Is 144Hz worth it on a TV?

Not for a console: the PS5 and Xbox Series X output at up to 120 Hz, so a 144 Hz gaming TV only pays off with a gaming PC that renders above 120 fps at 4K. A 144 Hz panel is now cheap enough to buy anyway, and the gap over a 60 Hz TV is £96.00 at 55 inches on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026). The wider console shortlist is in Best TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X.

What does a 144Hz TV add over 120Hz?

It adds 24 Hz of headroom, which is 1.39 ms per frame, and only a PC can use it. Microsoft lists the Xbox Series X at up to 120 FPS, with one HDMI 2.1 port, variable refresh rate and auto low latency mode. Sony's PS5 support pages cap video at 4K 120 Hz, as Do I need a 120Hz TV for PS5? sets out.

Compare Electronic worked out the time each refresh rate takes to draw one frame, and the pixel data a 4K 10-bit signal needs:

• 60 Hz draws a frame every 16.67 ms; 120 Hz every 8.33 ms; 144 Hz every 6.94 ms; 165 Hz every 6.06 ms.
• Moving from 120 Hz to 144 Hz saves 1.39 ms per frame; from 144 Hz to 165 Hz saves a further 0.88 ms.
• 4K at 10-bit colour needs 29.86 Gbps of pixel data at 120 Hz, 35.83 Gbps at 144 Hz and 41.06 Gbps at 165 Hz, before blanking and encoding overhead. HDMI 2.1 carries up to 48 Gbps, so 165 Hz sits close to the limit of the link.

Refresh rate is not the only factor. LG lists the OLED42C65LA as a 120 Hz panel with VRR up to 165 Hz, so the number on the box can mean the panel or the variable refresh range.

Which gaming TVs have low input lag?

Most current 4K TVs from Hisense, TCL, LG and Sony have a game mode that RTINGS rates as low lag, and ALLM switches it on automatically. RTINGS says the Hisense U7N "has low input lag, so you get a snappy gaming experience, especially at 120Hz", and notes support for 4K at 144 Hz over HDMI 2.1. It rates the Sony BRAVIA 5 as having low input lag and the Sony BRAVIA 7 II as having very low input lag.

Two cautions apply. RTINGS keeps exact millisecond figures behind its membership, and the Hisense U7N is a different TV from the Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO. For the PRO, Hisense's Amazon UK listing describes "144Hz VRR and ultra low input lag" through AMD FreeSync Premium PRO, which is a maker claim. Response time matters as well: RTINGS calls the BRAVIA 5 and BRAVIA 7 II slow in pixel transitions, which blurs fast motion even when lag is low. The Sony pair is compared in Sony BRAVIA 5 vs BRAVIA 7 II.

How much does a 144Hz gaming TV cost?

A 144 Hz 55-inch TV costs £96.00 to £180.99 more than the 60 Hz TCL 55V6D at £349.00, a premium of 27.5% to 51.9%. The Mini LED step in the TCL 55C6K accounts for most of the larger gap.

Over a seven-year life the £96.00 gap is £13.71 a year. Buyers sizing a screen can use What size TV do I need?.

Are 4K gaming projectors a low input lag option?

A gaming projector can match a TV for lag but costs far more per inch of dark-room picture. BenQ lists the X3100i with a 4 ms response time and 4.2 ms at 1080p 240 Hz on its Amazon UK listing, at £1,975.00 at the time of writing (October 2026), and the trade-offs against a screen are in Is a projector better than a TV?.

Which 144Hz gaming TV should you buy?

The Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO is the best value 144 Hz gaming TV, at £445.00 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026). Hisense lists a 144 Hz panel, VRR through AMD FreeSync Premium PRO and a game mode that starts through ALLM.

It suits console and PC players who want 144 Hz without paying for a Mini LED backlight. The compromises are a direct-lit QLED panel instead of local dimming zones and two HDMI 2.1 ports, which limits a multi-console setup.

Three alternatives cover a better backlight, a desk OLED and a large-screen flagship, at Amazon UK prices in October 2026.

Verdict

A 144 Hz TV is a PC feature: consoles stop at 120 Hz, so only players with a graphics card that clears 120 fps at 4K gain from it. The Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO at £445.00 is the value pick, and the TCL 55C6K at £529.99 suits brighter rooms. The wider field is in Best TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X.