Super Bowl LII is set to kick off on February 4th, 2018 and while the teams are set, your home theater may not be. With over a week until the big game, there’s still plenty of time to upgrade your TV to the latest technology. Over the last year, some of the biggest manufacturers have unleashed new technology with 4K, HDR and Dolby Atmos offering more immersive experiences than ever before.
We’ve rounded up some of our top picks for Super Bowl LII from LG, VIZIO, Samsung and others to fit any budget. Head below for our top picks, and more.
There’s more to consider than ever before when upgrading to a new TV in 2018. Making the jump to 4K is an obvious move this year as more content is available than ever before from Netflix, iTunes and others. On top of that, new HDR standards seem to be popping up each day, making it a difficult proposition to stay up-to-date on the latest trends.
Minimum Requirements |
When it comes to sports, there is perhaps no more important feature than refresh rate. Super Bowl TVs need to have a minimum of 120Hz for an enjoyable experience. 60Hz will deliver a picture with plenty of ‘motion blur’, where it looks like the football and other fast-moving action is seen with a ghost effect.
Some manufacturers will list TVs with an effective 120Hz refresh rate, but that’s leaning on software to smooth any shortcomings and isn’t as good as a native rate at the same level. Jumping to 240Hz isn’t required, but will provide additional smoothing and a nice soap opera effect if so desired.
You’ll also want to invest in a TV with plenty of HDMI inputs, particularly with support for the 2.1+ standard. It’s important to have a minimum of three total, but you can find options on the market today with up to five. With gaming consoles, streaming media players and other content taking up our screens, you’ll be thankful that you’ve opted for extra ports.
Best 40-50-inch TV |
It’s hard to find a TV at this size with native 120Hz refresh rates, that’s why the 40-50-inch range tends to be more budget-focused. Samsung’s 40-inch UN40MU7000 model does fail on refresh rate with its in-house 120Hz Motion Rate panel, but at under $500 it scores top marks on price. Three inputs, full 4K support and smart functionality round out the list of notable features on this Samsung Ultra HDTV.
Best 55-inch TV |
I’ve spoken about my love for LG’s OLED panels plenty of times here on Electronicsforward. With inky blacks and excellent refresh rates, LG has continually enjoyed top-billing for sport fans.
The LG OLED55B7A model sports excellent refresh rates, four HDMI inputs and full HDR support. I’ve been using the 65-inch model for about a year now, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the picture, particularly on Sundays. You can pick up LG’s 55-inch variety for around $1,500 these days.
More 55-inch top picks:
- VIZIO M55-Eo 4K Smart UHDTV: $700
- Samsung UN55MU8000 4K Smart UHDTV: $898
- Samsung UN55MU9000 4K HDR Smart UHDTV: $1,197
Best 60-70-inch TV |
While everything that I said about LG’s OLEDs above translates to this category, Sony’s latest TVs offer a nice alternative for less. The 65-inch XBR65X930E model sports an attractive design, four HDMI inputs, HDR support and full host of smart apps. A native 120Hz refresh rate coupled with Sony’s in-house Motionflow XR delivers some of the best non-OLED sports performance that I’ve seen. The 65-inch model currently sells for $1,998.
More 65-inch top picks:
Be sure to pick up a few extra HDMI cables to round out your setup before the big day. We’re big fans of Amazon’s in-house brand, which are available for under $10 for the most part. Don’t go for the high-end versions that run over $50, there’s very little difference for the average consumer and the upcharge typically isn’t worth it.
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