Our guide to the best TVs for sport covers the full range of brands and tech that contribute to making watching sports at home a fantastic experience.
Whether it’s the Samsung QN90C, which sits at the top of this list, or budget and premium options such as the Hisense U8K and Samsung S95D, respectively, there's sure to be a TV here to help you get your game on.
Al Griffin, Senior Editor – Home Entertainment
The best TVs for sport combine an excellent picture, a great design and good value for money. If you're buying a TV you'll primarily be using to watch sporting events, whether that’s football games, racing, athletics or anything else, there are several important things you'll need to consider.
In this list, you'll see that the best TVs for sport aren't all the most high-end, premium displays from our best TVs guide. That's because your prime consideration should be motion. Whether you enjoy watching football (either type), baseball, cricket or curling, on-screen images are constantly moving, which means that the more detail you can see when there’s motion, the better. Otherwise you’ll be watching lots of blurs dart across the screen.
Some TVs are better at scanning the picture and adding detail back into blurred motion than others. But it's not solely about the motion control, you should also consider brightness and reflections.
If you’re watching sport during the day, you’ll also need to make sure you can see what's going on. For that, you’ll need a bright TV that can cut through any reflections from natural light. Some TVs that are fantastic for watching movies – especially cheaper OLED TVs – are at their best when you can control the level of lighting, but we'll assume that with sports, you won't always want to do that.
Below you'll find our selection of the best TVs for sports. We’ve reviewed many of the best TVs over the years, so we know what to look for when it comes to TVs designed for watching sports that can handle all-important motion and reflections well.
The best TVs for sport for 2024
The Samsung QN90C is the ideal TV for sport. This is because it comes equipped with a mini-LED backlight that not only allows for a brighter picture, but enables a greater number of local dimming zones for better contrast. It also comes with an anti-glare screen designed to limit reflections, making it an excellent partner for daytime viewing in environments that suffer from bright natural light.
The QN90C's picture benefits from mini-LED brightness, which we measured at over 1,700 nits at its peak – that is over 300 nits brighter than the Samsung S95C, Samsung's brightest OLED. We also noted in our review that "the company’s Ultra Viewing Angle tech also helped images retain contrast and color saturation when viewed at off-center seats – a performance aspect that gives the QN90C an advantage over budget LCD TVs". If you put all these elements together, and add in strong motion handling with great contrast, the QN90C's picture lends itself perfectly to sport, especially for larger groups.
The QN90C also pulls double duty as an excellent gaming TV. It's stacked with features suited to next-gen consoles such as VRR, 4K 120Hz, AMD Freesync Premium and more. It also comes in a variety of sizes to suit every environment, from 43- to 85-inches.
This is not the cheapest mini-LED on this list (look to the Hisense U8K at #2 on this list instead) but it does give you the overall best package in terms of viewing angles, a bright picture and responsive motion, which is why it sits at the top of this list.
Read our full Samsung QN90C review
The best budget TV for sport in the US
Like the Samsung QN90C (that sits at #1 on the list), the Hisense U8K has a mini-LED backlight, meaning it's significantly brighter than standard LED and OLED screens. Although its 1590 nits peak brightness was lower than the QN90C's of over 1,700 nits, this is still bright enough to handle any well-lit viewing environments when paired with its anti-glare coating – a must for daytime sports.
We found in our review that "whether (we were) watching news channels with the lights on or streaming movies and shows with them dimmed, everything looked very good on the U8K". The U8K also benefits from rich contrast and black levels, although there is some backlight blooming present.
Perhaps the strongest point of this TV is its value. It defines bang for your buck, as it's kitted out for gaming, with 144hz, Dolby Vision and other gaming features, good sound quality and when you pair all this with its picture for under $800 in a 55-inch size, it's seriously good value – it's pricier in the UK, which is why we have the Samsung Q80C as an alternative below.
So, why is the Hisense U8K not at the top of this list? Despite its amazing value, it does lose some of its picture quality when viewed from an angle, which isn't ideal for bigger groups and its picture isn't as strong as the Samsung QN90C's. If you can't stretch to the QN90C's price though, the Hisense U8K is your next best bet if you're a sport fan in the US.
Read our full Hisense U8K review
The best budget TV for sport in the UK
The Samsung Q80D boasts improved brightness and contrast over the Q80C that came before it in 2023. It also houses the same powerful Neo Quantum 4 Gen 2 processor that's currently used in Samsung's flagship mini-LED TVs, meaning it's a solid cheaper choice if you want a powerful and high-performing TV for sports without a huge price tag.
Not only is the Samsung Q80D a good an choice for sports, it's also a solid option for gaming thanks to its ultra-fast response time, bold and sharp image quality and dedicated gaming features. Another surprising benefit of the Q80D is you don't need to add a soundbar straight away. The built-in sound isn't amazing, but we commented in our review that it delivers a "well-rounded, detailed and dynamic sound".
The Q80D is our top budget pick for sports because it's a solid all-rounder with a stunning picture – especially considering the price. In our review, we wrote: "Contrast, colour and sharpness as good and as consistent as you get with the Q80D are rare indeed in the mid-range TV world." However, we also noted that you'll need to tinker with the picture settings to make the most of the Q80D, which we'd highly recommend if you're using it to watch sports.
Whatever your room size, the Q80D ranges from 50-inches to a large 98-inches. Which means whatever the size of your group for the big game, the Q80D has you covered. You won't find the futuristic slim aesthetic of Samsung's high-end TVs here, but the Q80D boasts good build quality that gives it a premium look and feel.
Read our full Samsung Q80D review
The best premium TV for sports
Watching daytime sport on OLED TVs has often been difficult due to their limited brightness levels when compared to mini-LED and even some LED TVs, meaning they're not the best TV option if you're a sport fan. But, one OLED TV is here to change that – the Samsung S95D.
The Samsung S95D delivers excellent pictures, headlined by its exceptional detail and realistic rendering of textures. It also carries high brightness levels, but it's Samsung's OLED Glare Free tech, which all but eliminates distracting screen reflections from light sources, that makes the S95D a winner for sports viewing.
The S95D also has smooth motion handling, which is not just ideal for sport, but gaming as well. It's stacked with gaming features across its four HDMI 2.1 ports, including 144Hz refresh rate, VRR, ALLM and a lot more, making it perfect for sports fans who want to dive into a gaming session afterward.
The S95D also has a stylish and sleek design, with a trim profile and 'floating' appearance (thanks to a clever stand design). And its ultra-thin bezel makes the picture on the screen the priority.
While it isn't top of our list – mainly because the Samsung QN90C delivers higher brightness levels and top-notch motion handling for a fraction of the price – the Samsung S95D is still a phenomenal choice for sports fans who want to watch on an OLED screen.
Read our full Samsung S95D review
The best OLED TV for sports in varying sizes
Not every sports fan is after a giant screen TV. Most of the TVs in this list come in different sizes, but the LG C4 is the best for a wide range. From the smallest 42-inch display that's a solid choice for smaller homes through to the largest 83-inches, the LG C4 has a size for all rooms big or small.
Picture has always been a highlight on LG's OLED TVs and the C4 is no exception. It boasts a fantastic picture, as well as contrast and detail that we described as "excellent" in our review. Thanks to LG’s new Alpha 9 AI Gen7 processor, it has a feature called Brightness Booster. This delivers a significant brightness advantage over last year's LG C3. Like other OLED TVs, it has a wide viewing angle, which makes it ideal for sports. There's also an anti-glare coating, which is capable of filtering out reflections from room light, meaning you can catch up on the big game whatever time of day or night you're watching.
Like many other TVs in this list, because the LG C4 is a top pick for sports, many of the same features make it a good choice for gaming, too. This includes four HDMI 2.1 ports that provide 4K 120Hz pass-through along with VRR, ALLM, and Quick Media Switching. It's also 144Hz-certified by Nvidia, ideal for PC and Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 console gaming.
It's not a perfect TV, it's sound quality is average and you'll need a soundbar to make the most of it. It's also lacking HDR10+ support and there are brighter options in this guide. But if you want a great quality OLED TV for sports in a choice of sizes, the C4 is your best option. And while it's not cheap, it's reasonably priced. In our review, we wrote: "LG C4 is priced less than flagship OLED TVs while providing premium features and performance."
Read out full LG C4 OLED TV review
The best TVs for sport: FAQs
How do you choose the best TV for sports?
There are a number of factors to consider when you're looking for the best TV for sports.
The first is the picture quality on offer. All TVs need a decent picture, but it's paramount if you're going to be watching sports as detail, clarity and brightness could make all the difference as to whether you see a football, tennis ball or car whizz across your screen or not.
On that point, motion handling is also vital. You need to be sure the TV you're considering handles moving objects well. This will make the TV a solid choice for both gaming and sport. Looking out for the refresh rate as a good indicator here. Many TVs these days have a 60Hz or 120Hz refresh rate, 120Hz tends to be better, but a range of factors determine motion handling performance.
Will you be using a soundbar? If not, you'll need to make sure the TV has decent audio performance, too. You may not think sound is as important as what you can see in sports, but it can be vital and adds to the atmosphere, too.
Considering where you'll be putting the TV is important too. You'll need to ensure you not only have enough space to hang it on a wall or place it on a shelf, but that you'll have room to view it from a good distance, too. This is especially important if you plan on having people over to watch the big game. Many manufacturers recommend sitting between 1.5 and 2.5 times the TV's diagonal screen size to find your perfect viewing spot.
What should you look for in a sports-centric TV?
If you’re buying a TV and you know you'll be watching a lot of sport, there are a few key things to consider. For starters, there are many different aspects of picture performance to bear in mind, including detail retrieval, color fidelity, and edge definition. Of course, these are all the hallmarks of a good TV, but a great TV for sport needs some extras.
We’d expect slow camera pans to follow faster movement, abrupt changes of direction, movement in the opposite direction the way the camera is moving, and great big swathes of uniform color with smaller elements of different color in constant motion. You get the idea. The way a TV handles motion is extremely important.
How efficient a TV is at handling motion comes down to how well it implements different refresh rates. You don’t need to get caught up in the technicalities here, but it’s worth considering that UK broadcasts are almost always at 50Hz (or 50fps).
This means there are 50 images broadcast per second, which is what makes still pictures look like they’re moving. Therefore, how well a TV can handle this rate of transmission will determine how smooth and convincing the on-screen motion is going to look.
Bear in mind that there isn’t a TV out there with a refresh rate of less than 50Hz. So in theory, one TV should be very much like another when it comes to taking those 50 images per second from the broadcaster and delivering them at a rate of 50 per second on the screen.
How we test
How we tested the best TVs for sport
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
When we tested the best TVs for sport, we had a few key things on our 'must-have' list to determine which displays were included.
The first is picture quality. Not all of the best TVs for sport need to be premium displays. But the detail, clarity and brightness on offer needs to be good – otherwise you're not going to see the athletics, football or racing play out in a satisfying way. We tested the TVs in a range of environments and at different times of day to ensure that all of the picture quality specs matched up in the real world.
Next up, motion. If you're watching sport, on-screen images are constantly moving so you need a TV that handles motion well and doesn't make every player or ball or car look like a blur. We tested each of the TVs in our guide above with a range of content to make sure motion handling was top notch.
Most people pair their TVs with soundbars nowadays, but we did want to listen out for a solid audio performance, just in case you do want to use your TV straight out of the box.
We also took into account a range of considerations we always need to see in any TV we recommend, like a decent user experience for setting up the TV, all major smart apps that work well and any added features that make the TV truly shine.
We've tested a huge range of TVs over the years, so we know what separates a decent performance from a fantastic one. We bring this breadth of knowledge to every guide we write so you know you're not getting a copy and paste of the specs here, you're getting hands-on experience informed by years of reviewing insights.
Latest updates to this guide
August 9, 2024
Replaced Samsung Q80C with Samsung Q80D as 'Best budget (UK)' due to the latter's brighter picture and improved contrast. Replaced LG C3 with LG C4 as 'Best OLED TV for sizes' for similar reasons.
May 28, 2024
Replaced Samsung S95C with Samsung S95D as 'Best premium' due to the latter's built-in anti-reflection tech which is ideal for daytime sport viewing.
February 1, 2024
Removed older entries such as the LG C2, Sony X90J, Samsung Q80B and more due to stock levels. Moved Samsung QN90C to 'best overall'. Introduced Hisense U8K as 'best budget US', Samsung Q80C as 'best budget UK', 'Samsung S95C as 'best premium' and LG C3 'as 'best OLED for sizes'. Added this 'latest updates' section.
