{"id":4405,"date":"2026-01-27T22:49:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T22:49:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2026\/01\/27\/the-best-4k-uhd-tvs-for-watching-sports-2026-lg-samsung-tcl-sony\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T22:49:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T22:49:09","slug":"the-best-4k-uhd-tvs-for-watching-sports-2026-lg-samsung-tcl-sony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2026\/01\/27\/the-best-4k-uhd-tvs-for-watching-sports-2026-lg-samsung-tcl-sony\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best 4K UHD TVs for Watching Sports 2026: LG, Samsung, TCL, Sony"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tFor sports fans, \u201cit\u2019s an exciting time, but we are only at the beginning of what Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos can bring to the live broadcast world,\u201d John Couling, senior vice president of entertainment at Dolby, tells <em>The Hollywood<\/em> <em>Reporter<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tOver the years, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/t\/tech\/\" id=\"auto-tag_tech\" data-tag=\"tech\">tech<\/a> companies continued <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/business\/digital\/ces-tech-2023-trends-1235290939\/\">promoting 8K TVs<\/a>, but many experts agree that the resolution is unnecessary for watching sports or even movies. Content options are still few and far between as filmmakers and sports broadcasters have yet to dive into 8K. One exception is in the U.K., where BT Sport <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bt.com\/sport\/innovates\">broadcast<\/a> the first 8K HDR sporting event for homes using Sony UHC-8300 cameras \u2014 but only those with 8K television sets were able to watch. The U.K. sports network also delivered the first live public 8K broadcast in 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201cAny advancement in picture quality is a good thing, but when it comes to sports, no events are currently shot in 8K so 4K is the most resolution you\u2019ll need to match the way content is produced today,\u201d Couling points out. \u201cWhat\u2019s more important is to look for a TV that supports HDR or Dolby Vision. HDR can enable the best picture possible from your TV by delivering images filled with more brightness, contrast, color, and detail. And it\u2019s an exciting time to be in the market for an HDR TV if you love sports. Over the last 12 months, many of the biggest events in sports were, or will be available, for the first time ever in Dolby Vision like the Super Bowl and NFL playoffs, World Cup, and past Olympics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tGreat picture is equally as important as great sound, which is why I\u2019d recommend looking for a TV with Dolby Atmos if you care about sports. It plays a critical role in making you feel as if you are in the stadium by bringing the electricity of the crowd alive. Luckily, many TVs that support Dolby Vision today also come with Dolby Atmos, so you don\u2019t have to choose between the two,\u201d continues Couling.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading larva \/\/   lrv-a-font-accent-l   \">\n\t\tQLED vs. OLED TVs: What\u2019s the Difference?\t<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tBefore buying a new TV, it\u2019s important to know the differences among the types of screens, mainly QLED and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/lifestyle\/shopping\/best-oled-tvs-4158778\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OLED displays<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201cQLED is a variant based on liquid-crystal display (LCD) that extends the display\u2019s color saturation using an LED backlight combined with an advanced color conversion material called \u2018Quantum Dots,\u2019 often abbreviated as QD,\u201d says Couling. \u201cLCD features a transparent screen that doesn\u2019t create light on its own. Instead, these screens are combined with a backlight, often comprised of an array of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) used to illuminate the pixels in the panel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tOLED, or organic light-emitting diode, \u201ccan illuminate each pixel at an individual level, making a backlight unnecessary,\u201d adds Couling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201cEach technology has its benefits, and all have improved significantly over the past 10 years \u2014 especially when paired with features like HDR. Choosing what\u2019s best for you is really about customer preference. There is no right or wrong answer,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading larva \/\/   lrv-a-font-accent-l   \">\n\t\tRefresh vs. Frame Rate: What\u2019s the Difference?\t<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tWhether you\u2019re a gamer, a sports fan or a movie buff, knowing the difference between a TV\u2019s refresh rate and the frame rate will also help decide on the best screen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201cRefresh rate refers to how quickly a screen updates (or refreshes) the image it is displaying. This is not to be confused with frame rate, which describes how many frames (individual images) are displayed on the TV by the content, such as a movie or game,\u201d says Couling. \u201cSimply put, the TV\u2019s refresh rate has to align in a meaningful way to the frame rate, but it\u2019s not something consumers should worry too much about as modern displays take care of this process for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tHe adds that lower frame rates used by filmmakers result in the \u201ccinematic look and feel\u201d seen in many movies and TV shows, \u201cwhich is a deliberate choice by the creative. \u2026 Support for 24 and 60 frames per second (fps) has been available in modern TVs for some time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tHigher frame rates (about 60 fps) are usually used in sports to make games look smoother. \u201cThis is a functional choice to make sure the action looks natural, like a quarterback throwing a pass to an open receiver.\u201d And in gaming, higher frame rates (such as 120 fps) are becoming more commonly supported especially as next-gen gaming consoles are being introduced. \u201c[They] allow players to react within split seconds of what they see on screen. This is huge in the world of competitive gaming. If gaming is important to you, you\u2019ll want to look for this in your next TV purchase.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading larva \/\/   lrv-a-font-accent-l   \">\n\t\tWhat\u2019s the Best Distance for Setting Up TVs?\t<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201cThe distance between your couch and TV can have an impact on your viewing experience, but the optimal distance is a balance of what looks best to you, scientific recommendations, and what you plan to watch,\u201d says Couling. Many viewers assume that big-screen TVs of 55 inches or larger require a longer distance between the couch and the TV, but that\u2019s not always the case, he adds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201cAs the resolution of modern TVs has also increased over time, it can be the opposite. Generally, for most types of content, images will start to lose detail if the distance between your couch and TV is greater than three times the TV\u2019s vertical picture height (the distance between the top and bottom of your screen),\u201d says Couling. For those who are watching in 4K, \u201cthat distance needs to be even closer (about 1.5 picture height, to be precise) as our eyes can\u2019t differentiate the fine detail of individual pixels from further away.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tThat means a 65-inch TV should be about four feet away from your couch, \u201cbut many people likely don\u2019t sit this close while others may not be in the market to purchase a larger TV.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tHe adds: \u201cThis is why a TV with HDR, or Dolby Vision, should be top of mind when looking for your next purchase. These technologies will produce the biggest improvements in picture quality, and luckily for consumers, viewing distance is less critical with HDR because our eyes can see more colors, higher brightness, and better contrast from farther distances. HDR can even make images feel like they have more detail. Manufactures also bundle 4K and HDR together, so if you purchase an HDR or Dolby Vision TV, it will also support 4K.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading larva \/\/   lrv-a-font-accent-l   \">\n\t\tWhat\u2019s the Best Way to Set Up TV Speakers?\t<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tCouling recommends that viewers who want the best audio experience should invest in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/shop\/best-soundbars-4155154\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a soundbar<\/a> or a home theater audio system. If you\u2019re not ready to buy one or your TV is already equipped with Dolby Atmos, there are a few ways to ensure optimal sound:<\/p>\n<div class=\"container \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Mount your TV above a\u00a0table<\/strong> \u201cMost new TVs have downward-facing speakers placed behind the panel. Placing your TV above an entertainment center or table allows the sound to bounce off the surface and reflect throughout the room, which will create a fuller-sounding experience,\u201d says Couling.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mount your soundbar or place it on the edge of your entertainment center<\/strong> \u201cThis way, the audio can reflect outward into the room vs. bouncing against your TV,\u201d he says.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Help large rooms absorb sound<\/strong>\u00a0Laying down a rug, hanging art on the wall or installing curtains can help absorb sound if your space sounds too echoey, Couling recommends.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For sports fans, \u201cit\u2019s an exciting time, but we are only at the beginning of what Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos can bring to the live broadcast world,\u201d John Couling, senior vice president of entertainment at Dolby, tells The Hollywood Reporter. Over the years, tech companies continued promoting 8K TVs, but many experts agree that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4406,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[2726,4177,554,4176,925,4174,4175],"class_list":{"0":"post-4405","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fashion","8":"tag-samsung","9":"tag-sony","10":"tag-sports","11":"tag-tcl","12":"tag-tvs","13":"tag-uhd","14":"tag-watching"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4405","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4405"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4405\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4407,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4405\/revisions\/4407"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4406"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}