Buying a TV for the Super Bowl? Here’s What You Need to Know

Unfortunately, TV brands have a habit of stretching the truth, and that is certainly the case with the refresh rates advertised on the box. One sneaky approach is to artificially double the refresh rates by adding an extra flicker between each frame. This way, refresh rates of 240Hz can be advertised as “effective refresh rates,” a red flag term that indicates non-native refresh rates.

For now, native 4K TV refresh rates are only 60Hz and 120Hz so ignore anything above those numbers. You should also keep an eye out for marketing terms posing as effective refresh rates, like TruMotion (LG), Motion Rate (Hisense), Clear Motion Rate (Samsung), and Motion Flow XR (Sony).

Inputs and HDMI versions

Every TV comes with HDMI inputs, but they don’t all have the same amount and type. Consider how many devices you’ll need to connect to your TV. These could include game consoles, streaming boxes, computers, soundbars, or Blu-ray players.

Now, add up how many of those need to be continuously plugged in and that should give you a rough idea of how many HDMI inputs your TV should provide. I would recommend buying a TV with at least four HDMI inputs to avoid unplugging a device to use another. If you’re going to use a soundbar or A/V receiver to enhance your TV’s speakers, make sure to plug those audio systems into an HDMI ARC port, a feature that lets you use a single HDMI port for high-quality input and output audio.

This leads us to the unnecessarily confusing process of determining whether your TV has the right HDMI ports. The latest version is HDMI 2.1, but just because a TV says it supports the standard doesn’t mean it supports every feature. In fact, TV makers can claim HDMI 2.1 support so long as their product contains a single HDMI 2.1 feature. Silly, right? Anyway, the spec to look for is the ability to output 4K video at 120Hz. If you own a current-gen console (PS5, Xbox Series X), be sure to read the fine print to ensure the TV you’re considering comes with full HDMI 2.1 support.

What to know about HDR

HDR stands for high-dynamic range, and it delivers brighter highlights, better contrast, and more vivid, realistic colors than panels without the feature. Once again, though, there are some caveats. First, there are many flavors of HDR, and to make things more confusing, these are often combined. Also, to benefit from this feature, you need both an HDR TV and HDR source material.

We’ll briefly go over the different types of HDR so you can buy a TV that will make you feel as if you’re at SoFi Stadium. HDR10 is a good starting point that now comes standard on every modern TV. It is a significant improvement over SDR (standard definition), but has its limitations. This is where HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG come in. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are direct rivals—the former is championed by Samsung and the latter has wider support. The two share similar capabilities but some services, like Netflix and Apple TV, support only Dolby Vision (for now).

Hybrid Log-Gamma, or HLG, is only supported by select TVs and was created by the UK’s BBC and Japan’s NHK to enhance SDR broadcast images. This, along with the nascent Advanced HDR by Technicolor standard, aren’t must-have features for your Super Bowl viewing, but you should strongly consider a TV with Dolby Vision or HDR10+ (on top of standard HDR10).

OLED vs. QLED vs. miniLED

The Super Bowl might be over by the time display technologies can be thoroughly explained, but don’t worry, we’ll keep things simple.

Today, most flagship TVs use either OLED or QLED technology—each of which has its own pros and cons. OLED is widely considered the current leader because these emissive panels don’t use a backlight; instead, each tiny pixel in an OLED screen creates light depending on how much electric current runs through it. In dark scenes, you can cut off current entirely to create perfect black levels, and as a result, OLED screens have “infinite” contrast ratios (the difference between the brightest and darkest a TV can be).

Along with rich blacks, OLED TVs exhibit vivid colors and don’t suffer from blooming, or when bright spots bleed into dark areas. Unfortunately, OLED panels are susceptible to burn-in, or when an image is permanently retained on the screen. Modern methods ensure burn-in on OLED TVs remains a rare occurrence, but there is always a chance it could ruin your TV (as it did to my first OLED TV). OLED panels are currently made by LG and found in LG, Sony, and Vizio TVs, however, Samsung recently unveiled an enhanced version of OLED called QD-OLED, which is set to rival LG’s forthcoming OLED Evo and OLED EX.

Samsung’s QLED is similar to a standard backlit LED TV but adds a quantum dot layer that enhances the brightness and colors of a picture. While less exciting tech, QLED panels get considerably brighter and don’t suffer from burn-in. Still, if you want the very best picture quality, OLED is generally the way to go.

Also worth considering are miniLED panels, a relative newcomer to the fight for the best picture quality. The technology became more widely known when Apple used a miniLED display for its latest iPad Pro. As the name suggests, miniLED TVs consist of tiny LEDs (from hundreds of LEDs in a traditional backlit panel to tens of thousands) in 100 or more dimming zones that allow for better control of brightness, dark levels, and contrast. And while they don’t quite meet OLED on picture quality alone, some miniLED TVs get twice as bright as comparable OLED options. As is the case with each of these panel types, there are downsides. Where OLED can suffer from burn-in, miniLED TVs can show blooming.

Unless you’re filthy rich, you can forget about microLED (for now). While some consider microLED TVs the future of television, current models are targeted at the 1%—we’re talking tens of thousands of dollars expensive.

Pick the right OS

Choosing between operating systems is usually a question of Windows versus macOS or perhaps iOS versus Android, but TVs come with their own software, and choosing the right one is crucial. After all, a smart TV’s OS is the portal you navigate to access streaming apps, picture settings, and inputs.

The good news is that the Super Bowl will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on the Peacock app, which is available on all the major platforms, including Google TV (formerly Android TV), Roku TV, webOS (LG), and Tizen (Samsung). You shouldn’t have any problems finding your favorite streaming apps on any of these common operating systems, but I recommend doing some quick Google searches of your favorite apps to see which OSes support them. If you love a certain TV but it’s missing apps, don’t worry; you can always connect a Roku Streaming Stick, Chromecast with Google TV, or Apple TV 4K.

Time to buy

To summarize, the best mainstream TVs on the market today have OLED, QLED, or mini-LED panels; 120Hz refresh rates; support for multiple HDR versions; and at least one HDMI 2.1 port with support for 4K, 120Hz video output.

I encourage you to use these tips to find the perfect TV for your needs. As a starting point, some of today’s top models include the Sony A80J, LG C1, and Samsung QN90A Neo—flagship TVs from household names that cost around $1,300 for a 55-inch set. More budget-friendly “value” brands sell TVs, like the TCL 6 Series or Hisense U8G, with many of the same features but at a much lower price.

The Super Bowl will look stunning on any of these TVs, but before you commit, ensure they fit in your space and have all the features you need. Now just nab the best deal, make that obligatory seven-layer dip, and enjoy watching the game on your new TV.