4 Best Affordable 4K 120Hz TVs for Gaming

If you’re a console gamer with a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X, you must’ve thought about picking up a competent TV with a 120Hz display. Unfortunately, most VRR-enabled TVs cost a pretty penny. But, fret not. After scouring the interwebs, we stumbled across four of the cheapest 120Hz 4K TVs that will elevate your gaming experience without making a huge dent in your wallet.

The options that follow will let you target 120FPS in games like Fortnite and Call of Duty. As such, you can make the most of high-octane games and even get an edge over sweaty players with a VRR-enabled TV at your disposal. 

But first, you might want to read about the following topics-

• Looking to up your TV’s audio output? You should pick up a soundbar for an immersive sound experience.
• Want the big-screen experience at home? Consider getting a 75-inch 4K TV that doesn’t break the bank.
• Vying for QLED on a budget? You should check out our list of the most affordable QLED TVs on the market.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the most affordable 120Hz 4K TVs for gaming. 

1. VIZIO MQX Series

• Panel type: QLED
• Panel Refresh Rate: Up to 240Hz
• HDR formats supported: HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision
• Operating system: Vizio TV
• HDMI inputs: 4 (HDMI 2.1)

The M50QXM is packed to the brim with incredible features. Despite that, it’s the most affordable TV on the list. To give you a better picture, the TV is backed by QLED tech, so you can expect the display to get superbly bright. What’s more, the panel features local dimming, thereby ensuring buyers revel in inky deep blacks and rich contrast. Additionally, the TV comes with support for a handful of HDR codecs, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+. Needless to say, shows encoded in the aforementioned formats will pop on the M50QXM’s screen. 

As for gaming, the MQX series comes with four HDMI 2.1 connectors and can interface to wireless networks via WiFI 6E. More to the point, the panel can refresh at up to 120Hz at 4K resolution. As such, you should be able to play games like Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2, Ghostrunner, and Doom Eternal at 120FPS if you hook up a PS5 to the TV.

However, if you connect a PC to the set, you can game at up to 240Hz, provided you drop the resolution to 1080p. All said and done, the VIZIO MQX series is a godsend for console and PC gamers. 

2. TCL Q7 QLED

• Panel type: QLED
• Panel Refresh Rate: Up to 240Hz
• HDR formats supported: HDR10, HLG, HDR 10+, Dolby Vision IQ
• Operating system: Google TV
• HDMI inputs: 4

Needless to say, you should be able to deploy the TV in well-lit rooms that get a lot of natural and artificial light. More importantly, the TV gets over 200 local dimming zones that can dynamically adapt to the content being displayed on the screen. As such, the TV can ‘dim’ the zones individually, thereby resulting in a richer contrast ratio and deeper blacks. Additionally, the TV is compliant with a handful of HDR codecs, including Dolby Vision IQ, HDR 10+, HDR 10, and HLG. 

Coming to the meat of the matter, the TV’s screen refreshes at 120Hz. Additionally, the set is backed by the company’s Game Accelerator 240 technology, which allows gamers to leverage 120FPS gaming at 4K resolution or 240FPS gaming at 1440p resolution.

That’s not all, as the TV can also leverage AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro tech to keep instances of ghosting and screen-tearing at bay. You’ll also get minimal latency when playing games on the Q7 QLED, thanks to the unit’s ALLM chops. 

3. LG QNED80 Series

• Panel type: QNED
• Panel Refresh Rate: Up to 120Hz
• HDR formats supported: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ
• Operating system: WebOS 
• HDMI inputs: 4

However, LG has added an additional layer of NanoCells that help reduce color distortions. As such, the panel should overturn more accurate colors too. Moreover, the TV supports local dimming, too, so you should be able to feast your eyes on vivid hues and deep blacks. In fact, we’d wager that the TV will offer an extremely immersive experience when watching movies or TV shows set in a dark or gloomy setting. 

In fact, you can even leverage the famed FilmMaker Mode and watch movies with authentic colors and frame rates, as intended by the director. Additionally, the TV supports a handful of HDR codecs, too, including HLG and HDR10.

You’ll also be able to play your favorite games on the set as the panel refreshes at 120Hz and supports VRR gaming. That’s not all, as LG also bundles a nifty game optimizer dashboard that can give you insights on your in-game frame rate, and more. And, thanks to AMD’s FreeSync Premium tech and a response time of under 1 ms, you won’t have to contend with screen-tearing or latency either. 

4. Sony KD50X85K

• Panel type: LED
• Panel Refresh Rate: Up to 120Hz
• HDR formats supported: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision 
• Operating system: Google TV
• HDMI inputs: 4

To that end, the TV is backed by Sony’s 4K HDR X1 Processor that amps up the contrast and overturns vivid hues. Speaking of which, the TV also comes with Sony’s TRILUMINOS Pro tech, which can allegedly reproduce more colors than a conventional TV. To do so, the feature processes every image and then overturns a more precise output. Add to that, buyers can download their favorite streaming apps as the device boots Google TV from the get-go. 

You will also be able to make the most of HDR content on the set, as the TV supports HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision HDR codecs. As for gaming, the TV can output at 4K 120Hz, so you should be able to squeeze every bit of performance from your new-age consoles.

Additionally, buyers interfacing a PS5 with the TV will also get some exclusive features, including auto HDR Tone Mapping which brings out more details from the shadows. All things considered, the Sony KD50X85K, albeit expensive, is a solid TV for console gaming. 

FAQs About 4K 120Hz TVs

Game Away

And, that wraps up our list of the best affordable 4K 120Hz TVs. Buyers looking to save some bucks should check out VIZIO’s offering. The TV in question offers superb features and costs well under $500. That said, buyers with a flexible budget can snag LG’s QNED80 SmartTV as well. Do let us know which TV you opted for in the comments below.