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HDMI 2.1 TVs - Worth the upgrade from an older 4k set?

I upgraded from a 2019 HDMI 2.0 TV to a 2023 HDMI 2.1 TV and it's been completely worth it. 4K/120 with HDMI VRR and GSync support have been amazing. Input lag just keeps getting better and better too, playing Super Mario Bros Wonder has been amazing with 1080p input lag at around 10ms as tested by RTings. Highly recommend.
 
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VRR is awesome.

120 FPS on PS5... not so much. The IQ hit is usually very substantial and visible on 55". Pro should make it much better, but you'll have to wait a year.
 

Pimpbaa

Member
VRR is great. Good for those games that dip below 60fps. Also cool for games that offer performance mode with unlocked framerate. 40fps modes are great too for slower paced games or games that handle low framerates really well (like Insomniac games).
 

CamHostage

Member
Make sure to not shop by HDMI version number; it's a virtually meaningless stat. (They even sometimes allow devices previous versions to call themselves the new spec if they remain in full compatibility.)

2.1 doesn't mean it has all the features that the 2.1 spec introduces/carries. It just means that it's certified to work with other 2.1 devices on the features both do support.

Make a list of the features you do want and feel are worth the upgrade and shop by those features. Then, go look at that model in a store (and try out the interface, if you can.)
 
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CamHostage

Member
There has been no new refinements in TV tech that will affect gaming since VRR became a TV standard. Nor is there anything on the horizon that I've been made aware of.

There are a few things on the distant horizon, but not at any cost you'd want to consider. MicroLEDs sound amazing, but $20K-100K+ is kind of a lot to spend on a TV even when prices do come down...

I think now's a good time for what's out there for a while.

Personally I miss 3D TVs. Playing games like Gears 3, Uncharted 3, Arkham City, and Halo Anniversary in 3D was an experience like no other.

Me too. I get all the jokes and complaints about how 3D was sold to people who hated ever having to use it, but for those who had a good set and enjoyed 3D movies and especially games, it's a shame the options are just not out there to upgrade if wanted. (And 3D TVs would be much better these days, since the framerate could be much higher and resolution per eye would be full 1080P or better and crosstalk would be much less and brightness would compensate for the glasses way cleaner... I think it'd also even be cheaper to make it today, since TVs have lots of processing power and match standard features, so Active Shudder glasses should be a breeze without special hardware, yet you can't get the sets and there's no UHD 3D content. Too bad.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
That's it, that's the question. I have a 5(ish) year old TCL 6 series that still looks decent enough picture quality wise, but am kind of getting the bug to upgrade to one with VRR, 120hz, QLED better picture and all that, especially with PS5 Pro possibly coming. I'm not looking to bump to a $2k OLED or anything, but thinking something like the HiSense U7K and bumping up from my current 55" to a 65" or so.

I'm thinking I'm gonna keep tabs on pricing through the holiday season and see if I can find a deal that makes sense. Any of you guys that have sidegraded/upgraded and regretted it?
Oh one other thing too.

Your TCL 6 series is already 4k. But make sure when you go for a better tv that the HDMI cables can fully support the specs (ie. 120 hz). If you are amping up to a modern TV, might as well amp up your cables if your current ones arent great.

I got these at Costco. Online they are $40 CDN, but in store they were like $25-30 tops. These cables also prevented all this green artifacting I was getting watching 4k TV. A gaf poster a year or two ago said the cables probably have better shielding so it prevented my clusterfuck of cables all bunched together behind my media stand from interfering. I originally exchanged my 4k cable box thinking it was that, but got the same issue. Switched out the default HDMI that came with the cable box for the Costco ones and it solved everything.

 
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Don't cheap out on the cables for 4K/120 support. Buy certified ones, it's worth it instead of dealing with signal that cuts out or corrupts. I have had zero problems with 4K/120 + HDR + VRR support outputting from my gaming PC to my receiver to my TV using the Monoprice certified cables.

 
More advice for the home theater types:

If you are going to use an AV Receiver like I do, get one from the 2022/2023 model years which have HDMI 2.1 ports on all inputs, not just one or two. Don't be tempted to save money on an earlier model receiver, the early HDMI 2.1 receivers have had a lot of problems. It's not worth saving a few bucks to fuck around with the previous model years which might or might not work for you.

I have a Denon X3800H and it works great, it passes the signal from my gaming PC and my PS5 to my Samsung QN85C with no issues whatsoever. Recent model year receivers all support ALLM, my input chain always switches to Game Mode automatically without me doing anything on my PS5, gaming PC, and Switch. Most new receivers also support true signal pass-through, meaning that the video signal is sent untouched directly from source to TV and therefore truly adds zero lag to the signal at the receiver stage of the input chain.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
More advice for the home theater types:

If you are going to use an AV Receiver like I do, get one from the 2022/2023 model years which have HDMI 2.1 ports on all inputs, not just one or two. Don't be tempted to save money on an earlier model receiver, the early HDMI 2.1 receivers have had a lot of problems. It's not worth saving a few bucks to fuck around with the previous model years which might or might not work for you.

I have a Denon X3800H and it works great, it passes the signal from my gaming PC and my PS5 to my Samsung QN85C with no issues whatsoever. Recent model year receivers all support ALLM, my input chain always switches to Game Mode automatically without me doing anything on my PS5, gaming PC, and Switch. Most new receivers also support true signal pass-through, meaning that the video signal is sent untouched directly from source to TV and therefore truly adds zero lag to the signal at the receiver stage of the input chain.
I agree with this.

I never bothered with a good receiver as I just cheaped out on a soundbar as good enough and I hook up my Series X direct to the TV, but when I was tempted to get a receiver years back there was a Yamaha RXV4A (I think) which at the time had good features, was a decent price but the key caveat was some high end features werent available yet. They were working on a patch. I never bothered anyway so I dont know if the patch happened, but at the time I was thinking do I save $200 and wait for a patch? Or get a Denon 700 or 800 and it has all the features standard?

If I ever get a receiver now, I'd just pay the money and get a fully featured gadget.
 
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Neilg

Member
TV's have stagnated a little in the last few years, you can get a good deal on them now. Wait until early in the new year when the old sets are being sold off for the new models to come out - go on price tracker websites and look at some older models to see patterns and trends when they dip and how far below RRP you can expect them to go.
Never buy a new tv in the year it's released. My TV would have cost $5200 if i'd bought it 12 months earlier and I got it for $2k flat. the newer model came out at $5500 and the difference was so minor.
 

Sethbacca

Member
So what are you going to do OP?

get the u8k, go on you know you want to
Keep my eyes on pricing between Black Friday and New Years and probably upgrade if I can find a deal that makes sense. I have someone who will buy my 6 series off me so it’s really just a question of wait and see at the moment.
 
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