When you�re serious about gaming, every second counts. Your
hand-eye coordination is so finely tuned that you start to notice
the lag between your game controller and your console and even
between your console and your TV.
I�m Donald Bell, and in this episode of CNET Top 5 I�m counting
down CNET Senior Editor David Katzmaier�s list of the five best
HDTVs with the least amount of input lag. It�s a rating only
gamers will appreciate. 50 to 60 milliseconds it about average,
but the TVs on this list all measured under 40.
Starting off at #5: the Panasonic TC-P50S60, which also
happens to be the highest rated TV on this list and clocks in at
just 34.1ms of input lag. It�s a plasma TV, which means great,
deep blacks but a slightly thicker design than you�d find on an
LCD. The 50-inch model is priced around $700, which is a great
value. The only bad news is that they cut some corners with the
inputs. Only two HDMI connections on the back -- so if you�re the
multiple console type, you�ll have to invest in a switcher box or
just pick a side already.
#4 goes off the beaten path a bit. It�s the BenQ W1070 -- a
projector. The BenQ tops CNET�s list of the best budget home
theater projectors. For $1,000 you could be playing Call of Duty
on a screen the size of your wall. Lag time comes in at just
33.7ms, which is twice as fast as some TVs we�ve tested. Of
course, having a life size Lara Croft in your living room might not
be the best thing for your social life, but what you do in the dark
in the privacy of your own home is entirely your business. Just
stay away from the Kinectimals.
For something a little more inconspicuous, how about #3: the
Vizio E500i-A1. This is the least expensive TV on this list, with
the 50-inch model priced at around $650. It�s an LED LCD, so
there�s less power consumption here than in the plasma or the
projector. But since it�s a direct-lit screen instead of edge-lit, it�s
still pretty thick compared to those razor thin TVs we see these
days. Still, a great value, and it comes with Vizio�s full suite of
Smart TV apps and content. Input lag is a swift, 32.2ms, which is
fantastic for the price.
But that�s still obscenely slow compared to #2: the Sony KDL-
55W900A. Here�s a TV from a company that knows a thing or
two about high-performance gaming. 19.7ms of lag time, along
with a stunning, insanely thin design and arguably the best
picture quality on this whole list. Bad news is, this one�s going to
set you back around $2,300 for a 55-inch TV. That�s about
$1,000 more than our Editors� Choice TV, the Panasonic TC-
PST60. So, you�re kind of a sucker to go with this one, especially
once you hear about our final pick.
So here we go, the #1 TV for gamers looking for the least
amount of input latency: the Sony KDL-55W802A. Look familiar?
It�s practically the same design as the last Sony, only this one
comes in at $1,600 and comes with a more aggressive Gaming
Mode that ratchets the lag time down to 16.9ms. That said, if
your gaming obsession has brought you to the point where 16.9
ms makes an impact, you need to seriously go for a walk.
...Maybe change into some clean clothes first ...brush your teeth.
There could be real people out there.
So there you go, four TVs and one projector that may or may not
make you a better gamer. You can see David Katzmaier�s
detailed list over at CNET.com. And for more Top 5s like this,
Top5.CNET.com.
I�m Donald Bell, thanks for watching.
