C, the 700C delivers a loud, dynamic and impressive performance – particularly where vocals are concerned. If you want those extra channels and a more authentic Dolby Atmos surround sound experience at a later date, you could wirelessly connect the SWA-9500S speakers for $299 / £249 / AU$349.

The Samsung HW-Q700C supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X by way of two up-firing drivers to deliver the all-important height effects, and it will happily double up as a music system, accepting a range of music files including high-resolution FLAC. In practice, it is a formidable bit of kit, and certainly passes the test when it comes to the task of boosting your TV’s sound and bringing a cinema-like experience into your main room. Bass levels are insanely good considering the size of the 'bar and sub, Dolby Atmos height effects are convincing – as much as they can be given the speaker configuration – and as already alluded to, vocals  are crystal clear. 

However, considering you don’t need to spend a lot more money to pick up the HW-Q800C, it does beg the question who would take the 700 instead. This review intends to answer that one for you. 

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Price & Availaibility

• $549.99 / £599 / AU$899
• Released April 2023

The Samsung HW-Q700C received a global launch in April 2023. In the UK and Australia, it appears to have maintained its original launch price of £599 and AU$899, whereas in the US, it’s undergone a price cut from $699.99, down to $549.99, at the time of writing. 

However, this is only the MSRP, and you’ll likely find it’s been discounted a fair amount at many third-party retailers, making it seemingly better value for money. But you’re also going to find the slightly more powerful Q800C has been discounted too, and so if you can afford the extra spend, that would ultimately be our recommendation. 

This is because the Q800C gives you a couple of extra speaker drivers for a bigger, wider sound. An alternative would be to use the money saved by buying the Q700C and spending it on the optional rear speakers for a more authentic 5.1.2 surround sound setup. 

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Specs

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Features

• 3.1.2 channels
• 4K HDR HDMI passthrough
• Exclusive features for Samsung TV owners

The Samsung HW-Q700C’s 3.1.2 channel arrangement comprises a center, two wide-range tweeters, two dedicated upward firing drivers and a wireless 6.5-inch subwoofer, delivering a total power output of 320 watts. This is another area where the Q700C differs from its higher-specced siblings. The Q800C and Q990C are paired with an 8-inch subwoofer, which is capable of making your room shake even more with low frequencies. A larger sub is going to be useful in larger rooms and consequently, could be overkill if your living room, bedroom, media room, whatever it may be, is on the smaller side. The 6.5-inch sub included with the 700C is still plenty capable, it must be said, and in my time using it I didn’t feel short changed.

If you’re in ownership of a compatible Samsung TV, you can effectively increase the channel count by way of integrating the TV’s speakers into the equation via Q Symphony. The aim is to create a bigger, more detailed soundstage, since you’ll be using all available speakers. If you are able to connect to a compatible Samsung TV – 2021 - 2023 QLED Q70 TVs and above – then you can take advantage of SpaceFit Sound room calibration. This uses the microphone in the TV to automatically calibrate the sound without any user intervention. SpaceFit Sound Pro, which doesn't require a Samsung TV to be connected, is available on the Q800C soundbar and the flagship Q990C.

The vast majority of audio formats are supported, including the aforementioned Dolby Atmos, alongside DTS:X, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby True HD. As for music, there’s across the board support for AAC, WAV, FLAC, MP3 and ALAC. Put simply, the Samsung HW-Q700C will be able to playback virtually anything you wish to throw at it. 

And since there’s Wi-Fi onboard, you can also play music via Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2 and Tidal Connect. Amazon Alexa is also supported, although it’s not completely built in. You’ll need a separate Alexa device, such as an Echo, through which you can bark commands, such as asking the soundbar to skip a music track or adjust the volume.

Further proving the fact that it’s the physical features that separate the Q700C from other Q-series soundbars, Samsung has given its mid-range soundbar its full suite of audio technologies. These include Adaptive Sound 2.0, which claims to intelligently analyze the content you’re watching, whether it be sports, a movie or the news, and adjust the audio output accordingly.

There’s a separate audio mode for gamers, in the form of Game Made Pro, which aims to more accurately place various sounds, such as another player coming from behind you. Do note that the Samsung HW-Q700C doesn’t support 4K 120Hz pass through. It will support 4K pass through, but if you want to make the absolute most of your next-gen console, you’ll need to plug the console directly into your TV and send audio to the soundbar via eARC.

• Features score: 4.5/5

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Audio Performance

• Surprisingly deep bass from the wireless subwoofer
• Vocal clarity a particular highlight
• Impressive, if not totally authentic, Dolby Atmos effect

The Samsung HW-Q700C took the place of the more powerful and much more expensive JBL Bar 1300 in my living room. The JBL does have genuine rear speakers, therefore capable of delivering a more authentic Dolby Atmos experience, so I was keen to hear how Samsung’s single-bar solution would fare. Truth be told, I was impressed. 

To get things started, I fired up a stream of Lightyear on Disney Plus, and the opening scene alone proved the HW-Q700C could deliver power that belies its size. Buzz’s rocket ship blasted through space with ferocity, and the subwoofer provided plenty of low end rumble to highlight just how powerful the ship’s jet propulsion was. So much low end rumble in fact, that I felt compelled to turn the volume down a few notches, not just so as to not annoy my housemate, but the neighbors in the units above and below me. 

The bar itself also impressed. What was immediately apparent – positively for Samsung and negatively for JBL – was how much clearer dialogue was. No matter the movie or TV show, I never once felt the need to make a beeline for the subtitles menu, as voices came through with impressive clarity. I toggled the voice enhance feature on and off too, to hear if it made dialogue any clearer and sure enough, it did. I did find the rest of the audio presentation took a slight backseat when this feature was turned on however, so for the most part I had it turned off.

As for Dolby Atmos effects, it’s a mixed bag. Yes, the Samsung HW-Q700C soundbar did indeed fill my room with sound that evidently had greater height, and during Avengers: Endgame in the main, epic battle at the end, sounds of various spaceships and otherworldly beasts flying in from the sides of the screen did sound as they had come from my side or behind me. But when compared to a soundbar with dedicated rear speakers, or a fully-fledged home cinema speaker system, there is a noticeable difference.

But, this should pretty much be expected. The HW-Q700C doesn’t have physical rear speakers and so placing the responsibility of enveloping a room with sound on the 2 upward firing drivers is going to be a big ask. I would say there is a slight sensation of a half-dome of sound, because you’re definitely getting a larger soundfield than you’d get from a front-firing-only soundbar, but not quite a full dome over your head.

This is realistically only a minor setback as on the whole, I was seriously impressed with the audio performance of the Q700C. It had no issues filling the room with sound, and I had the volume relatively low during the entirety of the review period. I did turn things up on a couple of occasions to see what it was truly capable of, and once again I was taken aback by the sheer power of the unassuming bar and sub package.

Musically, it’s a good performer too, although I found it wasn’t without its issues. First and foremost, I wasn’t able to stream music from my iPhone or Macbook via Apple AirPlay. AirPlay recognised the soundbar as a device, it just wasn’t able to connect. I removed the Q700C from the SmartThings app (and subsequently my wi-fi network) and added it back in to try and remedy the problem, but to no avail.

So, to play music, I streamed tracks from Apple Music via a connected Apple TV. I first loaded up the rather funky, foot-tapping first album from Barry Can’t Swim, which streams in Dolby Atmos. The same effortless room-filling sound experienced with movies carries over here, and also allows the Q700C to prove its rhythmic prowess. I also noticed the soundbar and sub integrated well with each other, ensuring cohesive playback that never once sounded muddled.

Step down to ‘regular’ music playback for songs not available in Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio and naturally, that height is removed. The Q700C still handles music well mind you, and I’d say it’s pretty much on par with its Q800C sibling when you activate Adaptive Sound Mode. This essentially remixes stereo into multi-channel, and the effect in this instance is as it is with the Q800C. That being, songs are given extra room without sacrificing too much in the way of detail.

• Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Design

• Gray plastic finish looks more premium than it feels
• Subwoofer isn't the most attractive thing ever
• Unobtrusive size will suit most TVs

The Samsung HW-Q700C follows a very similar design language to Samsung’s other Q-series soundbars. Namely, a main bar with angled edges, a gray metallic plastic finish complete with front grille and unobtrusive dimensions that make it easy to nestle in front of and underneath a TV. It’s the same width and depth as the Q800C, yet ever so slightly shorter in height, which only adds to its unobtrusive nature. 

It’s the perfect width for TVs 55-inches in size and greater – I was testing with it placed beneath a 65-inch LG OLED G3 – and since the top panel is covered by a perforated grille, you needn’t worry about any reflections from the screen above it, which is a good thing. There’s also a small LCD display on the right side of the bar (when you’re looking at it) that will display the source – eARC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth etc – and it will flash up when it’s playing a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, which provides peace of mind for the user.

On the underside of the soundbar are two recessed areas. One is solely for the power cable, while the other is where you’ll plug your HDMI cables and/or digital optical cable. One thing I have noticed is that this layout is best suited to Samsung’s own TVs, as the main bulk of connections can be found on the left of a Samsung TV (when viewed from the back) and so connecting an HDMI cable from this side of the screen to the left side of the soundbar (also when viewed from the rear) will be simple. On my LG TV, however, the HDMI inputs are on the opposite side, meaning I had to really stretch the cables as far as they’d go.

This may not be a huge deal breaker for many, but is something you might not initially consider when buying a soundbar.

The subwoofer I’m less enthusiastic about. It’s rather dinky and so won’t exactly be an eyesore in your room, but I’m not all that keen on the cloth cover on the front. In comparison to the main bar, I feel it makes it look dated. I would’ve been able to tolerate the cloth grille if it were removable, but alas, no such luck.

• Design score: 4/5

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Setup & Usability

• Controlled via app or remote
• A few issues streaming via AirPlay

I definitely expected the setup of the Samsung HW-Q700C to go off without a hitch, but I did run into a few teething problems. Firstly, the aforementioned issue of input placement meant I had to move a few things around – as a sidenote, my usual JBL Bar 1300 has its inputs in the center of the bar, which I find to be far more logical. 

I also, naively, didn’t realise there was just a single HDMI input alongside the HDMI eARC port. So, again, I had to then plug devices into my TV to have the audio sent back down to the soundbar. Once this was all done, I expected them all to work harmoniously, in the sense of, when I turned my Apple TV on, the TV and soundbar should have come on at the same time. Only this didn’t happen… initially at least. I came home one day, about a week after having it all plugged in, to find that this was all now working as it should, without any intervention from myself. Perhaps my housemate is a secret technological guru. 

I was also directed to Samsung’s SmartThings app, which mimics the soundbar’s remote control – and is also where you can group other SmartThings compatible devices you may have in your home. The initial setup of this was relatively plain sailing. It detected the Q700C was in my room, and I was able to enter my Wi-Fi password and get it on my network in next to no time.

But a few days later I went to open the app to adjust some settings, and it either kept showing me the spinning loading icon while it tried to establish a connection with the soundbar again, or it didn’t connect at all. The app would tell me the soundbar was off, when I was literally sitting in front of it and it was playing a movie.

I occasionally encountered similar issues with my JBL soundbar, in that it would regularly lose its network connection, before reconnecting again automatically. During any downtime, I’m unable to use that bar’s companion app to make any changes, either. I’m willing to accept that I just have bad luck.

But more recently when I’ve used the Q700C, I’ve had no issues at all. I did find adjusting the volume using my Apple TV remote did suffer from slight input lag, but using the included Samsung remote worked perfectly.

• Setup & usability score: 4/5

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Value

• The punchier Q800C doesn't cost much more
• Optional rear speakers could be beneficial, but cost extra

The Samsung HW-Q700C is an interesting proposition. On the one hand it’s a relatively inexpensive soundbar (it’s available for much less than its MSRP in most territories) that certainly ticks the box of “boost TV sound”. But the ever-so-slightly better-specced 800C, which we deemed to be the best mid-range soundbar released in 2023, is hanging over it like a fantastic-sounding bad smell. And you don’t need to spend an awful lot more money at some retailers to take ownership of the more powerful sibling. 

So, which should you get? 

In my opinion, if you only have space for a single soundbar and subwoofer combo – and can stretch your budget – I would opt for the Samsung HW-Q800C for its extra couple of drivers. But if your room layout allows for it, I would argue the HW-Q700C plus the optional rear surround speaker units would create a far more convincing Dolby Atmos soundfield in your room. 

If your budget is constrained, however, but still want to make it go as far as possible, then the Samsung HW-Q700C as a standalone unit is still an utter joy to listen to. 

• Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Samsung HW-Q700C?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Samsung HW-Q700C review: Also consider

How I tested the Samsung HW-Q700C

• Tested over two weeks
• Tested with movie and TV content streamed from Apple TV and built-in TV apps
• Music streamed via Bluetooth and from Apple TV

The Samsung HW-Q700C soundbar sat beneath a 65-inch LG G3 OLED TV on an entertainment unit, which is placed along a wall in a central position, as opposed to being in a corner. This allows the wide-angle tweeters to have space to deliver their sound. I left the subwoofer placed alongside the same wall, to the right of the soundbar when viewed from the front. I wasn't able to test the Q700C with the optional rear speakers. 

The majority of Dolby Atmos and 5.1 content came from movies and TV shows streamed on Netflix and Disney Plus via an Apple TV 4K. In particular Lightyear, Avengers: End Game and Money Heist.

For music playback, I mainly streamed tracks from Apple Music via the same Apple TV 4K. I also streamed some songs via Bluetooth from my iPhone 13 Pro. 

• Read TechRadar's review guarantee
• First reviewed December 2023

You can’t beat the impact of a proper home theater set up on your movies and boxsets. Not only will it help you to feel fully immersed in whatever you’re watching, it’ll also get you much closer to the director’s original intent.

Now we’re no AV snobs here at TechRadar. Sure, we love a high-end set up as much as the next home theater fan, but home cinema is what you make it – so whether that’s a full surround sound set up and flagship telly or a soundbar and something more mid-range, there will be things you can do to make sure your system is performing at its best.

From simple settings tweaks to ways that’ll help your products work better in your room, read on for our top tips on getting the most out of your home theater set up in 2024.

Tip 1: Perfect your settings

It’s fair to say that TV menus can be pretty daunting, but if you haven’t delved into them since you fished your TV out of its box, we would really encourage you to do so.

A lot of manufacturers have tried to help here, by simplifying the options and offering more visual ways of understanding what changing a setting might do. That’s a good starting point, but there will likely be other settings hiding in the full menu that are well worth your attention.

For the most accurate picture, you will either want to look for Filmmaker Mode on more recent TVs, or Cinema/Movie mode elsewhere. To many people, who are used to poorly set up TVs, this can look quite warm to begin with, and sometimes lacking in ‘punch’ too.

Stick with it a while, and allow your eyes to adjust to the new picture. If you really can’t enjoy it as it is, steer well clear of Vivid or Dynamic settings and give the Standard mode a whirl. This will usually add the punch that some people miss without being overly saturated and cartoonish. Just be aware that pictures will be cooler in tone than is considered accurate, and you may sacrifice things like black level and contrast performance for that brighter overall picture.

Once you get past the picture mode, cast your eye over the full settings to ensure everything is configured well. As a rule, we would suggest turning off (or to low/minimum) all additional processing, and then slowly adding it back in if you spot any issues you think it could fix.

In particular, switch off any eco modes for the best picture performance, and pay close attention to motion processing, which will often be ramped up unnecessarily. The result is an overly smooth picture with a loss of detail – something that is called the “soap opera effect”. In fact, motion processing can sometimes do more harm than good, so don’t be afraid to turn it off completely if you spot distracting wiggly lines around moving objects.

Tip 2: Consider speaker placement

Whether you’ve got a proper surround sound setup, a soundbar and sub, or even wireless satellite speakers, where you have your speakers in your room can make all the difference to how they sound.

While it can be tempting to tuck speakers away to keep things looking neat, they generally need a bit of space to sound their best. Place them too close to a rear wall and bass can be overemphasized to a point of boominess. Look up the manufacturer’s recommendations for how far from a back and side wall they should be placed – a general rule of thumb is 2-3 feet. Pull them out of the corners and you’ll hear the sound open up immediately.

That’s also the case with a subwoofer. Tucking an ugly black box into a corner may be preferable from an aesthetics perspective, but you will get the best performance if it is in line with your front speakers, so make room for it. Haven’t got a sub? Buy one, it’ll throw some much-needed welly behind those all-important movie action scenes.

A lot of soundbars don’t deal too well with being tucked away in TV cabinets either – particularly those with upwards-firing drivers for Dolby Atmos sound. For this reason, Atmos-capable bars in particular should be placed on top of any TV rack with no restriction, so you can hear the spatial sound effect in full.

Finally, if you have standmount speakers or wireless satellites sitting on low TV racks and tables, consider investing in proper speaker stands. These will lift your speakers to ear level, which will ensure you hear them at their very best. 

Once there, it's also worth experimenting with "toeing in", or angling your speakers inwards — just slightly — towards your main seated position. It won't be necessary for all rooms or all speakers, but it can help to improve focus and imaging. Check your speakers' user manual for any manufacturer recommendations too.

Tip 3: Rearrange your room 

How much you can lug furniture around to optimize your home theater setup will be somewhat down to the size and shape of your room. But there are a few things you could consider if you want to get the best from your kit.

Firstly, bringing your sofa away from any back wall will help with surround sound setups. If you can imagine drawing a line between your speakers, they should make a circle, with your viewing position at the center — sitting equidistant from each one if at all possible. If not, your AV receiver will help to account for this in its calibration, but not having a rear speaking blasting directly into your ear at close range is the aim here.  

The sofa should ideally be directly in front of a TV too, with as few side-on viewing positions as possible. Even the very best TVs can suffer with a loss of picture saturation and black level off-axis, so ensure as many people as possible can view it from front on.

This also matters when it comes to wall mounting your TV, which should be done at eye level. The trend for placing TVs above fireplaces has done nothing for neck aches or picture quality, so make sure you mount it lower if you want your TV looking its best. If there really is no other place for it, consider adding a tilt to your mount, to improve the viewing angle from your sitting position and relieving that front-row-at-the-cinema feeling somewhat.

These things matter more than being a specific distance from your TV, these days. As long as your TV is a 4K set, you have much more flexibility with how far you sit from it than you did with full HD, as the pixels are so small they’re almost unnoticeable. Still, a good rule of thumb is to account for a viewing distance of 1 to 1.5 times the size of your screen if you can.

Finally, moving a lamp or lighting source behind your TV will create something called bias lighting. This helps to reduce eye fatigue when watching TV in low light, without it being too distracting or creating reflections — just one of the reasons we love Ambilight TVs so much.

Tip 4: Run your calibration

Now that you've moved things around, you will want to re-run the auto-calibration process built into your AV receiver or soundbar — something you’ll want to do any time you make changes in your room or speakers. And if you didn’t do this in the first place, then it’s well overdue.

This process will usually fire a series of strange-sounding tones into the room, to understand its size and shape, and how sound reacts within it. More thorough setups will use a calibration mic as well, to pinpoint the main sitting position, and how this relates to any speakers in the room.

This is usually over and done with in a matter of minutes, with automatic tweaks being made to your kit to improve the sound afterwards.  

Now your home cinema setup is optimized, it will be ready to perform to the very best of its abilities at your next movie night. What a way to kick off 2024.

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Early home theaters – and by early I mean systems incorporating three-tube CRT projectors, LaserDisc players and maybe a THX Certified surround sound speaker package – were based on the 'man cave' concept, with a strong emphasis on the 'cave' part. 

There was once a good reason for that since the first projectors designed for home theater use in the 1990s were extremely dim compared to the current best 4K projectors. To get a picture that even approached an acceptable brightness level, you needed a room with blackout blinds and either dark gray or black walls. It was even a good idea for the room’s furniture to be black.

Back then, it was even common in higher-end systems to use a 'stacked' configuration, with two separate CRT projectors simultaneously beaming the same image to effectively double-up the light output. With a typical projector of the day putting out a mere 35 nits peak brightness with its picture properly adjusted, that second projector was a very welcome addition, even if it did double the cost.

A brighter dawn 

From these primitive beginnings emerged the modern home theater. In the early 2000s, CRTs gave way to DLP, LCD and LCOS, with the new projectors that used those technologies boosting the peak brightness level viewers could expect up to the 50 nits range – basically the same brightness as commercial movie theaters. Now we’re talking! In response, a new 'custom installation' industry emerged that lifted home theaters out of their dark age by focusing on room decor, seating, automated controls and lighting, and a multitude of other amenities to literally make home theaters more theater-like.

Audio was also a big part of this wave, with in-wall and in-ceiling speakers largely replacing floor space-hogging free-standing speakers. Movie soundtracks on disc got an upgrade to Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1, which provided the same discrete surround sound effects that could be experienced in movie theater sound systems. Alongside these innovations, acoustic room treatments, some of them sold as attractive decor-friendly wall panels, helped custom installers to create spaces that sounded as good as they looked.

While this next home theater phase was undoubtedly an evolution, the space itself remained solemn and closed-off, and it still needed to be mostly dark to get the best performance from the long throw projector positioned at the back of the room.

Out of the darkness 

Today’s DLP, LCD, and LCOS projectors deliver much higher peak brightness than those earlier models – 150 nits or more can be expected from current home theater projectors – with many using a laser light engine that, unlike with conventional lamp-based projectors, can retain color accuracy while operating at or near maximum light output. Adding to their appeal, laser projectors such as the Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 and JVC DLA-NZ8 have a rated 20,000 hour lifespan, which means maintenance-free operation with no need to replace lamps.

While the new breed of bright projectors provide their best image quality when used in a dark, theater-like space, they can also look good in an environment with a medium level of ambient light. Performance here is helped greatly by the use of an ambient light rejecting (ALR) screen, a type that uses a gray-toned material which enhances picture contrast in medium-bright environments and also has an optical structure that reflects light beamed at it from directly in front while absorbing light hitting it from the sides.

Another new projector type is the ultra short throw projector. These models get installed close to a wall and project images onto a 100-, 120-, or 150-inch screen. A big benefit to ultra short throw projectors is that, unlike with a regular long throw projector that beams light from the back of the room, you can walk around without worrying about casting shadows on the projected image. They also feature built-in streaming capability and modestly powerful built-in audio systems, making then an all-in-one home cinema solution.

TVs: the new projectors 

The key reason behind the popularity of projectors is that they deliver a big, theater-like image. And while the best TVs have been available for some time with screens approaching the 100-inch size of a typical projector screen, these have generally been much more expensive than a projector-plus-screen setup.

Not anymore. An LG G2 OLED TV with a 97-inch screen sells for $25,000, which isn’t exactly affordable when compared to a projector. But new ultra-large QLED models like the 98-inch TCL S5 sell for $5,000, about the same price as a budget projection system, and you’ll soon be able to buy a super-bright TCL QM8 Class mini-LED TV with the same screen size for $12,000.

A few years down the road, new MicroLED displays should also come down in price, providing an even better, and certainly brighter, option than today’s best 4K TVs. Like OLED TVs, MicroLED displays are a self-emissive tech that can completely switch off individual pixels to create deep blacks,  and they are bright enough to provide high-contrast images even in well-lit rooms. MicroLEDs are also modular, with the individual MicroLED panels capable of being scaled up or down to create a display with any desired size or aspect ratio.

Given these new, brighter display technology options, there’s no reason why a home theater room can’t simply be any room in the home where you live, work, and play. A better name for such spaces is media room, because it’s a place where you can experience movies, games, and music without having to shut a door behind you and switch off the lights. Of course, there’s always the option to do just that, and there’s nothing wrong with having a movie palace-style home theater. But given the rapid evolution of home theater tech, such an environment is no longer mandatory.

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Dolby has been the top name in surround sound for decades. Now the audio tech company has unveiled a much easier way to bring its powerful and immersive sound experience into your home.

Dolby Atmos FlexConnect is a new iteration of Dolby Atmos that enables you to pair your TV's sound system with certified wireless speakers. The interesting thing here is that sound is then optimized for any room layout and speaker setup, so you don't need to agonize about perfect speaker placement anymore.

TV brand TCL will be the first to launch Dolby Atmos FlexConnect-enabled TVs, as well as a line of speakers to go with them.

How does Dolby Atmos FlexConnect work?

Dolby Atmos sound is already fantastic and integrated into some of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars and speakers. But it requires a very specific setup. Some rooms are small, have a strange layout, are filled with too much furniture or there simply aren't enough power outlets around. All of these factors can make it difficult, or even impossible, to set up and calibrate it accurately.

Dolby claims FlexConnect is the answer. This new technology allows you to get the convenience of the way wireless audio currently works but with Dolby Atmos sound immersion.

It doesn't require additional equipment or cables but instead uses what Dolby calls acoustic mapping. This utilizes the microphones in a compatible TV to understand where every FlexConnect speaker is in the room, regardless of the size of the room or whether there's furniture in the way.

After this quick and automatic calibration process is over, audio is then intelligently balanced between the TV and the speakers. Sounds are placed around your room accurately in a 360-degree soundscape, bringing you an Atmos experience wherever you're sitting.

We don't have an official launch date for the Dolby Atmos FlexConnect certified TVs from TCL yet, but they'll be showcased at IFA 2023. We expect that, over time, this new technology will be adopted by other TV brands. If it delivers, it could completely transform the home cinema experience but will require a new TV to benefit from it.

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We’re all out to get the most out of our home entertainment setups but what would these look like if money weren’t an object? I was lucky enough to recently have the opportunity to watch clips from the best 4K movies in not one but two luxury home theaters and now that I’ve experienced it, I wish I hadn’t (the cliche ‘once you’ve flown premium, you won’t want to fly any other way’ has never felt truer).

The bespoke home cinemas were in fact demo rooms set up at the Epsom, England headquarters of AWE Europe, a specialist trade distributor of home technology. Both rooms made me feel like I was at my local cinema, but there was a key difference between the two – one cost double the price of the other.   

You’ll likely have seen stylish home theater setups online (or in person) before. Luxury home theaters are usually a staple in mansions and the like and you can get a peek at plenty when browsing affluent real estate sites. Nevertheless, £200,000 for an elite home theater will still make most people gasp. So, what was the difference between the two setups? I’ll detail the specifics below. 

What's inside a £50,000 home theater     

As you might have guessed, the home theater that was priced at £50,000 wasn’t as immersive as its more high powered counterpart but it still delivered a high-end cinematic experience that blew my mind. 

With four Bowers & Wilkins ISW-8 12-inch subwoofers, which were housed in the matching ISW-8 back boxes and supported by four CDA-2HD DSP amplifiers, the room was transformed into a fighter jet traveling at 2,400 km an hour while watching Top Gun: Maverick. 

The rest of the room was kitted out with 11 Bowers & Wilkins speakers – three directly behind the screen, four around the room and four in the ceiling –  a Marantz AMP 10 Reference 16 channel amplifier and the Cinema 50 9.4 channel 8K AV receiver from the same brand, as well as a high-end Epson laser projector (the EH-LS12000B 3LCD that has 2,700 lumens).

If you’re wondering if all those speakers are necessary, according to James Drummie, home cinema product manager at AWE, during their testing they noticed that’s what made the key difference in quality. “Traditionally, surround sound speakers always sit to the side or behind. But front wide speakers bridge that gap between the surround speakers and front speakers by being almost perfectly in the middle. It means that the immersive [spatial sound technology] is far more fluid when going around the room.”

What's inside a £200,000 home theater 

My first impressions of the home theater that was priced at £200,000 was the stripped back look of the room. Like the £50,000 room, everything was hidden away – there was even a control room lit up with blue neon lights that housed a tower of amplifiers for all the speakers. 

Like the ‘cheaper’ home theater, this setup had four Bowers & Wilkins CTSW15 subwoofers that were each powered by CDA-2HD DSP amplifiers. It also had three front speakers, two front wide speakers, six ceiling speakers – the Bowers & Wilkins CCM 8.5D speakers – as well as four surrounding side speakers, which were the Bowers & Wilkins CWM 8.3D and CWM 8.5D. These ran on two Rotel RMB-1585 amplifiers and four Bowers & Wilkins CDA-2HD amplifiers. 

It’s the detail in this more high specced setup that makes it really come alive. With a mountain of amplifiers, the speakers are getting lots of power. James Drummie, home cinema product manager at AWE, tells me the reason for this is “because for speakers that are further away from the listening position, we actually need more power to them to be able to achieve the same sound pressure levels”.

Then there’s the brain behind this major operation, the Marantz AV 10 processor, which can process 15 channels – its predecessor had 13 channels. Just the audio equipment alone cost a staggering £86,000, according to AWE.      

With a total of 10 amplifiers and a premium projector, watching The Batman was like when I went to see it at the IMAX. This starts to make a lot more sense when you realise that the projector they used – the Sony GTZ-380 – costs £85,000 on its own (the lens that AWE was using cost an additional £9,000).    

Are high-end home theaters worth the money?  

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get the best home theater system. For instance, you can certainly set up your own with one of the best TVs and one of the best soundbars, but if you want to take that extra step closer to replicating the experience of your local cinema then you’ll require more high performance audiovisual tech.  

There’s a lot that goes into it, too. A dedicated home theater will need one of the best 4K projectors, a home cinema projection screen, one of the best stereo speaker systems, subwoofers, one of the best AV receivers, one of the best streaming devices and more. 

On top of all this, there’s also the matter of the acoustics within the room, positioning and placement of speakers, as well as the furnishings – you can’t spend all your money on high-end audiovisual gear and be let down by an uncomfy couch. 

With various levels and price ranges for home entertainment gear, audiophiles or cinephiles have plenty of options to start upgrading their systems. 

My main method of watching movies, TV series, and most everything else for many years has been a projector with a 100-inch screen. Before that, I “made do” with a 65-inch 4K TV and was fully content. But after I upgraded to the projector and 100-inch screen combination, I became spoiled for life on the idea of cinema-size images at home.

The best 4K TVs now come in screen sizes that were once unthinkable. For instance, you can buy an LG G2 OLED TV with a 97-inch screen that basically closes the gap between the projection experience, where 100 inches is a typical screen size, and the flat-panel TV experience.

The reason I bring all this up is that I recently returned the LG C3 OLED TV after reviewing it. In most situations when reviewing a TV, I complete my testing and evaluation as quickly as possible and then get it out of the way so I can resume watching with a projector. This time was different, though. I left the C3 in place during the full 8 weeks I had with it, letting my projector gather dust during that time.

One impetus for leaving the LG OLED in place was that it looked better than any other TV I’ve yet had in my possession. In my pre-projector days, both OLED and LED-backlit TVs were considerably dimmer than they are now, but the C3 can hit 830 nits in its picture-perfect Filmmaker mode, which is bright enough even for daytime viewing. Viewed in dim lighting, the C3’s punchy brightness, combined with the deep, detailed shadows and rich color that OLED uniquely delivers made for an incredibly dynamic picture, one that far outperforms what you get with the vast majority of projectors.

Another reason for the C3’s extended stay in my viewing room was I wanted to see if I could go back to viewing with a 65-inch TV and be happy. The answer was no, I could not. As good as LG’s OLED looked, I missed the sense of visual immersion my 100-inch screen provided, which engages me in a way the smaller screen failed to. The result was I ended up having limited enthusiasm for watching movies, and would instead do other things like reading books (probably a good thing, come to think of it).

Supersize me 

Ultimately, the C3 OLED’s problem was that its screen was only 65 inches. Yes, LG does offer the same model in an 83-inch screen size, but I’m afraid that even an 83-inch TV wouldn’t be large enough to satisfy my movie watching needs – something my experiment proved out.

An 83-inch LG C3 OLED TV costs: $5,299 / £6,499 / around AU$7,900. But at that price, you could buy one of the best 4K projectors like the Epson Home Cinema LS12000 and still have money left over to put towards a 100-inch projection screen.

I’d instead hold out for LG’s 97-inch G2 OLED, which is priced at $25,000 in the US. LG also has a wireless 97-inch OLED in the works, but that model won’t be available until late 2024 and will presumably be priced higher than the already very expensive 97-inch G2 due to its included wireless tech.

The truth is, there’s no way I would spend $25,000 on an OLED TV even if I had that money to burn. For considerably less, I could instead buy a high-end laser projector such as the JVC DLA-NZ8, an 8K-capable model with a reference-quality picture that other consumer-grade projectors could only aspire to deliver. 

The DLA-NZ8’s 2,500 lumens peak brightness is plenty for the dim environment I prefer to view in, and, unlike many other projectors, it’s adept at handling high dynamic range programs, with features such as Frame Adapt HDR and Theatre Optimiser performing HDR tone mapping on a dynamic, frame-by-frame basis as well as customizing output for your projection screen’s size and gain.

I’ve seen the DLA-NZ8 in action a few times and it’s never failed to impress. I even once caught a demo of JVC’s projector displaying an actual 8K video source pumped out by a PC-based server. It was a jaw-dropping moment that convinced me of the viability of 8K. With the exception of YouTube, 8K video sources are still few and far between, but 8K gaming is becoming an option and will likely end up being the more common use for the format.

In some ways, I was hoping that the experience of living with a 65-inch TV would work out for me. About six months back, I decided to pack away my A/V receiver and surround sound speaker system and instead rely on soundbars for home theater audio. I was dubious about that experiment as well, but have since learned that the best Dolby Atmos soundbar systems are extremely powerful, and do in fact provide a good-enough alternative to a more conventional, hardware-heavy audio setup. I’ve come to love the idea of minimizing the presence of gear in my living space, and soundbars successfully serve that goal on the audio front.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for video. I clearly need an oversized image for movie-watching, and until the day arrives when I can buy an affordable OLED TV in the 100-inch range, I’m going to stick with projectors. Sure, I’ll miss the bright highlights and rich shadow detail that the best OLED TVs deliver, but for me, the visual immersion projectors provide is the attribute that most effectively brings the movie magic.

I hate looking at black bars in movies more than I hate mushrooms. And I’d rather have a bath with a great white shark than eat a portobello ‘shroom. While I’ve previously begged for the return of ultrawide 4K TVs, there’s actually a ready-made way to eliminate black bars in 21:9 content without cutting off the edges of the image. Namely, by watching movies on a projector. 

They may hold only a tiny market share next to the best TVs in 2023, but projectors have rarely been a more attractive A/V alternative. Not only are they cheaper than ever before, but the best projectors can provide a true ultrawide movie experience. 

Getting the sort of 21:9 aspect ratio on a projector that you’d see from a movie in the cinema can be achieved in several ways. With older projectors, you can install an external anamorphic lens to recreate the correct ‘CinemaScope' aspect ratio most movies are filmed in. By contrast, certain newer projectors from the likes of Sony and JVC have these lenses built in. Many modern projectors also boast anamorphic zoom modes that let you stretch a film’s aspect ratio.

Lens pals

What exactly is an anamorphic lens, though? In short, it’s a special lens that can stretch or compress an image either horizontally or vertically to help restore an ultrawide movie’s correct, intended aspect ratio. As noted above, some projectors have these lenses built in, while companies like Panamorph also make external anamorphic lenses that can be attached to projectors. 

But let’s back up for a second to quickly talk about aspect ratios and why black bars in movies occur in the first place. The reason you’re forced to stare at those dark horizontal columns across your screen is down to the fact you’re watching 21:9 content on a 16:9 widescreen TV. To get slightly techier, the vast majority of movies have historically been filmed in 2.35:1 or slightly above; the aspect ratio that matches the dimensions of an ultrawide display. 

To ensure the entirety of a 2:35:1 or 2:4:1 image will fit on a 16:9 screen, the picture is shrunk down in a process known as ‘letterboxing’. And that’s where my mortal enemies, those dreaded black bars, come into play.  

The reason you don’t see black bars pop up on your TV screen when watching most of your favorite shows is because they were filmed in a 16:9 aspect ratio. Though it’s worth noting that for the past few years, streaming services like Netflix have released a wide variety of content in a 2.0:1 format. This aspect ratio is a more natural fit for a widescreen TV, and though black bars still appear, they’re smaller than what you’d see watching 2.35:1 content. 

Now admittedly, many TVs will let you nix black bars while watching movies. The problem is, this is always achieved in a slightly compromised way. Most modern 4K TVs will sport some sort of ‘vertical zoom’ feature that lets you increase the size of the picture, eliminating black bars but, in many cases, also cutting off the edges of the image. As I said, compromised. 

Zoom for improvement

My current solution is a little better, but it’s still less than ideal. On my LG C2 OLED, the TV’s vertical zoom feature lets you stretch the image without losing the sides of the picture. The result is a viewing experience where you get the entire image… just one where every character is stretched out to the point they look like they haven’t eaten a carb in a decade. Again, it’s a passable solution, but it’s far from ideal. 

The great thing about projectors that support anamorphic features is that they let you maintain a movie’s correct aspect ratio without compromise. This means you’re spared from looking at the stretched images I’ve long since had to make peace with on my OLED. 

A proper anamorphic projector lens will adjust the picture without compromising resolution, leading to a brighter image that doesn’t lose pixel density. And that latter point is another thing that gets me unreasonably annoyed about watching ultrawide content on a 16:9 TV. When those black bars appear, you’re losing a whole lot of pixels and screen real estate.

If I hadn’t spent a financially ruinous amount on the 77-inch OLED colossus that’s currently hugging my living room wall, I’d seriously consider buying one of the best 4K projectors.  Whether achieved through an external anamorphic lens or through anamorphic zoom features, projectors are able to provide an experience that’s far more faithful to the CinemaScope format than even the best TVs. 

Klipsch has taken the wraps off a new range of Reference Premiere Series subwoofers, complementing the recent release of its Reference Premiere speakers.

Billed by Klipsch President Paul Jacobs (with no sense of hyperbole) as the "biggest, baddest, loudest, most powerful subs the earth has ever seen", the new subwoofer range covers four new models, and the flagship sub may have the chops to live up to such bold claims.

The clear highlight is the biggest RP-1600SW, which features a neighbor-troubling 16-inch driver able to provide a whopping 1600W of peak power rumble, with a headline-grabbing spec of being able to deliver frequencies as low as 14Hz.

All four models boast a front-firing spun copper Cerametallic driver, alongside an integrated high-efficiency class-D amplifier with an analogue preamp design. Klipsch claims this combination helps provide greater depth into the lower frequencies, while also allowing for a distortion-free, true-to-source reproduction.

The range starts with the entry-level RP-1000SW that’s based around a 10-inch woofer capable of outputting 600W. The next tier up is the RP-1200SW, which has a larger 12-inch woofer with an 800W peak power output.

Going one further notch up is the 14-inch driver packing RP-1400SW which offers 1000W of power, with the RP-1600SW topping out the new line-up.

Each sub in the range features anti-scratch ebony vinyl finish that’s coupled with steel grille posts, a woven cloth grille and shock-absorbing rubber feet

The new Klipsch's subs are set for release in April and are priced at £899 / $749 for the RP-1000SW, £1099 / $999 for the RP-1200SW, £1399 / $1399 for the RP-1400SW and finally £1849 / $1799 for the RP-1600SW.

Analysis: Klipsch may have hit a high with a super low 

While 20Hz is regularly considered the subwoofer sweet spot for home cinema (and 20Hz is the lowest pitch the human ear can actually hear – beyond that, you're feeling the rumble) getting below that register for an even more guttural depth is often a trade-off with distortion. As a point of reference, the Sonos Sub notably bottoms out at 25Hz.

We’re therefore really intrigued to see how the RP-1000SW lives up to its promise of “true-to-source” clarity when driven – and how hard that mammoth 16-inch driver really hits.

Often, augmenting the low end can be done by adding extra subwoofers to your home cinema setup – and as TechRadar writer Dave Meikleham recently pointed out, Sonos has been somewhat thrown into the shade by Sennheiser's new multi-subwoofer surround system recently too. 

Ultimately, the arrival of a huge sub from a trusted name such as Klipsch could mean more challenging times for multi-room audio giant Sonos… 

If you’ve been staying up to date with the best TVs, you will already know the market-leading performance and power offered by LG’s 2022 OLED TVs. The LG G2 OLED is LG’s décor friendly option, built to be hung on a wall without sacrifice to overall power – and it packs even more impressive features (slightly higher brightness and more powerful speakers among them) than the more mainstream and traditional-looking C2 OLED. 

And if you’re keen to start 2023 with an almighty bang, you’re in luck, as you can save a stack on any of LG’s G2 OLEDs with a unique bundle deal coming courtesy of JB Hi-Fi. Already landing generous discounts up to AU$2,500, pairing any size LG G2 with an LG soundbar will score you an extra 15% off the entire bundle.

Like its LG C2 cousin, the LG G2 OLED manages to stand out as a full package that is uniquely capable of turning your living room into a true home cinema wonderland. Our review found picture quality to be gorgeously bright and deep, with outstanding whites and blacks.

Where the LG G2 really stands out when compared to its fellow LG OLED TVs is with its exterior design, with the G2 built to be hung on the wall rather than stood on an entertainment unit like traditional home screens. This is fulfilled by its ultra-thin, eye-catching design, and sacrificing a stand or legs mounted to the TV's bottom. It's worth noting that the G2 range does not include a stand – it must be wall mounted, and includes all the necessary hardware for the latter in the box.

The G2 in its 77-inch and 83-inch sizes are also a part of this same double-stacked deal, saving you AU$3,049 and AU$3,924 respectively when purchased with an LG soundbar from JB Hi-Fi.

When it comes to LG soundbars to pair with, there are a handful of options to choose from. The likes of the LG SN4 300W soundbar will set you back just AU$211 (after 15% off) and includes a paired subwoofer to offer 300W RMS of audio output.

The pricier but more powerful LG S90QY 5.1.3-channel 570W Dolby Atmos soundbar will ultimately cost you AU$934 if paired with an LG G2 (down from its full price of AU$1,499) while offering Dolby Atmos support for a full surround-sound experience for a more complete home-cinema package.

Whichever LG soundbar you choose, getting your hands on an LG G2 OLED TV at these kinds of previously unseen prices is one hell of a way to start the new year.

• Treated yourself and now need to buy a Valentine's Day gift for your loved one? Check out our guide to the top tech gifts for V-Day this year

Today's best gaming TVs in Australia not only offer sumptuous performance when connected to a console or PC, but they have the added benefit of being proven performers when you just want to settle down to watch a movie or TV show.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind if you're shopping for a new gaming TV specifically. First you need to consider the size — if it's going to be used in a smaller room, then it's unlikely you'll need a huge 75-inch model, a 48-inch or 55-inch could be better. Secondly, you'll need to check how many of the HDMI ports support the higher-spec 2.1 standard, as you'll need this to get the most out of a PS5 or Xbox Series X.

Fortunately, some TV brands support HDMI 2.1 across all four ports — LG and Samsung in particular — giving you plenty of connectivity options. Remember however, if you connect an external sound system, that will use one of the four ports on offer.

Here at TechRadar, when we're reviewing TVs, we also test their gaming credentials to see which ones make for great gaming TVs as well as great options for everyday TV and movie viewing. We measure input lag, for example, where a lower figure is better as it means there's less of a delay between you pressing a button on your controller and what you see on your screen. Input lag of under 15ms is great, and under 10ms provides the best results.

You can view my top picks for the best gaming TV in Australia below. Do note that this list has been simplified somewhat, because some models tested by my colleagues in the UK and US, aren't always available here in Australia. I've therefore selected just the models I know can be found on our shores.

Best gaming TVs in Australia in 2026

The best gaming TV overall

The LG C6 is an excellent all-around TV for gaming, movies, and just about anything else. It's a true upgrade over the C5, delivering greater colour accuracy, higher brightness and improved contrast. Throw in a faster processor and even greater gaming support including 165Hz refresh rate for PCs, and you have yourself a truly remarkable gaming TV.

Key to the LG C6's success is a new Alpha 11 AI Gen 3 image processor — which also features in the flagship G6 — which allows the mid-range model to benefit from a significant brightness boost and a more refined picture. As before, it's also available in a solid choice of sizes, and note that the 77-inch and 83-inch versions receive the same Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 OLED panel found in the flagship LG G6. We've not tested that one just yet, with our five-star review of the C6 instead focusing on the 65-inch model.

When it comes to gaming, you have everything you need. The C6 continues where the C5 left off, and goes further, by supporting 165Hz refresh rates, which is great news for PC gamers. Xbox Series X and PS5 console owners will appreciate the C6’s four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support, along with VRR, and ALLM.

When you're not playing games, Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG HDR formats are all supported, and there’s a new Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode preset that gives you an accurate Dolby Vision HDR picture without having to muck with picture settings and menus.

I would say that if you can find the LG C5 in stock, then you'll still be well served by that model. However, I'm finding it increasingly hard to find it anywhere, which is why the C6 takes over the mantle.

Read the full LG C6 review

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The best gaming TV for PS5

The Sony Bravia 8 II is Sony's current flagship OLED, released in 2025. It's not a replacement for the Bravia 8, as its name could imply, but instead is more of an upgrade as it uses a QD-OLED panel, as opposed to the WOLED panel in the other model. While it doesn't have all the gaming features of TVs from LG and Samsung, it's the perfect TV for PS5, thanks to PS5-centric features.

Clearly it's because Sony makes both devices, and when a PS5 is connected to the Bravia 8 II, the TV benefits from an Auto HDR Tone Mapping feature, which matches the dynamic range of generated images to what the screen is capable of. It also supports Sony's Game Menu 2, a similar feature to LG's Game Optimizer, for example, where gaming and picture related adjustments can be made during gameplay. The Bravia 8 II's gaming performance is solid overall, although the 16.3ms input lag time we measured is higher than most other TVs we've tested. The other downside to the TV is that it also only two of its four HDMI ports support the higher-spec 2.1 standard, so owners of multiple consoles and a soundbar should take note.

Where the Bravia 8 II really impresses is with its built-in sound. Most TVs we review have weak built-in speaker systems, but the Bravia 8 II bucks the trend in a big way. Its Acoustic Surface Audio+ means sound travels directly through the screen of the TV for more direct, clearer audio. The Bravia 8 II also delivers accurate, well-mapped sound and good power with solid bass.

The Bravia 8 II's picture quality is also superb. Delivering rich, natural colours and excellent shadow detail with inky blacks, the Bravia 8 II is fantastic for both movies and gaming. Its QD-OLED panel also delivers high brightness, which we measured at 1,439 nits peak. It also does a great job upscaling older movies and TV shows, as we found when streaming an episode of Colombo from the 1980's.

Read our full Sony Bravia 8 II review

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The best budget gaming TV

If you're searching for a great gaming TV without breaking the bank, then the TCL C6K definitely deserves your attention as it's incredibly well-specced for the price. Do note however, that stock levels are starting to dwindle. At the time of writing, I've only been able to find a few sizes still in stock are retailers, so you'll want to get in quick if it's the TV for you.

With 4K 120Hz (with 144Hz option), Dolby Vision gaming, VRR including AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-sync and ALLM, the C6K has a near-complete list of gaming features you'd expect to find on more premium gaming TVs.

Our reviewer measured an input lag time of 13.6ms, which admittedly can be improved upon, but you'd need to spend an awful lot more money that what the C6K demands. It should please all but the most hardcore gamers. Plus, we found the Game Master mode to be particularly effective, which allows you to customise additional settings such as Dark Detail.

We also found the C6K was able to produce a bright, bold picture. Black levels were particularly impressive, although we did experience some black crush in certain movie scenes. Again though, for the price, there's little to find fault with.

As is the case with many TVs, the C6K's sound quality doesn't quite match its picture, but its directional sound, solid bass, and clear dialogue will suit a lot of games, as we discovered testing with Battlefield V. Ultimately though, its narrow soundstage means a soundbar may be required.

Bang for your buck is at the core of the C6K. With prices hovering around AU$1,200 for a 65-inch screen size at the time of writing, it is hard to argue against the performance and features it delivers for the price.

Read our full TCL C6K review

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The best premium gaming TV

The LG G6 is, to put it simply, not only a fantastic gaming TV, but a fantastic TV, period. It ticks all the boxes, delivering outstanding picture quality, unbeatable gaming performance and a wonderful smart TV interface. What's more, it's now even better at beating reflections, while maintaining ink-deep blacks OLED TVs are known for. If you have the budget, there's simply nothing better right now.

The G6 OLED follows up on the also-excellent G5 with a new Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 panel, combined with a new Alpha 11 AI Gen 3 processor to deliver much-improved overall performance. As with LG's other OLED TVs, the G6 is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, all of which support 4K 165Hz, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia GSync formats) Dolby Vision gaming and ALLM, meaning it covers every base. Combine this with its ultra-responsive performance (and low 8.9ms input lag time) and you get a superb OLED for gaming.

We measured the G5's peak brightness at 2,475 nits and fullscreen brightness at 456 nits (both in Filmmaker Mode), making it the brightest OLED we've tested so far. Its high brightness lets it be used in brighter viewing environments while maintaining accurate colour, black levels and contrast. To some, it could just be the perfect TV.

The flagship G6 is undoubtedly a pricey, premium OLED TV. While there are better-priced mid-range options, such as the LG C6 at the top of this list, when it comes to bright room gaming, there aren't any better OLED TVs than the G6.

Read our full LG G6 review

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Best gaming TVs: FAQs

New gaming TVs for 2026

At CES 2026, several brands revealed their TV lineups for the year ahead. The new models from LG have already made their way onto this list, but time will tell if they'll stay there as we progress through 2026, as we still have more TV reviews to come, including Samsung's latest models.

From Samsung, we have the Samsung S95H, its flagship 2026 OLED and successor to the Samsung S95F. It promises to be 35% brighter than the model it replaces, along with a new metal frame around the bezel for a more premium look. The headline change, however, is that physical connections are returning the rear of the screen, and it won't use the One Connect box by default.

You'll be able to buy one separately, however, and in doing so, you can double the number of usable HDMI ports from 4, to 8!.

Also from Samsung is the Samsung QN90H, the successor to the best TV for bright rooms on this list, the Samsung QN90H. The QN90H will be available in a huge 115-inch guise.

How we test the best gaming TVs

Read the specs and marketing claims of TV makers and they often over promise on what the TV can really do. That's why we've extensively tested all of the best gaming TVs in this list to ensure they work well and deliver on their next-gen gaming specs.

What that means is we'll publish the official specs from the TV manufacturer, like the input lag or refresh rates on offer, then tell you ourselves whether the TV lived up to them in practice.

To do this, we tend to review TVs with a range of different content. Of course, next-gen gaming takes priority in this guide, but we imagine you'll also want to know what movies and TV shows are like to watch as well.

That means as well as testing for all of the key specs you need in a gaming TV, like refresh rates and HDMI connections, we're also looking for good picture quality, vibrant colours and viewing angles to suit all kinds of rooms.

Sound is less of a priority with most gaming TVs as you'll get the best experience from gaming headphones or a soundbar, but it's always good to know you'll get a decent built-in experience. Which is why we've also detailed what it was like to listen to these TVs without additional devices, too.

As we've reviewed many TVs over the years – and many of the best gaming TVs – all of our testing isn't done in isolation, but takes into account the performance and specs of every TV that's come before it.

You can read about how we test, review and rate any product on TechRadar if you'd like to know more.

When you're shopping for the best gaming TV, you'll want to balance crystal-clear image quality with a size and setup that works in your room. There are a few important gaming-specific factors to keep in mind, however, while you hunt for the best screen.

Our gaming TV shortlist prioritizes different features and specs to our overall best TV rankings. For instance, we've selected TVs with a low level of input lag, so there's no delay between pressing a button on your controller and the action happening on-screen. Other considerations include refresh rate (around 120hz), picture quality, and as many HDMI ports as possible – so you won't have to keep switching cables for different consoles.

Today's top TVs all have high-end gaming features built-in. Higher-end models, including many of the best OLED TVs, are typically excellent for gaming regardless of which one you choose, though some are better value than others. Budget picks exist, too, though they might lack 4K 120Hz support or HDMI 2.1 if they're super-cheap.

The TechRadar team has tested all of the TVs in this guide using specialist equipment. We also took the time to hook them up to gaming consoles and get a real-world feel for how they perform. While all of the TVs we've highlighted below are great picks for gamers, we've considered different determining factors to help you find the best gaming TV for your space – including size, sound, and budget.

The best gaming TVs you can buy

The best gaming TV for most people

The LG C5 builds on everything that made the C4 before it one of the best gaming TVs, refining performance with a new Alpha 9 Gen 8 AI processor and a brightness boost that makes HDR gaming look even more vivid. With sizes from 42 to 83 inches, it suits everything from desk setups to home cinema gaming spaces.

The C5 remains a gaming powerhouse, featuring four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 144 Hz support, VRR (including Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium), ALLM, HGiG and Dolby Vision Gaming. Input lag is measured at a super-low 9.2 ms, which makes gameplay fluid and super responsive whether you’re on console or PC. Cloud gaming apps are here, like GeForce Now and Amazon Luna, which are also built-in via the Game Quick Card, which you’ll find on LG’s updated webOS 25 interface.

Picture quality really is outstanding. You’ll get rich contrast, vibrant colors and impressive HDR performance, especially considering this is a mid-range OLED. The only weak spot is audio. The 2.2-channel Dolby Atmos system is fine, but just fine. Pairing the C5 with a soundbar is your best bet, as that’s where you’ll see its full cinematic and gaming potential.

Although it’s only a modest upgrade over the C4 and currently more expensive, the LG C5 delivers premium gaming performance, superb image quality and long-term versatility too, making it our current top pick and one of 2025’s best gaming TVs.

Read the full LG C5 review

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The best budget gaming TV in the US

The TCL QM6K has an impressive list of gaming features for a very affordable price. Its picture quality also surprises, delivering more than what you'd expect at this price range.

The QM6K has a packed suite of gaming features, including 4K 144Hz, VRR including AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync support, Dolby Vision gaming and ALLM. It has a commendable 13.1ms input lag time and delivers smooth performance, as we found when we tested games such as Uncharted, Ride 5, and Dead Island 2. The QM6K's picture is vibrant, which really benefits graphics in various games.

The QM6K's picture has strong contrast, with solid blacks. Thanks to TCL's new Halo Control feature, blooming is successfully minimized for more uniform pictures. Colors are vibrant and bold, adding extra punch to games and movies. Its brightness is more limited compared to pricier TVs, topping out at 695 nits, and there is slight vignetting in the corners of the screen, but those are really the only complaints we have about the QM6K's picture.

Where the QM6K really shines is in its value. For a 65-inch QM6K, you can expect to pay $599, which is exceptional value for a TV with this much on offer. While there are a couple of compromises made, this is a brilliant gaming TV for the price.

Read our full TCL QM6K review

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The best budget gaming TV in the UK

The TCL C6K is an excellent budget option for gaming, delivering a stacked list of features and solid performance. When you combine that with its good overall picture quality, it is one of the best affordable gaming TVs around.

The C6K supports 4K 144Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming, which is a solid suite of features at this price. While its 13.6ms input lag isn't the best, it's still low enough to deliver smooth performance, even with the most challenging of games, as we found when playing Battlefield V.

The C6K's picture is very good overall for the money. Its color reproduction is vibrant and mostly accurate. It also has good contrast, with deep blacks and refined detail. While its brightness is limited compared to other mini-LED sets and there are some issues, such as occasional black crush and limited viewing angles, there aren't many better TVs at this price.

If you want a great value TV, you can't go wrong with the TCL C6K. For a 65-inch model, you'll look to pay £599. At that price, there aren't many other TVs available with this level of gaming features and performance.

Read our full TCL C6K review

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The best gaming TV for lighter rooms

Daytime gaming can be a challenge, but the Samsung QN90F's high brightness, reflection-beating Glare Free screen and vibrant colours make gaming in a bright room easy.

With four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K 165Hz, VRR (AMD FreeSync Premium Pro), HGiG, ALLM and HDR10+ gaming, the QN90F is well equipped for current-gen consoles. It also has an ultra-low 9.5ms input lag time for impressively slick performance and features Samsung's Gaming Hub, which serves as a portal for all things gaming, including access to plenty of apps such as Xbox.

The QN90F's picture holds up well in well-lit rooms thanks to its high peak brightness (2,087 nits) and fullscreen brightness (667 nits) and effective Glare Free screen. It also delivers realistic details and textures and stunning contrast, with deep black levels.

While the QN90F may be one of the pricier TVs on this list, it delivers across the board for both gaming and picture quality. If you find your room is too bright for a standard TV, the QN90F could be the answer.

Read our full Samsung QN90F review

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Best gaming TV for PS5

The Sony Bravia 8 II is Sony's 2025 flagship OLED. It uses a QD-OLED panel and is the brand's first premium OLED model since the Sony A95L was released in 2023. While it doesn't have all the gaming features of TVs from LG and Samsung, it's the perfect TV for PS5, thanks to PS5-centric features.

The Bravia 8 II has an Auto HDR Tone Mapping feature, which matches the dynamic range of generated images to what the screen is capable of when it detects a connected PS5. It also supports Sony's Game Menu 2, where gaming and picture-related adjustments can be made. The Bravia 8 II's gaming performance is solid overall, although its 16.3ms input lag time is higher than most other TVs we've tested. It also only has two HDMI 2.1 ports, so owners of multiple consoles and a soundbar should take note.

Where the Bravia 8 II really impresses is with its built-in sound. Few TVs on the market actually deliver truly great built-in sound, and the Bravia 8 II is one of them. Its Acoustic Surface Audio+ means sound travels directly through the screen of the TV for more direct, clearer audio. The Bravia 8 II also delivers accurate, well-mapped sound and good power with solid bass.

The Bravia 8 II's picture quality is also superb. Delivering rich, natural colors and excellent shadow detail with inky blacks, the Bravia 8 II is fantastic for both movies and gaming. Its QD-OLED panel also delivers high brightness, which we measured at 1,439 nits peak. It also does a great job upscaling older movies and TV shows, as we found when streaming an episode of Colombo from the 1980's.

Read our full Sony Bravia 8 II review

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The cheapest gaming OLED TV

If you want an OLED TV for gaming but don't want to pay the full premium, the LG B5 is an excellent choice. Not only does it carry all the features you could need, but it also delivers brilliant gaming performance and rich picture quality, resulting in a great gaming experience.

The B5 carries a full suite of gaming features. It has four HDMI 2.1 ports, which all support 4K 120Hz, AMD FreeSync, Nvidia G-Sync, HGiG, Dolby Vision gaming and ALLM. It has a measured input lag of 9.1ms, which results in snappy and smooth performance, even when playing demanding games such as Battlefield V.

The B5 delivers fantastic picture quality. Its colors are rich and natural, its blacks are inky, and it has the powerful contrast you'd expect from an OLED TV. Motion handling, once adjusted correctly, is smooth, making it great for gaming, movies, and sports. One area where it's lacking compared to the other TVs on this list is brightness, which peaks at 668 nits. This is, however, the only complaint we have with the B5's picture.

The B5 is an excellent value gaming TV. While the price gap at 55 inches between it and the step-up C5 is only roughly $100 / £200 / AU$1,000, at larger sizes, the B5 becomes an even better value. When it comes to gaming, this is the best way to get an OLED TV for less.

Read our full LG B5 review

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The best OLED gaming TV for brightness

The LG G6 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, the awesome LG G5, and excels when it comes to brightness and reflection handling. If you do your gaming in the daytime or in a well-lit room, the G6 is the obvious option. It's powered by a new Alpha 11 AI Gen 3 processor that delivers outstanding picture quality and performance, and we found that the G6's color display is equally as impressive. Vivid scenes pop without feeling unnatural, and the G6 does a great job of maintaining balance in high-contrast moments, too.

In terms of gaming, we especially appreciated the anti-glare matte screen, which effectively eliminated pesky reflections in our well-lit testing lab. Practically all of the picture was visible, despite the brightness of the room, and that's great news for gamers who might otherwise be battling the sunlight.

Additional gaming features include support for both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, as well as a Game Optimizer menu. We tweaked the 'Input delay' option, activated Boost mode, and saw input lag drop to a fantastically minute 8.9ms. That means that you'll see actions play out on-screen as soon as you tap a button. The inclusion of 4 HDMI 2.1 ports also comes in handy for folks with multiple consoles. During testing, we switched from story-driven adventures to fast-paced shooters, and the G6 felt instantly responsive, with smooth frame pacing and no hint of latency.

There are a few caveats to keep in mind with the G6, however. The first is price – it's an undeniably steep investment, though the overall quality of the set speaks for itself. The G6's audio is punchier than the G5's, but it still can't rival TVs with larger, more powerful speaker arrays. If you want a truly immersive soundscape to accompany your gaming sessions and take soundtracks to the next level, you'll need to pair the G6 with a dedicated soundbar.

Read our full LG G6 review

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How to choose the best gaming TV

How we test the best gaming TVs

• We primarily test the best gaming TVs in Game Mode with an Xbox Series X

• We test latency using a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag tester

• We test image quality with a test pattern generator, colorimeter, and other specialized equipment

When we test the best gaming TVs, we’re mainly looking at gaming performance and related features that enhance gaming. For these tests, we apply the same criteria used in our reviews, such as picture and audio quality based on objective and subjective tests.

For gaming TVs, we use a gaming console (mainly an Xbox Series X, although this can vary based on the reviewer) to test motion performance with graphics, analyzing latency and response time. We put the TV in its Game Mode during these tests to keep it consistent across each model and to maximize the gaming experience.

We also look for features such as VRR and 120Hz refresh rate to test their effectiveness. Not all the best gaming TVs have to provide these features, but it’s something we take into consideration during testing. To test latency added by the TV’s processing, we use a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag tester, with that measurement taken in the set’s Game Mode.

We also test picture quality with movies and TV shows, cycling through preset picture modes such as Standard and Movie to determine which is the most accurate. We’ll then play a variety of sources including 4K Blu-ray, 4K and HD streaming, and lower-res formats such as broadcast TV and DVD to evaluate the TV’s upscaling.

Another important area we test is how well a gaming TV handles dark tones, looking particularly at black uniformity (the ability to evenly display black across the screen) and its overall contrast.

We use specialized equipment, including a test pattern generator and colorimeter, to take measurements for our objective tests, with the results recorded in Portrait Displays’ Calman calibration software.

To test a TV’s overall brightness, we use various-sized white windows, including 10% and 100%. A 10% window provides a standardized indication of the peak brightness that can be expected, whereas 100% shows how consistently it can display a bright image such as a colorful video game. These tests also determine how a TV handles screen reflections, which is crucial for daytime gaming.

The color reproduction tests we make with both HDR and SDR sources are important to see how faithfully and accurately a TV can display source material, and they also indicate the maximum color gamut available. We additionally test for grayscale accuracy, looking at how consistently a TV tracks gray tones on the screen from black to white.

We aim to keep conditions consistent across our tests, but it’s worth noting that some writer setups do vary. We always strive, however, to use equivalent equipment and procedures so our results are comparable across TVs.

You can read more in-depth about how we test TVs at TechRadar at that link, and in particular for this guide, how we test TV input lag.

Other TVs we've tested

Hisense U8N: A super-bright, feature-packed mini-LED TV, the Hisense U8N comes with a good stock of gaming features at an affordable price (though it's better priced in the US than anywhere else). While it is a superb TV, the Samsung Q80D and Hisense U7N are cheaper and have a great list of gaming features in their own right. But, as you can read in our Hisense U8N review, it's still a fantastic TV.

TCL QM851G: The TCL has spectacular brightness levels that make it a great option for brighter room gaming, but the Samsung QN90D is our choice due to its superior processing and wider range of size options (the QM851G starts at 65-inch). Make no mistake, as our TCL QM851G review says, this TV still delivers excellent picture quality, sound, and a good number of gaming features, so it's still one for consideration. (Note that this is a US-only TV – the closest UK/Europe equivalent is the TCL C855)

LG C6: A marked step up from the C5, the LG C6 boasts a new, faster processor and a full suite of gaming features. Picture quality is vivid and crisp, too, and gamers get 4 HDMI 2.1 ports to make use of. The glossy screen does lend itself to mirror-like reflections, however, and there's no support for HDR10+. Check out our in-depth LG C6 review to find out more about what we think is a solid mid-range OLED TV.

LG B6: The LG B6 impresses right off the bat with super picture quality – games look brighter and more vivid on its screen compared to the B5. Gamers will appreciate minimal input lag of 4.9ms, 4K 120Hz, variable refresh rate, and an auto low-latency mode. The B6 can struggle in bright rooms, however, and it's one of the more expensive picks on the market. Visit our LG B6 review to see what sets it apart from our other picks.

Samsung S95F: If you need a gaming TV that delivers outstanding brightness and color, crisp textures in-game, and anti-glare technology, the S95F is a great choice. Even its sound quality is solid - which isn't something we can say for all of the gaming TVs we've shortlisted. The S95F could stretch lower-end budgets, seeing as it's a flagship OLED TV, and you can read more about it in our Samsung S95F review.

TCL QM8L: The QM8L is a mini-LED with some tricks up its sleeve, like halo-limiting technology that can put a stop to annoying blooming effects. The Game Bar menu has some handy settings to play with, too, like an FPS counter and even Aim Assist. We wish the QM8L's colors were punchier and more accurate overall, but image quality is still great, especially for the price point. Head on over to our TCL QM8L review for all the details.

Philips OLED809/OLED909: Philips' OLED TVs strongest weapon and most unique factor is their Ambilight feature, a series of lights around the TV that project colors onto the wall behind. This adds a truly unique layer to gaming that make things feel even bigger and more immersive, plus both sets are stacked with gaming features and deliver amazing picture quality and sound. Unfortunately, they're only available in the UK and they don't quite offer the same value and performance ratio that the LG C4 does, especially because they only have two HDMI 2.1 ports each. However, read our Philips OLED809 review and our Philips OLED909 review if you like the idea of a TV that feels much bigger than it is.

Panasonic Z95A: The Panasonic Z95A is a fantastic flagship OLED TV that not only delivers exceptional picture quality, but unparalleled sound that's immersive and expansive. It also makes for a great gaming TV with 4K 144Hz, VRR and Dolby Vision gaming. But, it doesn't quite match up the Samsung S95D or LG C4 in terms of OLED gaming performance and value – again, especially because it has only two HDMI 2.1 ports. But that sound may make up for it, as our Panasonic Z95A review digs into.

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED: A budget-friendly, QLED TV, the Amazon Omni QLED carries a decent amount of gaming features, incluidng VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming support and while it may be limited to 4K, 60Hz, we found in our Amazon Omni QLED review that "gaming performance is surprisingly good for a cheaper TV" and that its picture quality is colorful, natural and detailed for the price. While it is a good budget TV, the Hisense U6N takes its spot on the list as it offers mini-LED and more gaming features for only a fractional amount more.

TCL C855: A UK-specific model, the TCL C855 is an excellent mini-LED TV that has a great stock of gaming features, including 4K, 120Hz, VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming all included. It also delivers effective local dimming that results in superb contrast and black levels as well as bright and colorful picture quality. It doesn't quite make the list as the Samsung Q80d offers a more complete gaming experience, but find out more about this brilliant TV in our TCL C855 review.

Hisense 110UX: A big screen gaming experience like no other, the massive 110-inch Hisense UX has a solid list of gaming features and the performance to match. It also has great picture quality and a decent sound system, as we discovered in our Hisense 110UX review. You'll just first have to get over the shock of its price ($15,000!).

Panasonic Z85A: A mid-range OLED with much to offer, the Z85A's good list of gaming features matches up to other rival OLEDs, as we noted in our Panasonic Z85A review. The Z85A has a detailed picture with powerful contrast, but it is pricier than rival OLEDs such as the LG B4 and LG C4.

The latest updates to this best gaming TVs guide

4 June 2026
Replaced the LG C5 with the LG C6 as 'best super-bright'. Moved the Sony Bravia 8 II to position #5. Added LG C6, LG B6, Samsung S95F, TCL QM8L to 'Other TVs We've Tested'.

15 January 2026
Replaced the Sony Bravia 8 with the Sony Bravia 8 II as 'best for PS5'. Replaced the LG B4 with the LG B5 for 'best budget OLED'. Replaced the Hisense U7N with the TCL QM7K for 'best budget US'. Replaced the Samsung Q80D with the TCL C6K for 'best budget UK'. Removed the best elite and best cheap categories.

24 October 2025
Swapped the LG C4 for the new LG C5 as our 'best gaming TV for most people' based on our recent testing and review.

14 July 2025
Swapped the Samsung QN90D for the Samsung QN90F for best for bright rooms as the latter features and anti-reflection screen and higher brightness levels.

6 May 2025
Swapped the Samsung S95D for the LG G5 as 'best super-bright OLED' for the latter's superior brightness levels.

10 March 2025
Added in a gallery of images for each entry on this list. Added more models we've tested to our Other TVs we've tested section.

14 February 2025
Added in the Hisense U6N as 'best cheap gaming TV'. Added in a section explaining PS5 and Xbox Series X specific features. Added Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED and TCL C855 to Also Consider section.

17 January 2025
Added a section discussing new gaming TVs we are expecting in 2025 that could be added to this list.

23 December 2024
Moved the LG C4 to become the best overall gaming TV as stock of the Samsung S90C runs out. We also introduced an Also Consider section with information about other sets that didn't make the list.

25 November 2024
Added in Buy it if boxes for each entry, explaining two reasons to buy and avoid each TV on this list

14 November 2024
Added a Black Friday TV deals section, explaining the deals we're likely to see on the TVs from this guide.

18 October 2024
Replaced the Sony A80L with the Sony Bravia 8, and the LG B3 with the LG B4, based on our testing.

19 September 2024
Replaced the Samsung QN90C with the Samsung QN90D as 'best for bright rooms'.

20 August 2024
Replaced the Samsung Q80C with the Samsung Q80D for 'best budget gaming TV (UK)

23 July 2024
Added the Sony Bravia 9 as 'best elite TV for PS5'

28 June 2024
Removed Amazon Omni QLED as 'best cheap TV'. Removed Hisense U8K as 'best cheaper 120Hz TV in the US'. Samsung Q80C became 'best budget (UK)' instead of 'best cheaper 120Hz gaming TV in the UK'. Added Hisense U7N as 'best budget (US)'.

3 June 2024
Replaced the LG C3 with the LG C4 as "The best for size options" due to improved picture brightness and gaming features.

3 May 2024
Replaced the Samsung S95C with the S95D as best super bright OLED, thanks to anti-reflection tech and higher peak brightness levels.

28 March 2024
Added test result charts for all TVs, to make them easier to compare.

27 February 2024
Added to the 'How We Test' section with a more in-depth breakdown of how our testing of the TV in this list works.

24 January 2024
Updated the FAQ's section with 'What new gaming TVs are coming in 2024?' discussing some of the latest models we're keeping our eyes on.

15 December 2023
Replaced Samsung Q80B with Samsung Q80C for 'best cheaper 120Hz (UK)' due to stock levels.

6 October 2023
Added the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED as best cheap gaming TV, Hisense U8K and Samsung Q80B became 'best budget 120Hz gaming TV' for US and UK respectively. LG B3 replaced LG B2 for best budget OLED due to stock levels. Swapped Samsung QN85B for Samsung QN90C as best for bright rooms, due to low stock levels, and the Hisense matching the QN85B for brightness.

22 August 2023
Added the Samsung S90C as our new number one recommendation, based on our review and discussion of its merits compared to the LG C3. Added the LG C3 as the best option with a broad range of sizes. Replaced the Sony A80K with the newer Sony A80L.

13 July 2023
Checked all products against our latest reviews.

26 June 2023
Added this 'latest updates' section, to help readers see what recent changes have been made. Checked the products in the list against our latest reviews.

20 April 2023
Changed the structure of the guide to make it easier to find particular models that suit different needs, and to navigate to those models. Added Samsung S95C to the list, and removed some models.

6 March 2023
Updated the list to reflect current TV options, including adding the Samsung QN95B.

The best projectors deliver the biggest possible image with the least amount of fuss. Shopping around for the best projector for your home theatre, living room, or outdoor adventures can be tricky, however, given just how many models are on the market today.

We've highlighted two particular projector types: 'long throw' and 'ultra short throw (UST)'. These projectors are best suited for home theatres and are often paired with a wall-mounted projection screen, but we've also touched on retractable projectors that can be hidden away after use, and portable 'short throw' projectors.

The TechRadar team has thoroughly tested all of the projectors listed below. We put each one through its paces, evaluating the quality of the display in different lighting conditions, the peak brightness, contrast, and color gamut coverage. These real-world tests provide a clear picture of whether the projector lives up to its specifications - and how it'll perform in your home.

Currently, we think that the Epson LS9000 is the best 4K projector available today, thanks to its color accuracy and crisp details. The BenQ GP520 is a great budget-friendly alternative worth checking out, too.

If you're looking for a specific type of projector, like the best 4K projector, the best ultra-short-throw projector, the best portable projector, or the best outdoor projector, head on over to our specific guides for all the details.

The best projectors you can buy

The best projector for home theater

The Epson LS9000 replaces the LS12000 as our top pick for dedicated home theater setups, offering nearly the same performance at a lower price. In fact, its $3,999 / £2,999 / AU$7,299 price tag makes it feel like a relative bargain in a category where rival Sony and JVC models can cost significantly more. And despite being the most affordable member of Epson’s Pro Cinema laser lineup, it carries much of the same design DNA that has made the LS series so well regarded.

With a rated brightness of 2,200 lumens, the LS9000 is more than bright enough for light-controlled rooms, and it comes with a generous set of installation features that should help you fine-tune your setup. HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG high-dynamic-range formats are supported, and the projector uses the same 15-element VRX glass lens as the step-up LS12000. Motorized lens shift, zoom, and focus simplify placement, and a powered lens cover keeps the optics protected when not in use.

In our review, we noted that the LS9000 can deliver an inviting, accurate image in a dark room, with Natural mode producing excellent color accuracy and crisp detail. Contrast performance handled difficult scenes well, and while HDR requires some manual tweaking due to the lack of dynamic tone mapping, the overall results were consistently strong. Dual HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support also make it a very capable gaming projector.

The lack of dynamic tone mapping means it's not a perfect all-rounder, however, as some details are lost in especially bright and/or dark scenes. It's why we recommend doing your viewing in a properly darkened room for the best experience.

However, if you’re building a home theater and want clean, accurate, cinematic images with high-end features at a more reasonable price, the Epson LS9000 is an excellent choice.

Read the full Epson LS9000 review

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The best budget 4K projector

The BenQ GP520 proves that a good 4K projector doesn’t have to cost a fortune. It’s available at an incredibly low price for 4K projection but still delivers plenty of brightness and a sharp picture, making it a promising pick for budget home theaters.

The GP520 really shines in terms of brightness. Its LED light source pushes out 2,600 ANSI lumens, a level that rivals projectors that are several times its price. It’s as bright as budget 4K projectors can get, and it means you can still enjoy a good image without needing a completely dark room.

The picture quality is crisp, and the HDR10+ support helps bring out detail in compatible content. Colors aren’t the most vivid, and you won’t find any real gaming features, but in the right conditions the GP520 impresses. Motion handling is also good for a projector in this price range.

BenQ has added some good extras here too, like integrated Google TV for streaming, as well as built-in speakers that aren’t fantastic but will get the job done if you don’t want to hook up an external sound system. The compact design of the projector also makes it easy to move it around from room to room. Or you can even carry it for movie nights away from home.

Overall, the BenQ GP520 offers a winning combination of sharp 4K resolution, excellent brightness, and all-in-one convenience at an affordable price. It’s not perfect, but as far as budget 4K projectors go, it’s one of the best value choices around.

Read our full BenQ GP520 review

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The best ultra short throw projector

The Hisense PX3-Pro is an ultra-short-throw projector from a company that has consistently pushed the UST envelope, offering a wide range of models that provide better features and performance with each generation. At $3,499 / £2,499, the PX3-Pro is affordably priced for a UST, and it’s capable of beaming images up to 150 inches with an impressive 3,000-lumen specified brightness.

A key PX3-Pro feature is its tri-chroma DLP light engine, which generates bright pictures with “simply astounding color,” as we noted in our Hisense PX3-Pro review. It also has comprehensive HDR support, covering the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats – something typically not found in projectors. This capability “made the latest seasons of The Rings of Power in HDR10+ and The Avengers: Endgame in Dolby Vision both look fantastic.” The PX3-Pro’s 50W built-in Harman Kardon-designed speakers, which can “get loud enough to match the size of the pictures,” also impressed us when we tested it.

The PX3-Pro’s Google TV smart TV interface is a superior option to the more basic Android TV system built into many projectors, and importantly, it features a Netflix app for streaming. Support for both 4K 120Hz and 1080p 240Hz input also makes the PX3-Pro a great choice for gaming, and it has an appealing retro-futuristic design that will make it stand out in your living room in a good way. If you’re looking to go the UST projector route for your home theater, this is the model we’d recommend.

Read the full Hisense PX3-Pro review

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The best portable projector

Samsung’s The Freestyle 2nd Gen is in many ways the ultimate portable projector. It’s incredibly compact, but it can project images as large as 100 inches (and as small as 30 inches). It features the same Tizen smart TV platform as Samsung TVs, and that includes Samsung Gaming Hub for cloud-based gaming from apps like Xbox and Nvidia GeForce Now.

Samsung also offers a range of accessories for The Freestyle 2nd Gen that can give you battery power for outdoor viewing and even an option to plug it into a ceiling light fixture. And when you're not using it as a projector, it can serve as a wireless speaker for music streaming.

When we reviewed The Freestyle 2nd Gen, we found it to be significantly less bright than a typical projector used for home theater, but that wasn’t completely unexpected given Samsung’s small size and 230-lumen brightness specification. But picture quality isn’t the main point with The Freestyle 2nd Gen. This is a projector that lets you easily beam a big video image anywhere you go, and The Freestyle 2nd Gen’s automatic keystone and focus features make sure the image looks perfectly square (or rectangular, to be exact) as soon as you set it up.

At $799 / £649, the Freestyle 2nd Gen is pricey for a 1080p-resolution portable projector, though it can regularly be found for less during seasonal sales events. What gives Samsung’s portable added value is its high level of flexibility, ease of setup, and superior built-in smart TV interface, all of which combine to make The Freestyle 2nd Gen an easy sell.

Read the full Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen review

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The best projector for outdoors

Looking for a projector that’s not just portable but road-worthy? With its rugged case and carrying handle, the Anker Nebula Mars 3 looks more like a lantern than a projector. Anker’s portable beamer actually features a flashlight along with its video projection capability, and its built-in battery can last for over two hours – so long enough for a movie – at full power before needing to be recharged.

The Anker Nebula Mars 3’s built-in battery, of course, makes it a perfect option for backyard – or campsite – movie nights where the projector’s LED DLP light engine will illuminate a portable screen of up to 200 inches with a specified 1,000-lumen brightness. It uses the Android TV platform for streaming and has automatic focus, keystone, and framing adjustments that proved very effective in our testing.

When we reviewed the Nebula Mars 3, we found it to have “a good-looking picture, but not an exceptional one.” Resolution is limited to 1080p HD, colors lack the vibrance of similar projectors with an RGB laser light engine, and shadowy scenes come across with limited black detail. The built-in sound is powerful for a portable projector; however, in this case, it’s limited to mono.

It may not be the best overall portable projector, and at $1,099 / £999 / AU$1,199, it’s not the cheapest, but if you’re looking to take a projector outside, the Nebula Mars 3 with its built-in battery and rugged build quality – and flashlight! – is the best option we’ve found. Grab it by the handle and hit the great outdoors.

Read the full Anker Nebula Mars 3 review

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The best projector for gaming

The BenQ X3100i is the company’s top gaming projector, and with its stylish white-with-orange-trim case, it very much looks the part. At $2,799 / £2,099, the X3100 is not exactly cheap, but its bright picture, responsive performance, and ability to shift into 240Hz mode make it a fantastic choice for someone who wants a projector equally adept for movie watching and gaming.

BenQ’s 4LED DLP light engine beams 4K images at a specified 3,300 ANSI lumens with 100% UHDA-P3 color space coverage. The picture is bright enough that you can use it in less than cave-like lighting conditions, and, as we noted in our X3100i review, “Movies and TV look awesome with this projector, especially when viewed on a 100-inch or larger screen.”

As good as movies look, gaming is the real draw here, and BenQ’s specs cite latency at an ultra-low 4ms (1080p@240Hz). In our review, we found gaming performance to be incredibly smooth, noting that “whipping around the battlefield and snapping at different targets was a breeze.” Adding to the fun are the X3100i’s potent built-in speakers, which provide more than adequate sound in a reasonably sized room.

While some portable-type projectors rely on automatic setup features that can reduce resolution, the X3100i features an optical zoom control and vertical and horizontal lens shift for setup. Streaming is carried out using the included Android TV dongle, but you can add the streaming stick of your choice, along with any other device you care to connect, such as a PS5 or Xbox Series X, to the projector’s three HDMI ports.

Read the full BenQ X3100i review

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The best 8K projector

The JVC DLA-NZ800 (along with its big brother, the JVC DLA-NZ900) holds the distinction of being the only 8K projector aimed at the home theater market. And while a true 8K display is an NZ800 feature, that’s something it achieves via its e-shiftX processing, which effectively quadruples the number of pixels displayed by its native 4K imaging device through optical shifting.

No matter how it’s done, the NZ800 displays wonderfully detailed 8K and upscaled 4K pictures. In our JVC DLA-NZ800 review, we called it a “revelation,” and also cited its processing of HD and lower-resolution pictures as “superb.” In our testing and measurements, we confirmed that the NZ800 hit its specified 2,700-lumen brightness and is also capable of 100% UHDA-P3 color space coverage, making this an all-around fantastic projector for watching movies on 4K Blu-ray and high-quality streaming.

Projectors generally struggle to keep up with the high brightness peaks in high dynamic range sources, but the JVC’s dynamic HDR tone mapping helps in this regard through real-time analysis of metadata and the HDR signal. A Deep Black feature and dynamic laser control additionally help here by deepening shadows while boosting brightness in highlights without introducing any of the “pumping” artifacts that such systems can introduce.

Along with excelling at movies, the NZ800 is also a great gaming projector, with 4K 120Hz support on its HDMI 2.1 inputs and 36ms input lag – a very low amount for a projector. It also displays 3D, making it one of the few long-throw projectors left to support that feature. At $15,999 / £15,999 / AU$24,999, the NZ800 is hardly a casual purchase, but given its performance and features, it more than justifies its price.

Read the full JVC DLA-NZ800 review

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The best projector for sports

There are plenty of reasons why the Epson QL7000 is our top pick for watching sports, but the most important is its exceptionally high brightness. With 10,000 lumens output, it delivers a projected image bright enough to handle daylight viewing conditions – something few other projectors can match.

Most home theater projectors top out around 2,500 to 3,000 lumens, but the QL7000 competes with some of the best TVs for sheer brightness. It uses a laser 3LCD light engine and pixel-shifting to produce crisp 4K images, powered by Epson’s 32-bit QZX Picture Processor for upscaling and overall picture refinement. It also supports HDR10 and HLG, though not HDR10+, which is gaining traction in newer projectors.

Gamers will appreciate the QL7000’s pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, which support 4K at 120Hz and ALLM, plus a low input lag of just 19.6ms. But where it really shines is in sports. The ultra-bright image holds up beautifully in rooms with ambient light, making everything from football to Formula 1 feel incredibly immersive on a screen size that can reach up to 300 inches.

Its sleek, compact design stands out among high-lumen projectors, which are often bulky and industrial-looking. You also get flexible lens options, including ultra-short-throw choices for tight spaces where a standard projector setup might not work.

Yes, the QL7000 comes with a high price tag. Especially once you factor in a separate lens. But for sports fans who want top-tier performance in real-world viewing conditions (not just pitch-black rooms), it’s the best option available. It’s a specialist projector built for bright, multi-use spaces, and if that’s what your setup demands, the results are well worth the investment.

Read the full Epson QL7000 review

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How to choose the best projector

Choosing the best projector will depend on how and where you plan to use it. If you’re looking to set up a home theater for watching movies on a separate projection screen with an elaborate Dolby Atmos speaker rig, or perhaps even one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, you’re going to want a long-throw 4K laser projector. These are typically mounted on the ceiling or a high shelf at the back of the room and are designed for viewing in dim or completely dark environments.

Long-throw projectors don’t always have the highest brightness (between 2,000 and 3,000 lumens is a typical specification) but generally do provide the highest contrast ratio (the difference between the deepest black and the brightest white in an image) and the best high dynamic range handling.

If you’re looking for a big image and don’t mind using a projection screen but don’t want a projector hanging from the ceiling, an ultra-short-throw (UST) projector will be the ticket. These projectors typically get installed a foot or so from a wall where they can beam an up to 150-inch image. The best UST projectors use an RGB laser light engine that lets them deliver both high brightness and extended color gamut coverage (with some models handling not just the full UHDA-P3 color space but the larger BT.2020 one as well).

Unlike long-throw projectors, UST models usually feature powerful built-in speakers – with Dolby Atmos support, in some cases – and a smart TV interface for streaming, so they provide an all-in-one home theater solution.

If you want a projector that can temporarily be set up on a coffee table for gaming or watching the occasional movie, then a short-throw projector will be the best option. The best of these provide brightness levels that match long-throw models, along with 4K resolution and extended color gamut coverage. Some short-throw projectors are also specifically designed for gaming, with features such as a game mode with low input lag and 4K 120Hz (and in some cases, 1080p 240Hz support).

While it can be argued that any projector is a portable projector, there are compact models with carrying handles that are designed to be toted from place to place. These generally have lower brightness than other projector types, and most lack 4K and HDR support. Most have built-in streaming capability and built-in speakers, along with a Bluetooth output for linking up with one of the best wireless speakers for even better sound.

If you want to use a portable projector outdoors, models with either a built-in battery or a battery pack option will let you quickly get up and running for a backyard movie night without having to run an extension cord to the projector.

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How we test the best projectors

At TechRadar, we test projectors in a range of lighting conditions, from bright rooms to dim and completely dark environments. We also test the projector with a suitable projection screen – a low-gain matte white screen for long-throw models, and an ambient light-rejecting screen for UST models.

Both video test patterns and reference movie clips are used to evaluate the projector’s performance in displaying bright, high-contrast images and saturated colors. We’ll test for picture detail, noise reduction processing and motion handling, and if the projector has substantial built-in speakers, we’ll also evaluate its ability to play movie soundtracks and TV dialogue clearly and dynamically.

When measurements are provided, we’ll report on the projector’s peak brightness with HDR and SDR sources, contrast ratio, and color gamut coverage. We’ll also provide an average Delta E (the level of difference between the ‘perfect’ test pattern source and what is shown on-screen) for the projector’s color and grayscale.

For projectors with a smart TV interface, we’ll evaluate their ease of use and the variety of streaming apps on offer. We’ll also test its performance for gaming, measuring input lag and evaluating the smoothness of gameplay using an Xbox Series X or PS5 gaming console.

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The latest updates to this guide

June 16, 2026
Added Prime Day information and refreshed page intro.

January 2, 2026
Replaced the Epson LS12000 with the Epson LS9000 as our 'best for home theater' pick based on recent testing.

September 14, 2025
Replaced the LG Cinebeam Q with the BenQ GP520 as our 'best budget 4K' pick, based on recent testing.

July 7, 2025
Added the Epson QL7000 as a new entry in the #9 spot as our 'Best for sports' pick, based on recent testing.

May 15, 2025
Replaced BenQ X300G with BenQ X3100i as 'Best for gaming' option due to the former's limited supply.

March 17, 2025
Added JVC DLA-NZ800 to guide as 'Best for 8K' option.

January 17, 2025
Added section 'New projectors coming in 2025 ' with details on models introduced at the CES trade show.

November 20, 2024
Best Projectors buyer's guide launched.

The very best 4K movies offer a way to enjoy something close to the theatrical experience from the comfort of your own home. With the advent of HDR, Dolby Vision and readily available Dolby Atmos sound systems in recent years, too, watching films from the sofa has never been a more attractive proposition. 

Previously, the best 4K Blu-ray players provided an indisputably superior viewing experience to online streaming services, but nowadays, platforms like Netflix and Disney Plus support most of those aforementioned home cinema features. However, we'd still always recommend watching movies in 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray to get the absolute best experience, and since discs are region-free, anyone with a 4K Blu-ray player can enjoy them. 

With that in mind, we've put together this list of the best 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray movies available to purchase today. We've categorized our picks by genre, and included useful AV specs for each entry. If you're still resolute about your preference for streaming, we've also collated the best Netflix movies and best Disney Plus movies on separate pages.

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray: top titles

The Batman

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (54 Mbps)
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

One of the most highly anticipated 4K releases of 2022, The Batman emerged from the shadows with a truly revelatory Ultra HD Blu-ray disc that absolutely lived up to the film's theatrical presentation. 

Like the titular character himself, The Batman is a movie bathed in darkness, where every shadowy corner of Gotham City presents the threat of violence. Thankfully, The Batman's Dolby Vision and HDR10 presentations provide exceptional shadow delineation, with Batman's slow creeping out of the darkness coming across even more dramatic as a result – and without a single hint of the black crush that can sometimes effect the transfers of darker films.

Thanks to The Batman's native 4K digital intermediate, detail is off the charts. The the jagged edges of his suit, the stitching and leatherwork in his cowl – it all adds up to a film with intricacies that were practically made to be appreciated in 4K.

Admittedly, The Batman isn't the film to go to if you're looking to show off your TV's color bonafides. Much of the film is purposefully muted in appearance, with only brief instances of colorful highlights. Neon signs occasionally break out of the darkness, along with the amber lighting that illuminates the highway Batmobile chase sequences, or the bright orange explosion that ends it.

As standout as The Batman's visuals are, its audio presentation arguably steals the show, with a pristine Dolby Atmos primary track that delivers thundering sonics amidst a brilliantly immersive atmosphere – all punctuated by Michael Giacchino's bombastic score that just builds and builds with increased intensity. To bring up the aforementioned highway chase again, it just might be one of the best showcases for Dolby Atmos to ever hit home theaters. Get ready to pull this disc out for repeated demonstrations.

Dune

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (64.8 Mbps)
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Denis Villeneuve's Dune arrived on Ultra HD Blu-ray boasting a spectacular video presentation and a reference-quality Dolby Atmos audio track. Shot at 4.5K and finished at a 4K resolution, Dune looks expectedly gorgeous on the format, with immense detail that soars with incredibly clarity. Though Dune was not shot on film, its UHD presentation sports a nice layer of film-like grain throughout, which serves to provide increased texture to its costumes, sets and sandy landscapes.

The inclusion of both HDR10 and Dolby Vision gives Dune excellent brightness, contrast and color vibrancy. Witness, for instance, the shimmering appearance of Arrakis's all-important spice, or the almost white-hot explosion that eventually bursts through House Atreides' force fields during the mid-film invasion scene.

Aside from some very minor banding, the only thing that could be considered disappointing to videophiles about Dune's 4K disc is that its aspect ratio does not shift during IMAX sequences, opting instead to keep a panoramic widescreen presentation for its entire running time. Despite this, Dune remains an epic spectacle to behold.

Just as epic as Dune's visual presentation is its sound, with an outstanding primary Dolby Atmos track that delivers fantastic directional audio, offering plenty of activity in the rear channels, along with a masterful use of Atmos' height channels (you will think Dune's ornithopters are flying right over your head). Dialogue is clear and prominent, while Hans Zimmer's nerve-jangling score offers a powerful backdrop to the events unfolding on-screen.

It goes without saying that fans of Dune should absolutely pick up its 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, but we also recommend it to anyone who considers themselves a home theater enthusiast. This is a demo-worthy disc in every regard.

The Suicide Squad

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (63.08 Mbps)
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 1.90:1

Given that James Gunn's The Suicide Squad was shot entirely using IMAX cameras and finished at 4K resolution, we always expected its Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation to be standout and demo-worthy, and we were right – The Suicide Squad looks magnificent on the format.

Gunn has been vocal about his support for the quality of physical media over streaming, and he certainly proves his point here, with a hefty bitrate of 63.08 Mbps that eliminates any visible artifacting or compression. Detail is off the charts here, particularly in close-ups of King Shark, which reveal a great deal of texture that appears completely tangible.

We will say one thing, though: we hope your TV can handle dark scenes, because there are stretches of The Suicide Squad that take place in night-time jungle settings which had our Mini LED TV's local dimming feature flicking on and off, making black areas appear washed out and gray. After a few minutes of annoyance, we dug into the TV's picture settings and lowered the dimming feature's intensity, leading the remainder of the film to play out normally.

Meanwhile, highlights and colors are truly astounding here, particularly when it comes to costuming – the Squad's orange prison jumpsuits jump out with incredible vividness, as does Peacemaker's red shirt and Harley's stunning red dress. 

Later in the film, during Harley's escape from capture, a rainbow-like explosion of colorful flowers erupts while she mows down enemy soldiers – believe us when we say that it's one of the best looking showcases of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray we've seen to date, as is the emergence of the vibrant (and giant) villain, Starro the Conqueror.

Props must also be handed to The Suicide Squad's excellent Dolby Atmos audio track, which places dialogue front and center, never losing it amongst all the on-screen chaos that unfolds. Dimensionality is also strong, with great use of overhead sound effects during the film's climax. Highly recommended for fans.

Mortal Kombat

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (55 Mbps)
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

If you're looking for a film that will test your home entertainment system's might, you could do a lot worse than the latest Mortal Kombat film, which arrived on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with a sharp transfer and punchy audio track.

While a lot of Mortal Kombat takes place in dark and shadowy environments, the film's 4K presentation delivers impressive contrast, allowing viewers to see right into the darker areas of the screen. Highlights and colors, in particular, look magnificent in this HDR10 presentation, particularly in scenes where the film's characters show off their energy-based skills – especially Raiden's signature lightning strikes, which burn with a white hot intensity. As expected, the film's 4K native resolution allows for extraordinary detail, making it easy to marvel at the craftsmanship of the film's costume and set design departments.

In terms of audio, Mortal Kombat offers a room-shaking Dolby Atmos primary track which emphasizes every punch, kick and fireball attack with an incredible amount of oomph. That said, dialogue sounds a little low by comparison, so you may have to do some tweaking of your sound setup in order to hit that sweet spot. 

Nevertheless, Mortal Kombat looks and sounds great on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, allowing fans to relive every gory fatality in crystal-clear clarity.

Zack Snyder's Justice League

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (55 Mbps)
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1

Zack Snyder's Justice League looks and sounds fantastic on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, with the disc version's immersive Dolby Atmos audio and high video bitrate absolutely demolishing the film's presentation on streaming services such as HBO Max, Sky and Binge.

Split over two discs due to its epic 242-minute runtime, Zack Snyder's Justice League delivers sublime visuals right off the bat(man) – the film's stirring opening titles sequence immediately gives us inky blacks, bright highlights and vivid colors, and it only gets better from there.

Those who have watched Joss Whedon's theatrical version of Justice League will instantly notice that Snyder's version is a drastically different-looking film. Color has been toned way down, with almost monochromatic appearance at times, leading to a film that's far more atmospheric and serious in tone. Of course, that isn't to say that the film is lacking in vibrance – in fact, it makes the film's deliberate uses of color pop with increased vividness. 

Perhaps the most visually-stunning update offered by Zack Snyder's Justice League is in its villain, Steppenwolf (pictured), who has been completely redesigned from the ground up with a far more jagged and menacing appearance. 

The amount of detail in Steppenwolf's armor is absolutely staggering, with the character covered head to toe in countless, razor-sharp metallic shards – each of which produces impressive specular highlights. Look closely and you'll see fine details on the shards themselves, such as scratches and scuffs which make the CGI creation all the more convincing.

Although the disc curiously lacks the Dolby Vision support that's offered on HBO Max, it does provide a rather significant upgrade on the streaming version with the inclusion of a wonderfully immersive Dolby Atmos track. During action scenes, there's an incredible sense of dimensionality to the audio, with terrific use of overhead channels. Though the film can get loud and bombastic, dialogue is always clear and easy to understand.

Destined to be one of the format's reference discs, Zack Snyder's Justice League is a must-have for fans of the film.

Tenet

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (57.45 Mbps)
Primary audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1, 2.20:1

The most mind-bending film from director Christopher Nolan (Inception, Memento) to date, Tenet made an absolutely stunning debut on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. 

Like the majority of Nolan's other films, Tenet is presented with expanded IMAX sequences for its physical home release (sorry, digital buyers), meaning its aspect ratio regularly opens up to fill your entire TV's display, offering a significant rise in picture quality and scope.

The results are utterly astonishing. Shot entirely on 65mm film and boasting a native 4K digital intermediate, detail is off the charts here, with a pristine image that still retains its filmic quality. It would not be a stretch to say that 70% of Tenet is presented in this manner, leading to a near-constant bombardment of jaw-dropping moments. From its stunning Tallinn freeway chase, to its climactic 'temporal pincer movement' set piece, Tenet is a sight to behold.

Color and contrast are both exceptional, with impressively natural skin tones, vibrant reds, warm yellows, cool blues and inky shadows throughout, along with terrific highlights during brighter moments.

Admittedly, it's disappointing to note that Nolan continues to resist the allure of Dolby Atmos audio. That said, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track included here still delivers a surprising amount of bombast and directionality. If you're looking for a demo disc to show off your home entertainment system, Tenet is the one.

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray: heroes and villains

Joker

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Despite its filmic appearance, Joker was shot digitally and processed at a resolution of 6.5K, eventually finishing up with a 4K master. This means Joker's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc is a totally faithful representation of the finished film as it was shown in theaters, making it hard to imagine how it could possibly look any better.

Thanks to the inclusion of support for both HDR10 and Dolby Vision, Joker's 4K disc offers fantastic color reproduction, emboldening the film's yellows, teals and reds with added exuberance. Shadow definition is also exceptional, with inky blacks contrasting wonderfully against bright highlights.

As you might expect, Joker's 4K presentation delivers fantastic detail, particularly in the film's many close-ups of Arthur's face – fine lines and pores are easily identifiable (especially in scenes where the character is wearing his clown makeup). Likewise, threads and fibers in clothing are more apparent to the point where one can readily distinguish between the different types of fabrics in Joker's eye-popping costume. 

Perfectly complementing Joker's superb visual presentation is an equally impressive Dolby Atmos primary track that truly brings the film to life. While some 4K discs are guilty of favoring loud, bombastic sound effects and music over dialogue, Joker manages to find a perfect balance across the board. 

Those who've seen Joker know that Hildur Guðnadóttir's haunting score drives the film and provides its soul, but it never crosses the line on this disc by overpowering the film's vocals, which are always clear and consistent. That said, the three-dimensional soundscape achieved by this excellent Atmos track does allow the score to feel even more enveloping to the listener. Speaking of the film's sound design, the track also offers a real sense of atmosphere during crowd scenes.

A disc that perfectly recreates the film's theatrical presentation, fans simply owe it to themselves to pick up this extraordinary 4K release of Joker.

The X-Men series

Resolution: 2160p (X-Men / X-Men 2 / X-Men: Apocalypse: native 4K masters, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past: upscaled from 2K masters)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English DTS-HD 5.1
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (all films)

It's now possible to separately purchase every entry in the main X-Men series on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. Fans will be x-static (sorry) to hear that each film in the series holds up incredibly well in Ultra HD, with the first two films in the saga, X-Men and X2: X-Men United (a.k.a. X-Men 2), receiving brand new 4K scans which achieve terrific results. 

Keen-eyed viewers will notice bolder colors across the board thanks to an impressive HDR-related upgrade. Blues and reds, in particular, appear more vibrant – witness, for instance, the glowing red beams that shoot from Cyclops' eyes, or the steely blue interiors of Professor X's Cerebro room. We also get richer yellows and greens, such as the lining in Wolverine's costume and Toad's sickly skin. 

In X-Men 2, the uptick in resolution offers some incredible clarity, particularly in close-ups of Nightcrawler's face, which show additional detail in the swirling scars etched in the character's skin. Of course, the blues in his and Mystique's skin also appear more clearly defined, with their particular shades appearing slightly more individual. 

With the addition of Beast in X-Men: The Last Stand, HDR gets another workout with yet another eye-popping shade of blue skin, along with the added bonus of bright blue hair to accompany it. 

As you might expect, detail is astonishing, with The Last Stand's upscaled 2160p transfer offering increased sharpness, allowing viewers to spot the individual strands of hair that have been meticulously applied to the character by the film's makeup department.

Thanks to a boost in contrast, we also get deeper blacks and improved shadow detail, which significantly helps to enhance the mood of the films. As the earlier entries in the saga were shot on 35mm film, a fine layer of grain is present which helps ground the fantastical films with a modicum of realism while also providing a richer filmic appearance.

Also upscaled from a 2K digital intermediate is X-Men: First Class, which arrives on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with some noticeable improvements over the standard Blu-ray edition, but perhaps isn't quite the standout that X-Men and X-Men 2 are. 

Thanks to some HDR tinkering, we get bright colors that pop with added vibrancy, particularly when it comes time for the characters to don their blue and yellow '60s-era costumes. Skin tones appear healthy and lifelike, with some spectacular highlights in the form of Emma Frost's diamond-encrusted epidermis proving especially striking.

The film's big climax, which sees the mutants intervening with the Cuban Missile Crisis by lifting a submarine out of the ocean, is expectedly a visual standout, looking even better in Ultra HD than it did on previous releases. 

With X-Men: Days of Future Past, the main series finally moves into the digital era, with the time-traveling sequel captured at 2.8K resolution and finished with a 2K digital intermediate. While Days of Future Past is an upscaled release, it looks quite good on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, with the benefits of HDR shining through to provide additional color vibrancy and increased black levels.

The film's dark opening sequence, which shows a grim Terminator-esque future where the world has been ravaged by machines, dazzles with its deep blacks and vibrant neon highlights. Later, during the film's daytime finale, we get a significant boost in clarity, particularly when the more colorful X-Men like Mystique and Beast are on screen.

X-Men: Apocalypse was originally captured at 6K in the Redcode RAW format, which offers filmmakers an increased level of post-production control, making it perfect for HDR post processing. Finished on a 4K digital intermediate, X-Men: Apocalypse comes to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with no loss to visual fidelity whatsoever. A visual effects showcase if ever there was one, the end result, pardon the pun, is x-traordinary.

From its Ancient Egypt opening through to its apocalyptic finale, X-Men: Apocalypse dazzles in Ultra HD. Costumes and makeup benefit greatly from the added resolution afforded by the format, opening our eyes to the incredible work that goes into their creation. There's an immediately noticeable increase in detail, as well as an added depth of texture.

As you would expect from a movie in which characters frequently shoot beams of energy from their hands/eyes/sceptres, lighting effects are a particular highlight here. Increased contrast and a wider color gamut mean that light blooming appears much more natural, avoiding the usual blocky-glow that plagues images with a lower color depth. It's also an extremely colorful movie, with numerous blue and purple characters on its roster. 

The latest entry in the X-Men series (and likely the last), X-Men: Dark Phoenix arrived on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray boasting some noticeable improvements over the 1080p version of the film. 

For starters, we have increased fine detail on costumes, sets, hair and makeup effects, which is impressive given the movie was finished on a 2K digital intermediate and then upscaled. As far as resolution goes, this release is likely the best the film will ever look at home. 

However, the 4K Ultra HD release's biggest advantage over the standard Blu-ray is surely the inclusion of HDR10, which offers Dark Phoenix increased color vibrancy and brightness, something that makes a huge difference when half the film's cast is blue. Unfortunately, this release lacks Dolby Vision, even though Dark Phoenix was presented that way theatrically, according to the Dolby website.

That said, X-Men: Dark Phoenix at least boasts a truly excellent Dolby Atmos audio track, which is a real show-stopper during the film's big finale on the train – the sound of Magneto crushing a group of baddies in a train carriage and then throwing it away is immensely satisfying.

Dark Phoenix aside, each X-Men release surprisingly lacks Dolby Atmos audio in favour of DTS-HD 5.1 tracks, the discs are a no-brainer for those who don't already own the films. In our estimation, X-Men, X-Men 2 and X-Men: Apocalypse provide enough of an upgrade over their Blu-ray equivalents to warrant a double dip for devoted fans, while the rest still offer the definitive version of each film to watch at home. 

Captain Marvel

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p/24
Codec: HEVC
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

One of the top-grossing movies of 2019, Captain Marvel was the first female-led Marvel movie, which already makes it a must-watch in our books. Luckily it's a truly fantastic movie too – and might be one of our favorite across the whole MCU.

Set in the 90s, this fantasy superhero movie really lends itself to the best 4K HDR tech. All of the strong primary and secondary colors are rich, they look like they 'pop' from the screen, and the whites are vibrant. Some of the CGI, fantasy elements look the most impressive, like when Vers visits the Supreme Being. 

It's also worth mentioning that there are quite a few close-up shots throughout the movie, and this version renders the detail well. You can see the finest details in sets, the characters' physical features and the costumes. 

Aquaman

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from a 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1, 1.78:1

With the arrival of DC's Aquaman on 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray, the format has received another reference-quality disc that will surely be used to show off brand new televisions for years to come. 

Despite being upscaled from a 2K master (which proved more than suitable in cinemas, we might add), Aquaman offers a pristine transfer that's stuffed to the gills (we went there) with onscreen activity – all of which is presented with incredible detail. It's no secret that 4K releases presented in the full IMAX aspect ratio are utterly spectacular to watch on a high-end television set (you hearing this, Disney?), and Aquaman may very well be the best example of this yet. 

According to director James Wan, approximately 90% of the movie is shown this way, and while that might be a slight exaggeration, almost all of the film's major sequences do take advantage of your entire display, exhibiting immense clarity and color. Speaking of color, Aquaman is a true showcase for high-dynamic-range (both HDR10 and Dolby Vision are available), with its vibrant underwater world offering enough eye candy to put you in a visual sugar coma. 

We have glowing purples, oranges and greens piercing through the deep blue sea – Aquaman's first trip to Atlantis is a show-stopping sight to behold – with realistic specular highlights reflected in armor and tridents. Rays of light also shine through the ocean surface with impressively subtle color gradation.

Later in the film, a scene shows Arthur and Mera being attacked by The Trench while travelling via tugboat, and if ever there was an argument for the importance of increased resolution and contrast, this is it. The set piece unfolds at night during heavy rainfall while hundreds of snarling CGI creatures attack our heroes, and it is positively bursting at the seams with visual information. 

Thankfully, Aquaman's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray handles the complex scene with ease, and looks especially good on TVs capable of deep, inky blacks. A must-have release for fans of superhero films.

Deadpool 2

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from a 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

As one of the first major titles to hit 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, the original Deadpool impressed with a pristine transfer based on a true 4K digital intermediate. While its sequel, Deadpool 2, was finished at 2K and then upscaled for this 4K release, the disc still looks great, with a noticeable upgrade in detail and color over the regular Blu-ray.

Sporting a steely-blue look and feel for most of the film, Deadpool 2 isn't quite as vibrant as its predecessor. That said, there are several moments here where colors really pop, including the film's violent opening montage, Cable's explosive prison attack and the film's big chase scene. Like the first entry's 4K disc, Deadpool 2 has received HDR10 color grading, though Dolby Vision is absent. 

Once again, specular highlights benefit greatly from the high-dynamic-range tinkering that the film has received, particularly in the light reflecting from Colossus' shiny metal body. Thanks to the resolution uptick provided by the format, object definition looks wonderful here — the stitching and texture of Deadpool's costume is the standout on this disc, along with the incredibly-detailed visual effects work that has gone into creating Cable's cybernetic arm and chest. 

As an added bonus, Deadpool 2's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray includes two versions of the film, with the Theatrical Cut and Super Duper $@%!#& Cut each housed on their own 4K disc. 

Avengers: Infinity War

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from a 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

The kind of cinematic event that 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray was made for, Avengers: Infinity War exploded onto the format with show-stopping HDR10 and Dolby Vision visuals and a fantastic Dolby Atmos audio track. Though Avengers: Infinity War was finished on a 2K digital intermediate (possibly due to the sheer amount of visual effects on display), it was captured at 6.5K, so the upscaled end result looks exceptional regardless. 

We see incredible definition and wonderful detail throughout the entirety of Infinity War, particularly in any scene featuring the towering computer-generated character, Thanos. Thanks to the incredible work of the film's animators, Thanos' face reveals outstanding textures and lines, with the added clarity of the film's resolution uptick providing additional gravitas to Josh Brolin's riveting motion capture performance. 

Elsewhere, the Infinity War shines thanks to HDR10 and Dolby Vision color grading, which gives the movie incredible vibrancy and contrast. Highlights, for instance, are incredibly strong here, with Thor's thunder-summoning abilities proving to be a standout. Skin tones also appear warmer and more natural, particularly during daylight scenes, such as the film's climactic battle. 

Topping off the film's astonishing visuals is a punchy Dolby Atmos track which offers impressive bombastics and atmospherics, providing a convincing three-dimensional soundscape in the process. While we would've loved for Avengers: Infinity War's full-frame IMAX sequences to have been included on the disc, it's hard to argue with what we did get here. 

The Avengers

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from a 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Due to its bright, clean cinematography and TV-friendly 1.85:1 aspect ratio, The Avengers makes for an ideal 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray candidate. Everything that was great about the film's regular blu-ray is magnified here, with vibrant HDR10-tuned colors, improved contrast, brighter highlights and greater detail across the board. 

If you have a high-end television that's capable of intense color and brightness, you're going to want to pick this disc up — The Avengers dazzles in this regard, with the red, white and blue of Captain America's costume, along with the Hulk's green skin, looking especially vivid here. 

Night-time scenes, such as the forest battle between Iron Man and Thor, look especially good here — Thor's lightning bolts burn with white hot intensity against inky black backgrounds, and there's no sign of any crushing to within the darkness.

Like Avengers: Infinity War, The Avengers was mastered at 2K, though you'd never know it based on its Ultra HD Blu-ray transfer — fine detail is extraordinary here, particularly in costumes and character close-ups. 

Along with its excellent Dolby Atmos track, which delivers impressive bass and directional sound effects, The Avengers has made a fantastic debut on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. If you're a fan of the film (and really, who isn't?), you won't be disappointed by this stellar release.

Black Panther

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Captured at 3.4K resolution and then finished at 4K, Marvel's Black Panther arrived on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with a disc that easily outclasses its 1080p counterpart thanks to additional accuracy in its color palette and a more natural appearance overall. 

Right off the bat, the film impresses with its CGI introductory scene. We are given a quick history of Black Panther's country Wakanda, starting with the vibranium meteorite that gifts the African nation with the world's most precious (and technologically useful) metal. The level of detail in the animation is very high, and we're able to really appreciate the light and shade benefits that HDR allows for. 

Admittedly, the disc is less impressive during the night-time jungle rescue that comes shortly after, showing some muddiness in the darkness, something that may or may not resolve itself when viewed on an OLED screen. That said, later scenes set at night look glorious, including a car chase through Seoul that sees vibrant neon signs shimmer off the various luxury vehicles featured in the action-packed set piece. 

But really, detail and color are the standouts on this disc, with the film's flamboyant costumes looking especially eye-popping — witness, for instance, the ritual combat ceremony scene, in which each tribe gathers in their traditional garb to watch the country's top warriors battle for the right to be king. Clarity is also astounding here, with the various textures and fibers of each costume exhibiting jaw-dropping detail. A truly wonderful disc and a must-have for Marvel fans. 

Justice League

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 1:78.1

Though the film was finished on a 2K digital intermediate, that doesn't stop Justice League from looking astonishing on Ultra HD Blu-ray. Part of this is due to its 1:78.1 aspect ratio, which films the entire frame of your television (no black bars here), making these heroes look larger than life in the process. 

Like all of Zack Snyder's movies, Justice League was shot on film (35mm to be precise, though it was then blown up to 70mm using IMAX's digital media remastering), so you can expect incredible detail and additional texture to be found here. Costume detail looks absolutely extraordinary on this transfer, particularly in the texture of Batman's costume and the various surfaces of The Flash's super-complex outfit. 

When it comes to digital effects, Justice League also benefits on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. For instance, Cyborg's CGI body, which is made up entirely of shiny metal, lights and wiring, looks especially intricate and impressive here — particularly when it comes to specular highlights. 

As expected, shadows and dark areas (this is a Snyder film, after all) benefit greatly from the film's HDR color grading, and fans will be happy to know that the disc offers both HDR10 and Dolby Vision support. As for the film's soundtrack, the disc's Dolby Atmos track is muscular and bombastic, with deep bass and clean dialogue that works well within three-dimensional soundscape.

If you're a fan of the film, the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray of Justice League is a must-buy, as it will likely become your reference disc for the foreseeable future.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Arriving on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with an upscaled transfer based on a 2K digital intermediate, Kingsman: The Golden Circle shines on the format thanks to some terrific HDR color depth and a significant uptick in fine detail across the board.

Colors are incredibly rich here, with the film's many sets and costumes looking particularly vibrant on the format. Explosions, in particular, look especially vivid and hot, while flesh tones look appropriately realistic and warm.

Though not sourced from a 4K master, the detail here is excellent, with fine lines and wrinkles looking particularly clean. Clothing looks pristine, with fibres and stitching clearly visible, giving the film's presentation a more immersive look overall. 

Kingsman: The Golden Circle looks best however, during its many slow-motion action sequences, in which we really get a good look at all of the extra detail afforded by the format. Elsewhere, more fast-paced and kinetic action scenes, such as the film's opening car chase, look astonishingly crisp. 

Visual effects also benefit from the added resolution and visual clarity, with the film's robot dogs receiving added complexity in their moving parts. Overall, if you liked Kingsman: The Golden Circle, this is easily the best way to watch it in your own living room.

Wonder Woman

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Making her stunning debut on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format, Wonder Woman looks, well, wonderful. Shot on a combination of 35mm film and using the Arri Alexa 65 digital camera, Wonder Woman receives an unbelievable boost in visual fidelity, even if its digital intermediate was mastered at 2K.

Color reproduction and contrast are where Wonder Woman really shines, with the former looking especially beautiful during the scenes set on Diana's home island of Themyscira. Blues and greens are especially lush here, really selling the warm, sunny paradise setting. This is juxtaposed brilliantly against the grim and gray World War 1 tone that comprises much of the film's second half.

This is where contrast becomes particularly important, as much detail is revealed in the dark, dirty environments surrounding the main characters. The smoke-covered battlefield of No Man's Land is especially breathtaking, with its layers of smoky depth creating the illusion of an atmosphere that you can all but touch. 

Dirt and debris flies as Diana marches into the line of fire, with every speck clearly visible and contributing to the feel of the scene. Then there's Wonder Woman herself, whose famous red, blue and gold costume stands out gloriously against her war-torn surroundings.

For the film's fiery, explosion-filled finale, Wonder Woman's HDR color grading really delivers when it comes to highlights in the fire effects and sparks that populate the scene. At every turn, Wonder Woman is a fantastic example of how this format is ideal for this type of movie. 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

James Gunn is in no small way responsible for Disney and Marvel finally hopping aboard the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray train, the landmark director insisting that his visually-spectacular film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, be released on the only format that could do it justice. And, what a first title! A reference quality disc if ever there was one, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is the kind of film that will make doubters of the young format stand up and take notice. 

The film's opening credits, in which Baby Groot dances in the foreground while a whole lot of intergalactic action takes place in the background, is frankly breathtaking, making full use of the format's superior level of detail. See the neon lettering that decorates each name in the credits, now bursting with a super bright and realistic glow. Behind Groot, you'll spot a near constant flurry of rainbow-like bursts of mist and thousands of multi-colored particles, now even more vibrant thanks to the disc's increased resolution and the wider color palette that HDR brings in. 

Detail is also amazing, with animated characters like Rocket and Groot looking especially detailed – just look at Rocket's realistic fur and the woodgrain texture that Groot exhibits. Costumes also get a notable boost in texture – it's now possible to see fuzzy fabric and stitching. 

What’s really impressive is that the entire movie keeps its level of visual chaos up without ever dropping the ball. As the film gets more out there in terms of locations and visual effects, the number of show-stopping 4K HDR scenes continuously grows, making this a disc that will floor viewers from beginning to end. Contrast and color levels have been impeccably chosen, too, with the disc avoiding the blown-out brightness that some releases on the format have unfortunately had. 

If there's one downside to the 4K release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, it's that the film's IMAX sequences are not presented full-frame in that eye-popping shifting aspect ratio like they are on the 3D Blu-ray. Star Trek Into Darkness sported this kind of presentation on its 4K release and left our jaws glued to the floor, so it would've been great to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 presented in the same way.

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray: sci-fi

Alita: Battle Angel

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Alita: Battle Angel soars on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray thanks to some incredible HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support, and a transfer that's sharper than Alita's Damascus blade.

Despite being upscaled from a 2K digital intermediate, Alita: Battle Angel looks expectedly astonishing in this 4K release. For starters, contrast and color depth is off the charts here, with inky-blacks and incredible color vibrance lending the film an eye-popping level of spectacle.

As the format does with most VFX-heavy science fiction films, the disc's higher resolution allows viewers to truly experience and appreciate the incredible design work and craftsmanship that goes into creating such a convincing futuristic word. 

It helps that Alita: Battle Angel is a film that's bursting at the seams with detail, from the largely computer-generated world of Iron City, to the many cyborg characters who inhabit it. Witness, for instance, the character of Zapan (pictured, right), whose entire robotic body is comprised of intricate metal parts, and whose only human feature is his face – you'd be hard-pressed to find a more detailed and visually-arresting cyborg design in any other sci-fi film that's come before. 

And then there's Alita herself, with her oversized and extremely expressive eyes providing the character with an (intentionally) uncanny appearance. Simply put, Alita is a visual marvel, and while you'll never forget that she's entirely CGI, your eyes will be glued to her at all times.

When you factor in that the film's 4K release is one of the few titles to arrive on the format that actually includes the 3D Blu-ray in the package, it's easy to recommend Alita: Battle Angel for home AV enthusiasts looking for demo-worthy discs – even those who don't particularly like the film. But for those who are fans (this writer included), Alita: Battle Angel is one of the best releases the format has seen to date. 

Bumblebee

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1

Exploding out of the gate with the most visually spectacular scene of any Transformers movie, Bumblebee is a sight to behold on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, making it easy to forget Michael Bay's last few films in the franchise. 

Taking up the entire screen thanks to the film's 1.78:1 presentation, Bumblee delivers a clear uptick in detail quality despite being upscaled from a 2K master. Making good use of both Dolby Vision and HDR10, the film exhibits fantastic contrast and shadow detail during dark scenes, such as the opening battle on Cybertron, while also sporting fantastic highlights and colors in sparks, laser blasts and explosions. 

Once the film's action transitions over to Earth, Bumblebee's 4K presentation continues to shine in settings that are far more brightly lit. Though the film is a visual effects showcase, the vast majority of its running time is spent in real-world locations  while our titular character interacts with humans. Once again, the disc's resolution boost and high-dynamic-range capabilities lead Bumblebee straight into showcase territory, with skin tones that feel true to life and landscapes that appear extra beautiful. Highly recommended.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Luc Besson knows a thing or two about crafting incredible science fiction visuals (or any visuals for that matter), having directed the classic film The Fifth Element. With Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, the French auteur kicks things up a notch, creating off-world visuals so arresting, they alone warrant this disc a place in the collection of any serious Ultra HD enthusiast. 

Similar to James Cameron's Avatar, the film exhibits an overwhelming amount of crystal clear CGI, and while that may give the film an artificial look, there's no denying the level or detail and artistry evident in every frame. 

Witness, for instance, the scenes that take place on the pearl planet (pictured above), which are rendered entirely in a computer. There's an outstanding level of beauty on display here, with the scenes deep blues and bright highlights making great use of the format's HDR/Dolby Vision capabilities. Clarity is off the charts, with an impressively sharp transfer – you'd never guess Valerian was finished on a 2K digital intermediate. 

The rest of the film, which is packed with high-octane spaceship chases and interplanetary action scenes, also looks outstanding, with the uptick in resolution revealing an astonishing level of detail throughout.

They Live (4K Collector Edition)

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (from original camera negative scanned at 4K /16bit)
Primary audio: English 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1

CONSUME! CONFORM! OBEY! Ever felt like the world around you is subliminally pushing secret messages to you? That perhaps your work colleagues and those in power aren't quite what they seem? Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not after you...

That's the crux of the brilliant premise behind John Carpenter's superb satirical sci-fi film They Live, in which pro wrestler 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper discovers that the world is slowly being taken over by alien invaders, which can only be seen by wearing special sunglasses.

The eminently-quotable 1988 cult classic has been lovingly restored for this very special collectors edition 4K release, which saw the original camera negative scanned at 4K resolution before being newly color graded by renowned cinematographer, Gary B. Kibbe.

It results in the best-looking edition of the film to date, and that's before you start looking at all the extras thrown in here – you're looking at the UHD disc alongside a HD Blu-ray presentation and HD special features disc, a CD soundtrack, a superb poster, five art-cards and a 48 page book that fans of Carpenter and the movie alike will lap up. 

It's a dream package for fans of the film, while hardcore John Carpenter fans will also want to pick up the new 4K restorations of his other classics The Fog, Escape From New York and Prince of Darkness – each given a similarly-exquisite boxset release.

2001: A Space Odyssey

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Aspect ratio: 2.20:1

What's there to be said about 2001: A Space Odyssey that hasn't already been said? Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Stanley Kubrick's visionary exploration of space, the future and the nature of life in this universe is as powerful today as on its day of release.

Often heralded for its groundbreaking visual effects work, it's incredible just how well the film holds up under the added scrutiny of this stunning 4K remaster. With this year seeing a release of a newly restored 70mm print (using elements made from the original camera negative) this re-release piggybacks off that work, with the 4K UHD HDR image mastered itself from the 65mm original camera negative. The Warner Bros team have gone as close to the source as possible here, giving an all-new UHD sheen to a marvellous film.

From the opening sun-rising glare to the decent into another dimension towards the film's end, the UHD presentation brings vibrant life to the dramatic range in the color palette. HDR visuals add depth to the dark expanses of space, punctuated by amazing miniature model work, with Dolby Vision support particularly well executed here. What's sadly missing is a Dolby Atmos soundtrack – what better way than to hear 'Also Sprach Zarathustra' in space than both above and around you? Alas, we'll have to wait longer. Still, the soundtrack has also been given a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 revamp, as well as there being the option to listen to the original 6-track theatrical audio mix, now formatted for DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.

As a gift package it's lovely, too – there's an excellent array of special features included on the disc, as well as great booklet and art cards within the sleeve. Whether a long time fan of the film or coming to it for the first time, it's a wonderful way to experience it.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

The second Star Wars film to arrive on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Solo: A Star Wars Story faithfully represents the film's beautiful theatrical presentation, even if its image is slightly flatter than we're used to seeing on the format.

Like The Last Jedi before it, Solo boasts a true 4K digital intermediate, meaning that no upscaling has gone into the making of this release. As you'd expect, detail is exceptional here, though you won't find a lot of depth in the cinematography of Solo. 

While some 4K releases carry a clean, almost three-dimensional appearance, Solo's tendency towards darkness, haze and muddy environments mostly prevents this outside of a few bright outdoor scenes (Solo's confrontation with Enfys Nest is a particular highlight in this regard).

That said, color comes up especially well here thanks to some fine HDR10 tinkering (Dolby Vision is unfortunately absent from this release), allowing for scenes that pop with a surprising amount of vibrance out of the film's dark environments. Witness, for instance, the Kessel Run sequence, in which the Millennium Falcon must travel through a space storm filled with whirling colors and spectacular highlights. Elsewhere, the disc displays some standout color in Lando Calrissian's stylish yellow shirt. 

It's worth noting that your enjoyment of Solo's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray may be affected by the television you use to watch it — on OLED or QLED displays with local dimming, there's a more noticeable depth evident in the film's darker scenes. 

Though it's unlikely to be considered a reference quality disc by Ultra HD enthusiasts, Solo looks as good as can be on the format thanks to its faithful presentation and HDR color tuning. 

Predator 3-Movie Collection

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (Predator's upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1, 1.85:1, 1.84:1

In an effort to make up for past mistakes, 20th Century Fox has brought the Predator franchise (that's the standalone movies — the less said about Alien vs Predator, the better) to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with a long-awaited new transfer for the film that started it all. 

One of the most beloved action sci-fi films of the 1980s, the original Predator has surprisingly been shown very little love in the past when it came to its HD releases. As one of the worst examples of DNR (digital noise reduction) run amok, Predator's previous Blu-ray had all of its film grain scrubbed to the point where Schwarzenegger and his crew looked more alien than the titular creature itself. 

Thankfully, the team behind Predator's Ultra HD has finally given fans a home video release that's faithful to the film's original, grain-heavy look. That isn't to say that Predator now looks like a new movie — given the film's harsh jungle setting and rugged shooting conditions, Predator can appear a little rough around the edges at times. 

Detail, even in close ups, isn't particularly high, which is probably why DNR was employed so heavily the first time around. That said, there's a pleasing, healthy grain present throughout the film's running time, and occasionally, there are some particularly well-lit scenes that look extraordinarily vibrant and crisp on the 4K format. This is definitely the best that Predator is likely to look for the foreseeable future.

Moving on to what is arguably the standout disc in this 3-movie collection, Predator 2  looks fantastic thanks to the added richness of color afforded by HDR. The film's opening, set on the blisteringly hot streets of a crime-ridden Los Angeles, burns with extra intensity on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. You can almost feel the heat of the scene, with every drop of sweat realised with added detail thanks to the resolution uptick. Likewise, there's now extra clarity in the scenes which feature the Predator's thermal vision, with the reds, blues, yellows and greens looking especially vibrant here. 

As the only movie in this collection to be shot digitally (and the only one made in the last decade), Predators looks expectedly good on the Ultra HD format. Upscaled from a 2K digital intermediate, Predators appears clean and sharp at all times, with close-ups revealing plenty of wrinkles and fine details thanks to the boost in resolution. Colors also appear more refined here than in previous releases, with the movie's interesting lighting choices offering a wide range of hues and tones. It's safe to say that you won't be disappointed with the appearance of Predators on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.

Ready Player One

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

The kind of film that begs to be seen at the highest quality possible, Ready Player One explodes onto 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with one of the most impressive discs we've ever reviewed — a surprise, given it comes with a 2K digital master. 

Set in a futuristic world where people's virtual lives have become their primary ones, Ready Player One adopts an otherworldly, heightened visual style which lends itself to the 4K HDR format. 

Characters and environments look incredibly detailed and highly animated, with Spielberg's sweeping camera movements capturing the chaotic in-game world of The Oasis in a way that other filmmakers could only dream of. A visual feast, Ready Player One's heavy use of color figuratively explodes from the screen thanks to the disc's terrific use HDR10 and Dolby Vision grading. 

An early scene, in which the lead characters must compete in the most over-the-top race this side of Speed Racer, is bursting with hidden details and visual grandeur. In fact, it might be the most visually spectacular sequence to hit the format to date.

Outside of The Oasis, real-world sequences look fantastic, too, with perfectly-tuned skin tones and added detail in costumes and sets. 

Add to this a roaring Dolby Atmos track offers incredible three-dimensional sound, and what you have in Ready Player One is a new reference quality disc to demonstrate your home theater with. 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi 

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

During the film's opening moments, and depending on your television, you may find yourself taken aback by Star Wars: The Last Jedi's first foray into HDR territory, with its familiar opening crawl taking place on a space background that looks a little more gray than we're used to seeing — especially in contrast to the pitch black bars above and below the film's 2.39:1 frame. 

Don't fret — as soon as the action kicks in, you'll find an exceptional transfer worthy of such a mammoth release. Colors are greatly enhanced by the disc's HDR10 and Dolby Vision tinkering, exhibiting additional vibrance and brightness throughout the entire feature presentation. 

Skin tones appear more natural, costumes appear more vibrant, lightsabers look brighter and hotter than ever... there's no end to the visual improvements that come from the inclusion of high-dynamic-range. 

Perhaps the most standout sequence of the film, at least in terms of visuals, involves a lightsaber battle against a group of Praetorian Guards in Supreme Leader Snoke's red throne room (pictured above). The blood-red backdrop is vivid as can be, without displaying any color leakage or over-saturation. HDR brings a lot to the table here, showing incredible light-to-dark blending without obvious color gradations cropping up and ruining the image. 

As this release is based on the film's 4K master (no upscaling here), the increased detail here is also worth writing home about. We're now able to appreciate the incredible costumes, makeup and visual effects work more than ever before, from the stitching in Finn's jacket, to the strands of fur all over Chewbacca's body. 

Add to this an extraordinary Dolby Atmos audio track which makes great use of spatial audio and the film's bombastic score, and you can chalk up Star Wars: The Last Jedi as yet another reference-quality 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. 

Blade Runner 2049

HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Perhaps not as immediately mind-blowing as the 4K release of Ridley Scott's masterpiece, Blade Runner (though that probably has to do with the film's steady format progression over the last 35 years), Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 shines on Ultra HD Blu-ray nonetheless. 

Roger Deakins' incredible cinematography takes center stage here, with the film's futuristic locations receiving increased texture thanks to some smoky atmospherics, moody lighting and heavy rain. Flesh tones and costume detail also get a significant uptick here, with the higher resolution offering a significant increase in clarity over the film's 1080p presentation. 

Boasting a true 4K digital intermediate (no upscaling here), Blade Runner 2049 looks almost as great at home as it did in the theater — we say 'almost' because the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray would've benefitted from the inclusion of expanded IMAX sequences (with shifting aspect ratios that show bigger images during key scenes), which many filmgoers witnessed during the film's theatrical run. 

Other 4K releases have blown us away by including IMAX presentations (such as Dunkirk, The Dark Knight and Star Trek Into Darkness) as that added detail and clarity translates magnificently at 2160p resolution. 

Still, we can't argue with what we have here, which is an exceptional HDR-supported disc that makes the best of the film's dark photography and neon-drenched settings. 

We also have to commend Blade Runner 2049 exception Dolby Atmos audio track, with the film's bombastic score setting the mood magnificently. Spacial audio is magnificent here, bringing plenty of dimensionality to the film's sound effects. A truly great audio presentation. 

War for the Planet of the Apes

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

One of the most impressive 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray releases to date, War for the Planet of the Apes is ape-solutely spectacular on the format (sorry). We all know how astonishing the film's visual effects are (read more about how they were created in our Weta Digital VFX report), but its photo-realistic apes hold up magnificently under the increased scrutiny of 4K and HDR (despite being upscaled from a 2K digital intermediate). 

Unsurprisingly, fur looks especially good here, looking completely natural at all times, particularly with light shining through it. Facial textures also receive increased detail, with the various wrinkles in the apes faces looking extra defined. 

Though the disc's increased resolution is a boon for video enthusiasts, the real showstopper here is the wider color gamut afforded by its HDR presentation. Much of the film is spent in darkness, yet we now get to see more detail and definition in those dark areas. Small details in costumes and props are now much clearer because of it. 

The overall palette looks richer, too, with the film's forest settings feeling more lush and its white snow looking brighter and more tangible. Skin tones in humans also receive an uptick, looking warmer and more natural than they did in the cinema. 

War for the Planet of the Apes is a must-own for fans of the series, thanks to its exceptional fine detail quality, deep blacks, and terrific use of HDR. Stay tuned for reviews of the other two films in the series, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

Blade Runner: The Final Cut

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Remastered from a 4K scan, Blade Runner: The Final Cut looks absolutely astounding on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. We're not just saying that it looks good for an old film – it looks amazing regardless of when it was filmed. 

The transfer reveals an exceptional level of clarity in what is generally a dark and smoky film. The noirish, rain-slicked, neon-soaked streets of futuristic Los Angeles look more detailed than ever, with the HDR-enhanced visuals giving us our best look at Rick Deckard's world to date. 

Witness, for instance, the staggering level of detail found in the film's miniatures – one particularly shot showing the Tyrell building will blow you away with its clarity, revealing all the intricacies of the model in question, including the many glittering lights all over the structure giving you the illusion of thousands of offices within. You won't even mind that the illusion is slightly broken by the obviousness of the miniature work, because you'll be too busy appreciating the spectacular craftsmanship and on display. 

Elsewhere, the whole film gets a visual uptick, with HDR helping significantly when it comes to the smooth gradation of colours and lighting. Clothing, skin textures and hair all look better in this version, and the various extreme close-ups of eyeballs all show extra detail now. 

If you're a fan of Blade Runner, chances are that you already own The Final Cut of the film on Blu-ray. While it's highly likely that both releases come from the same 4K digital intermediate, this 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version blows previous Blu-ray and HD DVD releases of the film out of the water. This is the best that Blade Runner has ever looked, period. 

Alien: Covenant

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Though it's been upscaled from a 2K digital intermediate (much like the 4K release of director Ridley Scott's previous film, The Martian), Alien: Covenant looks expectedly magnificent on the Ultra HD Blu-ray format. 

As this is a dark film with a muted palette (despite its many outdoor daytime scenes), an emphasis has been placed on HDR's ability to provide deeper, more lifelike contrast, much to the benefit of Alien: Covenant's astounding cinematography. 

Colors appear richer, too, standing out even more against the film's greyish blue tones. The alien itself also looks magnificent, with its inky-hued skin receiving added translucence and detail, benefitting from the disc's improved contrast and wider color gamut. 

Those of you with OLED TVs will get an even better viewing experience, with the technology's infinite contrast taking full advantage of the film's tenebrous atmosphere.

But it's not all about the Xenomorphs – the film's human characters also look terrific thanks to the 4K release's bump in resolution and enhanced colors, with faces revealing extra definition and skin tones looking warmer and more naturalistic than the film's SDR presentation. 

Adding to the film's immense visuals is a beefy Dolby Atmos track that focuses on atmospherics with occasional moments of bombast. Admittedly, we wish the disc offered a DTS Headphone:X track, as that would've made for an appropriately nerve-jangling experience akin to the recent video game release, Alien: Isolation. 

Still, we can't complain, as Alien: Covenant's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release is hard to fault when it comes to the film's video and audio presentation. If you're a fan of the film, consider this a must-have.

Ghost in the Shell

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1

As you might expect, Ghost in the Shell looks glorious on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, with its neon-drenched cyberpunk setting really popping on the format. Though much of the film takes place in dark areas, the disc impresses throughout, particularly during scenes where vibrant colors are juxtaposed against dark environments. 

We were also blown away by how well the special effects stand up in this increased resolution, given that the film was finished at a 2K resolution. Still, you only have to watch the film's first major action sequence (pun intended), in which Scarlett Johansson's Major character applies active camouflage and blasts through a window to shoot down some haywire robot geishas, to get an idea of how impressive this presentation is. The scene is bursting with color and HDR-enhanced highlights, with reflective glass flying through the scene and slow-motion gunfire at every turn. 

Still some viewers might be taken aback by the film's many dark scenes, though they truly come alive when combined with OLED's capacity for infinite contrast. This is truly a demo-worthy disc in that regard. 

Passengers

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Shot at a resolution of 6.5K and then finished with with a 4K digital intermediate, Passengers soars on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. An ideal candidate for demonstration purposes, the format allows the viewer to truly absorb the impeccable craftsmanship that went into the film's exception production design and special effects work. Taking place entirely on an enormous spacecraft. Passengers offers ample opportunities for glorious space gazing and futuristic interior design. 

There are times in this 4K presentation when the photographic clarity of the film is so high and lifelike, it almost feels like you're watching a play. Other times, the digital photography is so clean and sharp, that it gives the film an unreal quality, almost like it's partly animated. Of course, this is completely intentional and only serves to make Passengers look even more astounding on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. Of course, the film's HDR colors contrast level keep everything in check.

Skin tones are remarkably true to life, and while the film's stars come across a little too beautiful at times (seriously, no one can look that great at all times) Passengers is exactly the kind of film that the 4K Ultra HD format was made for. It's a showcase for gorgeous people hanging out on stunning sets doing remarkable things with the help of magnificent visual effects. 

Lucy

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Arriving on Ultra HD Blu-ray with an absolutely stunning transfer sourced from a 4K digital intermediate, Lucy demonstrates the strengths of the format by showcasing immense fine detail, exceptionally-realistic skin tones and textures, and truly-dynamic color reproduction throughout.

From the film's opening scene, which features Lucy the primate in a prehistoric setting, this presentation solidifies its place as one of the format's best reference-quality discs. The detail in the hominid's face and fur is utterly astounding, as are the colors and textures in its surrounding habitat. 

As was mentioned earlier, skin tones and textures are also incredible on Lucy's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, looking supremely lifelike at all times. Seriously, if you can find pores and imperfections on the face of someone as beautiful as Scarlett Johansson, you know you've reached an unparalleled level of clarity. 

Likewise, as the film starts to veer into true science-fiction territory, the disc continues to shine, displaying vibrant HDR-enhanced colors and terrific contrast. Even if you only have a passing admiration for Luc Besson's trippy action film, you owe it to yourself to check out Lucy on 4K Blu-ray.

Oblivion

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

As a science-fiction film with a very sleek and minimalistic art design, Oblivion makes an ideal candidate for the added resolution of 4K. Though the transfer was taken from a 2K digital intermediate (common with visual effects-driven films), Oblivion looks sharp and clean, if not immediately mind-blowing. 

With that said, as the film enters its darker scenes, the impressive color gamut and contrast afforded by the film's HDR grading give the film a real sense of depth and vibrancy, particularly in the film's indoor drone shootout sequence. Bloom lighting and sparks from the scene's many explosions burn white-hot, showcasing the brilliant brightness that 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray is capable of. Likewise, close-up shots of the drones show a wonderful level of detail.

Though the film has a mostly washed-out grey and blue tone, skin tones appear quite naturalistic and at times appear to be the most vibrant thing on screen. Facial textures also excel, showing fine details like pores and individual hairs in Tom Cruise's five o'clock shadow. Grime, cuts and bruises also look benefit from the format's added clarity.

Giving the film a visual uptick in every category over the standard Blu-ray edition, for fans, this is by far the best way to experience Oblivion.

Pacific Rim

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

The reference-quality Blu-ray disc of Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim threatens to stomp the rest of your Blu-ray collection and land itself at the top of the pile for visual quality. 

Though the film was finished on a 2K digital intermediate, much like Star Trek Into Darkness, this does not stop Pacific Rim from looking utterly sensational on Ultra HD Blu-ray. Shot in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio, your entire television screen will be used to display the film's many giant robot vs monster set pieces. 

Thanks to some HDR tinkering, the film's colors and contrast now look even better than they did when the film was in theatres. Witness the rainswept battle that opens the film to see how good its vivid colors look against the inky blacks of a night-time sky. The added resolution afforded by 4K Blu-ray makes the rain look more detailed and realistic. Sparks that fly within the Jaeger cockpit are also more clearly defined and burn hotter than ever before.

Though the entire film is a showstopper, anyone that has seen Pacific Rim will know that its mid-film Hong Kong monster battle is the best-looking section of the film, and believe us when we say that it has never looked better than it does on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. The city's neon-soaked skyline radiates with beautiful and realistic bloom lighting, making the best of the film's high-dynamic-range upgrade.

Even if you already own Pacific Rim on 3D Blu-ray, you owe it to yourself to see how incredible the film can look on 4K Ultra HD. This is absolutely a reference quality disc. 

Independence Day: Resurgence

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Sourced from a true 4K digital intermediate, Independence Day: Resurgence roars onto 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray without losing any detail whatsoever – in fact, the film's presentation is improved by the inclusion of HDR (that said, the ultimate way to watch a film of this magnitude will always be on the biggest cinema screen possible). 

A much darker and gloomier picture than its predecessor, Independence Day: Resurgence features many scenes surrounded by inky blacks that would look exceptional on an OLED display. Unfortunately, we didn't have access to one for testing purposes, so we can only say that the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray's increased contrast and vivid colors make Independence Day: Resurgence look fantastic on any HDR-compatible TV.

Its various scenes of computer-assisted citywide destruction unfurl on screen with an extreme level of visual clarity and detail, acting as a showcase of what the 4K format is capable of. Many times, the film's turquoise alien tech takes centre stage, glowing with a naturalistic light bloom that never shows obvious signs of color gradation (see the film's opening scene to see how well light fades into darkness). 

If you're a fan of the film, there's no better way to watch Independence Day: Resurgence than on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.

Chappie

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 4K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Director Neill Blomkamp (District 9) is known for his knack for seamlessly blending science fiction elements into everyday scenarios, offering a uniquely down-to-earth view of a world filled with robots and aliens. His film Chappie is no exception. Set mostly around the slums of Johannesburg, Chappie's mostly daytime action allows this 4K HDR presentation to really pop.

Shot by Redcode RAW (5K) cameras and finished on a 4K digital intermediate, Chappie's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray practically mirrors what was shown in theatres, only with HDR providing improved contrast and more naturalistic colors. The detail in the titular robot character is astonishing, with the steely greys and blues of his frame making the orange highlights of his arm and antenna stand out even more. You can also see details in Chappie's dirty, scratched body that just weren't visible on the film's regular Blu-ray. Best of all, the expressive LED lights on Chappie's face now show much finer detail, making the character seem even more like a real world object, and not just a marvel of computer-generated wizardry.

Though the film can be quite grimy at times, it's got a lively, vibrant undercurrent to it, employing a Day-Go style thanks to Chappie's co-stars, the rap-rave group Die Antwoord. The group brings its signature art style to the film's costumes and set design, all of which looks fantastic when aided by HDR's wider color gamut. Now, bring on District 9 and Elysium in 4K!

Star Trek

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Though it's been 'upconverted' from a 2K digital intermediate (which is what you likely saw in theatres upon release), J.J. Abrams' first Star Trek movie looks absolutely wonderful on 4K Blu-ray – the release actually lends some weight to argument that Ultra HD discs don't need to come from a true 4K source in order to impress.

Director J.J. Abrams' may be guilty of relying a little heavily on his 'lens flare' technique on both of his Star Trek films, but the effect looks better than ever here thanks to HDR's increased color gamut and contrast levels. Light blooms looks completely natural, avoiding harsh shade transitions entirely. Elsewhere, the Ultra HD Blu-ray offers amazing detail when it comes to facial textures on the film's many creatures and alien races – Eric Bana's Romulan character Nero looks especially good, with the disc's increased resolution showing just how great the film's Oscar-winning make-up and facial prosthetics are.

While Star Trek's Ultra HD Blu-ray disc may be outclassed by its sequel's truly (inter)stellar 4K release (listed below), this is by far the best way to experience J.J.'s first voyage on the USS Enterprise at home.

Star Trek Into Darkness

HDR: HDR10
Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master)
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

When it comes to the visual quality, the Ultra HD Blu-ray for Star Trek Into Darkness is absolutely mind-blowing – we'd even go as far to call it the most impressive 4K release on this list. With over 30 minutes of the film shot in the IMAX format, J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness cuts back and forth between a traditional 2.40:1 letterbox presentation for its non-showy scenes, and the more vision-encompassing 1.78:1 aspect ratio for the film's spectacle-driven moments (this presentation is exclusive to the film's Ultra HD release). Though the film looks great throughout (despite being sourced from the film's 2K digital intermediate), the level of detail displayed in these IMAX scenes is absolutely astonishing.

From its very first scene (pictured above), in which Kirk and Bones are chased through a vibrant red forest by the primitive Nibiru tribe, Star Trek Into Darkness will make an instant believer of any 4K/HDR naysayer. Witness, for instance, the cracked, flaking skin on the faces of the Nibiru tribes people, shown up close and in great detail. Marvel at the naturalistic skin tones, visible pores and wrinkles shown on actors Chris Pine and Karl Urban's faces, offering a level of immersion that 3D just cannot compete with.

Another scene, in which Spock drops down into a volcano, is also a showstopper – with its swirling specks of fire and ember, and contrast enhanced greatly by HDR, the scene becomes a showcase for the emerging 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format. Until more IMAX-enhanced films start to be released, consider Star Trek Into Darkness your go-to 4K reference disc.

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray: family

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog speeds onto 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with a gorgeous and exceptionally vibrant transfer made possible by the inclusion of HDR10 and Dolby Vision support.

While Sonic himself is an entirely CGI creation with a cartoonish visual appearance that never tries to look photo-realistic, he remains remarkably well-realised nevertheless and a constant joy to watch. From the ultra-fine blue furs and spines all over his body, to his big expressive eyes, Sonic is the kind of character that 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray was made for. 

Sure, we expect visual FX to look great in UHD, but you may be surprised to find out that the film's human characters look just as impressive, with incredibly life-like skin tones and increased detail and clarity. Shot at 3.4K resolution and finished at 4K, Sonic the Hedgehog is exceptional clean and sharp looking throughout its entire presentation. 

As we alluded to earlier, the film is wonderfully vivid and vibrant thanks to some excellent HDR10 ans Dolby Vision color grading. Effects such as explosions, lightning and lasers appear heightened, but in a way that's visually arresting rather than distracting.

As top-notch as Sonic the Hedgehog's visual presentation is, its primary Dolby Atmos audio track is every bit its equal. Boasting plenty of dimensionality, it's not uncommon to feel like Sonic is constantly zipping around your living at high-speed. 

Later in the film, during Sonic's climactic showdown with Dr. Robotnik, your living room's surround speakers and sub woofer will likely get quite a workout, with rockets exploding from every angle and Eggman's ship providing plenty of low-end bass as it flies around town.

As great a presentation as anyone could've possibly hoped for, Sonic the Hedgehog's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray faithfully recreates the cinematic audio-visual experience in your very own home.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

The Lion King (2019)

If you're looking for a truly astonishing demo-disc that will immediately sell your friends and family on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, look no further than Disney's 2019 version of The Lion King. 

Though the transfer is taken from a 2K digital intermediate, The Lion King makes every pixel on your 4K television count with incredibly high detail and clarity. From its show-stopping opening number, in which we're brought into the Pride Lands to witness the arrival of Simba, we're treated to a gloriously HDR-enhanced scene that sets the stage for the rest of the film. 

Numerous textures are shown off in quick succession, from desert plains and wet mud banks to lush grass and jungle. The sun-kissed scenery is enough to take your breath away – and then the CG-animated animals show up, revealing photorealistic skin and fur. 

When the lion Mufasa eventually appears on screen in all his majesty, we're able to soak in the immense artistry and attention to detail that went into this computer-generated creation. Individual hairs and whiskers are easily spotted, with stunning sunlight highlighting his fur and making it look especially realistic. 

Later in the film, close-ups of the meerkat Timon and his warthog sidekick Pumba are almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Simply put, from a visual perspective, this is a reference-quality release of the highest order. 

Add to this a terrific Dolby Atmos audio track that expertly balances atmosphere, vocals, sound effects and music, and what you have is a must-own disc for fans of the film.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 1.78:1

Trolls

Looking like a cotton candy machine exploded in a glitter factory, Trolls is one of the most vibrant and colorful films currently available on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format. And, as you'd expect, there are huge HDR-related benefits to owning the film in 4K over the still admirable regular Blu-ray version. 

First off, the colors are astonishing. This is visual eye candy to the max, and while you might expect the vibrancy to be dialled up significantly on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release, the disc's HDR allows for more naturalistic blending and shading. Combined with improved brightness and color, the overall presentation achieves a richer, more nuanced color palette that avoids looking sickly sweet and garish, and manages to do so without losing its vividness. 

Then comes the disc's fine detail, which receives a tremendous uptick at the 4K resolution. Each of the trolls in the film has a furry, felt-like texture that comes across even stronger when you can see fine hairs swaying on their arms and faces. Of course, their big colorful troll hair looks even more realistic than ever before. An impressive release that demonstrates the subtleties of HDR's wider color gamut, Trolls is the most impressive animated 4K release to date. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Labyrinth

Starting with an outdoor scene shot in natural light, Jim Henson's classic family film Labyrinth does not immediately impress on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. Looking soft and full of grain, you'd be forgiven for thinking that not a lot of work has gone into this transfer. 

However, once these initial minutes pass, and as the film moves into studio sets with professional lighting and controlled environments, the real Ultra HD magic begins. It's at this point that Labyrinth's brand new 4K scan (sourced from the original 35mm negative) becomes truly mind-blowing.

Taking advantage of the format's added resolution, Labyrinth shows extraordinary detail in the film's many puppets. Fur looks sublime, with individual strands of hair becoming clearly visible. Quite frankly, they look so good, it's almost as if you could reach out and touch them. The film's fantastic makeup work and matte paintings also hold up magnificently under the increased scrutiny of 4K. 

Though Labyrinth's 4K Blu-ray provides an incredible visual upgrade in all areas, perhaps the most important thing about this release is that it manages to keep the film's original filmic texture, with no digital noise reduction to speak of. Though we're watching a digital scan, the presentation always feels film-like. 

Labyrinth has never looked better than it does here, and while this presentation can't top the likes of Star Trek Into Darkness in terms of spectacular visual clarity, for a 30-year-old film populated mostly by puppets, this release is a triumph.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Boasting incredible detail and rich, vibrant colors, the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is a noticeable step up from its already impressive regular Blu-ray release. Look closely and you'll notice that each of the turtles has realistic, scaly skin textures that make you understand just how much work has gone into bringing these characters to life – heck, you can even see the enamel on their teeth!

Other digital characters also look fantastic. Notice the individual textures given to Bebop and Rocksteady, giving each creation its own unique look and texture. Splinter also impresses, with the added resolution on display allowing you to see individual hairs and whiskers that weren't as noticeable in regular HD.

Though most impressive during its daytime scenes (which include the film's spectacular, effects-heavy finale), TMNT: Out of the Shadows also impresses in the darker subterranean moments set within the turtles' sewer lair. The color palette and contrast on display are exceptional, adding a real depth to the image. Fans should consider this 4K Blu-ray release as the definitive way to watch the turtles' latest big screen adventure.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

The LEGO Movie

One of the things that immediately strikes you about The LEGO Movie's Ultra HD presentation is that the film has received a significantly brighter and more vivid color palette. Not only that, contrast has also increased by leaps and bounds, making the film's characters look even more like real, stop-motion minifigs – even fingerprints are visible, despite everything on screen being computer generated. Touches like this are what makes 4K and HDR so important to our overall immersion in the film.

Notice the deep blacks in any scene featuring Batman, or the beautiful, naturalistic bloom lighting found in the Old West portion of the film, or how about the gorgeous orange light emitting from film's spaceship (SPACESHIP!!) finale?

Though this release has been upscaled from a 2K master (the film was captured at 2.8K), The LEGO Movie looks incredible in Ultra HD. Vibrant colors and wonderful contrast levels make this 4K release an essential purchase for fans of the movie.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray: drama

1917

It's pretty much a given that any film lensed by the great cinematographer Roger Deakins is going to look absolutely astonishing on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (see Blade Runner 2049), and that has indeed proven to be the case with the gripping WW1 drama, 1917.

Employing a series of long, unbroken takes, Director Sam Mendes allows the viewer to truly soak in the film's richly detailed environments, from the muddy trenches of No Man's Land, to the green farmland of Northern France. 

Thanks to the disc's native 2160p presentation, all that detail comes through which incredible sharpness. Likewise, skin tones appear life-like, and the soldiers' uniforms and weapons appear on screen with utmost clarity, appearing almost tangible thanks to the uptick in resolution.

Later in the film, a night-time sequence exhibits fantastic black levels and contrast, with fine shadow delineation making it easy to make out objects in the darkness. Boasting both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, 1917's 4K disc offers exceptional color (even if it is intentionally muted at times) and fantastic highlights (witness the burning building from the aforementioned night-time sequence).

In terms of audio, 1917 is a show-stopper. As you might expect, the disc's Dolby Atmos audio provides fantastic object-based audio, with bullets and explosions coming through realistically from all directions.

If you're a fan of the film (or war films in general), 1917's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray makes for a fantastic addition to any movie library, acting as exceptional demo disc in the process.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

As the first Quentin Tarantino film to hit 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood shines with the filmic majesty of cinema's glory days. Shot entirely on film (35mm for the most part, with some small segments captured on 16mm and 8mm celluloid), Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood boasts a native 4K transfer that faithfully recreates the look of Tarantino's opus – that means you'll occasionally see some softness and film grain, just as the director intended. 

When compared to the package's accompanying Blu-ray disc, the film's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation shows significant improvements in sharpness and clarity, with the increased resolution offering magnificent depth and detail in Robert Richardson's spectacular photography. 

Hollywood's 4K disc also has a leg up in the form of color vibrance thanks to some terrific HDR10 and Dolby Vision color tuning. In particular, we noticed increased warmth on the film's 4K disc, with more emphasis on yellow tones that accurately represent the film's sunny Los Angeles setting. Meanwhile, the bright neon that peers out of the darkness in the film's night-time scenes shines with exceptional vividness. 

While Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood's 4K disc lacks a Dolby Atmos audio track, it really doesn't need it – the disc's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track is more than capable of handling the film's heavy dialogue scenes and terrific late '60s soundtrack. 

Short of watching the film on Tarantino's personal 35mm projector, this 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release is the ideal way to watch Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood in a home environment. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 16-bit), Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Apocalypse Now: Final Cut

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the landmark war film Apocalypse Now, director Francis Ford Coppola has revisited his masterpiece for the second time, creating a brand new cut that's longer than his original theatrical cut but shorter than the slightly bloated 'Redux' edition from 2001. Now, Coppola has delivered his preferred version of the film, complete with a brand new 4K remaster with tweaked color timing and sound design for maximum impact. The results are spectacular. 

Available in a new 6-disc Collector's Edition that also includes 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray copies of the film's theatrical cut and Redux version (reportedly based on the same remaster), Apocalypse Now: Final Cut is a must own for fans of the film. 

From the haunting opening shot (which sees a large portion of jungle bombarded with napalm, producing enormous orange fireballs that burn with incredibly intensity), the benefits of Ultra HD Blu-ray become immediately apparent. Simply put, the inclusion of HDR10 and Dolby Vision breathe new life into the film. 

While the transfer's overall presentation exhibits a slightly greener tinge than previous releases of the film, it's the contrasting colors that truly stand out – witness, for instance, the increased vibrancy of the pink smoke grenade scene, or the blues of the jungle at night.

Of course, it's worth noting the inky darkness found in numerous scenes throughout the film, particularly towards the end – owners of OLED screens will truly appreciate the appearance of pitch black shadows throughout the movie.

Along with a general uptick in resolution that still manages to retain a healthy amount of filmic grain, a powerful new Dolby Atmos track manages to create a more intense, suffocating atmosphere (new tweaks like delayed explosion noises are a very nice touch, too). If you love this film, we imagine this will be the definitive release for the foreseeable future.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Black Hawk Down

Arriving on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with a brand new transfer (based on a true 4K master), this release of Black Hawk Down's utterly destroys its dated regular Blu-ray. 

Dialling up the contrast on the film significantly, the new transfer boasts an incredibly striking image with some of the deepest black levels and shadows we've seen on the format. We're talking Army Rangers appearing as silhouettes against the blinding Mogadishu (actually Morocco) sunlight.  

That it manages to achieve such strong highlights while also reaching pitch black levels of darkness, all without a hint of crushing, is just a testament to the quality of the film's new scan and the power of high-dynamic-range.

Purists will be pleased to hear that Black Hawk Down's intensely gritty appearance has been maintained on this UHD release, with the healthy presence of film grain lending the film an increased sense of frantic authenticity. Detail is astonishing, particularly in close-ups where faces reveal individual pores and grains of dirt. Explosions and flying debris also look spectacular thanks to the uptick in resolution.

Easily one of the best catalogue releases we've seen on the format to date, Black Hawk Down's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray is a must-buy for fans of the film and well worth double-dipping if you already own a previous version.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.38:1

Widows

Shot on 35mm film and then finished on a true 4K digital intermediate, Widows arrives on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray looking as great as it could possibly look. 

Without sacrificing its filmic presentation, Widows receives a terrific transfer that embraces healthy grain while offering improvements over the standard Blu-ray across the board.

Exhibiting deeper contrast and excellent shadow detail, the film looks especially good during its numerous nighttime scenes. Witness, for instance, a heist scene that takes place late in the film – despite being set late at night in an indoor environment without a whole lot of lighting, it's very easy to follow the action and know exactly what's going on at all times. 

Although the film is relatively muted and steely from a color standpoint, the colors that are there manage to punch through the darkness with added vibrancy thanks to the disc's HDR10+ color tuning. If you're a fan of adult thrillers, you should definitely consider adding Widows to your 4K collection. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10+, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Bad Times at the El Royale

A rain and neon-soaked noir thriller, Bad Times at the El Royale lends itself nicely to the detail-focused 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format. Thankfully, its true 4K transfer does not disappoint, offering the definitive way to watch this multi-threaded film.

Though Bad Times at the El Royale takes place almost entirely at a single location, there's plenty of visual variety to be found during its hefty running time. Thanks to inclusion of HDR10+ support (sorry, no Dolby Vision to be found here), the film excels during early daylight scenes, exhibiting a warm and pleasing image that feels lifelike and cinematic at the same time. 

Of course, the film mostly takes place at night (mostly), and that same HDR10+ tinkering allows for some exceptional shadow detail and contrast that lets us see additional details buried within the darkness in some scenes.

As you might expect, colors also pop with added vibrancy, particularly in the presence of neon lighting and the film's funky late-sixties set decorations, however, the most impressive instance of HDR's importance may well be attributed to skin tones, which appear healthy and natural at all times. 

Throw in a wonderful Dolby Atmos audio track which provides the film with a truly convincing three-dimensional soundscape, and it's clear that Bad Times at the El Royale is a must-own title for fans of the film.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10+, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Bohemian Rhapsody

Just like Queen's music, the musical biopic Bohemian Rhapsody soars on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with incredible picture quality and a triumphant Dolby Atmos audio track that will rattle your living room with its stomp-inducing power. 

Captured at both 6.5K and 3.4K resolutions (though we're unsure of which resolution the film was finished at), Bohemian Rhapsody's 4K Ultra HD presentation is one of fantastic clarity and depth, with fine details like facial hairs and lines receiving increased visibility and sharpness. 

Thanks to the inclusion of the advanced HDR10+ standard, the film's colors are exceptionally vibrant and lifelike, with increased shadow detail and impeccable contrast balancing things out for a truly eye-popping image overall. Though Dolby Vision is specified to be part of the film's cinematographic process, the format is sadly not included on this disc. 

Regardless, it's hard to fault this release of Bohemian Rhapsody. Not only does it look sensational, arguably improving upon the film's theatrical presentation, it also sounds the business, too – both Dolby TrueHD 7.1 and Dolby Vision audio options are available, with the latter offering enhanced nuance and directionality.

If you love Queen's music and want a disc you can sing along to, you owe it to yourself to make Bohemian Rhapsody part of your 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray collection.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10+, Resolution: 2160p (master resolution unknown), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 

While not the kind of film that immediately screams to be owned in 4K, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a good example of how the benefits of Ultra HD Blu-ray can make the viewing of a great movie more enjoyable. 

Thanks to some subtle HDR color tuning, Three Billboards feels warmer and more true to life in its appearance than it does on the film's standard Blu-ray release. Skin textures display a more lifelike hue, with the additional detail found in fine lines and wrinkles bringing the characters' weariness right to the forefront. 

Environments also receive a boost in color and detail, which is particularly noticeable in the green grass and trees surrounding the film's titular billboards (which themselves appear less saturated than they did in theaters).

Contrast is another area in which the film has improved on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray — a night time scene in which one of the characters attacks the town's police station with molotov cocktails truly comes alive thanks to some exceptional shadow delineation, making the scene's red hot flames look more vibrant in the process. 

Sure, it's not as visually splendid as something like The Shape of Water, but Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri absolutely looks better on the format, making it the definitive way to watch the film at home for the foreseeable future. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10, Resolution: 2160p (Upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English DTS 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Murder on the Orient Express

What a surprise this turned out to be! Shot on Panavision's large 65mm format (captured at 6.5K and finished at 4K), Murder on the Orient Express looks unexpectedly sublime on Ultra HD Blu-ray. 

Detail is, quite frankly, amazing in Murder on the Orient Express. From the exquisite fabrics of the cast's period-accurate costumes, to the lines in their faces and the whiskers in their (absolutely huge) moustaches, the bump in resolution brought by this 4K disc is exploited for every pixel it's worth here — and we're super happy about it. 

Colors are also more vivid and natural-looking here, with the disc's HDR10 tuning working wonders on the film's rich palette. Skin tones are true to life, and the film's expert lighting from cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos (who worked with director Kenneth Branagh on the first Thor) comes across beautifully on this transfer.

If you have an OLED television, you'll likely marvel at the film's night scenes, in which the dark corridors of the Orient Express' carriages disappear into inky darkness, showing you additional detail if and when the film chooses to do so. 

Topping it all off is a wonderful Dolby Atmos audio track that creates a convincing soundscape as the train chugs along, and a subtle score that adds to the film without succumbing to overpowering bombastic music. Highly recommended for fans of the film and Poirot stories. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Dunkirk

The best film of 2017? It's got to be up there. Christopher Nolan's take on the harrowing evacuation of Dunkirk at the height of the second World War is a masterclass in tension, practical effects and historical storytelling.

Playing with time and the sequence of events over the nail-biting rescue, Nolan takes full advantage of the IMAX format to bring an epic scale to the horrors of war, with a soundtrack that melds scraping atonal notes with the sounds of the death-dealing machinery bearing down on the troops. You'll be on the edge of your seat from the moment the very first shot is fired until the credits roll. 

It's not to be missed then, and it's a particularly impressive disc to have in your 4K UHD Blu-ray collection. With the majority of the film shot in 70mm for IMAX screens, your full screen will often be taken over by the lapping waves and grim beaches of Dunkirk, presented with a fine sharpness that brings out the incredible detail in the recreated period piece. HDR visuals also make the action sequences really pop, bringing an added depth to what may have appeared as a muted, almost watercolor-like presentation in digitally projected cinemas.

That soundtrack isn't undersold either (it really has to be heard to be believed, at as loud a volume as the neighbours can stand), but note that Dolby Atmos is not supported here.

If you're a fan of Christopher Nolan, all his other movies (barring Memento) are now available in 4K HDR too. As many are older titles, you need to be ready for a slightly softer upscaled presentation, but the HDR benefits remain clear to see. You'll find The Prestige, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Interstellar and Inception in stores alongside Dunkirk.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (4K master), Primary audio: English DTS:HD Master Audio, Aspect ratio (variable): 2.2:1 & 1.78:1

Patriots Day

Here's a film that doesn't need a blockbuster scope or enormous amounts of CGI to dazzle on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. Patriots Day recounts the devastating events surrounding 2013 Boston Marathon bombing in a very naturalistic and matter-of-fact kind of way. 

The film aims to put you right there during not only the explosions that changed everything, but the eventual chase to capture the assailants responsible. In this regard, the film's cinematography succeeds magnificently in capturing a sense of realism, thanks to some incredibly sharp digital photography (captured in 3.4K with a 2K digital intermediate) and exceptionally lifelike HDR color grading. 

Skintones are as close to reality as I've seen from any film on the 4K Ultra HD format. Lines and pores are clearly visible, and make it even easier to read the emotions displayed on the characters' faces.

Later in the film, during an extended night-time firefight in suburbia, the disc jumps to another level of clarity entirely. Shadow detail gets a huge boost, making it easier to follow the action in what would normally be an underlit setting. 

In fact, we'd go as far as to say that Patriots Day acts as a showcase for what HDR can bring to a films lighting and color palette, with fire taking on an especially important role. Surprising as it may be, this is a demo-worthy disc. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (Upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English DTS:X, Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Hacksaw Ridge

Though sourced from a 2K digital intermediate, Hacksaw Ridge arrives on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with a gloriously-detailed transfer that's bolstered by a terrific HDR color gamut. 

In its first half, the film radiates with natural-looking light and the kind of clear cinematography that only digital cameras can achieve. Though the disc's increased resolution makes it easy to spot green screen work on a couple of occasions, the added clarity that's made possible by the Ultra HD format far outweighs these minor infractions.

Later, the added detail provided by the format's higher resolution, as well as the wider color gamut it offers, brings a shocking level of detail and an added feeling of authenticity to the film's many gruesome war scenes. If you find intense scenes involving bloody viscera and shredded appendages hard to stomach, you're going to have an even harder time experiencing them on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.

Elsewhere, high-dynamic-range allows the film's cinematography to really shine, showing very realistic color and light reproduction, especially in dark scenes. At times, Hacksaw Ridge's war scenes forego realistic color palettes in favour of a stylised, almost monochromatic look. Here, HDR allows you to really notice the different shades at work, rather than simply looking dull and grey. These scenes are also punctuated by a barrage of explosions, juxtaposing bright bursts of color over a bleak battlefield.

Top this off with a dynamic and concussive Dolby Atmos audio track, and what you have in Hacksaw Ridge is one of the best releases on the format.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (Upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39: 1

Deepwater Horizon

Based on the devastating true story of an enormous oil rig disaster that occurred in 2010, often cited as one of the largest man-made disasters in history, it is perhaps in bad taste to describe Deepwater Horizon as a tremendously visceral and visually spectacular film, given the lives that were lost on that fateful day. Regardless, we must still call 'em like we see 'em, and Deepwater Horizon looks incredible on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. 

Director Peter Berg (The Kingdom, Lone Survivor) brings his tough and gritty film to the format with exceptional results. Though the film was finished on a 2K digital intermediate, Deepwater Horizon delivers strong detail and impressive dynamics, with its HDR enhanced presentation offering great depth and color reproduction. 

Witness, for instance, the fantastic textures in the many scenes featuring actors smeared in oil and covered in dust and debris. Likewise, the film's many explosions burst with astonishing clarity thanks to the format's higher dynamic range. Fire is so bright that you can almost feel the heat emanating from your screen.  

Visuals aside, Deepwater Horizon's audio presentation also receives top marks, with a Dolby Atmos presentation that will shake your living room once those aforementioned explosions start. The film's audio dynamics will bounce around your room, placing you right in the action. Helicopters flying overhead are particularly impressive here, making Deepwater Horizon a reference quality disc in both video and audio categories. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

The Shallows

Providing even more proof that you don't need a 4K master to get exceptional 4K UHD Blu-ray results, the entertaining shark attack movie The Shallows has emerged on the format with an absolutely sublime audio and video presentation.

Upscaled from a 2K master, The Shallows looks astonishingly crisp, with the film's digital photography lending immense clarity to the film's many surfing scenes. Witness, for instance, star Blake Lively's resting 'beachface', which reveals detailed pores, fine lines and even the salty texture of someone who's spent all day swimming in the ocean and soaking in sun rays. Unsurprisingly, the waves look spectacular, too.

Also complementing The Shallows' incredible visual presentation is an amazing Dolby Atmos track which faithfully reproduces the film's clever sound design. It's a muscular track that really puts you in the action, handling all of the film's audio dynamics with ease. Scenes where Lively is submerged make your living room feel like it's underwater, and one particular moment where an underwater GoPro shot breaks through the surface makes your ears pop like the real thing. 

Occasionally, the added resolution of the disc makes some of the film's shark attack scenes look a little fake, but overall The Shallows is one of the best looking and sounding releases that the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format has produced. Highly recommended.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

The Revenant

As close to a flawless 4K presentation as the format has so far produced, The Revenant looks utterly fantastic on Ultra HD Blu-ray. Shot digitally at resolutions of up to 6.5K (and finished on a 4K digital intermediate) using only natural light sources, The Revenant offers a very natural-looking presentation, giving the audience a more authentic idea of what it must feel like to be in the freezing wilderness alongside Leo and Co.

Compare the The Revenant's 4K disc to the regular Blu-ray packaged with it, and you'll notice that the discs provide quite different presentations of the film. This is because director Alejandro G. Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki re-graded the entire film in HDR exclusively for this UHD release. By comparison, the regular 1080p Blu-ray looks much cooler, with more dominant blues and greys taking centre stage. Meanwhile, the 4K disc offers more naturalistic skin tones and a warmer overall palette, making the film's many icy landscapes appear whiter and more true to life.

Speaking of landscapes, the added resolution and contrast of The Revenant's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray makes them appear more grand and breathtaking, offering more fine detail and depth. Improved bloom lighting also lets the sun shine without bleeding into obvious and distracting shade transitions. A reference disc if ever there was one, The Revenant belongs in everyone's 4K collection.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray: horror

Suspiria

Without a doubt the most definitive presentation of Dario Argento's masterpiece Suspiria to date, Synapse Films' release of the 1977 horror classic throws down the gauntlet for all other cult films making the leap to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. 

Taking full advantage of HDR10, the stunning primary colors of Suspiria's celebrated cinematography reach dizzying new heights on the format, with reds, blues and yellows in particular seeming brighter and more vibrant than ever before.

Fans of the film will know that Suspiria has had a complicated past when it comes to remasters, with a recent Italian 4K restoration seriously messing up the film's abstract colors, leading to much derision from purists. Thankfully, Synapse's disc utilizes the vastly superior German restoration from 2016, which faithfully retains the film's Technicolor palette, which was achieved by dye-transfer.

When presented in this native 4K transfer, the results are simply sublime. Skin tones are life-like, contrast is exceptional, and fine detail is off the charts. It's hard to imagine that Suspiria has ever looked better than this.

As great as Suspiria's visual presentation is on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, its audio presentation is every bit its equal. Synapse has invested in a game-changing Dolby Atmos track which takes Suspiria's intense sound design to another level. 

Thanks to the disc's object-based three-dimensional audio, Goblin's nightmarish prog-rock score is more prominent than ever – there's nothing like hearing repeated chants of "witch!" from every corner of your living room! Purists will also be happy to know that the film's original 4-track audio has also been included.

A must-buy for fans of the film, Suspiria is one of the very best cult film releases to arrive on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray so far.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265 (80.14 Mbps), HDR10, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.38:1

The Shining

Fans of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining are likely to be blown away by the film on Ultra HD Blu-ray, thanks to an astonishing new 4K transfer that achieves exceptional color and clarity. Simply put, this is the best that The Shining has ever looked on home video. 

Boasting both HDR10 and Dolby Vision support, The Shining pops with increased vibrance and intensity from start to finish. Witness, for instance, the iconic patterned carpet that adorns the Overlook Hotel's hallways, with its vivid oranges and reds standing out more than ever before. 

Though Kubrick is known as a cold director, The Shining takes on a warmer appearance on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray than with previous home video releases, with skin tones appearing for more natural – particularly under amber lighting. 

Film grain is present throughout the entirety of The Shining's presentation, but it is always pleasing, never undermining the 4K transfer's remarkable clarity. Close-ups reveal a fantastic amount of detail, with pores, wrinkles and clothing fibers appearing more defined across the board.

Having seen both this outstanding release and 2001: A Space Odyssey on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, it's clear that Kubrick's films lend themselves incredibly well to this prestige format. We can't wait to see which Kubrick films get the remastering treatment next. For now, The Shining is up there with the very best 4K catalog releases to date.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit), Aspect ratio: 1.78:1

It

The latest adaptation of Stephen King's terrifying novel It arrives on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with an exceptional transfer (despite being upscaled from a 2K master) that is improved by the inclusion of HDR10 and Dolby Vision. 

Though a lot of the film takes place in dark and dank environments, visibility is always high in It, with some perfectly-judged HDR and Dolby Vision tinkering letting you see all the detail in the shadows without sacrificing all that creepy darkness. 

Detail also receives a huge boost thanks to the added resolution of this 4K presentation, most evident in the crackling clown makeup on Pennywise's forehead, and the exquisite detailing of his freaky costume. Admittedly, some CGI elements become more obvious in 4K, but the trade-off is totally worth it when it comes to the disc's high dynamic range presentation and the increased detail seen here. 

It also packs one of the most bombastic and effective audio tracks of any 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray released to date, with perfectly balanced Dolby Atmos and DTS tracks that will scare the pants off of you. You'll hear every creak, every noise, and every scream with the utmost clarity, depth and dimensionality.

One of the best 4K discs released to date, It is a must-have for horror fans, especially those with access to TV that supports HDR10 or Dolby Vision.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Resolution: 2160p (Upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

The Neon Demon

One of the few 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray titles that doesn't come with HDR enhancements, Nicolas Winding Refn's horror thriller The Neon Demon looks utterly glorious on the format nonetheless. If you want to get your hands on the film in razor-sharp 2160p, you'll have to import this English-friendly German release, which includes all the special features found on the regular Blu-ray in the US and UK – don't you just love how all 4K UHD discs are region free?

With regards to the disc's lack of HDR, you may be surprised to learn that the famously-visual director is actually quite color blind. An inability to see midtones has led Refn to favour high contrast and extreme colors throughout his career, as evidenced by the films Drive and Only God Forgives. Because of this, it's probably safe to assume that he wouldn't get much out of the high-dynamic-range experience.

Sourced from a 4K master (but shot at 3.4K), The Neon Demon looks incredible on Ultra HD Blu-ray, with its high resolution offering a noticeable uptick in detail over the 1080p version included in this package. 

Aside from its 4K resolution, deep blacks and scorchingly vibrant colors are the big selling point here – though we were unable to test the film on an OLED television, the promise of individually-lit pixels beaming and pulsing out of the pitch black darkness of certain scenes has us giddy at the possibilities on hand. 

Essentially a feature-length exercise in immense style and cinematography, it would be hard to imagine a film more suited to the 4K Ultra HD format. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1, Aspect ratio: 2.35: 1

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray: action

Bad Boys for Life

A long-overdue sequel that proved way more fun than anyone was expecting, Bad Boys for Life absolutely shines on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, boasting vibrant, neon-soaked HDR colors, exceptional detail and deep black levels. 

Although Bad Boys for Life sports a 2K digital intermediate, the movie's upscaled 4K presentation looks sublime regardless, with incredible sharpness and clarity across the board. 

In contrast to Michael Bay's two prior Bad Boys films, which display healthy levels of film grain and intentionally saturated colors, Bad Boys for Life aims for a cleaner, digital look – one that emphasizes Miami's glitz and glamour at every turn. 

Speaking of colors, Bad Boys for Life only offers HDR 10 support on its 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release, but before you Dolby Vision devotees get too disappointed, know that it doesn't hurt the film's presentation in the slightest – seriously, Bad Boys for Life's vivid color palette practically pops from the screen. 

Outside of the expected flashy action sequences and nightclub scenes, you'll also find lifelike skin tones and inky contrast.

Rounding things out with an impressively punchy and music-centric DTS:X audio track, one that keeps dialogue loud and clear despite the explosive action on screen, Bad Boys for Life proves to be audio visual knockout on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR: HDR10, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English DTS:X, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Gemini Man

Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format's ultimate demo disc. As a technical showcase of the highest order, Ang Lee's Gemini Man is an absolutely astonishing sight to behold, offering a drop-dead gorgeous 2160p transfer (from a true 4K master) that's presented in the stunning (and divisive) 60fps HFR format.

Those of you who experienced Peter Jackson's The Hobbit in 48fps HFR during its theatrical run might expect Gemini Man to sport a similarly distracting video game-like appearance, but we can tell you that simply isn't the case here. Gemini Man's high frame rate presentation is remarkably natural-looking and exceptionally smooth – at times it feels as though you're watching an action movie play out in front of you in real life, and that isn't an exaggeration. 

Of course, it isn't entirely convincing all the time – there are a handful of moments where the weightlessness of computer-generated stuntmen comes across as slightly more pronounced, however, the effect is absolutely superb throughout the majority of the film. 

Witness, for instance, a mid-film motorbike chase sequence that makes you feel as though you're actually following behind the characters at high speed. Later in the film, an enemy begins to fire a mounted minigun at our heroes, and the sight of tracer rounds flying past and destroying everything around them looks utterly glorious at 60fps.

Quite frankly, Gemini Man's sublime presentation on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray makes the disc worth buying even if you aren't particularly a fan of the film. It's a reference-quality disc that's guaranteed to blow away anyone you show it to – just make sure your television and player are capable of playback at 60Hz.

And, if you're thinking of purchasing or renting Gemini Man digitally, please note that the 4K version of the film is only offered at 24fps on iTunes – just another reason why physical media is still king...

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR: Dolby Vision / HDR10, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

The Meg

Look, no one's ever going to mistake The Meg for a great film, but it is great looking, meaning fans of the giant shark extravaganza should be more than satisfied about its terrific presentation on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. 

Thanks to its bright transfer and colorful palette, The Meg shines on the format, despite being upscaled from a 2K master. Color is impressive across the board, particularly during the film's many deep sea and under water set pieces, with the various shades of blues predictably fairing quite well thanks to HDR's wider color gamut. 

Of course, the uptick in resolution also allows us to appreciate The Meg's impressive visual effects and production design, which all looks quite expensive. The titular megalodon is also a sight to behold, especially if you have a large television. 

As for the film's human characters, we get some very naturalistic skin tones and a nice amount of detail when it comes to fine lines, pores and stubble. Highlights also impress, particularly when it comes to underwater lighting. 

If you're a fan of The Meg, there's really no reason to pass the film up on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, as it's unlikely to look any better than this for the foreseeable future.   

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR: Dolby Vision / HDR10, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Mission: Impossible – Fallout

One of the greatest action blockbusters of the last decade has arrived on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in Mission: Impossible – Fallout, and thankfully, the disc's presentation is as spectacular as the film itself. 

The disc's transfer, which is based on a true 4K master, predictably shines in the film's many action sequences. However, it's worth noting that the film has a fairly significant filmic grain throughout most of its non-IMAX scenes (more on those shortly). This was a deliberate choice from director Christopher McQuarrie, who shot most of M:I – Fallout with 35mm anamorphic film cameras with the intention of giving it a more gritty look than its predecessor. 

While the whole film looks great, it's not understating things to say that the film's two IMAX sequences, which are faithfully presented here in the full 1.90:1 aspect ratio, are utterly sublime. 

The first sequence, which sees Tom Cruise perform a dusk-set HALO (high altitude, low open) parachute jump, is a brilliant example of what HDR can bring to darker scenes, showing incredible detail in the darkness and making great use of the format's wider color gamut in those sunset hues. 

The star or the show (aside from Tom), however, is the film's climactic helicopter chase, which sets the bar in terms of thrilling IMAX showcase sequences. The aspect ratio opens up as soon as the scene begins, and there's a noticeable jump in quality where the picture becomes crystal clear, exhibiting not even the slightest hint of grain. Quite frankly, there's a huge uptick in visual clarity overall during this sequence, which is especially detectable due to the well-lit nature of this daytime chase. 

If you love this film, there really is no reason to pass up this stellar 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release. It's worth it for the IMAX sequences alone. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1, 1.90:1 (IMAX)

The Shape of Water

A release that expectedly leans into the green, teal, aqua and blue portion of the color spectrum, The Shape of Water looks beautiful on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, managing to totally convince in regards to its immaculate costuming, set decoration and makeup effects work, despite its increased resolution and tweaked HDR colors. 

Those aforementioned greens, teals, blues and aquas? They actually take on a more naturalistic appearance on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, with the disc's high-dynamic-range tinkering giving the film's colors a more true-to-life quality than it displayed in theaters. This is particularly noticeable during The Shape of Water's underwater sequences, which now look richer and show no signs of obvious color gradation or banding. 

While the film is visually sublime in every respect, its warm cinematography displaying a masterful use of light and darkness, the real highlight is the creature that captures our lead heroine's heart. The uptick in fine detail afforded by the disc's increased resolution allows us to marvel at the creature's stunning makeup, despite the fact that the film has been upscaled from a 2K digital intermediate.  

For fans of The Shape of Water, this truly is a must-have release. While it would've been nice to have a Dolby Atmos track (imagine how great the flooded apartment scene would sound with three-dimensional audio), it's hard to fault this reference quality disc. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR: HDR10, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Atomic Blonde

One of the most stylish films of the year, Atomic Blonde screams onto 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with an incredibly vibrant and neon-soaked transfer that burns with intense reds and is cooled again by striking blues. 

As you've probably come to expect from the format, color reproduction is extraordinary here, with HDR making the '80s-inspired cinematography a real boost in the vividness department. 

Clothing, hair, skin tones all look realistic here, despite the muted color palette of some scenes in this Cold War spy movie. Oh yeah, and the various cuts, bruises and scrapes acquired by lead star Charlize Theron as she kicks butt across Berlin also look appropriately gnarly, too. 

Though it lacks a Dolby Atmos track, the DTS:X Master Audio one featured here does a terrific job of pummelling your ears with various explosions, gunshots and an expertly-crafted playlist of thumping '80s tunes. If you loved John Wick, this is definitely one for your collection. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English DTS:X, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

The Fate of the Furious

The eighth film in the blockbuster Fast and Furious franchise sings the praises of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray thanks to incredible HDR-enhanced brightness, driving home just what the format is capable of (see what we did there?)

Flesh tones look astonishing on this disc, as do the HDR-enhanced explosions that litter the film. Colors also impress – witness the opening race in sunny Cuba to see how much of a difference HDR makes to this kind of film.

Another show-stopping scene involves a prison riot, with vibrant orange prison uniforms standing out even more than on the film's regular blu-ray. 

The disc also presents the film in Dolby Vision as well as HDR10, which should be exciting for people who own TVs that can support the format and the added color depth that it brings. For everyone else, the disc defaults to standard HDR, which is still very impressive.

Perhaps the film's most standout sequence though, involves a huge frozen lake and a submarine. The white ice that surrounds this setting really allows the film's HDR/Dolby Vision presentation to flex some real muscle, with bright highlights getting a good workout. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English DTS:X, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

John Wick: Chapter 2

Immediately exhibiting the benefits of increased resolution and the wider color gamut afforded by the inclusion of HDR in its presentation, John Wick: Chapter 2 comes out of the gate firing on all cylinders with a visually-sensational night-time chase through Manhattan (actually Montreal). 

Surrounded by lights and colorful billboards, the disc's HDR-enhanced contrast allows viewers to peer into the darkness and clearly see objects and details that they'd normally normally miss in regular high definition. Witness, for instance, the film's show-stopping shootout inside the catacombs in Rome – the characters are enveloped in darkness and yet we can clearly see everything that's going on thanks to some terrific lighting and high-dynamic-range magic. 

Immediately prior to that scene, a night-time concerto amongst the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome demonstrates incredible highlights, with red and blue LED lights surrounding the stage as spotlights swirl around in all directions. 

The incredible visuals just keep on coming with this release. We have a shootout in a museum where vibrant red blood splatters over a number of statues, a neon-enhanced 'hall of mirrors' battle inspired by Enter the Dragon, fight scenes taking place in a dark and vivid underground metro, and the list goes on and on. One of the most dynamic releases on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format, this is absolutely the best way to experience John Wick: Chapter 2.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (Upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad Max: Fury Road's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release brings with it some enormous expectations, as the film is one of the more visually dazzling action blockbusters in recent memory. Thankfully, Fury Road absolutely delivers, despite having been upscaled from a 2K digital intermediate. This might seem like a bummer, but that's how the film was presented in theatres, and it looked pretty freakin' good there, didn't it?

With its colors undergoing a re-grading process in HDR, Fury Road looks more sensational than ever in Ultra HD. The film's many explosions now burn with added intensity, and improved contrast and increased resolution give the film a more painterly appearance, especially in the film's huge storm sequence.

Some might argue that this makes Mad Max: Fury Road's CGI stand out more, I believe it only adds to the film's artistic quality. Elsewhere, you'll find more realistic skin tones and textures, brilliant lighting, richer landscapes and shinier chrome. Mad Max: Fury Road's Ultra HD release is definitely worth the upgrade for fans, though we'd love to see what the added resolution of 4K and HDR could do with the film's new Black and Chrome version.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Warcraft: The Beginning

Though you'd expect HDR to make films more vibrant and colorful, Warcraft's presentation has taken a more subtle approach to the film's coloring. Less garish than its regular Blu-ray counterpart, Warcraft's Ultra HD presentation offers more naturalistic colors, especially when it comes to orc skin tones. That's not to say that this presentation is muted in any way – Fel magic looks spectacularly vivid and bright, giving the film a suitably other-worldly and fantastical appearance.

As expected, the real show-stoppers here are the orcs, lovingly realised through terrific motion-capture performances and CGI wizardry (as opposed to the other kind of wizardry seen in the film itself). Lead orc Durotan's facial expressions are more detailed and realistic, thanks to the disc's bumped-up resolution. Getting to actually see fine lines, wrinkles and textures in these characters' faces make them much more believable (though the illusion is still broken whenever they're standing next to the film's human characters). Other CGI creations, like the Gryphon Lothar rides during the film's climax, or the kingdom of Azeroth itself, exhibit an exceptionally high level of detail.

While it is another example of an upscaled film sourced from a 2K digital intermediate, Warcraft's 4K presentation nonetheless offers enhanced clarity, improved contrast and naturalistic tones. This Ultra HD release is definitely the best way to watch Warcraft: The Beginning in 2D.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray: comedy

Sausage Party

The idea behind Sausage Party was for Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg to create a hilariously filthy R-rated animate comedy with Pixar-level animation. While it doesn't quite reach those lofty heights, the film looks fantastic on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray nonetheless. 

Finished at 2K and then upscaled to 4K, Sausage Party still manages to eek out a whole lot of extra detail over its regular Blu-ray counterpart. This is largely thanks to some HDR tinkering, which gives the film's colors and lighting a more detailed and pleasing look overall. 

Certain foods gain extra details in their textures, with the sausages themselves looking like real objects that you can touch. In fact, the move to high-dynamic-range makes everything look more realistic (while still keeping that stylised animated look). 

Sure, there are better-looking CGI animated films available on this blossoming format (just look at our Trolls entry in the family movies section), but Sausage Party still looks good enough to eat. For fans of the film, this is as good as it's ever going to look. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (upscaled from 2K master), Primary audio: English Dolby Atmos, Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray: documentary

Planet Earth II

Okay, so we're cheating a little bit here, as BBC's Planet Earth II is a documentary series, not a movie. However, much like how the first Planet Earth series was a showcase for the Blu-ray format, Planet Earth II proves to be an astounding demo disc that easily highlights the 4K Ultra HD format's greatest strengths.

With numerous locales spread over six episodes, Planet Earth II gives the viewer a whole lot of variety in the eye candy department. In the first episode alone, the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean are juxtaposed against the volcanic majesty of the Galapagos islands, offering lifelike HDR visuals at both ends of the color spectrum. 

Creature close-ups are astonishing in their sharpness, exhibiting high detail in faces and fur. Just as impressive are the series' signature drone shots, which give you a bird's-eye view of various landscapes, including mountains, jungles and even cities in the final episode. 

A major selling point of Planet Earth II is that it was all captured in Native 4K and is presented here exactly as intended by its creators. Add to this the otherworldly feel attributed by the use of slow motion photography, and what you have is the definitive 4K Ultra HD disc to make people's jaws drop. A must-have addition to any serious 4K collection.

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit) Aspect ratio: 1.78:1

Blue Planet II

Although we're still waiting for the BBC to show any signs of actually broadcasting 4K content (occasional iPlayer experiments notwithstanding), the veteran broadcaster has made some first steps into the format by shooting a couple of its prestige nature documentaries in Ultra HD. 

Blue Planet II is the second such documentary (after Planet Earth II, above), and focuses on the wildlife that can be found in our planet's oceans. 

The whole documentary is stunningly presented, with the sheer richness of the ocean's colors a sight to behold. The HDR10's wide color gamut is put to fantastic use with the rich hues present throughout each episode, and we were particularly fond of the HDR highlights found on the show's florescent deep-sea creatures. 

Other discs might offer technically superior visuals with mastering of up to 4,000 nits, but for us nothing will compare to the raw beauty of nature captured in uncompromised 4K. 

Technical specs: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: 2160p (from 4K master), Primary audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Aspect ratio: 1.78:1 

Last week, Sonos officially unveiled the Sonos Ray, its most affordable soundbar to date. And if you were waiting (longing and yearning) for a new budget subwoofer to go with it, you're not alone. Sonos initially teased the idea of a Sub Mini last November, on its mobile app and now, nearly six months later, rumors about the Sonos Sub Mini are finally gaining momentum. But why has it taken Sonos so long – and why is the company still dragging its feet? 

Although a specific release date, pricing details and even the official existence of the Sub Mini remain elusive, TechRadar was able to get a comment from Sonos' product creation leader, Brandon Holley. When asked directly about the need for a smaller Sonos Sub to pair with the Sonos Ray, Holley said, "Nothing to announce", but added, "Obviously there’s a lot of products we consider. You have a good point on that note. The Sub will sound great with Ray, and vice-versa. But as far as what’s coming down the road, nothing to announce". 

Quick history lesson: the company's only other subwoofer, the Sonos Sub, launched almost a decade ago in June 2012. It is now into its third iteration (which first appeared on June 10, 2020) replacing the now-discontinued 2016 second-gen. model.

As the only sub in Sonos' catalogue, its $749 price tag dwarfs both the second-gen. Beam ($349) and new Ray ($279) so obviously, buyers looking for a price and size-compatible partner to bring the bass to their smaller home theater systems are currently out of luck. 

But despite not announcing the Sub Mini last week, The Verge has managed to confirm that Sonos is edging ever closer to it – and has even created a render from an image shared by an anonymous source. 

Analysis: what are we actually looking at? 

The image shows a more bijou and affordable Sonos subwoofer (that can undoubtedly pair wirelessly with the Arc, Ray and Beam) and it confirms Sonos' November leak, which described it as a “smaller, cylindrical subwoofer.” 

The biggest design feature of the Sub Mini, as with the original Sub, is an elongated vertical cutout in the middle of the device – but here, this is pill-shaped rather than the Sub's distinctive rectangular hole. 

The original Sub is a weighty beast, at 16kg, and features acoustic ports on both sides plus Sonos' tried-and-tested push-push drivers (which fire out on either side of that hole), so it is highly likely that the Sub Mini will have similar – though probably smaller and slightly less powerful – innards. 

When can we expect to see it in the flesh? Sonos, as we've seen, is not prepared to say. But our guess would be the IFA tech show at the earliest, which isn't until late August…

For decades following the explosion of home cinema back in the late 1980s, the only way to recreate the surround sound experience that had by then transformed the commercial cinema world was to spend big on filling your room with a series of speakers and an expensive multichannel amp or receiver.

Eventually, of course, the AV industry cottoned on to the fact that this expensive, complicated and clutter-some process was holding many households back from fulfilling their home cinema dreams. This resulted first in ‘home cinema in a box’ packages and then, eventually, the ultimate in home cinema sound convenience: soundbars. 

Not surprisingly, soundbars have taken the AV world by storm. But are home cinema fans right to have embraced them so wholeheartedly? Or has the push for convenience led too many people to overlook the potential advantages of a traditional surround sound system?

Soundbars vs surround sound: price

For the most part, cost is a big win for soundbars. You can pick up a unit right now for under $40 / £30, with many models from a range of manufacturers coming in at under $100 / £100. Even a fairly basic surround system comprising a multichannel amp and a 5.1 speaker package will set you back around $500 / £500. 

However, the price situation becomes more complicated as you start to look through the colossal range of soundbar options now available. By the time you get to packages that include a wireless subwoofer to a basic stereo sound configuration, for instance, you’re up to starting prices of around $220 / £180. 

Soundbar models such as Samsung’s 5.0-channel HW-S61A, which offer some sort of true multichannel support, come in around $300 / £300 – the same price point at which you can start to find support for the premium ‘object-based’ Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound formats. Although note that this Atmos/DTS:X support is usually only ‘virtual’ at this price, delivered via simple 2.1 speaker setups and clever audio processing. 

While there are of course exceptions, experience suggests that it’s typically only when you get to an asking price of $500 / £400 or so that soundbars begin to get serious on the sound quality front. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) arrives at $399 / £339, for instance, while Samsung’s HW-Q700A 3.1.2 soundbar with Dolby Atmos support currently costs $700 / £500. 

Above $650 / £500 is where you’ll find the soundbars from widely respected ‘hi-fi’ audio-focused brands such as Polk, Yamaha, Denon and Klipsch, and up from there you’re mostly looking at higher numbers of dedicated channels and ever more power – all the way up to Samsung’s remarkable 11.1.4-channel $1,499 / £1,299 HW-Q950A, Sony’s ultra-powerful $1,399 / £1,299 7.1.2-channel HT-A7000, and LG’s $1,695 / £1,499 SP11RA 7.1.4-channel soundbars.

There are specialized models still from high-end audio brands that cost upwards of $1,900 / £1,500; but the point is that while soundbars can improve your TV sound for very little money, the range of quality and sound features they offer is now pretty colossal. 

The cheapest traditional surround sound systems we found while writing this article were a $499 (about $650) Yamaha YHT1840 package and a $549 / £499 Onkyo HT-S3910 package, both of which comprise an AVR plus 5.1 speaker package.

Add more AVR power, more speaker power, more audio channels, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding and more premium designs and prices start to escalate fast – faster than they do in the soundbar world. Not least because the more audio channels you want, the more physical speakers you’ll need to buy. 

You might even have to factor installation costs into the equation, if you want to install overhead speakers in your ceiling for true Dolby Atmos overhead effects. (Dolby Atmos soundbars with ‘actual’ rather than ‘virtual’ height channel support, by comparison, use up-firing drivers to reflect Atmos over-head effects off your ceiling).

Ultimately, this brings us back to even the more expensive soundbars comfortably winning out on price over most separates surround systems. After all, as noted earlier, the Samsung Q950A soundbar delivers no less than 16 distinct channels of sound –  imagine the cost of adding that many separate speakers to a system. Even if you find an AVR capable of supporting such a speaker count. 

Soundbars vs surround sound: design

If you’re looking for a home cinema audio experience that makes as little physical impact on your living room as possible, then a soundbar will be the best option. After all, while many – too many, perhaps – soundbars and any attendant subwoofers and rear speakers will simply be black boxes, they do at least tend to be relatively small. 

In addition, let’s not forget that the whole idea of a soundbar is that it sits under your TV screen, becoming an extension of what’s already a big chunk of technology dominating your room. Plus, of course, soundbar components can fit multiple channels into single pieces of hardware. For instance, Samsung’s Q950A fits seven channels into its main soundbar and three channels into each of its two rear speakers. Just imagine how your room would look with that many separate speakers lying around. Also, with a soundbar there’s no need to find shelf space and cabling for an AV receiver.

However, you can find surround speaker systems that use pretty small speakers. For instance, the $1,100 / £599 Monitor Audio MASS 5.1 system features five speakers that measure just 122(w) x 147(h) x 107(d)mm each, while Focal’s $3,999 / £1,799 Dome Flax 5.1 speaker pack includes satellites that measure 172(w) x 144(h) x 143(d)mm.

Most surround speaker systems are substantially larger than that, of course. But here’s the thing: bigger doesn’t have to mean uglier. Many surround speaker systems are super-attractive. Look at the images of the Monitor Audio Silver system shown on this page, for instance. While surround speaker systems may present more significant installation challenges, they can still be easy on the eye if you can spare the space.

Don’t forget about in-wall speaker systems, either. These let you install as many channels as you like – including, potentially, true overheads – without eating up any room space at all. The catch being that fitting speakers into walls and ceilings can result in a pretty extensive – and potentially expensive – installation process.

In the end, the setup you choose will depend on whether you want a neat, more discreet solution, or one that’s more glamorous, with very visible speakers.

Soundbars vs surround sound: audio performance

With hi-fi and AV brands alike embracing the soundbar market these days, the best units sound remarkably good for products built ostensibly with convenience in mind. Much, much better than you’d believe possible for such compact products.

As a general rule, however, a good-quality surround system should deliver better sound quality than a soundbar. Regardless of whether you’re listening to music or a Dolby Atmos/DTS:X multichannel movie soundtrack. 

Even Dolby Atmos/Spatial Audio music mixes sound their best when played through a surround sound system, despite Apple generally marketing its Spatial Audio system as a great option for headphones or relatively limited speaker systems.

Part of this is down to the extra space available in most surround system speakers, which gives sound more breathing room. The precise quality and ‘scale’ of a surround system’s presentation will vary hugely, depending on everything from the size of speakers you opt for, their price, and the abilities of their manufacturer. In fact, the choices are almost limitless – especially if money is no object. Soundbars may be remarkably clever at getting a lot of sound from small drive units and limited space, but you can only defy the laws of audio physics so far.

Separate speaker systems can and do use their size, too, to develop mechanical designs that deliver better dynamic range, with more precise treble, bass and mid-range sounds. 

Another issue with soundbars is that many models, especially those at the affordable end of the market, come with only a limited number of actual physical channels. Instead, they rely on virtualization processing to create a sense of multichannel sound that’s never as effective as using actual physical speakers such as those in surround speaker systems.

Even soundbars that pack in lots of actual physical channel drivers will inevitably have to put most of those drivers in very close proximity to one another, meaning you won’t get such a strong sense of space and soundstage detailing as you will with multiple speakers physically spread out around your room.

Almost all multichannel soundbar systems rely on some sort of reflective technology for their channels, bouncing effects off side walls or ceilings. While this can help create an immersive hemisphere, or dome of sound, it’s no replacement for the direct sound you can get from speakers placed down the sides of the room or above your head. Or behind you, given that most soundbars don’t ship with rear speakers or even make much effort to bother with surround effects at all.`

Soundbars vs surround sound: connectivity

Even a pretty basic surround sound system will outgun the most high-end soundbar when it comes to connectivity. This is simply because surround systems require you to get a multichannel AV receiver or amp, and these days even the most affordable AVRs – such as the £299 (about $390) Yamaha HTR2071 – tend to carry at least four HDMI inputs and one HDMI output. Not to mention both coaxial and optical digital audio inputs and analogue PCM line inputs. 

Soundbars, by comparison, offer a maximum of two HDMI inputs, one line input and either a coaxial or optical digital audio input (as opposed to both). 

The HDMIs are the most important distinction, since the more of these you have, the easier it is to use your audio device as a switching box for all your AV sources, putting it – and its high-quality sound – at the heart of your home entertainment system.

The arrival of eARC technology, which allows compatible TVs to pass lossless sound – even Dolby Atmos and DTS:X – over HDMI to compatible devices has given soundbars a way round their limited HDMI provisions. However, there can be issues with eARC, such as signal delays. 

A number of the very latest AVRs also support pass through of games at 4K/120Hz, with variable refresh rates feeds via at least one or two of their HDMIs, whereas so far there isn’t a single soundbar that lets gamers pass such signals through their HDMIs.

One connectivity wrinkle that’s emerged over the past couple of years is the way that some AV brands – most notably Sony, Samsung and LG – have introduced technologies that allow their soundbars to join forces with the speakers and audio-processing features in their TVs. 

Takeaway

The days when soundbars existed to simply offer better sound than your TV’s speakers in the most convenient form factor possible are long gone. There are soundbars out there now that can deliver really outstanding sound quality for both listening to music and watching movies. However, there remain fundamental differences between soundbars and separate surround systems that make each better suited overall to different tastes and needs.

Soundbars are still typically the best option for main living rooms, even if you opt for a relatively expensive model with physical rears and subwoofer units. Especially if that living room isn’t particularly large and/or features an awkward shape or layout. 

Single-bar soundbars make next to no impact on your decor or space, and even where a soundbar ships with external speakers, the rear units are always pretty compact, while subwoofers are designed so that they can be tucked behind sofas or under sideboards without impacting  sound.

They’re also substantially cheaper – almost always, in fact, if you compare like for like in terms of the number of audio channels supported – than separate surround systems. 

And, ultimately, the greatest thing about soundbars is that they provide AV fans with a way to enjoy a more cinematic audio experience than is possible from their TV speakers, where a full surround system isn’t really an option. 

Regular (as opposed to in-wall) surround sound systems are more the domain of either dedicated home cinema rooms, and/or people who value sound quality above convenience and cost. For sound quality, there really is no replacement for a decent array of speakers accurately positioned around your room. 

Buyers of separates systems will need to conduct more research to get the best combination of AVR and speakers, and the best size and power of speakers for their room. They’ll face tougher installation challenges, too, and they’ll almost certainly have to pay substantially more for their system. But the rewards in terms of the final experience will be worth the effort.

To bring all this together in a single sentence – if you’re short of space, cash or time, soundbars are for you; but if getting the very best home theater sound experience possible is the priority, then a good surround system is hard to beat. 

• Not sure where to start? Read our guide on how to set up the perfect home theater system

The Sonos ecosystem of wireless speakers and soundbars might be on the verge of a big upgrade, if rumors of a new home theater operating system are to be believed. 

According to Protocol, which cites "multiple sources" who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Sonos is hiring people to work on a new Home Theater OS project, with job descriptions that suggest the company plans to run apps directly on TVs. 

Sonos has apparently been considering various ways to break into TV streaming over the past few years. While the company has created the comprehensive S2 app, which allows users to control their Sonos speakers, create different groupings, and stream music, it's never made this app available on TVs. 

That could all be about to change, though with Sonos posting an job ad for a UX Lead - Next Generation Home Experience. The successful candidate will "work across deliver surfaces (mobile, television, tablet, and HW remote) to deliver a next-generation content delivery experience'". Applicants need to have eight to 12 years designing UX for mobile and/or TV.

Other job listings for the project ask for applicants to have experience in modern operating systems, including Android/Android TV, which further suggests a big focus on TV from the company. 

While Sonos is yet to comment on whether it is working on a home theater operating system, we do know that the company is branching out. Sonos' chief innovation officer, Nick Millington, shared one of the job listings on LinkedIn, saying that he's working on "a new home theater project", and the role would suit anyone with experience in streaming media such as “audio, video, games, sports, music, news, movies, TV, news, podcasts.”

So, the new Sonos Home Theater OS could be pretty far-reaching, extending into lots of other kinds of content besides music streaming - perhaps even acting as a one-stop-shop for TV, radio, podcasts, gaming, and music, tying in all your various subscriptions into one place.

What about the Sonos wireless headphones?

The news that Sonos could be working on a new home theater operating system suggests that the company might not be looking to branch out into the world of headphones this year, as we had previously thought. 

We've seen a few patents for wireless headphones and earbuds from the company, and as Sonos tends to release two new products a year, we were hoping that 2022 would see in the first pair of Sonos headphones. 

Sonos is a big name in multiroom audio, so a pair of headphones from the company could really shake up the competition - especially if they come with Wi-Fi connectivity and the ability to 'swap' audio to other Sonos devices, like the Sonos Roam. 

However, it looks like Sonos is very much focusing on the world of home cinema with its rumored operating system - and with the success of the Sonos Arc and Sonos Beam (Gen 2) soundbars in recent years, that's not a huge surprise. It's also rumored that Sonos is working on the Sonos Sub Mini, a smaller version of its popular subwoofer, so a home theater OS would compliment that nicely. 

In any case, we may not have too long to wait until we find out what the next Sonos device will be. The company released its first product of 2021 in April last year, and if it wants to stick to its rather rigid release schedule, you can expect a new Sonos product to launch in the next few months. 

• Sonos headphones: everything we know so far

A brilliant home theater setup can transform your Saturday nights, letting you experience the magic of the movies from the comfort of your own couch. 

Once the preserve of the very wealthy, a good home cinema setup once required careful calibration, tuning, and crafting to really come together. But, thanks to the improvements in sound and picture quality as soundbars, TVs, and speakers, it’s easier than ever to achieve without the help from an expensive custom installer. 

What’s more, innovations in wireless technology and multiroom audio mean that building a home cinema setup doesn’t always involve having cables snaking around your living room and cluttering your home. 

Home theater setups can be as big or small as you want, from dedicated cinema rooms furnished with projectors and soundproofing, to a TV hooked up to a soundbar. Whatever kind of home cinema setup you have - or want - there are a few things you can do to make sure it really sings.

What components do I need? 

Before we get into our tips and tricks, it’s important to make sure you have the basic components that make a home cinema setup. 

First of all, you’ll need a 4K HDR TV with all the modern specs. Aside from smaller models, all new TVs will come with at least 4K resolution and some form of HDR capability, if not support for dynamic HDR formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10+. If you’re really serious about your picture quality, you might want to look into 8K TVs, but be warned that widespread access to true 8K content is still pretty limited. 

In any case, look for a TV in your budget with a screen size that won’t dominate your home, and a smart TV platform that will allow you to access your favorite streaming services. We like Google TV that’s available on modern Sony TVs, webOS on LG TVs and Tizen on Samsung smart TVs, but Roku TV, Android TV, and My Home Screen are good, too.

If you don’t want to rely on getting your content from your smart TV’s inbuilt apps, you’ll need another source, like a 4K Blu-ray player, games console or a 4K streaming device like the Chromecast with Google TV or Nvidia Shield. 

Not sure whether to invest in an OLED TV? If you’re after a high-end 55-inch TV, go for an OLED panel, which will offer more realistic blacks, quick refresh rates, and superior contrast compared to cheaper LCD models. Larger OLED TVs can ramp up in price quickly, so if you’re after something bigger – say, a 75-inch or 85-inch TV – you might want to go for a more affordable QLED or LED-LCD TV like the Samsung Q80A or Sony X90J to save some money.

While TVs are getting better all the time, flatscreens don’t offer the best audio quality - there simply isn’t enough room for them to house good speakers. So, you’ll also need some speakers to make your movie soundtracks sound as convincing as possible. 

If you want a traditional surround sound experience, a 5.1 system is the most common setup, and is made up of two pairs of floorstanding or standmount speakers, one center speaker, and a subwoofer to deliver rumbling bass frequencies. If you are going down the surround sound route, you’ll also want an AV receiver to connect your visuals, audio, and streaming sources, amplify your speakers, and decode surround sound formats.

Want something less complex? A great soundbar and subwoofer combo is an easier way of achieving immersive audio, especially if it supports Dolby Atmos. Look for upfiring speakers that can bounce sound from the ceiling to your ears and wireless connectivity so you can stream music from your smartphone. We recommend the Sonos Arc and Samsung HW-Q950A soundbars, but feel free to shop around for something that fits your space and budget.

Tip #1: Make sure your TV’s looking picture perfect 

Whatever TV you go for, there are a few things you can do to get the best picture quality possible. Firstly, make sure your seating is facing your TV head-on, as viewing at an angle can make colors look washed out. The larger your TV, the further away you want to be sitting, otherwise you’ll be able to pick out individual pixels - though 4K and 8K TVs have so many pixels that you can sit much closer than you could before these panels became popular. 

You should also toggle through your TV’s different picture presets. For most, the Standard or Normal setting should give you a snappy contrast and optimized colors, and Cinema modes tend to give the most ‘natural’ look - though these are best viewed in low light conditions. Avoid Dynamic or Sports presets like the plague - they’re way too bright and oversaturated for most viewers.

Another thing you can do to improve your picture quality is to ensure your room lighting is optimized. LCD screens in particular behave differently according to the ambient light in your room as they’re backlit - and in a darkened room, blacks can look gray-ish and dull.

You can mitigate this effect with a well-placed lamp to illuminate the wall behind your TV - or by opting for a Philips Ambilight TV, which projects light onto your wall, picking out colors from the content you’re watching for a harmonious experience. 

OLED TVS don’t have this problem as they’re self-illuminating, and even perform better in low-light conditions, making them ideal for watching films.

• How to setup your TV for the perfect picture

Tip #2: Be extra careful about your speaker placement 

Just like your TV, where you place your speakers has a big effect on how well they perform. Smaller stereo speakers can sound ‘lost’ if placed too far from a wall, while larger speakers - especially if they have a backfiring bass reflex port - need more space to avoid unwanted resonance from bass frequencies. 

Finding the right placement is a fine balance; putting your speakers further away from your ears can give you a more convincing stereo sound experience, while bringing them closer will make the bass boom. Whatever you do, don’t place your speakers in a corner - you’re just asking for muddy bass frequencies. 

Most speakers should be tilted in towards where you’ll be sitting, though some are specifically designed to be front-firing; be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions and use its recommendations as a starting point. 

Of course, if you’re going for a soundbar, placement is much simpler. Most soundbars can be wall-mounted or placed on a stand in front of your TV - just make sure that the soundbar doesn’t obscure the infrared receiver on your TV, or your remote control won’t work. 

If you opt for a Dolby Atmos soundbar with upfiring tweeters, avoid placing it in a compartment in your TV stand - you don’t want anything to get in the way of those soundwaves as they travel up to your ceiling. 

Any speakers need a little time to settle in - before you blame your speaker’s poor performance on placement, give them at least 24 hours of playtime to let their inner workings warm up. 

Tip #3: Try a projector to fill up bigger rooms 

TV on the smaller side? A projector can give you that cinema experience at home, creating a picture up to 300 inches in diameter. 

While you can get Ultra HD 4K projectors, Full HD models are still the most popular, and they start at around $600 / £600 / AU$900. Just make sure your new projector is designed for home cinema rather than business presentations; if it has VGA, audio, and composite video inputs and outputs round the back, you’re looking at a business projector.

You generally need a bit of space to use a projector - unless you opt for an ultra short throw model. Whereas regular short throw projectors can project an image from only a few feet away (as little as three, or as many as eight), ultra short throw cuts down the distance to a few inches, which means you can place it on a regular TV stand close to your wall. 

Tip #4: Make the space comfortable for extended viewing sessions 

Mood lighting, comfy seating, blackout curtains - these are the little touches that can really elevate your home cinema experience, and it’s well worth taking the time to make your space as luxurious and cinema-like as possible.

You might also want to bring in some smart home devices and automations to make your home cinema setup feel a bit more futuristic. Smart lighting like Philips Hue lets you control your room’s ambience via an app, and it can be automated. 

It’s also worth considering a universal remote control, which can be programmed to control your setup for different situations. For instance, you could hit the ‘movie’ button to turn on your projector, TV, and amplifier; if you have IR lights, you could even get this button to dim your lights at the same time. 

If you’re feeling really flush (and you have the space) a dedicated home cinema room could be a great investment, and it means you free up your actual living room for, well, living. You could feasibly get away with spending $2,000 / £2,000 / AU$3,000 decking out a small room from scratch with speakers, a TV, and an AV receiver. 

However, once you get into soundproofing, styling, seating, and speakers built-into your ceilings, you’re looking at an investment of more than $10,000 / £10,000 / AU$13,000 - and there’s really no limit to how much you can spend.

On a budget? Light a candle, get a cosy throw, and hunker down with some 4K films on Netflix - you can’t really go wrong if you put in a little effort to make your movie nights special.

• How to create the perfect home cinema system

HDMI 2.1 is a new standard of HDMI. It might not sound exciting, but the implications of HDMI 2.1 are huge and the improvements to your viewing experience are already here, shaking up the way many people watch TV shows, movies and play games.

Until recently very few TVs and displays had HDMI 2.1 capability. Granted you still won’t find it everywhere, but now we’re in 2022 it’s becoming much more standard and HDMI 2.1 ports are built into many of the best TVs of 2022. 

The reason why HDMI 2.1 is such a game-changing new development is because it works by allowing more information to pass between games consoles, AV receivers, TVs and other devices. 

What that means for viewers is they’ll get to see a significant upgrade in the resolution and refresh rate of their TV or display. In other words, pictures are more detailed, images are sharper and games look better in pretty much every way. This is why many people (the team at TechRadar included) think HDMI 2.1 is already beginning to transform entertainment.

Although HDMI 2.1 might be a big deal for every type of screen-based entertainment, including your favorite TV shows and movies, we think you’ll notice the most significant difference in gaming. Especially with the next-gen PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles – if you can find one, that is.

Both of the next-gen games consoles from Sony and Microsoft need an HDMI 2.1 connection to support frame rates up to 120 frames per second (fps). This is far higher than the usual 60fps and 30fps frame rates you’ll see on past games consoles. This is the reason why many TV companies are bringing out new displays that are primed for the future of gaming.

When High Definition Multimedia Interface (or HDMI) first arrived, it shook up the AV industry in a similar way. It was much more practical and convenient to no longer have to use bulky SCART connectors, or confusing component video cables. Instead, HDMI offered high definition video with a connector that was only a little bigger than a standard USB.

There have been many improvements to HDMI over the years since. Extra features are added as the needs of TVs have changed and HDMI 2.1 is the next big step.

The headline feature for HDMI 2.1 is support for 8K content at 60fps. However, there are many smaller features that add up to a much more capable standard, including support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Dynamic HDR, and Quick Media Switching, which should make it faster than ever to change between the devices attached to your television.

The big elephant in the room here is that it was revealed in December 2021 that many TVs labelled HDMI 2.1 might not come with all of the features you'd expect from HDMI 2.1. We cover why this is important in this guide, but what you need to know is that just because a TV says it has HDMI 2.1 capabilities doesn't mean it'll do everything you need it to. 

Below you’ll find our guide to everything you need to know about HDMI 2.1 and all of the changes that have arrived with this new HDMI standard that is already shaking up TV, movies and gaming for the better. 

• Best HDMI cables for 4K and HD TVs: What to look for when buying new cables
• HDMI vs DisplayPort: which is best?

When is HDMI 2.1 not HDMI 2.1?

But wait, here’s where it gets confusing. You’d think any devices labelled with HDMI 2.1 would have the high-end features that come with it, right? Like dynamic HDR, variable refresh rate and auto low latency mode, as well as 4K video passthrough at 120Hz? Not so fast.

As reported by Ars Technica in late 2021, many HDMI 2.1 capable devices might not actually have these high-end features after all. Apparently that's thanks to a quirk in the official HDMI guidelines – it turns out that the spec for HDMI 2.0 has been wholly replaced by HDMI 2.1, instead of simply building upon it.

What that means is that manufacturers can choose to solely support a handful of HDMI 2.0 features and label them as HDMI 2.1, given they're still technically a subset of full HDMI 2.1 capability. But the result is that an HDMI 2.1 TV, or the HDMI cables used to connect to one, may not support everything that the average shopper thinks it does.

Ideally, the guidelines will be adjusted to allow for a proper distinction between HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1, not just to prevent further confusion, but also to stop sneaky manufacturers from claiming their products are HDMI 2.1, when they're cherrypicking older specs instead.

But, until then, consumers need to look beyond whether a TV is labelled HDMI 2.1 or not and keep an eye out for other features. This is tricky and involves a lot of looking at specs and comparing displays.

HDMI 2.1 resolution and refresh rates

The new HDMI 2.1 cables allow faster refresh rates. This includes 8K resolution video at 60 frames per second and 4K at 120 frames per second – and it's that second feature that's a real selling point for both gamers and home cinema geeks who want content to look as good as it possibly can.

"We've increased resolutions and frame rates significantly," Jeff Park, Director of Marketing at HDMI Licensing, told TechRadar, adding that "NHK [Japan's national public broadcaster] is going to push 8K120 as an actual broadcast stream, and many consumer electronics manufacturers want to hit that target, so we're laying the pipe to give the industry flexibility. It's practical stuff."

HDMI 2.1 can go even further, supporting resolutions as high as 10K at 120Hz – though that kind of capability isn't here yet and isn't supported on commercial sets.

• What is VRR? Variable refresh rate explained

HDMI 2.1: a saviour for gaming?

HDMI 2.1 might have the biggest impact on the world of gaming. Especially if you have a next-gen games console, like the PS5 or Xbox Series X. Both of these new consoles must have a TV that supports HDMI 2.1 to work properly.

That's because HDMI 2.1 covers a number of technologies, including capability for 4K gaming at 120Hz, or 8K gaming at 60Hz – both of which are visually impressive if you have the hardware and cables to support them.

8K gaming is a while off still, but HDMI 2.1 means you soon won't have to choose between 4K resolution and high refresh rates, being able to experience both together.

HDMI 2.1 also enabled VRR (variable refresh rate), which helps to keep games looking smooth by switching up the refresh rate on the fly to best suit how much is happening onscreen. That means less image lag, stutter and frame tearing similar to the effect achieved by FreeSync and G-Sync.

This is great news for gamers, because HDMI 2.1 enables a 3D graphics processor to render and display images in real time, which will result in more fluid gameplay and greater detail.

• HDMI on PS5: what you need to know
• HDMI on Xbox Series X: what you need to know

HDMI 2.1: what is eARC?

It's not all about TVs, either; soundbars, AV amplifiers and other audio equipment also benefit from HDMI 2.1 – though it will mean upgrading all of your equipment.

For the last few generations, HDMI cables have had an Audio Return Channel (ARC), which means audio can be sent both ways between a TV and audio gear. This essentially enables a display to send its own audio – perhaps from a built-in Netflix app – to a soundbar or surround sound system, bypassing its own speakers.

Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) is nothing more than a simple update to keep pace with changes in audio codecs, specifically to include the new object-based audio codecs, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

"eARC ups the bandwidth significantly,” says Park. “Previously you were limited to two-channel PCM or legacy Dolby Digital or DTS audio, but with eARC that reverse channel can now support much higher bandwidth audio including Dolby True HD, DTS HD, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and other object-based audio at much higher bandwidths."

• HDMI Arc vs eARC: what is the new enhanced audio return channel?

HDMI 2.1: what is a 48G cable? 

This is about defining a new specification of a HDMI cable's speed, with so-called 48G cables (for now just a working title) offering 48Gbps bandwidth for sending uncompressed 8K video, with HDR, over a HDMI 2.1 cable.

So why do we need a 48G-rated cable? "Because we're carrying so much data now – we've gone from 18Gbps in HDMI 2.0 to 48Gbps in HDMI 2.1," says Park. "Today we have 'standard speed' and 'high speed' HDMI cables, and 48G will be related to that."

Ditto the compliance tests that each HDMI 2.1 cable will have to pass in order to be labelled as such. Backwards-compatible with earlier versions of the HDMI specification, and able to be used with existing HDMI devices.

HDMI 2.0 cables are all really the same, despite what some manufacturers will try to tell you with their branding – but an HDMI 2.1 cable with 48Gbps will be necessary to experience the technology's capabilities, and you'll need a compatible HDMI 2.1 port on any connecting hardware (TVs, soundbars) too.

HDMI 2.1 TV: what screens are out there?

Now we're in 2022, HDMI 2.1 has become much more commonplace. But 2021 is the year it went mainstream. Before that it only received piecemeal support on a handful of high-end sets, often with only one HDMI 2.1 port with two or three HDMI 2.0 ports alongside.

That's still the case with some manufacturers (the Sony A90J OLED features a mix of 2.1 and 2.0 inputs), while others are going all-in on HDMI 2.1 ports on their premium TV ranges. Both LG and Samsung are in this latter camp, and you can expect up to four HDMI 2.1 ports on select sets, especially the new TVs for 2022.

There are some solid options from last year from Sony if you're looking for HDMI 2.1 ports, like the Sony X90J, a native 120Hz TV with two full-spec HDMI 2.1 ports for the Xbox Series X and PS5. 

When it comes to Samsung, you'll find HMDI 2.1 in a handful of sets from last year, which includes the Samsung QN85A, and Samsung QN90A Neo QLED TV. But again, HDMI 2.1 will be available in more of Samsung's TVs for 2022.

Other brands have HDMI 2.1 options as well, including the TCL 6-Series 2021 8K QLED TV and the Vizio P-Series Quantum X.

• Best 120Hz 4K TVs for next-gen gaming

Jamie Carter originally contributed to this article.

Two-minute review

When it comes to home theatre, there are casual users that are satisfied with soundbars and enthusiasts that want a cinema-like experience with multiple speakers all around them.

Over the past few years soundbars are getting closer to offering a cinematic experience - especially those that include upward firing drivers, a set of rear speakers and a subwoofer, all of which deliver an immersive sound that works for most folk. 

However, that won't be enough for dedicated home theater enthusiasts - and that’s where the Sony HT-A9 comes in.

The HT-A9 is a set of four wireless speakers that communicate with each other wirelessly via a tiny box that's slightly larger than an Apple TV. This box attaches to an eARC port on your TV and also supports wireless standards such as Bluetooth, AirPlay and Google Cast to enjoy audio not just from your TV but also your phone, tablet and other devices.

The magic of the HT-A9 speaker system is that these speakers don't need to be perfectly positioned in your room. Each speaker uses internal microphones to dynamically locate other speakers and adjust the sound level so that you feel you’re at the center of the sound dome, no matter where you’re sitting in the room.

Each of the four speakers has an up-firing speaker, a soft dome type tweeter and a wide directivity woofer along with two microphones. Working together to bounce sound off your ceilings and walls, the speakers of the HT-A9 can create an additional twelve additional "phantom" speakers for a full 360-degree sound setup.

That creates limitations in the kinds of rooms the HT-A9 can be optimally used in, but if your TV room doesn't have very high or domed ceilings, the unit performs impressively.

We tested the HT-A9 with all kinds of movies and devices. Dolby Atmos works impressively and between the apps built into our TV, an Apple TV 4K and an Xbox Series X, we found the Xbox produced the best Atmos experience. The HT-A9 also impressed us with Apple Music and Spatial Audio on the Apple TV Plus app.

Sony does not include a subwoofer with the HT-A9 setup and anyone really serious about their audio will need to shell out some additional cash for one of the two wireless subwoofers that works with the HT-A9.

You also don’t have a dedicated center channel, but if you have a fairly new Sony TV, there is a 3.5mm cable that can be connected to your TV - this then allows your TV to act as a center channel. It's a slightly inelegant solution but it’s there for someone that wants to use it. 

Sony HT-A9 price and release date

Sony announced the HT-A9 along with its high-end soundbar HT-A7000 earlier this year in July, however it has only recently gone on sale. The HT-A9 Home Theater System costs $1,799.99 / £1,599 / AU$2,499 / AED 7,999.

It only comes in just one color which is light gray. Though the HT-A9 does not come with a subwoofer, Sony sells two different wireless models for it which are the SASW3 for $399 / £449 / AU$599 and SASW5 for $699 / £699 / AU4899.

Design

• A bit bulky when mounted on the walls
• Base unit is really small and can be easily hidden
• Even though the speakers are wireless, they need a power connection

The Sony HT-A9 consists of four wireless speakers and a base unit that connects to your TV while wirelessly communicating with the four speakers. This base unit measures 150mm x 150mm and has two HDMI ports on the back, along with power, Ethernet, and 3.5mm ports for connecting to newer Sony TVs. A USB port is also present but is only used for servicing the unit.

Each of the four speaker measures 313mm  x 160mm (HxW), with a rounded front and a flat back for mounting easily on walls. While the four speakers communicate wirelessly to the base, they do need to be powered up and connected to an outlet on your wall. 

For this reason, the speakers look better sitting on a table or stand than being wall-mounted, as you'll have electrical wires running from them to your outlet. They’re also on the bigger and bulkier side which is another reason you’d want to put them on a stand instead of the wall. Sony only makes the HT-A9 available in a light gray color even though black seems to the color preferred by most audio enthusiasts.

Setup

• The best way to connect them is using eARC port on your TV
• Setup process is extremely easy
• Included remote control isn't universal

Setting up the HT-A9 is as easy as connecting the base unit to your TV using an HDMI cable through the eARC port and powering up the four speakers. A setup process involves each speakers playing test tones that the mics on the other speakers pick up, allowing them to estimate their positions relative to each other.

Interestingly, these speakers don’t need to be equidistant from each other and can be placed at different height levels to each other, too. By learning the position of each of the surrounding speakers, the sound levels are automatically adjusted to give you the best sound experience.

Each of the four speakers has an up-firing speaker, a soft dome type tweeter and a wide directivity woofer along with two microphones. This allows the HT-A9 to create twelve of what Sony calls "phantom" speakers for a full 360-degree sound setup.

Alhough the HT-A9 has microphones and supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, it can only work as an output device. You can’t speak into it using Hey Google or Alexa commands, so you'll need another Google Assistant or Alexa speaker to make voice commands. 

If you have a new Sony TV, you can make it act as a center speaker focused on dialogue using the included 3.5mm cable. Ideally, Sony should have made this work using the HDMI cable as doing this means you have two wires going to your TV. 

Since HDMI CEC is supported, you can easily use your TV or other device’s remote to control the audio levels on the HT-A9 - but if you want to access specific options such as voice enhancement or choosing a particular mode like movie or song, you would need the HT-A9 remote for it.

The problem with the remote is that it’s not necessarily a universal remote. Even with the HT-A9 connected to a Sony TV, there was no way to bring up the TV’s home app or launch apps such as Netflix using the HT-A9’s remote. We had to use the TV’s remote control, instead.

For that purpose, we recommend connecting all devices directly to your TV and not using the second HDMI port on the HT-A9 unless you want to deal with multiple remotes and manually switching inputs. 

Audio performance

• Supports all kinds of wireless technologies
• Loud and rich sound with fantastic 360-degree sound experience
• Definitely a step up from a soundbar but can't replace a proper home-theater setup

The Sony HT-A9 supports almost all kinds of audio and wireless technology including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, hi-res audio, AirPlay, Bluetooth, GoogleCast and Alexa. The two ports on the base station are HDMI 2.1 compliant and support 4K/120 video. One of them connects to your TV through eARC while the other can take input from a separate source.

We connected the HT-A9 to the Sony A9G OLED TV using the eARC port, which brought all audio from the TV back to the HT-A9. This included audio from the Apple TV 4K and the Xbox Series X that were directly connected to the TV using HDMI cables.

The overall sound on the HT-A9 is loud and rich and easily covered our living room. It offers decent bass out of the box, but if you’re looking for anything more, you’ll have to invest in a subwoofer.

We tested a variety of apps across all three sources and the one the demonstrated the HT-A9 the best was the Dolby app on the Xbox series X which, not only has specific Atmos demos, but also clips from movies such as 1917 that highlight the incredible surround sound system.

Dolby Atmos-powered movies on Netflix also enhance your movie watching experience, and A Midnight Sky is a great example of that with subtle effects that delight. If you prefer loud noises then Michael Bay’s 6 Underground does the trick. 

It was also wonderful to listen to a Spatial Audio playlist on Apple TV, with tracks like Bohemian Rhapsody adding a new dimension to your listening experience. It’s great for parties and will definitely get the conversation going with your guests.

We found the HT-A9 to offer a better sound experience than any soundbar we’ve tested - not taking into account the lack of a subwoofer. The four speakers on the HT-A9 create a better sound array with phantom speakers that work surprisingly well for an immersive audio experience. 

Going into this review, we had a feeling that the HT-A9 would be an upgrade from using a soundbar, but the bigger question is whether the HT-A9 can replace a dedicated audio setup with a full sized receiver and true Dolby Atmos speaker setup? 

The answer to that is no. Physical speakers present on your ceilings or walls definitely create a more realistic and immersive experience and no amount of sounds bouncing off walls can replicate that.

That being said, high-end audio systems can get really expensive and difficult to set up with wiring and placements going into your walls and ceiling. They’re catered towards a hardcore home theatre enthusiast with a dedicated room specifically for enjoying movies.

For the rest of us, the Sony HT-A9 offers an excellent listening experience without messy wires or huge receivers. It’s definitely a step up from a sound bar for anyone looking to get a more immersive experience from their TV. If you have an average sized room with regular ceilings and you want a great 360-degree sound experience, the HT-A9 will work for you. 

Should I buy the Sony HT-A9?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Sonos is about to release a new version of the brand's flagship subwoofer – and it might make up for the disappointing lack of Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sonos deals.

The news comes from a Reddit user who spotted details of the so-called Sub Mini in the brand's S2 app. The user posted the details of the subwoofer, which appeared when they tapped the 'More information' button when adding a second Sub (Gen 3) (the brand's flagship subwoofer) to their Sonos system. They also uploaded a screenshot of the information screen.

As well as providing information on how to connect a second subwoofer to your home cinema setup, the page also revealed that the Sonos Sub Mini isn't supported in this process. 

Currently, the company doesn't have any products with this name, which suggests that a launch is on the horizon – and perhaps coming very soon, if details of the new subwoofer are already available in the Sonos S2 app. 

In a statement provided to Engadget, a Sonos spokesperson said that "we’re always working on ways to create an even better listening experience for customers, but we don’t have anything to share on our future product roadmap"; however we'd be surprised if the Sonos Sub Mini didn't launch in the next few months.

The page also reveals a little about the design of the Sub Mini, under a section titled 'How do I know if I have a Sub (Gen 3)?'. Apparently, the new subwoofer is "a smaller, cylindrical subwoofer" compared to the brand's existing lineup of relatively large, square devices.

A cheaper Sonos subwoofer? Count us in

Subwoofers like the Sonos Sub are a great way to boost the bass frequencies of your home cinema setup – especially if you have a smaller soundbar like the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), which doesn't sound as powerful as bigger models. 

Even if your soundbar is loud enough, a good subwoofer can add tension to movie soundtracks by enhancing the rumbling lowest frequencies, as well as making bass-heavy music sound more full-bodied. 

However, subwoofers don't always come cheap – and that's especially true of the Sonos Sub, which costs $749 / £749 / AU$1,099. If the new Sub Mini is a smaller version of the brand's existing subwoofers, it should be cheaper than this – is the same way the Sonos Beam is cheaper than its larger sibling, the Sonos Arc. 

Sonos pricing has been a point of contention in recent months. Back in September the company increased the prices of its wireless speakers and soundbars in what was seen as an unusal and surprising move. 

The Sonos Black Friday deals were particularly disappointing this year, too. There were very few discounts, even as we moved through Cyber Monday – perhaps as a result of the global chip shortages that been hitting the AV industry hard, affecting both stock and delivery times. 

In any case, a cheaper version of a Sonos product is always welcome – and even if Sonos is yet to confirm it, it looks like we'll be seeing a cheaper, more compact subwoofer in the next few months.

• Via Android Police

• Read our guide to the best soundbars you can buy today

The best universal remotes you can buy in 2021 bring more efficiency to your smart home set-up. They let you take full control of all of the gadgetry you have installed from one, simple-to-use remote. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the tech in your home, a universal remote is a great purchase to get the most from your devices. And as the festive period is now upon us, it's a fantastic time of year to grab a universal remote for you or a loved one this Christmas.

But how do you go about finding the ideal universal remote? There's lots of options available, meaning it can be tricky to figure out if the cheaper remotes out there will be good enough, or if you need to splash out on a $300 / £300 / AU$500 clicker that might not be worth it in the long-run.

To help you avoid overspending on one of the best universal remotes, we've put together a complete guide to everything you need to know about these futuristic clickers, including how they work, how much you should realistically spend on one for your home, and which models we'd recommend above all else.

With the rise of voice-activated smart speakers, like the Amazon Echo with Amazon Alexa and Google Home with Google Assistant, the humble universal remote may have less of a role to play in the present day living room than it had in its heyday a few years ago. That’s likely why one of the biggest makers of universal remotes, Logitech has recently said it will no longer be manufacturing its series of Harmony universal remotes – although support for them is still available. 

Even so, not everyone likes voice controls or finds them accessible, so until voice tech is advanced enough to take over entirely and interpret your voice perfectly, there are still reasons to palm the remote when you need it – even if you just want a premium experience with one of the best TVs.

So, which is the best universal remote you can buy, and what makes it worthy of your hard-earned cash?

What is a universal remote?

Simply put, universal remotes are more advanced remote controls – exactly like the ones that come with your TV. The difference is that these devices are able to imitate the signals sent by your TV's original remote, AV receiver or other device.

If you're wondering why you should buy one, there are two key scenarios where they're ideal: either you've lost your original remote and are looking at a pricey replacement, or you're wanting to have fewer remote controls because your AV experience needs streamlining.

The best universal remotes are the perfect answer in both cases, and almost every universal remote uses infrared (or IR): the same signal protocol used by remote manufacturers as well.

Take a step up in price, and many mid-tier universal remotes boast companion apps and large databases that let you just select the TV or receiver you have on your mobile device: it's quicker, easier and less of a hassle to add new devices, in case your AV setup ever changes. These remotes will also be able to support a larger number of devices with the one remote, as well as set up custom activities that action several commands at once.

One remote activity, which you might call Watch TV, could turn on your cable box, audio receiver and TV, change the receiver to the right channel and switch your TV to the right HDMI input, for example. Another popular option is to turn all of your equipment off with a single press of a button, but it's really up to you how you configure your remote.

Best high-end universal remotes

At $250 (£99, AU$449), the Logitech Harmony Elite obviously no small investment – and if you're not absolutely serious about the form and function of your home entertainment setup, then you needn't bother. But for anyone who wants one remote to control just about everything, you'd be hard-pressed to find anything that is both this functional and relatively easy to use out of the box.   

If your setup is complex and you're seeking some automation in your routine, or you just can't stand the sight of a handful of differently-shaped remotes laying on your couch, then the Logitech Harmony Elite might be a luxury worth splashing out for. Despite the occasional hitch, it's a powerful universal remote that can wrangle your audio/visual madness, plus it looks and feels pretty good doing so. 

The uptick in price is fully worth it for the number of devices that can be controlled with the one remote – 15 – compared to cheaper models that only support one.

Those after something even less pocket-draining for their universal remote should check out the Harmony 650, which has a display but no Harmony Hub support, and the Harmony 350, a basic £35/$38 remote that's a classic universal remote but can still combine the functions of eight remotes. 

If you're wanting to save money when shopping for the best universal remote you'll want something like the One For All Essence (which is only available in the UK by the way). These remotes work by utilizing a pattern of button presses to program the remote, selecting the right set of instructions for your hardware.

Manufacturers like Panasonic and Sony have only ever used a couple different patterns of instructions over the last decade or so for most of their TVs, and that means you can just cycle through them until you find the set of instructions that lets you operate the television you're trying to use.

In the US, you'll also see a plethora of low-price remote controls to choose from. And if you're buying for an elderly relative, or want a super-simple remote that only covers the TV basics, then the Doro HandleEasy lets you change volume and channels – it's been around for years, but is a great lo-fi gadget without any added complications. It's very cheap, too!  

Smartphones

Not convinced you need a universal remote? Why not save yourself a bit of cash and use a device you already own. Because you might be holding the answer to your home entertainment solution in your hand right now. 

That's because some phones will also function as universal remotes, although perhaps not the models you may think. They need to have a feature called an IR blaster, which enables them to transmit the same signals as a normal remote control.

These used to be somewhat common, but are now much rarer: current phones with an IR blaster include the Honor 9 and Huawei P20 Plus, and some Xiaomi phones have one too. The common thread is of course that these are Chinese companies.

The most recent mainstream phones to feature IR blasters were the LG G5 and LG V20, while the last flagship Samsungs with IR were the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, and those came out several years ago. These phones have apps that let you configure your own setup, with on-screen buttons for (almost) all your remotes' functions. 

We know people who owned phones with IR blasters a few years ago, but who ended up spending a significant amount of cash on a universal remote, oblivious to their phone's abilities.

Have a phone with an IR blaster? You might want to check out a third-party remote control app like Peel or Sure, as these have a smarter interface than most of the built-in apps you'll come across.

Smart Home

A weakness that the vast majority of universal remotes share is that they can't control most smart home devices, or indeed the Sony PlayStation 4. This is because they use either Bluetooth, RF or Wi-Fi instead of our old friend infrared. 

With that in mind you might not need a universal remote at all: instead, the answer might be to invest in a hub that supports these other standards, and right now you have two major options. 

Logitech offers the best, and the most popular one – the Logitech Home Hub is compatible with Microsoft and Sony game consoles, and a wide range of smart home gadgets including Philips Hue lights. It connects to your home Wi-Fi network, and can be controlled either by a mobile app or one of Logitech's higher-end remotes if you prefer.

Using one of the Harmony series' tasty macro activities, you could therefore set the lighting level for movie night, as well as turning on your AV setup, with a single press on a button... welcome to the future.

Take a look at our Logitech discount codes for the best Logitech offers and savings.

Elsewhere, the Broadlink RM and RM Pro are hubs that can control IR and RF (Pro model) devices through a mobile phone app. They're significantly cheaper than the Logitech Home Hub, although as they don't use Bluetooth you can't use them to control a Sony PS4 console.

That gives you another low-cost way to make up for the lack of an IR blaster.

Voice control

While it can't match the complete control capabilities of a universal remote, the Amazon Fire TV Cube allows you to control most functions on your TV using your voice.

By packing in the smart functionality and speakers of an Amazon Echo, it's a versatile smart speaker as well as competent media player and streamer. For the 2019 version of the Cube, the processor upgrade and inclusion of Dolby Vision are great new additions and, in spite of a few shortcomings, help to solidify the Cube's spot as one of the best streaming players to be released this year.

Yes, technically speaking you could do almost everything the Fire TV Cube does with an Amazon Echo Dot and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, but the hexacore processor-powered box moves faster and creates fewer frustrations. It's a cliche to say it, but the Fire TV Cube is greater than the sum of its parts.

Read the full review: Amazon Fire TV Cube (2019)

One additional benefit of the Logitech Home Hub system is that you can already control it through Amazon's digital voice assistant Alexa.

If you have an Amazon Echo, or an Echo Dot, or any other product with Alexa built-in, you can add a Harmony skill to it: using this you can say something like "Alexa, tell Harmony to turn on the TV", and it'll do exactly that (we've tried it out as part of our research for this guide, and it works rather well). 

One day we'll be able to control everything over Wi-Fi, but until that day arrives, it's reassuring to see that universal remotes aren't content to become 'retro' gadgets – they’re actually keeping up with the times.

Best universal remotes FAQs: quick questions answered

• Got your ultimate remote? Good. Now check out the best TVs out there

In the market for one of the best gaming TVs? Whether you're after the best TV for PS5, the best TV for Xbox Series X, or the ideal 1080p display that’s perfect for your Nintendo Switch, then you’ve found the right guide for you.

You might not necessarily need a new gaming TV if your next big console buy is the Steam Deck, of course, but a new display might still be worth keeping in mind for purposes beyond gaming.

Much like with the best gaming PCs, the best gaming TVs try to cover all fronts in terms of the user experience. While these TVs are fantastic for gaming, certain specifications like 4K and HDR make activities outside of gaming - such as watching movies and shows – an absolute joy. On the flipside, you’ll find that most mid-range and premium displays will also feature gaming-specific modes as manufacturers catch on to gaming’s ever-increasing popularity.

AOP Product Block + Text (CB)

If you want to amp your space but don't exactly have a ton of space to amp, consider shelves that run vertically instead of horizontally. Greenco's set of five shelves is made with durable MDF laminate, a cost-efficient alternative to solid wood. The modern, ergonomic shelves will proudly display mementos like photographs, plants, and trinkets.

The shelves are finished with a lovely deep down espresso color that will match any wall color with grace and elegance. Everything you'll need for assembly is included.

• Constructed with MDF laminate
• Dark brown glossy finish
• 5 tiers

Buying Guide Block (AC)

Streaming is now a massive part of the gaming experience, and everyone wants to try and be the next Ninja. To make a living at it, though, you'll need to spend some money to get the equipment that will help you succeed. So we've put together a list of some of the best PS4 streaming equipment and also PS5 accessories that will help you reach the audience you want while retaining some great streaming quality. Don't worry about compatibility. Many of these picks work with the PS5, so you can stream the best PS5 games on the new console.

The Blue Yeti X is the gold standard for USB microphones. Streaming with one of these produces sharp tones and an all-around great sound. It has a gain dial built-in, a mute button on the front, real-time LED monitoring, and a jack to put your favorite headphones in to monitor your output. It's a must-have for streaming or recording.

Product Block (AC)

Streaming is now a massive part of the gaming experience, and everyone wants to try and be the next Ninja. To make a living at it, though, you'll need to spend some money to get the equipment that will help you succeed. So we've put together a list of some of the best PS4 streaming equipment and also PS5 accessories that will help you reach the audience you want while retaining some great streaming quality. Don't worry about compatibility. Many of these picks work with the PS5, so you can stream the best PS5 games on the new console.

We’re now well in the midst of a new wave of TV technologies, with HDMI 2.1 acting as the gold standard for accurate display of 4K/120Hz gameplay, as well as reliable variable refresh rate performance and input lag-reduction. As such, there’s never been a better time to look at buying one of the best gaming TVs.

Plus, there’s no reason to miss out if you’re sticking to older consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One, or the 1080p-maxed Nintendo Switch. The best gaming TVs featured here still offer crystal clear image quality and low input lag, which can certainly make more colorful titles like Super Mario Odyssey or Fortnite really pop.

And if 60Hz isn’t enough for your gaming needs, you may want to consider looking at a TV that supports higher frame rates. In which case, you should check out our best 120Hz 4K TV buying guide to suit your needs.

Certain gaming TVs may be better suited better to one console over another, too. For instance, the PS5’s 3D Audio doesn’t support Dolby Atmos sound, whereas the Xbox Series X/S does. These specialist formats may not be an issue for everyone, but there are key hardware differences that need to be kept in mind.

We have vast amounts of experience when it comes to reviewing the best gaming TVs on the market – and while keeping track of PS5 restocks remains a frustratingly difficult task, those of you lucky enough to own Sony’s elusive console – or the Xbox Series X/S or Nintendo Switch – need look no further than the gaming TVs listed below.

• What is VRR? Variable refresh rate explained

Best TV for PS5

The Sony X90J 4K TV sees the company behind the PS5 finally get its TVs in line. While last year's Sony TV range was marred by inconsistent support for HDMI 2.1, this year's range gets the input standard right, with two HDMI 2.1 ports for connecting next-gen games consoles. 

There are two other HDMI 2.0 ports too for lower-specified consoles like the Nintendo Switch – and while some gaming TVs below have four ports at a 2.1 specification, we reckon most will do just fine with what the X90J offers.

The X90J has a 120Hz panel with 4K resolution and two full-spec HDMI 2.1 ports for your PS5, with VRR (variable refresh rate) and ALLM (auto low latency mode, for sub-10ms lag) to really up your gaming experience. Just be sure to head into the picture settings and switch on 'Enhanced format' for your selected HDMI port, otherwise you won't get the benefit of its 2.1 specification.

It has excellent image quality, thanks in part to a new Cognitive XR processor rolled out to Sony's top 2021 sets, making for excellent upscaling and contrast control. The X90J also sports the new Google TV smart platform, for easy setup and broad app support as well as the perks of Google Cast from Android devices.

There are still a few lingering issues, including some middling off-axis viewing and struggles with direct daylight – and the X90J will no doubt be beaten by the capabilities of its step-up X95J model for a small uptick in cost. Still, the Sony X90J succeeds in delivering stellar performance for a reasonable price. 

Read the full review: Sony X90J 4K TV

Best TV for Xbox Series X

If you want the best gaming TV with a knockout OLED screen, then the LG C1 is  your best bet.

With a 4K OLED display, you can expect truly breathtaking black levels and an 'infinite' contrast ratio (the range between the darkest and brightest parts of the screen) to a level the gaming TV above can only dream of.

You're getting four dedicated HDMI 2.1 ports (ideal for plugging in multiple consoles) and even comes with a new Game Optimiser menu that gives you the option to quickly adjust brightness, contrast and VRR (variable refresh rate) on the fly. You can expect 4K/120fps support for any compatible games, too, as well as sub-1ms input lag. 

With Dolby Vision HDR and Atmos support, too, you'll be able to make the most of out your Xbox Series X – given the PS5 doesn't currently support these technologies.

All in all, the LG C1 is a massively specified television, and LG's work to attract gamer's is very clear, especially with the addition of Nvidia FreeSync support last year for those hooking up a gaming PC to their television. You can always opt for last year's LG CX too, which has largely the same specifications for a little less cost.

If you have concerns around image retention, when static sections of a picture (say, a HUD) are looped so often that they permanently mark the panel, we wouldn't worry. This isn't a sizeable risk, especially since OLED TV makers have developed 'screen shift' technologies to regularly adjust the placement of onscreen pictures to help prevent this (via LG).

Read the full review: LG C1 OLED

More gaming TVs

Sure, there are more expensive new Samsung TVs out there, but none make the case for gaming quite like the Samsung Q80T. As much as we'd like to recommend higher-end models like the Q95T or (moving into 8K territory) the Q950TS, it's the Q80T that really nails that price-performance ratio. (It's no coincidence you'll find it in our guide to the best 65-inch TVs too.)

Launched in 2020, it was the cheapest Samsung QLED with a full-array backlight, meaning you don't have to skimp with an edge-lit display (like last year's Q60R). Despite the name, it's also the successor to last year's Q70R, which previously topped this guide – but beating the Q70R's 14ms input lag with an exceptionally low 8.7ms. That means you'll get as little delay as possible between button mashing your controller and seeing the action onscreen.

That figure is reached by turning off Game Motion Plus (which reduces screen judder), but even without it you'll get a respectable 19.7ms.

There's only one HDMI 2.1 port, so this is the best gaming TV for you only if you stick to the PS5 or the Xbox Series X and not both – or don't mind plugging and unplugging every time to want to switch devices. But as a slightly older model compared to the top screens above, this might be the best bet for a gamer still using an Xbox One or PS4, who wants good gaming performance without a truly next-gen price tag.

The OTS sound system also means you're getting some serious audio credentials – whether you're listening to the cry of enemies or the ambient sounds of walking simulators.

You won't get Dolby Vision here, either, so if you are looking for a PS5 TV, this should still be a decent choice in the long run.

Read the full review: Samsung Q80T QLED TV

Just need a cheap gaming TV, whatever you console might be? Take a look at the truly spectacular TU8000 Series. You'll get an incredibly low input lag (just 9.7ms) as well as a motion handling technology to keep the action looking consistently smooth. What else could you ask for?

You're not getting all of the gaming technologies of some other sets in this list, as HDMI 2.1, VRR (variable refresh rate), or a 120Hz panel – but for the everyday gamer, this is a set that gets the basics very right.

You will need to watch out for the narrow viewing angles: content looks best straight on, with color draining from the sides, so it might not be the best choice for four-party Switch game sessions. On the whole, though, this is a solid choice for those wanting a gaming TV on the cheap.

Read the full review: Samsung TU8000

If you have deep pockets and a checkbook filled with blank checks, we’d tell you to reach deep and shell out for only the best 4K TVs on the market – or the pricier models listed above. But that’s not always realistic: for the vast, vast majority of us, our budget to spend on a 4K UHD TV is limited to somewhere under $1,000 – and often it's even less than that. 

To that end, it’s absolutely fair to say that the TCL 6-Series is the best TV you can possibly get in this price range. Its performance per dollar is unmatched and its picture quality – despite a few minor flaws – will truly impress you for what you're paying.

Said simply, if there’s a better value 4K TV on the market, we’ve yet to see it. If you're not based in the US, though, read on for other affordable gaming TVs worth considering.

Read the full review: TCL 6-Series (R615, R617)

The Sony X900H/XH90 is a solid choice for a mid-spec LCD television, offering smooth motion, excellent HDR, and capable processing all at a reasonable price point – even at this massive 75-inch size.

You may be wondering why we're featuring the XH90 instead of the higher-spec XH95 model, but it's worth noting that the former is the only of the two that offers HDMI 2.1 support. While it didn't launch with the TV, a firmware update in late 2020 brought the HDMI 2.1 standard to two of the television's ports, making it a smart choice for an affordable 4K TV with good support for dedicated gaming TV features.

You're getting under 10ms of input lag in the dedicated Game Mode, and you can get up to 120fps on this TV's panel at 4K resolution – reportedly with some blur issues, meaning this TV is a bit lower in this list than others, though an early 2021 update seems to have fixed them. 

You're not getting VRR (variable refresh rate) or ALLM (auto low latency mode) just yet either, but Sony is expected to introduce it at some point. With Sony's X1 Ultimate processor, and basic HDMI 2.1 support, you can't go overly wrong here.

The upscaling is on point too for showing off HD sources, while the 20W of audio offer full-bodied sound and even Atmos support, making a dedicated soundbar less of an urgent buy.

Read the full review: Sony X900H/XH90

Why upgrade?

Why to upgrade your gaming TV

You may be wondering why you need a gaming-specific television. After all, won't a regular TV do the job just fine?

Sure, any old HD or 4K TV will be able to display the picture information sent through from a games console, as long as it has an HDMI 2.0 port. But there are a host of reasons worth getting a TV with dedicated gaming specification, to really elevate your play in how it looks, sounds, and feels.

Low, low input lag

If you’re a really serious gamer – especially when it comes to reaction-based online games – you need to care about input lag. That's the time it takes for a particular TV to render image data received at its inputs. Obviously you’re looking for low numbers if you don’t want to be gunned down by an opponent your TV hasn’t even shown yet!

Manufacturers don’t tend to provide input lag figures in their provided specifications. However, we generally measure input lag on the TVs we test, and have provided the measurements for each set included in this guide.

4K resolution

If you're looking for one of the best TVs for gaming, the most basic requirement is 4K. The Xbox One S outputs all of its games in 4K, which is achieved via surprisingly good built-in upscaling, though the Xbox One X is required for native, game engine-integrated 4K support. The PS4 Pro also outputs games in 4K, using a mix of upscaling and in-game enhancement – while the Nintendo Switch only outputs at HD to a TV, though there's chatter around a possible 4K refresh coming in 2021.

Frame rate handling

Now that the Xbox One X is almost here and promising native 4K resolution games running at 60 frames a second, make sure that whatever TV you buy has the latest specification HDMI sockets. If it doesn’t have at least one HDMI socket built to the v2.0a specification, it won’t be able to receive 4K resolution at anything higher than 30 frames a second.

Fortunately far more of this year’s 4K TVs do feature HDMI 2.0a sockets than in previous years, but it’s still something that’s worth double checking - especially if you’re buying a particularly cheap TV.

The new HDMI 2.1 standard will no doubt become the benchmark for high-end gaming in time, but we're yet to see it really rolled out across commercially-available sets.

High dynamic range (and high peak brightness)

Sitting right alongside 4K in today’s video world is high dynamic range (HDR) technology. This delivers pictures with a much wider light range than the standard dynamic range pictures we’ve been living with for decades in a bid to get the pictures we’re seeing on our screens looking closer to the way our eyes see the real world.

This is something the Xbox Series X has an advantage in, with an Auto HDR feature that applies some HDR magic even to SDR games that haven't been purposefully remastered for high dynamic range. The PS5, as well as last-gen consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One, though, do display in HDR in games that support the format.

The Xbox Series X also supports Dolby Vision – a dynamic HDR format with more precisely calibrated contrast – though currently only for streaming apps. You won't find it supported on the built-in 4K Blu-ray player, or actually in any Xbox Series X games – though that latter point is expected to be amended before 2021 is out.

• Xbox Series X Dolby Vision and Atmos: what’s supported, and what isn’t?

Most people would say that HDR delivers more impact than 4K, especially on small TVs. The only problem is that HDR puts a lot of pressure on a TV, since it demands both much more brightness than SDR, and better contrast so that the extra brightness and deeper blacks can potentially share the screen simultaneously.

Many movies and games target 1,000 nits or so for their brightest elements, so if you have a TV less bright than that it won’t unlock HDR’s full potential. That's especially true in a video game environment, where graphics can be more stark in contrast terms than ‘real life’ tends to be.

Bit depth

When considering HDR, you might want to think about your gaming TV’s bit depth. too. The best HDR experience requires a 10-bit screen able to support 1024 values of each RGB colour – otherwise you'll get an inferior colour performance, including, possibly, colour striping where you should see subtle blends. Most premium HDR TVs these days are 10-bit, but it’s far from a given at the affordable end of the TV market.

Xbox and PlayStation consoles automatically assess the bit-depth of your TV and select the optimum HDR video output accordingly. Xbox models even provide a description of your TV’s capabilities under 4K TV Details in its Advanced Video Settings menu.

To be clear, it’s entirely possible for an 8-bit TV to deliver a good HDR colour performance if they have a strong video processing engine – but 10-bit panels certainly have an immediate advantage.

One other point to add here is that some TVs – including high-end Samsung models – actually support 12-bit colour management/processing, even though their panels are only natively 10-bit. Xbox consoles however do provide Colour Depth boxes in their Video Fidelity settings that let you select the maximum bit performance for your particular TV.

Color purity

Another advanced setting but important thing to consider for the ultimate gaming visuals is chroma subsampling.

This video compression term refers to a TV’s colour purity, and is usually written in such terms as 4:4:4 and 4:2:0. These numbers reveal how many pixels colour is sampled from in the top and bottom rows for every two rows of four pixels. So with 4:2:0, for instance, colour is being sampled from two pixels in the top row and no pixels in the bottom row.

From this it follows that the bigger the numbers are, the purer the colour performance will be, as there’s less ‘guesstimating’ of what colours should look like. The problem is, full 4:4:4 colour support requires a lot of extra image data, and so cannot be handled by the HDMI connections or processing of all TVs.

In truth, the differences in picture quality between 4:4:4 and 4:2:2 and even 4:2:0 aren’t usually enormous. They can be more pronounced with gaming graphics than video, though, so it’s worth trying to check what a TV you’re thinking of buying can support – even though it’s not information regularly carried in TV spec lists. The latest consoles are pretty good at detecting the optimum chroma subsampling a TV can support, automatically adjusting their outputs according.

It’s something that can cause annoying ‘handshaking’ issues with some TVs, though, and home consoles now tend to provide subsampling ‘limiter’ options in their video output menus (‘Enable 4:2:2’ on the Xbox One S, and 2160 YUV4:2:0 on the PS4 Pro). 

Surround sound

Sound design has always played an integral part in a great gaming experience. It’s getting taken to another level these days, though, with the arrival of surround sound gaming. In fact, the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X even support Dolby Atmos: Dolby’s most advanced sound system yet, which introduces a height channel and ‘object based’ precision to the soundstage.

Things to pay attention to are whether speakers are facing forwards (as this will almost always give you a more direct, clean sound); rated power output; whether there’s a dedicated bass speaker (often found on a TV’s rear); built-in soundbars; and the number of individual speakers used.

Sony is making much of the '3D Audio' capability of the PS5, too, so expect good TV speakers to become even more crucial when the next-gen console launches. (There's no Dolby Atmos support on the PS5, though.)

Do you need an 8K gaming TV?

The short answer? No.

While 8K games are absolutely on the horizon, and the PS5 / Xbox Series X console come with this capability baked-in, there's no immediate need to get an 8K TV for gaming. Gaming devs are still getting to grips with 4K performance, and in general other picture specifications like a high frame rate (60fps, 120fps) are going to be more important in the coming years.

In 2025, maybe it'll be a different answer, but for now we think the 4K gaming TVs listed above will do you just fine.

• After a compact, mid-price set? Check out these 40-inch TVs
• Read our guide to the best games console
• Check out where to buy PS5 and where to buy Xbox Series X too

In the market for one of the best gaming TVs? Whether you're after the best TV for PS5, the best TV for Xbox Series X, or the ideal 1080p display that’s perfect for your Nintendo Switch, then you’ve found the right guide for you.

You might not necessarily need a new gaming TV if your next big console buy is the Steam Deck, of course, but a new display might still be worth keeping in mind for purposes beyond gaming.

Much like with the best gaming PCs, the best gaming TVs try to cover all fronts in terms of the user experience. While these TVs are fantastic for gaming, certain specifications like 4K and HDR make activities outside of gaming - such as watching movies and shows – an absolute joy. On the flipside, you’ll find that most mid-range and premium displays will also feature gaming-specific modes as manufacturers catch on to gaming’s ever-increasing popularity.

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If you want to amp your space but don't exactly have a ton of space to amp, consider shelves that run vertically instead of horizontally. Greenco's set of five shelves is made with durable MDF laminate, a cost-efficient alternative to solid wood. The modern, ergonomic shelves will proudly display mementos like photographs, plants, and trinkets.

The shelves are finished with a lovely deep down espresso color that will match any wall color with grace and elegance. Everything you'll need for assembly is included.

• Constructed with MDF laminate
• Dark brown glossy finish
• 5 tiers

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Streaming is now a massive part of the gaming experience, and everyone wants to try and be the next Ninja. To make a living at it, though, you'll need to spend some money to get the equipment that will help you succeed. So we've put together a list of some of the best PS4 streaming equipment and also PS5 accessories that will help you reach the audience you want while retaining some great streaming quality. Don't worry about compatibility. Many of these picks work with the PS5, so you can stream the best PS5 games on the new console.

The Blue Yeti X is the gold standard for USB microphones. Streaming with one of these produces sharp tones and an all-around great sound. It has a gain dial built-in, a mute button on the front, real-time LED monitoring, and a jack to put your favorite headphones in to monitor your output. It's a must-have for streaming or recording.

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Streaming is now a massive part of the gaming experience, and everyone wants to try and be the next Ninja. To make a living at it, though, you'll need to spend some money to get the equipment that will help you succeed. So we've put together a list of some of the best PS4 streaming equipment and also PS5 accessories that will help you reach the audience you want while retaining some great streaming quality. Don't worry about compatibility. Many of these picks work with the PS5, so you can stream the best PS5 games on the new console.

We’re now well in the midst of a new wave of TV technologies, with HDMI 2.1 acting as the gold standard for accurate display of 4K/120Hz gameplay, as well as reliable variable refresh rate performance and input lag-reduction. As such, there’s never been a better time to look at buying one of the best gaming TVs.

Plus, there’s no reason to miss out if you’re sticking to older consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One, or the 1080p-maxed Nintendo Switch. The best gaming TVs featured here still offer crystal clear image quality and low input lag, which can certainly make more colorful titles like Super Mario Odyssey or Fortnite really pop.

And if 60Hz isn’t enough for your gaming needs, you may want to consider looking at a TV that supports higher frame rates. In which case, you should check out our best 120Hz 4K TV buying guide to suit your needs.

Certain gaming TVs may be better suited better to one console over another, too. For instance, the PS5’s 3D Audio doesn’t support Dolby Atmos sound, whereas the Xbox Series X/S does. These specialist formats may not be an issue for everyone, but there are key hardware differences that need to be kept in mind.

We have vast amounts of experience when it comes to reviewing the best gaming TVs on the market – and while keeping track of PS5 restocks remains a frustratingly difficult task, those of you lucky enough to own Sony’s elusive console – or the Xbox Series X/S or Nintendo Switch – need look no further than the gaming TVs listed below.

• What is VRR? Variable refresh rate explained

Best TV for PS5

The Sony X90J 4K TV sees the company behind the PS5 finally get its TVs in line. While last year's Sony TV range was marred by inconsistent support for HDMI 2.1, this year's range gets the input standard right, with two HDMI 2.1 ports for connecting next-gen games consoles. 

There are two other HDMI 2.0 ports too for lower-specified consoles like the Nintendo Switch – and while some gaming TVs below have four ports at a 2.1 specification, we reckon most will do just fine with what the X90J offers.

The X90J has a 120Hz panel with 4K resolution and two full-spec HDMI 2.1 ports for your PS5, with VRR (variable refresh rate) and ALLM (auto low latency mode, for sub-10ms lag) to really up your gaming experience. Just be sure to head into the picture settings and switch on 'Enhanced format' for your selected HDMI port, otherwise you won't get the benefit of its 2.1 specification.

It has excellent image quality, thanks in part to a new Cognitive XR processor rolled out to Sony's top 2021 sets, making for excellent upscaling and contrast control. The X90J also sports the new Google TV smart platform, for easy setup and broad app support as well as the perks of Google Cast from Android devices.

There are still a few lingering issues, including some middling off-axis viewing and struggles with direct daylight – and the X90J will no doubt be beaten by the capabilities of its step-up X95J model for a small uptick in cost. Still, the Sony X90J succeeds in delivering stellar performance for a reasonable price. 

Read the full review: Sony X90J 4K TV

Best TV for Xbox Series X

If you want the best gaming TV with a knockout OLED screen, then the LG C1 is  your best bet.

With a 4K OLED display, you can expect truly breathtaking black levels and an 'infinite' contrast ratio (the range between the darkest and brightest parts of the screen) to a level the gaming TV above can only dream of.

You're getting four dedicated HDMI 2.1 ports (ideal for plugging in multiple consoles) and even comes with a new Game Optimiser menu that gives you the option to quickly adjust brightness, contrast and VRR (variable refresh rate) on the fly. You can expect 4K/120fps support for any compatible games, too, as well as sub-1ms input lag. 

With Dolby Vision HDR and Atmos support, too, you'll be able to make the most of out your Xbox Series X – given the PS5 doesn't currently support these technologies.

All in all, the LG C1 is a massively specified television, and LG's work to attract gamer's is very clear, especially with the addition of Nvidia FreeSync support last year for those hooking up a gaming PC to their television. You can always opt for last year's LG CX too, which has largely the same specifications for a little less cost.

If you have concerns around image retention, when static sections of a picture (say, a HUD) are looped so often that they permanently mark the panel, we wouldn't worry. This isn't a sizeable risk, especially since OLED TV makers have developed 'screen shift' technologies to regularly adjust the placement of onscreen pictures to help prevent this (via LG).

Read the full review: LG C1 OLED

More gaming TVs

Sure, there are more expensive new Samsung TVs out there, but none make the case for gaming quite like the Samsung Q80T. As much as we'd like to recommend higher-end models like the Q95T or (moving into 8K territory) the Q950TS, it's the Q80T that really nails that price-performance ratio. (It's no coincidence you'll find it in our guide to the best 65-inch TVs too.)

Launched in 2020, it was the cheapest Samsung QLED with a full-array backlight, meaning you don't have to skimp with an edge-lit display (like last year's Q60R). Despite the name, it's also the successor to last year's Q70R, which previously topped this guide – but beating the Q70R's 14ms input lag with an exceptionally low 8.7ms. That means you'll get as little delay as possible between button mashing your controller and seeing the action onscreen.

That figure is reached by turning off Game Motion Plus (which reduces screen judder), but even without it you'll get a respectable 19.7ms.

There's only one HDMI 2.1 port, so this is the best gaming TV for you only if you stick to the PS5 or the Xbox Series X and not both – or don't mind plugging and unplugging every time to want to switch devices. But as a slightly older model compared to the top screens above, this might be the best bet for a gamer still using an Xbox One or PS4, who wants good gaming performance without a truly next-gen price tag.

The OTS sound system also means you're getting some serious audio credentials – whether you're listening to the cry of enemies or the ambient sounds of walking simulators.

You won't get Dolby Vision here, either, so if you are looking for a PS5 TV, this should still be a decent choice in the long run.

Read the full review: Samsung Q80T QLED TV

Just need a cheap gaming TV, whatever you console might be? Take a look at the truly spectacular TU8000 Series. You'll get an incredibly low input lag (just 9.7ms) as well as a motion handling technology to keep the action looking consistently smooth. What else could you ask for?

You're not getting all of the gaming technologies of some other sets in this list, as HDMI 2.1, VRR (variable refresh rate), or a 120Hz panel – but for the everyday gamer, this is a set that gets the basics very right.

You will need to watch out for the narrow viewing angles: content looks best straight on, with color draining from the sides, so it might not be the best choice for four-party Switch game sessions. On the whole, though, this is a solid choice for those wanting a gaming TV on the cheap.

Read the full review: Samsung TU8000