The Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 release dates are coming up fast. And with the trickle of information gamers have seen about the 4K graphics, those that are looking to upgrade their consoles may also be wondering if their TVs will be good enough.
Both the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 are going to have 4K graphics at 120 Hz and support 60 frames per second or more, and the PS5 will also double as a 4K Blu-ray player. The graphics for both of these machines will be intense, and both systems are designed to handle them and even still allow for load-free gaming. With the current gen consoles stuck at 30 fps, the performance difference between the Xbox One and the Series X or the PS4 and PS5 will be like night and day.
So will gamers need to upgrade their TV? If they want to get the most out of the Xbox Series X or the more anticipated PlayStation 5 (at least in the UK), there's a good chance depending on the set-up. With both consoles using HDMI 2.1, 4K graphics at 120 Hz, and 60-120 fps, most TVs that are currently fine while running PS4 and Xbox One games will struggle to display the full graphics that these new consoles are capable of.
There are a couple of things players will want to look for while shopping for a new TV for their console upgrades. First, check out the frame rate for the TV. With the incredible graphics power of the PS5 and the Series X, gamers will want their TV to support at least the 60 fps that most games will most likely run at. Next, those looking for the best graphic experiences can play games in 4K or can even upgrade to run at 8k with HDMI 2.1 if they can afford that kind of TV. However, most will find these TVs still prohibitively expensive and probably not worth it (for now).
And for those who can't or don't want to upgrade their TVs, that shouldn't directly impact the experience. Most HDMI TVs will still be able to handle the PS5 and Xbox Series X without an issue. While gamers won't get the full graphics that are possible with older TVs, the PS5 and Series X won't eliminate the ability to run games at frame per second below 60 fps.
As a minimum, players will want to make sure their TVs have at least one HDMI 2.0 ports. Next, they'll want to make sure their resolution is high enough. The PlayStation 5 minimum is 480p and goes all the way up to 8k UHD, so anything in between will most likely have no issues for the newest Sony system. For the Xbox, players can get a range of outputs between 720p and 8K. Most players should therefore be fine with the TV they have been using with their PS4 or Xbox One, and should save their money for buying the new PS5 controllers since the PS4 controllers won't work.
Whether games choose to buy a new TV or stick with their old ones, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X games will still look gorgeous.