With more and more models coming with HDMI 2.1 ports, a 120Hz refresh rate is fast becoming a standard spec for 4K TVs. And thanks to the recent arrival of the Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, gamers, in particular, are scrambling for 120Hz-capable TVs.
In this post, we’d be reviewing some of the best 4K TVs with 120Hz refresh rates.
Best 120Hz 4K TVs: Our Top 6 Picks
While 4K TV models with 120Hz refresh rates aren’t so much on the market yet, making the right choice from the handful of options already available can be challenging, nonetheless.
So, to help you make the right buying decision, we carefully selected the best 120Hz 4K TVs that strike a perfect balance between jaw-dropping graphics and impressive preservation of frames. And here are our top contenders.
1. Sony XBR-A9G
Also known as the AG9, Sony’s A9G is the company’s new flagship 4K OLED TV and it has managed to rack up its fair share of awards and recognition since its launch. It comes equipped with smart connectivity, support for HDR content and the much talked about OLED panel that promises superior picture quality.
Design
For a flagship TV, you’d probably expect it to look sophisticated but the A9G adopts a minimalist that turns out to be elegant. With a depth of just 6mm, it boasts a thin profile that lets you mount it close to the wall in case you don’t want it placed on its pedestal-stand.
As far as connectivity goes, the A9G offers a generous range of ports and connectors including four HDMI ports, three USBs, Ethernet, optical digital audio connection, and an RF connector. The package ships with an upgraded remote with only a slight design tweak but a significant improvement in material thanks to the brushed metal finish.
Features
Sony is still abdicating its Smart TV duties to Google as the A9G comes with the Android TV 8 that’s smart, intuitive, and laid out in a clean, logical manner. It runs on the same MediaTek chip as last year’s A9F but with less RAM and it is unclear why Sony made that decision but the TV runs mostly without issue.
With Google Assistant onboard, you can issue voice commands to control the TV while Chromecast is compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa devices. All your favorite media apps are also onboard and that includes Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV, YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, and more. There are also plenty of other apps, services, and games for a wide selection of things to do with the TV without plugging anything into it.
Display & Performance
When you get an OLED TV, you expect to see the best blacks with well-defined edges to colors and that’s what the A9G offers. The screen is a beauty and it can handle pretty much anything you throw at it, a feat made possible by Sony’s patented Picture Processor X1 Ultimate.
It also supports 60Hz while playing 4K media and up to 120Hz refresh rate while playing full-HD content. Being a 4K TV, it can handle HDR10, Dolby Vision, and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HHLG) content in HDR.
Like its sibling, its best-in-class upscaling capabilities set it apart from its contemporaries and this can once again the attributed to the workhorse that the processor is. Overall, the image is punchy and the rich colors help to give an incredible definition to objects that are rendered. Low input lag has always been a delight in most OLED TV but the A9G takes the game higher by achieving an input lag that’s less than 27ms.
Audio
We seldom buy TVs for the sake of their sound output but the A9G excels in this category as the entire front panel of glass becomes your speaker; a feature that Sony calls Acoustic Surface Audio + technology. Pair that up with the dual 20W and dual 10W dual power output through the actuators and it begins to make sense how the A9G manages to knock off surprisingly clear, balanced sounds with a nice touch of directionality. It is clear, loud, and can fill up fairly large rooms.
Pros
- Attractive design
- Sony X1 Ultimate processor
- Acoustic Surface Audio+
- Excellent wide viewing angles
- Access to a range of video streaming services
Cons
- Few upgrades over the predecessor
- Expensive
2. Samsung Q70T
The Samsung Q70T is a phenomenal QLED TV bargain in the 2020 range, packing smart features with super-rich pictures. A midrange TV from the South Korean company, this model offers support for dynamic HDR10+ and is a great pair for those looking for a new TV that can partner with either the PS5 or XBOX Series X.
Design
If you’re a fan of Samsung TVs, take a look at the Q70T and you will instantly see how much it looks like its cousin, the Q80T. The Q70T rocks a boundless design that features a very thin bezel around the screen without anything looking unusual. It is relatively thin and can be wall-mounted, given that its lowest thick part measures only 2.40 inches. If you purchase this TV in the UK, you will get a unit that balances stork-like on a central T-stand but the US model comes with four feet instead.
All ports are located in a special inset at the back of the main body towards the left side and the options include four HDMIs (one of which supports HDMI 2.1), two USBs, a digital audio output, Ethernet, and the usual antenna port. Lastly, the Q70T ships with two remotes; one which has all the buttons to control the TV and the fancy alternative, which is slimmer with very few buttons.
Features
The Q70T runs the same Tizen platform as other Samsung QLEDs and it doesn’t just come with a number of unique features but also the streaming basics including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney Plus, HBO, and Apple TV.
One area the Q70T excels over its immediate forebear is in its voice assistants as you get three voice assistants: Samsung’s Bixby, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. Rather than activating the assistants by pressing a button on the remote, you can simply use a wake word to summon either Bixby or Alexa. Additional niceties like MultiView with Casting and Ambient Mode are also present.
Display & Performance
Noise-free colors, lots of details, and pronounced contrast have long been the trademark of QLEDs from Samsung and the same is evident in the Q70T. The TV adopts the same Quantum 4k as in high-end 4K QLEDs, which translates to better-upscaling results with tons of subject details to HD sources.
While Dolby Vision is disappointingly absent, the Q70T supports HDR10+ content as streamed by Amazon Prime Video. Samsung’s Wide Viewing Angle technology makes it possible to enjoy the same level of fidelity of pictures no matter the angle you are viewing from while the input lag of 19.8ms is class-leading. Whereas its predecessors like the Q60T was capped at 60Hz, the Q70T panel has a 120Hz refresh rate.
Audio
The Q70T has two speakers with a total of 20 watts of power to produce stereo sound. In general, the performance is the standard you will expect from a basic system but this TV comes with two nice features. The first is the Adaptive Sound+, which analyzes the sounds to create the best audio for the environment while the Standard Mode allows you to enjoy the usual sound delivery.
Pros
- Razor-sharp images and vivid colors
- Low input lag
- HDRD10+ support
- Deep black levels
Cons
- Some dimming at edges
- Limited black level
3. Sony X950G
The Sony X950G is an outstanding LED TV, with the unique Sony appearance that so many people love and a host of technologies developed by Sony engineers for high-end TVs like the Z9F. It puts up an impressive performance as occasioned by its ability to handle whatever you throw at it.
Design
The X950G appears to be a natural evolution of the X900F as its design looks similar. For starters, this TV is sleek and modern looking even with obviously little attempt to stand out. The dark metallic frame around the screen is nice and thin while the bottom edge of the screen is slightly wider. The stand has a small channel for cable management and stout metal construction, which is quite sturdy enough to prevent the TV from rocking.
Spin the TV around and you will find the generous range of connections that includes four HDMI ports, three USBs, digital optical audio, Ethernet, 3.5mm, and a remote IR in. The package ships with a newly redesigned remote that’s slimmer than the last one and with a better button layout.
Features
If you have used Sony TVs, you’ve probably had to deal with buffering slow load times and crashes of the OS but the X950G finally got things right as the Android TV smart platform loads and runs faster than its predecessor. The apps selection is only second to Roku but this TV has Google Assistant, which the former cannot boast of.
Supported streaming services include the biggest names: Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and many more. The two key features built into the Android TV experience are Chrome Cast, which allows you to cast media content to the TV from your smartphone, and while the second is Google Assistant, which you can summon with your voice without touching the remote since the microphone is situated in the TV’s chassis.
Display & Performance
From the X1 Ultimate picture processor to the X-Wide Angle, the X950G boasts different technologies that contribute to its great picture quality. If the performance of the screen is to be described in just one word, it would be ‘natural.’ The brightness is not excessive, and neither are the colors saturated, but you can always add more pop to your images if you so desire by turning on Live Color in the settings.
The natural picture quality is the fruit of the powerful picture processing engine in it that analyzes images and upscales the resolution in real-time. The extra is the native refresh rate of 120Hz, which is factually correct as opposed to other brands with ‘on-paper’ refresh rates.
Audio
The sound hardware of the X950G comprises two down-firing speakers and two tweeters at the top of the screen and on the back of the screen of the TV. As far as the output goes, the audio quality is average, so much so that the TV struggles to produce accurate dialogue.
Pros
- Beautiful color
- Excellent HDR highlight detail
- Excellent motion handling
- Strong feature set
Cons
- Unimpressive sound
- Imperfect backlight
4. LG NANO86
OLED and QLED TVs get all the glory in discussions about home cinema nowadays because of their astonishing picture quality but they often come at steep prices. If you are looking for a TV with a picture quality that’s just as good for less, consider investing in LG’s NanoCell series lineup. The NANO86 is an impressive TV a reliable company and, it offers vibrant colors and clearer details.
Design
A great first impression is what you will get when you take a look at the NANO86. Although its body is made of plastic and the build quality isn’t the best out there, it still looks premium. The frame is quite thin, which means you should have no trouble wall mounting it, while the entire weight rests on a stand that’s crescent-shaped.
Facing the TV’s rear, the connectivity options point outwards and they include four HDMIs, three USBs, optical digital audio, 3.5mm jack, and Ethernet. The NANO86 uses the same LG Magic Remote as other LG TVs.
Features
The NANO86 runs on LG’s WebOS, which means you can browse online content from the many useful apps on its app store. Some of the apps from the biggest streaming companies include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Google Play Movies, etc. It also has Google Assistant and is compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa devices. When you have photos, video,s or music to cast to the TV from your smartphone, the Miracast feature will help you get that done.
Display & Performance
Under the hood, the a7 Gen3 processor is handling the overall function of the NANO86, which means you get a set of features that can optimize the settings to suit the content on the TV. Also, the TV supports local dimming, which is great news for movie lovers while the Nano cell display technology delivers a nice color reproduction. The NANO86 has a 120Hz refresh rate and an input lag of 15.6ms.
Audio
The NANO86 comes outfitted with two built-in speakers with 10W each. The sound output is the drawback to this TV as it cannot fill a fairly large room.
Pros
- Good color accuracy
- Impressive reflection handling
- Low input lag
Cons
- Bad local dimming feature
5. TCL S425
TCL TVs are generally known to be of high quality but at affordable prices. The S425 is not any different and it offers all the friendly, reliable features of a Roku streaming device. It also boasts a broadly good picture and speedy response times for gamers.
Design
From a design standpoint, the S425 shares a lot of semblance with some of the company’s TVs from the previous years. It scores average points on looks, which is characterized by standard black bezels surrounding the display with basic controls around the bottoms and a matte-black panel across the rear of the chassis. Because the design is pretty basic, this TV will have no problem blending into just about any room. The panel is propped by two wide-set feet plastic stand with a black finish.
In terms of connectivity options, all the ports sit on the left side of the back of the TV. The S425 comes with three HDMI ports (including one HDMI ARC), one USB, Ethernet, a shared component/composite input, and a coaxial jack. The included Roku remote is a standard, infrared-only remote and sits well in the hand.
Features
Roku TV smart OS is one of the best smart TV platforms because it is easy to pick and use, and the S425 delivers on that front. As a result, you can access a wide range of streaming services including Amazon Prime Video, DirecTV Now, Google Play Movies & TV, Hulu, Netflix, Sling, YouTube, etc. if you don’t want to subscribe to anything, you can still enjoy the free movies and TV shows that curated from multiple sources including the Roku Channel, Crackle, Pluto TV, CW, and NBC.
You can control the TV using the Roku voice search, even though the remote has no microphone built-in, which means you will have to make use of the accompanying Roku app on your smartphone. Nonetheless, you can pair both Amazon Echo devices and Google Home speakers with the TV to get access to Alexa and Google Assistant.
Performance
The S425 doesn’t perform like a champ but for a budget TV, its picture quality is good enough. It can display 4K high dynamic range (HDR) content to HDR10 but it doesn’t support Dolby Vision or other HDR content types. It also lacks local dimming, which means the HDR content won’t look dynamic.
The picture is sharp and lifelike but its color accuracy is a bit off. TCL claims that the S425 boasts a 120Hz refresh rate but the S425 doesn’t seem to perform that well. When it comes to gaming, this TV is probably one of the best units you can get at this price as it offers a fast response time of 14ms.
Audio
Unfortunately, this is an area in which the S425 fails to live up to expectations. It comes equipped with only a pair of 9-watt speakers doing the work, which translates to weak overall volume with almost nonexistent bass.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Lightweight
- Great 4K picture quality
- Roku TV platform has lots of features
Cons
- The ideal viewing angle is severely limited
- The color range isn’t particularly wide
6. Hisense H9G
Hisense is known for delivering more than competent TVs at more than reasonable prices. The Hisense H9G is a flagship 4K TV that offers solid pictures with excellent details plus a variety of smart features and a rapid screen for gamers.
Design
Straight out of the box, the H9G looks as sleek as last year’s model; with a thin silver bezel running around the left, top, and right side while the bottom side is emblazoned with the Hisense logo. The 52-pound unit is supported by two triangular metal legs that improve its appearance, due to the fact that they start from the center and spread out.
When it comes to connectivity, the H9G offerings include four HDMI ports (including one with ARC), two USB ports, coax for an over-the-air antenna or cable/satellite set-top box, plus RCA inputs for stereo audio and composite video as well as a Toslink optical digital audio and a 3.5mm headphone outputs. The TV ships with the same remote that’s generic in design.
Features
While some Hisense TVs come with Roku built-in, the H9G is powered by Android TV, one of the popular OS around with a clean, minimalist layout and intuitive to navigate. It offers a wealth of streaming apps including big media names like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Video, and more.
As per usual with Android TVs, the H9G features a Chromecast built-in that allows you to beam music, video, and photos to the device while the Screenless Mode lets you use the TV to control other Google Assistant smart home devices such as lights and thermostats, even when the TV is off. The platform also brings native support for Google Assistant (plus hands-free Google Assistant support) even though you can also link the TV to your Amazon Alexa account and it will respond to certain Alexa commands.
Display & Performance
The H9G is a Quantum Dot TV and as such, it can get stupendously bright while also delivering excellent picture quality in both 1080p and in 4K. Its upscaling capabilities are superb as the H9G can make a 1080p looks almost as detailed as a 4K picture. And for 4K, the colors are vivid while black levels are deep. The H9G also offers support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+. As for the refresh rate, the H9G boasts a native 120Hz and a maximum 480Hz motion rate.
Audio
You won’t get wowed by the performance of the speakers built-in into the H9G as they are only suitable for basic use. You can hear the dialogue clearly but if you want something more, consider investing in a soundbar. Nonetheless, you get six preset modes so you can optimize your listening experience.
Pros
- Excellent picture quality
- Built-in microphone
- Good port selection
- Auto-adjusting brightness
- Reasonable price
Cons
- Audio quality isn’t great
- Bland and generic remote
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