Best 4K HDR TV's for One X, PS4 Pro [2017-2020]

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Well I'm quite happy with the Sony xf9005. Replaying FFXV at the moment and it's so much better with HDR! Looking at the sun is such a bright image that is too much when it happens randomly!
 
Damn, that's a hell of a price cut. It's enough of a price drop that if I had to select between a TCL 65R617 for $1000 or Vizio PQ65 for $1500, I'd probably try the Vizio.

This Saturday my parent's TCL 65R615 (BestBuy model) is going to be delivered. Even if it's not as great as that Vizio, it's replacing a 60" Rear-Projection 4:3 ancient set that needs it's tube(s) replaced, so they're going to have one hell of an upgrade in PQ regardless. The reason I opted to get it through BestBuy for them is the $20 HAUL-AWAY service that will take care of the old set that weights in at 310 pounds. They probably wouldn't notice a 50% costlier improvement in PQ, not for what they use the TV for anyways.

The even crazier thing is that that is currently the highest-rated non-OLED TV for "mixed-usage" on rtings.com, besting a $3,500 Samsung set. The Sony Z9F will most likely surpass it when it gets released and tested, but that is going to be quite expensive as well. The price/performance is absolutely bonkers at this price point.
 
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Isn’t it the brightest TV on the market right now? I can’t recall another TV that can do over 2000 nits never mind 2300 nits.
 
Damn, that's a hell of a price cut. It's enough of a price drop that if I had to select between a TCL 65R617 for $1000 or Vizio PQ65 for $1500, I'd probably try the Vizio.

This Saturday my parent's TCL 65R615 (BestBuy model) is going to be delivered. Even if it's not as great as that Vizio, it's replacing a 60" Rear-Projection 4:3 ancient set that needs it's tube(s) replaced, so they're going to have one hell of an upgrade in PQ regardless. The reason I opted to get it through BestBuy for them is the $20 HAUL-AWAY service that will take care of the old set that weights in at 310 pounds. They probably wouldn't notice a 50% costlier improvement in PQ, not for what they use the TV for anyways.


Cool beans, I took possession of a 65R617 not long ago. Overall great, but there's some so called "vignetting" (darkness) in the corners. After asking about this a few places online the general idea seems to be, you dont watch the corners, it's common, if it's not terrible just live with it. And I'm slowly accepting it. It's really not bad I guess, but it just bugs me. I guess if I spend $1k on a TV I want it to be "perfect". However returning a huge 65" TV is such a monumental chore, and you never know if the next one wont have worse problems. I think my 30 day window is up any day now anyway.

Somebody online mentioned "vignetting" is more common on FALD TV's because they dont have a backlight on the corners? I cant find any reference for that though.

At least it doesn't seem to have the banding people complain about with the TCL's. At least not that I noticed, and I'm not gonna go looking.

Beyond that I like it a lot. At first I was disappointed in the much ballyhood brightness, (this being my first decently bright HDR TV) because it didn't blow my mind or anything, but I guess after I readjusted my expectations I'm appreciating the nice brightness of the TV more. The Roku OS is just superb though, a real pleasure. As is the remote even though it might seem a bit "cheap" feeling.

Now In the corner of my mind the Vizio Quantum just being 500 more on sale is making me have a bit of buyers remorse too. Although it's by NO means a slam dunk that I'd spend the extra, in fact more likely I wouldn't.

I will say I feel kind of trapped with a 65" that cost more than a few hundred, because probably you can only sell it locally due to the sheer size, and even that wont be easy, and people on craigslist or whatever are very unlikely to appreciate the model. These are people who just treat TV's as a commodity. So it would be tough to get any kind of value out of it.
 
Cool beans, I took possession of a 65R617 not long ago. Overall great, but there's some so called "vignetting" (darkness) in the corners. After asking about this a few places online the general idea seems to be, you dont watch the corners, it's common, if it's not terrible just live with it. And I'm slowly accepting it. It's really not bad I guess, but it just bugs me. I guess if I spend $1k on a TV I want it to be "perfect". However returning a huge 65" TV is such a monumental chore, and you never know if the next one wont have worse problems. I think my 30 day window is up any day now anyway.

Somebody online mentioned "vignetting" is more common on FALD TV's because they dont have a backlight on the corners? I cant find any reference for that though.

At least it doesn't seem to have the banding people complain about with the TCL's. At least not that I noticed, and I'm not gonna go looking.

Beyond that I like it a lot. At first I was disappointed in the much ballyhood brightness, (this being my first decently bright HDR TV) because it didn't blow my mind or anything, but I guess after I readjusted my expectations I'm appreciating the nice brightness of the TV more. The Roku OS is just superb though, a real pleasure. As is the remote even though it might seem a bit "cheap" feeling.

Now In the corner of my mind the Vizio Quantum just being 500 more on sale is making me have a bit of buyers remorse too. Although it's by NO means a slam dunk that I'd spend the extra, in fact more likely I wouldn't.

I will say I feel kind of trapped with a 65" that cost more than a few hundred, because probably you can only sell it locally due to the sheer size, and even that wont be easy, and people on craigslist or whatever are very unlikely to appreciate the model. These are people who just treat TV's as a commodity. So it would be tough to get any kind of value out of it.

This (65" being a hard size to re-purpose/move along) is the sole reason this TV is not on the way to me right now! I want VRR, ALLM, and eARC and this TV doesn't have them, so this can't be my "for keeps" set. Still excited that this bar has been set, though. When these features do become available, it is now more likely that this level of performance will be available at my preferred size at an attractive pricepoint. Vizio got badly sidetracked by the LeEco debacle, but they're back baby!
 
Well I missed the Costco deal by waiting too long. I now looking at the Sony 900F and Vizio PQ65, both are $1600-1700. I'd like something a little larger, but I don't want to compromise on the IQ or go into $3k land.
 
Well I missed the Costco deal by waiting too long. I now looking at the Sony 900F and Vizio PQ65, both are $1600-1700. I'd like something a little larger, but I don't want to compromise on the IQ or go into $3k land.

Why buy now? Holiday sales are just around the corner.
 
I just nabbed the Sony 930E for $1399 shipped. Buydig has some phone only deal, the guy knew what I wanted before I said anything. He said every call was coming in for it.
 
Article about HDR+ rolling out in firmware updates to Samsung TVs.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...-panasonic-tvs-but-good-luck-finding-content/

Further, Dolby Vision support requires manufacturers of TVs, Blu-ray players, and other devices to pay significant licensing fees. By contrast, HDR10 and HDR10+ are open standards. Samsung has declined to support Dolby Vision with its TVs, but most other high-end TVs support both HDR10 and Dolby Vision at this point. Streaming services, Blu-ray players, game consoles, and streaming boxes sometimes only support one of the two big standards, though.

Dolby Vision has always allowed for dynamic metadata in each frame, and it has also long offered quality advantages over HDR10, like 12-bit color. Not even HDR10+ allows for 12-bit color, but that's not relevant for most consumers, since there are no mainstream consumer TVs on the market now for displaying 12-bit content. These panels are generally reserved for professional monitors—at least for now.

OK, I don't know how significant DV licensing fees are but manufacturers of even lower-priced TVs are supporting DV so if the fees are high on a lower-margin product, you wouldn't expect DV support.

But another part is that DV requires more processing power apparently. So Sony for instance supports DV in models with faster processors, either out of the box or through firmware updates.

There's very little HDR+ content as the article notes but there are promises of support from others.

And I believe most HDR devices support HDR10 as the baseline and then DV so it's not true that it supports one or the other.

HDR+ and DV may not coexist in hardware and it's hard for them to be on the same UHD Blu Ray disc because they're separate encodes and probably require a disc for each.

Anyways, whatever Samsung is saving by not paying DV licensing fees, they're in danger of being rendered irrelevant in the high-end space. They are said to be trying to get back into the OLED game and they saw a Vizio Quantum LCD costing less than half their flagship LCD best it in most metrics by Rtings. Not to mention, the Vizio supports DV.
 
Well I missed the Costco deal by waiting too long. I now looking at the Sony 900F and Vizio PQ65, both are $1600-1700. I'd like something a little larger, but I don't want to compromise on the IQ or go into $3k land.

The $1499 deal is back now. The website says it is good through 9/24 "or while supplies last".
 
"Creepy" Vizio smart TVs.

"The Parties [Vizio] are developing a class notice program with direct notification to the class through VIZIO Smart TV displays, which requires testing to make sure any TV notice can be properly displayed and functions as intended. The additional time requested will allow the parties to confirm that the notice program proposed in the motion for preliminary approval is workable and satisfies applicable legal standards."

That quite imaginative. Bravo American legal system, you are usually awful. :yep2:
 
Digital Foundry has revamped their guide to 4K HDR. I'll only include their bulleted highlights, but do suggest everyone give it a read over to pick up the details like pros and cons.

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2018-09-30-best-2018-4k-tvs-for-hdr-gaming-7009

Digital Foundry: the best 2018 4K TVs for HDR gaming
There's only one contender for the top spot right now.
  • LG C8 OLED: the best 4K TV for HDR gaming
  • Panasonic FZ952/FZ950 OLED: the best-sounding 4K TV for HDR gaming
  • Samsung Q9FN/Q9F QLED: the best non-OLED TV for 4K HDR gaming
  • Sony Bravia XF900/X900F VA: the best mid-range choice for 4K HDR
  • Samsung NU8000 VA: the best value 4K TV for HDR gaming
  • TCL R617 VA: the best budget 4K TV for Americans
  • LG UK6300 IPS: the best small 4K TV for HDR gaming
 
LG has unveiled its 2019 4K OLED TV line-up comprising C9, E9, and W9 with 4K resolution, and Z9 with 8K resolution. The TVs come with HDMI 2.1, improved gaming performance with VRR, an upgraded video processor, webOS updates, and ”AI”.

This includes an upgraded black frame insertion system called ’OLED Motion Pro’ that now operates at 100/120Hz (compared to 50/60Hz last year) and with shorter black frame cycle (25% vs. 50% last year). LG says the system eliminates flicker and maintains brightness, which were FlatpanelsHD’s two main concerns with the BFI system in the 2018 LG OLED models. Other improvements include a separate ”smooth gradation” picture setting that no longer reduces resolution.

Speaking of motion, LG confirms that the 2019 OLED models will support HDMI VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), which was first implemented in Samsung TVs and Xbox One S / X last year. It is an adaptive frame rate system that matches frame rate between console and TV in real-time for smoother gaming performance with lower lag. The TVs also support HDMI ALLM (Automatic Low Latency Mode) that automatically switches to the TV’s game mode whenever you load up a game on your Xbox One console. PlayStation 4 does not support VRR and ALLM at this time.

Outside of VRR, the TVs will deliver 13 ms input lag (in 1080p and 4K HDR), LG tells FlatpanelsHD. This is probably the lowest input lag on a TV today, depending on what competitors have achieved this year. Lastly, LG said that all calibration settings are now available in the Game picture mode and that a new Game setting can be engaged for all picture modes in the TVs.

HDMI 2.1, 120Hz BFI, VRR, 13 ms input lag (the lowest I ve ever seen). I am surpised about these improvements. Until now It was not sure that we will get HDMI 2.1 in this years TVs. Still ist possible that these TVs dont have 48Gbps.

https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1546474656
 
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I thought HDMI 2.1 meant 48Gbps? Can you have one without the other?

Only the higher resolutions/refresh rates require the full bandwidth, so it's possible to support all of the other features of HDMI 2.1 without supporting the higher bandwidth connection. Since no source device will ever be sending those resolutions/refresh rates to the display due to the display not being capable of handling them, the high-bandwidth support isn't really necessary for these TVs.

The 8K Z9 would probably need it, though.
 
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LG confirms full HDMI 2.1 support in 2019 TVs: https://www.cnet.com/news/lg-confirms-full-hdmi-2-1-support-in-2019-tvs/
But for the ultimate in futureproofing -- or for people who buy an 8K TV -- the full version of HDMI 2.1 is worth considering. It allows that HDMI connection (which looks and functions the same in both versions) to carry up to 48 Gbps (gigabits per second) of data, roughly 2.6 times the capacity of the current HDMI 2.0. That extra bandwidth opens the floodgates for higher frame rates and resolutions, like 4K at 120 frames per second or 8K at 60 frames per second.

Full bandwidth then. Features could be patched as well.

Interesting. 2018 OLED TVs can never do VRR but its possible that the SONY and Panasonic OLEDs can get VRR as well in the 2019 OLEDs.
A few notes on VRR.

Some expressed their wishes for LG to bring VRR capability to 2018 series sets. That is not possible, according to an interview the guys at Les Numeriques had with the LG Electronics VP of Marketing and Communications and the Director of the TV division last year. The reason was not that LG Electronics is not able to, after all they are making FreeSync monitor displays. The problem lies in the Tcon (Timing Controller) of the OLED panel that LG Display manufactures, and which is not able to drive the panel with a variable refresh rate. (LG Electronics - the TV manufacturer, is not the same entity as LG Display - the panel manufacturer)

The Tcon chips (there can be more than one on the Tcon board) are responsible for driving the components that turn on and off the individual pixels on the panel. When you buy a panel, you get the panel and its custom Tcon board attached to it.

That's why no TV manufacturer that used LG OLED panels was able to offer VRR as a feature on their 2018 sets, the panel electronics simply did not allow to be driven that way. And that's why VRR can not be enabled on 2018 sets by a software upgrade, as it's a hardware limitation.

Which means, that now we know LG Display did bring at least one change to their panels this year, the Tcon and the panel drivers must have been changed to be able to drive the pixels with variable refresh rates. And maybe that required some changes to the sandwich structure of the OLED panel itself.

And this also means that VRR will likely be present not only on LG OLED TVs this year, but also on the sets of some other TV manufacturers using the LG OLED Panel.

https://www.avsforum.com/forum/40-o...r-hdmi-2-1-tvs-ces-2019-a-6.html#post57380886
 
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