Whether it's cricket or car racing, Olympic athletics, football or netball, live sport is action-packed and full of vibrant colours, and some TVs will always show it better than others.
Factors such as picture clarity, processor speed and colour balance all play a big role, and can mean the difference between feeling like you're in the front row, or stuck up the back trying to figure out who's got the ball.
But if you're shopping for a new TV, how do you tell the winners from the losers?
Our lab experts test models specifically for sport as part of their comprehensive TV reviews, so we asked them to reveal the top performers and the ones that belong in the sin bin.
Our tests for sports viewing quality
CHOICE test coordinator Scott in our TV labs.
In our extensive TV lab testing, our lead tester Scott O'Keefe and his team of experts score every model for sports in both standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) as part of our assessment of various content, which also includes DVD and Blu-ray movies and broadcast SD and HD TV series.
Usually, each model's sports scores are factored into their CHOICE Expert Rating. But as a special treat for sports lovers, we're revealing these dedicated scores so you can see the players that truly give 110% (or closest to it).
Remember, sports viewing is just one criterion for a TV. Join CHOICE to see our full TV reviews, which assess picture quality, energy consumption, user interface, remote controls, key features and more.
Top rated TVs for sport
This large-screen LG rates highly for sports fans.
Large-screen TV
Best scoring for sport: LG OLED65C1PTB
- SD viewing score for sport: 90%
- HD viewing score for sport: 90%
- Price: $4095
This 64-inch LG TV rated 'very good' for overall performance, including for both SD and HD sport viewing. Our testers say the sound quality is very good with "good presence, crisp vocals and balance", although it does have a slight boomy base.
At just over $4000, it's one of the more expensive LG models, but it's just the ticket if you want to create that stadium feel at home. Just BYO crowd roars and mid-strength beer. Check out more options in our full TV reviews.
Medium-screen TV
Best scoring for sport: LG OLED48C1PTB
- SD viewing score for sport: 90%
- HD viewing score for sport: 90%
- Price: $3595
Just because you want great sport viewing doesn't mean you always have the room to accommodate a large TV.
The OLED48C1PTB is an interesting offering from LG with a 48-inch display and excellent performance for both HD and SD sport. It could be an ideal option for a smaller area or 'sports' room where even a 55-inch model may look too big. This model also works well as a gaming TV with a high refresh rate and support for HDMI 2.1.
Small-screen TV
Best scoring for sport: Ffalcon 32SF1
- SD viewing score for sport: 80%
- HD viewing score for sport: 80%
- Price: $299
The strangely spelt Ffalcon is JB Hi-Fi's home brand. At this modest price, this unit certainly delivers more than you'd expect. In fact, our viewing panellists found the detail to be surprisingly good for both SD and HD sport.
On the downside, the viewing angle is quite narrow, so you need to sit front-on to get the best out of the picture quality. Its sound quality is poor too, so you'd probably have to add a small soundbar or even a pair of powered speakers to generate that big-game atmosphere.
But given that its general viewing quality is pretty good, this is a nice option for the spare room.
Worst rated TVs for sport
The Blaupunkt BP650USG9200 failed to impress our testers.
Large-screen TV
Lowest scoring for sport: Blaupunkt BP650USG9200
- SD viewing score for sport: 45%
- HD viewing score for sport: 55%
- Price: $795
If you've bought this to watch TV, then you have been 'punkt'. The price may be right, but the viewing and sound quality most certainly aren't. Our lab experts noted that its 4K picture is oversaturated and has motion blur, and the sound has very soft bass and is "retrenched [and] muffled". A loser all round.
Medium-screen TV
Lowest scoring for sport: Bauhn (Aldi) ATV50UHD-1120
- SD viewing score for sport: 50%
- HD viewing score for sport: 60%
- Price: $499
This model is cheaper than others of its size, but that's as good as it gets. Rating just OK for HD and borderline for SD for sport in our tests, it's best left on the bench if you want your teams to really shine on screen.
Being an Aldi product, you'll find this model appearing suddenly in one of its weekly specials – and, despite its poor performance, probably disappearing just as quickly too.
Small-screen TV
Lowest scoring for sport: TCL 43P8M
- SD viewing score for sport: 65%
- HD viewing score for sport: 55%
- Price: $545
If you're looking for a smaller TV for the shed or man cave, be wary of this wooden spooner from TCL.
Not only does it do a pretty average job for SD sport viewing, it drops the ball even more when you switch to HD. That's a foul in our books.
A sports-lover's guide to buying a TV
1. Know your source
Before buying a new box, you need to know the broadcast quality of your favourite sports. Are they shown in SD (720 x 576 pixels), HD (1920 x 1080) or ultra high definition (UHD), aka 4K (3860 x 2160)? The answer will vary depending on the sport, the channel and the state you live in (for example, free-to-air AFL games are often shown in HD in Victoria and SD in NSW).
Before buying a new box, you need to know the broadcast quality of your favourite sports
If you're watching an SD broadcast on an HD TV, it needs to upscale the video to display at the higher resolution. How well it bridges this gap depends heavily on the quality of the unit and its internal processors. This can vary notably between models and definitions, which is why we score separately for SD and HD sources above.
2. OLED or LCD – which is better?
According to our experts, OLED is definitely the MVP (i.e. the best choice) here, particularly if you can control the ambient light in your TV room. But OLED TVs are usually more expensive, so it will depend on your budget.
What's the difference? Well, LCD (liquid-crystal display) TVs require a light source behind their screen panel, meaning they can go very dark grey but never full black. By comparison, OLED (organic light emitting diode) screens have lights integrated within each diode and they can simply turn off when required, giving you true blacks.
3. What size TV do you need?
Bigger is always better, right? Not always with TVs, because it also depends on your room size and how close you like to be to the TV when you watch. If you sit too close to a massive screen, you may be able to see the pixels – and that's not pretty.
As listed in our TV buying guide, there are three important factors you need to consider for the best viewing experience:
- Your TV's screen resolution (HD or 4K)
- The size of your room
- How far you sit from the screen.
What is the best screen size for a high-definition (HD) TV?
What is the best screen size for an ultra high-definition TV (UHD aka 4K)
4. Testing a TV instore
Retailers usually play animated movies on instore TVs because they look amazing. Sport is a completely different ball game, so switch to a match or race to truly test their mettle. If that's not possible, you could take in your own sports DVD to test.
Evaluate key specs such as picture clarity (are the numbers on jerseys sharp?), motion, and colour balance (do skin tones look right?). Cycle through picture modes and note nasties such as judder (lack of smooth panning), motion blur (trailing elements behind fast-moving objects) and odd saturation.
Retailers usually play animated movies on in-store TVs, so switch to a match or race to truly test their mettle
Store TVs are often muted too, so turn the volume up if you can and study the sound. Is it rich or tinny? How do commentators' voices sound? If it's ordinary, you might need to buy an accompanying soundbar too – check out our soundbar reviews.
5. Suss out the screen angle
Got friends coming round regularly for the footy? Then you'll want to test the screen angle and ensure they'll all be able to see well.
As you move sideways from the centre of the screen, most TVs will lose some colour and contrast. Stand in the middle of the screen at your normal viewing distance and then take a few steps sideways. If the picture degrades too much, keep moving till you find a screen that does a better job. Your friends will thank you.
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
