Pro football is back in action, and the right TV can make your couch the best seat in the house.
We talked to expert Blue Shirts in football towns across the country to get some tips for how to choose the best TV for watching sports. In short, you’re looking for a crystal-clear 4K picture and lightning-fast refresh rates — and you want to go big. (Pssst: Refresh rate is how many times the screen is updated per second. The higher the number, the more crisp and detailed the wide receiver looks running his route.)
Here are a few Blue Shirt favorites.
LG OLED 55B6P
If you’re looking for a great TV for watching your team on Sunday, look no further than the LG OLED 55B6P. This 55-incher provides jaw-dropping 4K clarity, with high dynamic range (HDR) for a more colorful and realistic picture. If you want to go bigger, this TV is available in the 65-inch screen size as well.
“OLED is one of the most advanced and most future-proof technologies on the market,” said Pedro Flores, an LG expert at our Best Buy store in South Philadelphia. “It has near-infinite contrast, so you’re going to get the purest blacks and best whites. And you’re going to get the best color replication to the human eye spectrum. When you see an OLED, just by looking at it, it sticks out.”
It’s also a fantastic TV for hosting large groups of friends and family, said Tom Gillesse, a Magnolia expert at our store in West Los Angeles.
Sony 65X850D
The Sony 65X850D is a 65-inch 4K Ultra HD TV with high dynamic range. It features Sony’s Motionflow refresh rate technology, which builds on the native 120-hertz panel to ensure lifelike clarity for fast-moving sports action.
“The 850D is going to be a great go-to for contrast, clarity and color,” said Kelli Yurko, the home theater lead at our Best Buy store in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, Michigan. “With 4K and high dynamic range, the green of the field and the color of the uniforms are really going to pop. You’re literally going to see the faces of the fans in the crowd.”
If you want to go a step up from that, the Sony 65X930D is even thinner and provides a wider color spectrum.
Samsung 65KS8000
Similar to the Sony X850D, the Samsung 65KS8000 is a 65-inch 4K Ultra HD with high dynamic range. It features Samsung’s Motion Rate 240 technology for great motion clarity during fast-moving sports action.
“The 8000 is great,” Kelli said. “It’s also available with a curved screen, which is nice for sectional seating or hosting a party because everyone in the room will be able to see the picture.” The KS8000 series is flat and the KS8500 is the curved version of that same TV.
The Samsung KS8500 and KS9000 are also excellent options for watching sports.
Epson Home Cinema 2045
TVs aren’t the only option for big-screen bliss. The Epson Home Cinema 2045 Wireless LCD Projector provides full 1080p HD video with a picture size of up to 332 inches.
Tom in L.A. said many customers come in looking for a big-screen TV but end up choosing projectors because they often provide better bang for the buck.
“The benefit of a theater room is that most of the stuff you buy, like the screen and the speakers, are pretty much good for a lifetime,” Tom said. “It’s a great solution for customers who want a big screen and a longer-term investment.”
Everything else you need
If you want the ultimate game-day experience, don’t forget about the audio. You’re going to need a great sound bar or surround sound system if you really want to hear every bone-crunching tackle.
“With how thin they make televisions now, the speakers are so small that you’re literally only getting 10 watts of sound,” Kelli said. “And they’re on the back, so it’s just bouncing off the cabinet. You have to crank it way up, and you’re still not satisfied.”
She notes that it’s also important to have the right cables to get everything you expect out of your new TV. “A lot of people don’t think HDMI cables are important, but you if you have an HDR television, you actually need at least 22.5 megabytes per second from that speed,” she said.
We also have a wide range of wall mounts and universal remotes—and, of course, Geek Squad can set up and install everything for you to make sure it’s all up and running in time for kickoff.
Looking for more tips on how to choose the right TV for you? Check out our 4K Ultra HD TV Buying Guide at BestBuy.com or stop into a nearby Best Buy store.