Key takeaway: Element TVs are not good for gaming. Element TVs lack Variable Refresh Rate support. Moreover, their high input lag can lead to visual glitches during gaming.
Are Element TVs good for gaming? This article delves into the picture quality, refresh rate, HDMI ports, and sound quality of Element TVs.
Element TVs don’t support Variable Refresh Rate
My Element 55-inch Roku TV has a respectable 60 Hz refresh rate. However, it doesn’t have a Variable Refresh Rate, so gaming is not as good.
I think the refresh rate is important if you’re looking for a gaming monitor. The refresh rate refers to how many times per second the display is able to draw a new image, measured in Hertz (Hz).
Put simply, more frames-per-second makes for smoother gameplay.
For gaming, the bare minimum is 60 Hz. If the rate is below 60 Hz, you’ll see flickering and odd movement in games. If you’re serious about gaming, 144 Hz is the way to go.
Because Element TVs only have a 60 Hz refresh rate, they might not give the best experience for the latest games. They also don’t have a Variable Refresh Rate, which is key for top-level gaming.
I think you can do better in this price range. For example, both Hisense and TCL come to mind when it comes to budget TVs for gaming because they support Variable Refresh Rate.
Element TVs have high input lag
The input lag is the delay between input and onscreen reaction. It matters for video games, especially when a TV is used as a PC monitor. Lower input lag is better.
I’ve touched upon the input lag in my article discussing the reliability of Element TVs. For gaming, the input lag of Element TVs is quite high.
Even in the “PC/Game” picture mode, the input lag is quite high. When set to 4k @ 60Hz, Element TVs show visual glitches. Also, you can’t turn off sharpening.
This is fine for casual gaming, but any game that requires fast reactions (like shooter games and racing games) will be more difficult to play on an Element TV.
However, I do think Element TVs are good at displaying content without stuttering. The TV’s response time causes some blur between frames. This cuts down the time a static image is shown.
Element TVs have good picture quality
Element TVs offer 4K picture and HDR support. Most Element TVs have standard picture quality. But, for those seeking a cheap TV, they’re good enough.
Element TVs have a notable contrast ratio.
One of the best features of Element TVs is their contrast. This lets the screen show deeper blacks, which boosts the picture quality in dark rooms.
The contrast ratio compares the TV’s brightest white to its darkest black.
Element TVs have limited HDMI ports
My Element TV has two USB ports and three HDMI ports.
My 55-inch Element TV’s left side has two HDMI ports, one USB port, and a headphone jack. The rear-facing connector panel of the TV has a third HDMI port with ARC support.
However, for higher resolutions and frame rates, you need the latest HDMI 2.1. The HDMI 2.1 pushes the gaming experience to the highest level.
The lack of HDMI 2.1 shows the limitations of Element TVs. Three HDMI ports are solid, but without the latest HDMI 2.1, Element TVs are not the best option for gaming.
The sound quality of Element TVs is not the best
My 55-inch Element TV has an unusual design for its built-in speakers. It uses a pair of reflectors built into the TV’s chassis.
These reflectors direct the audio to the front of the screen, where viewers typically sit. However, this design is not pleasing to the eye, and the sound quality suffers.
The under-emphasized treble region causes the TV to sound a bit dark. The set lacks a subwoofer, so the bass is almost nonexistent, leading to a less immersive gaming experience.
Final verdict
My Element 55-inch Roku TV connected to my Xbox One X instantly, supporting 4K and 60Hz frame rates.
My Element TV costs less than $400, which is appealing. However, it has limitations like lacking 10-bit color and HDR10 gaming support.
Given the price, Element TVs are suitable for casual gaming. But for hardcore gaming, there are better TVs at a similar cost.
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