LG’s 2019 OLED TVs won’t add FreeSync gaming feature, report says

By Nick Woodard August 3, 2020

Attention all 2019 LG OLED TV owners who are hoping to get their hands on the upcoming Xbox Series X: You may want to think about upgrading your display.

Recommended Videos

LG has confirmed that its 2019 line of OLED TVs will not gain support for the AMD FreeSync variable refresh rate system, as first reported by Forbes. The technology, which is meant to eliminate the “tearing” effect that happens when a monitor won’t refresh as quickly as a game’s framerate, will be enabled on the yet-to-be-released Xbox Series X consoles.

LG confirmed this report with Digital Trends, but noted that 2019 models still support HDMI VRR, which is present in both the Xbox One S/X and the upcoming Xbox Series X. Simply put, the older lineup is still solid for gameplay – they just don’t support everything that LG’s newest TVs do.

LG’s 2020 roster of OLED TVs added support for FreeSync VRR thanks to a firmware update, meaning those new displays will be able to take full advantage of the technology. You just won’t be able to save a few bucks on an older display to pair with your brand-new Xbox console.

That’s not to say these slightly older LG TVs won’t do a great job as far as gaming is concerned. In fact, the LG C9 is still ranked as our best TV for gaming. That’s not just because of the mix of vivid colors and incredible black levels that come with the picture quality of a premium OLED TV, as it has plenty of other features to make that display work well for gaming.

In addition to a 120Hz screen that makes for incredibly quick responses, the C9 added a new Adaptive Refresh Technology called G-Sync via a software update. G-Sync is another technology meant to solve problems with image smoothness, though it does have its differences compared to FreeSync. So, even without FreeSync VRR, it’s not like these displays are useless when it comes to video games. They’re still incredibly capable machines, just without one of the latest pieces of software that happens to be enabled in one of the most anticipated new gaming consoles.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

As an A/V Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Nick Woodard covers topics that include 4K HDR TVs, headphones…

Deals

This 55-inch LG OLED 4K TV is less than $900 for Cyber Monday

lg oled 4k tv deals pre black friday walmart b8

Time is of the essence here, so we'll cut to the chase: Amazon has just discounted the 55-inch LG B8 OLED 4K TV for Cyber Monday, dropping it from $1,350 down to just $874 -- a total savings of $426. The best bit? It's the only OLED TV on the shelves for less than $900, so if you've been looking for a reason to chop in your HDTV for something more in line with the times, here it is.

While there are more high-end alternatives for hardcore videophiles, the 55-inch LG B8 is the path to take for the average Joe wanting to breathe fresh life into their home entertainment setup -- representing a tremendous step up from an HDTV and even a standard 4K TV. That's because what we're looking at here is an OLED TV, otherwise known as the best in the business.

Audio / Video

LG OLED TVs just became the best TVs for gaming with Nvidia G-Sync support

nvidia g sync lg oled tvs 2019 tv with

OLED TVs have always been exceptionally good screens for gaming. With their high contrast ratios, lightning-fast response rates, and low input-lags, they're an excellent choice for console gamers. This week, however, LG is rolling out a firmware update that will make all of its 2019 OLED TVs much better for PC gaming with its support of Nvidia's G-Sync Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology.

For those who are looking for the ultimate PC gaming experience, a monitor that supports VRR is important, but gamers who use graphics cards from Nvidia in their rigs also want support for Nvidia's proprietary VRR format known as G-Sync. Until now, these gamers have been limited to specific models of gaming monitors which tend to be much smaller than 4K TVs. With G-Sync support, LG OLED TVs can now deliver the same experience but on screen sizes up to 77 inches.

Audio / Video

There’s a rare deal on the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones today

Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones seen in black.

The massively popular Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones rarely appear in headphone deals, so if you've had your eye on them for quite a while, you're in luck because they're currently $51 off on Walmart. From their original price of $400, you'll only have to pay $349, but only if you hurry because we don't expect stocks to last long. You're going to miss out on the offer if you take too long, so don't hesitate -- add the wireless headphones to your cart and check out as fast as you can.

Why you should buy the Sony WH-1000XM5
The best headphones that you can buy right now are the Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones, and it's not even close. At the heart is their outstanding wireless sound, supported by top-quality active noise cancellation that uses two processors and eight microphones to block all unwanted sound, as well as crystal-clear hands-free calling using four beamforming microphones and advanced audio signal processing. The wireless headphones also offer Bluetooth multipoint connection so that you can quickly switch between different devices, touch controls for functions like adjusting volume and calling your digital assistant, and Speak-to-Chat and Quick Attention features to stop your music and let ambient sound in without having to take them off.