Key questions about HDTVs and imput lag with a PS4

I'm going to get a new HDTV and a PS4, and imput lag is by far the thing I'm most worried about. I've been doing a ton of research on this, but nobody around the internet seems to answer the most key questions. I plan on using an HDMI cable. I also plan on getting a TV that is $350 or less. Remember that all of these questions are about the PS4.

1. Is a TV with a lower resolution less likely to have imput lag? I think I'm going to get a 720p TV instead of 1080p because I heard some PS4 games run at 720p, and it's supposedly an imput lag risk to play a 720p game on a 1080p TV. I don't know if the reverse is true (whether or not it causes imput lag to play a game that runs at 1080p on a 720p TV).

2. Which is overall less of an imput lag risk: a 720p or 1080p TV?

3. How do the cheaper Plasma, "LED", and "LCD" televisions compare with imput lag being the only thing considered?

4. Does lower Hz on a TV mean less imput lag risk?

5. What kind of TV do YOU play your PS4 on, and how much imput lag is there?

Bonus: How good of a TV do you need to read the ridiculously small text that is in some of these PS4 games?

Feel free to say anything else that is helpful. Thanks!

@shaby15: I don't think there's any difference in input lag between resolutions but you will see a difference as you go up the panel sizes from 32" to 40" etc. You'll only get truly low input lag in monitors up to 27". I believe you can find the latency for all TVs online if you google it and some retailers will list it. Go for 1080p imo, i don't think i've even seen a 720p display for a while and the difference in image quality is well worth it.

Try and find a model with a gaming mode (this might be tricky to look up) as this will strip back post processing and minimise input lag.

Plasma's are usually best.

With input lag i'd avoid 120Hz or above TVs, they use some post processing to achieve it that adds input lag, is probably out of your price range and console games are always capped at 60fps so it's really no benefit anyway. You can still look though but you'll have to do some digging as the only way you'll get good input is from specific modes on the TV that strip back on processing as i mentioned above.

A quick google pulled up a forum with a few examples, the Samsung LE32C530 seems decent. Most Sony TVs are pretty impressive but will be pricey.

http://www.avforums.com/threads/lcd-led-tv-console-gaming-input-lag-list-chart.1383557/

Here's a good site for comparison:

http://www.displaylag.com/display-database/#participants-list

I wouldn't stress too much about it as i've never really noticed it too much though i do have a Sharp TV which are apparently quite good. Consoles have low sensitivity inputs and framerates capped at 60fps, if you want the true minimum (if you can even notice it) then you've got to go with the PC, you can get monitors nearer 2 or 4ms and make the most of 120Hz. You will get lag on audio with HDMI but you won't notice it unless you play rhythm games like Rocksmith, you can always output via the old AV cables or the optical audio port to remove this or use a gaming headset.

get a 1080p 100%. DO NOT get 720p because it reduces the fps. and do not get one of those 240hz Tvs. 60-120hz is perfect. But make sure you get 1080p, I have a ps4 and a 1080i and 1080p...the 1080p looks noticeably better, the hz don't matter as much because games are 60fps tops.

I had a Panasonic ST30 plasma for a few years. It was a 1080p plasma and I don't think I ever noticed any kind of lag, or it was negligible. That tv broke down. Very recently I just picked up a Sony KDL650a. It is great for the most part. The colors are some of, if not the best I've seen on a consumel level tv. Good black levels--not plasma good, but good for the tech. Keep in mind I haven't done much adjusting to the overall setting. There are some things that butter up the picture, even in game mode. I've been meaning to see how they affect gaming, as the only time I really noticed any lag was when playing Super Mario Bros 3/world/lost levels. I know, it isn't ps4, but those old school twitch games are the best for seeing if there's lag.

I'll see if I can rectify this, though.

If lag is a concern I think Plasma is the way to go. It is the best display for the dollar.

I've been looking at this chart that a lot of websites have about what resolutions are worth it for certain TV sizes and distances from the TV: http://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/720vs1080-625x1000.png

Based on the TV size I'll probably get (between 32 and 39 inches) and my distance from the TV, it looks like I'm right on the line as to whether or not a 1080p TV is worth it over a 720p one.

There's a ton of stuff to consider here. Right now I have a 27" standard def. TV, so any HDTV will look amazing in comparison. As long as it's clear enough to easily read the small text in PS4 games, I'm good with the quality. Therefore my #1 priority is having no imput lag and my #2 priority is a good price. I also wouldn't want some weird motion blur problem to happen, but I'm pretty sure anything 60 Hz or higher shouldn't have that.

Regarding what hoosier said, I woder how much TV size affects imput lag. I'm going to check that displaylag.com site for answers. Edit: The only bad thing about this site is that it mysteriously has no TVs between 32" and 39" but seems to have every other inch increment covered... Still very helpful though.

if you are into (serious) competitive gaming, get a big monitor, not a tv, however that defeats the purpose of having a console in your living room with a big screen tv...

you can always check reviews on different tech-sites as well, cnet had a similar review a few years back, where some sony tv models were quite fast...

Also, just realized that I've been spelling "input" wrong this whole time, including in the thread title. Now people googling for answers about this stuff will be less likely to find this topic :l

oh god, I told you DO NOT GET A 720P. you WILL notice the difference no matter how far you're sitting, a 720p tv looks shitty and blurry even on a ps3 much less a ps4, you have games that are made at 900p-1080p so why would you make your console seem weak with a 720p tv. You can find a vizio or toshiba or LG for a low price and 1080p. get a 47 inch 1080p tv.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olstemplatemapper.jsp?_dyncharset=UTF-8&_dynSessConf=5416962530695931643&id=pcat17071&type=page&ks=960&st=categoryid%24abcat0101001&sc=Global&cp=1&sp=-bestsellingsort+skuidsaas&qp=tvscreensize_facet%3DTV+Screen+Size%7E46%22+-+49%22%5Everticalresolution_facet%3DResolution%7E1080p%5Ecurrentprice_facet%3DPrice%7E%24250+-+%24499.99%5Ecurrentprice_facet%3DSAAS%7EPrice%7E%24500+-+%24749.99&list=y&usc=All+Categories&nrp=15&fs=saas&iht=n&seeAll=&browsedCategory=abcat0101001

Alright... I hear ya. I've been considering a 1080p TV more over the last day because I looked at a list of all the PS4 games and their resolution and it seems like almost all of them run at 1080p (this isn't so true for the Xbox One's games) so there shouldn't be any issues. Plus I found the following 39" 1080p TV that has a 4.5 out of 5 rating from gamers on Best Buy's website. Then again, most of these "gamers" could just be parents of kids that have no idea of the concept of input lag. I'm still doing more research.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-39-class-38-1-2-diag--led-1080p-60hz-hdtv/7790041.p?id=1218860215454&skuId=7790041&st=categoryid$abcat0101001&cp=1&lp=4

how does lowering the resolution lower the framerate?

If you're on a budget that tv will be fine. But if you can afford a little more, I would go with a slightly bigger screen. Don't worry about input lag, I game mostly on a tv from 2007 and I don't have any input lag at all while on ps4 playing battlefield 4. When I have my friends over and want to show off I use my big ass 55 inch sony led 1080p, its crazy nice.

Im a 33yr old gaming enthusiasts, and while I certainly enjoyed coming up part of a generation which was lucky enough to experience gaming from the introduction of the very first designed for home console, on up to the amazing advanced consoles we are all able to own in the present day... And while I just can't help but laugh when I see some person in the midst of a console war telling another person how inferior they believe their console to be in comparison to whichever of the two giants of the battlefront they happen to own themselves... As I read on, and read on, and yes, continue on reading some more... It always all but instantly occurs to me that more than likely, each and every individual who has taken a side and joined in the pages and pages, and yes, u guessed it more n more pages of one of these commentary "battles" which has insued .... They are almost indefinitely, not of an age which totals in enough years to have even provided them any insight as to just how amazing ANY ONE OF THE TWO (even that barely noted third one that came along prior to the two heavyweights of "next-gen" stepping into the scene) consoles they have been waring on for who only knows how many pages now, really are, nor what an improvement and advancement they BOTH are in comparrisson to that dusty Grandfather of them all who still sits in mine, and I'm sure MANY others closets to this very day!! And once I make it through all the chaos, to that single image in my head I have of me sitting on the floor infront of some tv that didnt even have a controller, only two knobs, with my brothers.... Its always then that I realize just how fortunate, as a gamer, I and they were to have been included in the entire evolution of it all as a whole and an entirety... And more than anything, it makes me sad to see so many of the later generations who are obviously missing the entire point of it ALL to begin with!! And thats to bring PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND ABOVE ALL, TO HAVE.............FUN!!!

I REALIZE MY COMMENT HERE MAY SEEM ALL BUT COMPLETELY OUT OF PLACE.... But, as a person who's seen all this whole "GAMING" thing from the beginning, and spend PLENTY too much time tapping away at some controller with no more than a stick n one, JUST ONE, lonely little button, to bring life to whatever game we mightve been franticly trying to best one n others best scores, as that game shown beautifully thru the screen of that two knobbed television surrounded in a huge and ornate, magnifacent wooden enclosure, which would earn words like "portable" being spoken, no more than a roomfull of laughter, and not even so much as a moments thought as being any possibility we might see in our lifetime!..... As one of the guys who made it here, from there.... I just have to say, don't get so caught up on trying to decide which set to buy, that u miss out on the fun all together!

Ive got a 42inch 1080p 60hz LED(LCD) tv, which was the cheapest in its class, and it looks better 2 years later, than the 1080p led 120hz 55inch toshiba my buddy just bought two weeks ago (HIS WORDS, EVERY TIME HE PLAYS AT MY HOUSE, NOT MINE!)..... So, a big pricetag doesn't in any way mean a "better" tv/picture..... Dont listen to too much hype, n get one that YOU LIKE!

Get a Plasma (which is what I have for gaming and it's awesome) also:

DO NOT BUY AN HDTV in 2015 that isn't at LEAST 1080p and over 120hz.

For input lag - it's not as scary as you might think. I spent a ton of time researching this before plunking down ~700 on a TV years back (I was very broke at the time and that was a major major expense). I became obsessed with getting the best for my money, and tried out a ton of TVs before settling on one. I really went overboard. From that experience, though, if you want my honest advice: pick a couple of brands (say, LG and Samsung), identify the models in your price range and size range, and then simply google their input lag, panel type, and color quality. Then buy the one that is the "least crappy" (because anything you read about a given TV from users on the web is going to be complaining about how it falls short in ___ and ___ and ____ ways :-P. Nothing you buy for 350 or 700 or 1000 is going to have no negatives, so don't get too hung up on it). Turn off all post-processing stuff when gaming - if it has a "Game Mode" that is usually the one to use and accomplish that - the post-processing stuff makes the images nicer (in theory) but increases input lag. If you want low input lag, turn it all off and then just adjust the saturation/contrast/etc manually to your liking.

@xantufrog:

And we have a Winner! this is by far the most sensible advice in this thread sofar.

Pretty much the best points in one post.