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This blog contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on these links and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the site and allows us to continue providing helpful content. Thank you for your support!
Everyone games these days, and there’s no need to be ashamed about it anymore. Better yet, gaming is a great way to connect with others by playing together online or in-person. So why hide in your room playing on a tiny little monitor when you can bring it into the living room to share it on a big screen smart TV with family and friends? This blog will check out the latest tech use to create game mode settings on smart TVs which ensure you get the best possible gaming experience you can get immersed in, followed by the easiest way to get games onto your big screen.
From Cinema Mode to Gaming Mode: Transform Your Experience
In the past, smart TVs have been a bit unreliable to really game on. Instead, you might have got a specific monitor that’s made specifically for it or just gritted your teeth and dealt with some stuttering issues every now and then. Thankfully, brands have now caught up to the importance of making smart TVs gaming-ready by introducing game mode settings. Just like your smart TV might already have a cinema or sports mode in the settings which optimises how it displays these automatically, many now also come with a game mode to improve performance specifically for gaming.
These gaming modes come with Variable Refresh Rates (VRR), meaning that your smart TV will match the changing frame rates that your game consoles and games will display. This will stop the nasty stuttering and screen tearing that used to come with smart TV gaming which happened from conflicting frame rates from the source to the display. So if you’re looking for one thing in particular to check if a smart TV’s gaming mode will actually make a difference, take a look and see if it’s got VRR capabilities.
As well as this, advancements in technology such as HDMI 2.1 have also helped to improve the smart TV gaming experience to be more consistent. This tech is an advancement on HDMI ports and cables by increasing the bandwidth of signals being sent to display a higher resolution and frame rate than previously possible. While this won’t make a whole world of difference for watching shows or films, it’s a real game changer for gaming as it makes VRR and game modes on your smart TV possible. So, make sure you’re getting a smart TV with HDMI 2.1 ports and the right HDMI cable in this handy guide to give you that smoother experience to give you the edge when gaming online.
If you’re looking for one of the best smart TVs for gaming out right now with all of these features, we recommend Hisense’s 55E78QTUK PRO 144Hz QLED Smart AI TV. Make use of their 144Hz Game Mode PRO that can automatically detect when a gaming console is connected to get one of the smoothest gaming experiences on a smart TV currently possible. This’ll help give you an edge over friends and enemies with older laggy setups, making that winning feeling so much better!
Now that you’ve got the lowdown on what tech to look for in smart TVs for gaming as well as our recommendation for the best on the market, you’re probably thinking about the best console to get to complete your setup. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with a different option you might not have considered…
Streaming Games with Amazon Luna
Did you know that you don’t even need to buy an expensive gaming console these days as Amazon Luna can stream games directly to your smart TV or streaming device? That’s right, no console needed! This gaming service works using the cloud to stream games to your smart TV just like Netflix does with movies. This means there’s no big 100gb download of a game that’ll take ages because it’s streamed as well, meaning you can just click and play whatever title when you want with no need to wait. All you need to do is install the app, which can be done directly on Samsung and LG smart TVs or on an Amazon Fire Stick. As long as you have a high-speed internet connection, then Amazon Luna is a great option to consider so you could play video games on your smart TV without having to buy an expensive console.
Better yet, if you already have Amazon Prime then you also have access to Amazon Luna as part of your subscription! Amazon Prime members get access to a selection of great titles including Fortnite and Rainbow Six Siege X, but don’t worry you can get access to even more by subscribing to Luna+ or Ubisoft+ through the app or website. With new titles being added regularly, using the Amazon Luna service can save you from splashing out on a console and games and instead give you great value for money if you’ve already got Amazon Prime.
So, if you’re interested in gaming on your smart TV but don’t own a games console right now, get yourself an Amazon Luna Wireless Controller that’ll work directly with the Amazon Luna app. This controller uses Cloud Direct technology to connect directly to Amazon’s dedicated servers to reduce the chance of laggy inputs, making it a better choice than an Xbox or PlayStation controller. In the meantime, if you want to start gaming today, you can even download the Luna Controller app to use your smartphone or tablet and be ready to play!
As you can see, there’s a lot more fun to be had by playing video games on your smart TV with others in 2025. New technology such as VRR and HDMI 2.1 ports have made gaming on your smart TV much more consistent than it used to be if you’re using a console. Better yet, options like Amazon Luna make gaming so much easier (and cheaper) by streaming games like Netflix streams shows to remove the need to buy a pricey PS5 or Xbox One S if you don’t have one already. So, try out Amazon Luna today with one of our recommendations for the best smart TVs for gaming in 2025 to get the best gaming experience possible to enjoy with your family and friends!