I never owned a console in my childhood since I have been a PC gamer from the beginning. But consoles from that era (early to mid-2000s) had a massive library of exclusive games that you just couldn’t play on PC. And one of the best consoles for playing exclusive titles was Sony’s PS2, which is my subject of interest for today’s article.
Maybe you already own a PS2 or found one on the 2nd hand market. Either way, you’re going to need a TV that works with it. And that’s what I’m here to help you with- finding the best TV for PS2.
Most people will just use a simple RCA to HDMI converter, but that won’t produce the best image quality on a modern 4K TV. I have a separate article planned for the best PS2 HDMI adapters. But for now, let’s take a look at the televisions themselves.
Quick Note: A lot of people will just go on eBay and buy some old CRT TV. But this article will help you select modern TVs for your PS2. Because I’m assuming that you are looking to buy a new television that works well with your PS2.
Plus, CRTs aren’t exactly manufactured anymore, at least not for the consumer market. If you don’t have the time to read the complete article, I suggest you skip to the part called “In A Hurry? Here Are My Top Picks”. Now, without any further ado- let’s get started, shall we?
- What To Look For While Selecting The Best TV For PS2?
- In A Hurry? Here Are My 7 Top Picks
- 1. LG C1 Series OLED55C1PUB
- 2. Sony KD43X85J
- 3. Amazon Fire TV 4-Series
- 4. LG A1 Series OLED48A1PUA
- 5. TCL 32S327
- 6. Hisense 50U6G
- 7. Vizio M55Q7-J01
- Gaming On A PS2 In the Modern Era
- Explaining The Popularity Of The PS2
- Why Are So Many People Playing Old Games?
- CRT vs LCD- Does The Older Tech Have Any Merits?
- Original Hardware vs Emulation
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the benefit of using a dedicated upscaling device for my PS2?
- Q: Do I need to turn on game mode while playing on a PS2?
- Q: Can newer PlayStations play PS2 games?
- Q: What if my TV doesn’t have composite ports (for the yellow, white, and red connectors)?
- Q: Can I use wireless controllers with my PS2?
- Conclusion
What To Look For While Selecting The Best TV For PS2?
There is no specific type of TV that you must purchase in order to connect a PS2. Any modern TV with HDMI inputs will do. Of course, it’s always nice to have a TV that supports composite or component connections.
You know, those RCA cables that you used back in the day with 3 separate colored pins. You can read up on that type of connector here if you aren’t familiar with the format. Anyways, it’s unlikely that you’ll find such a system on modern OLEDs and LCDs.
But it’s fine, you can either use an HDMI adapter or a dedicated upscaling device. The main goal here is to get a TV that has a low pixel response time. Having a 120Hz refresh rate isn’t super important unless you plan to hook up your computer for emulation gaming.
The actual PS2 hardware doesn’t support 120Hz, and most old PS2 games run at 30FPS. You also don’t need to bother with HDR, because that too isn’t supported by this legacy console. As for 4K vs 1080p, the latter will be cheaper but you have to decide based on the content you consume.
If you are buying a TV exclusively for the PS2 and nothing else, any basic 1080p display will do just fine. However, if this is a general-purpose TV that everyone will use, a 4K OLED makes a lot more sense.
In A Hurry? Here Are My 7 Top Picks
1. LG C1 Series OLED55C1PUB
| Display Type | OLED |
| Size | 55 inches |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 (4K) |
| Pixel Response Time | 1ms |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
| Inputs | HDMI, USB, Ethernet, Composite (RCA) |
Overview
This is the successor to LG’s famous CX series of OLED televisions, and I consider it to be the best TV for PS2. First, there is an entire batch of game-optimized settings. Then, you have the new OS which is loaded with apps and features that haven’t been seen before.
On top of the aforementioned benefits, retro gamers will also appreciate the upscaling algorithm that reinterprets original 480p content without introducing noticeable blurriness or artifacts. And it also supports composite input, so you can directly connect a PS2 or similar retro console. The input lag is also very low, which makes this TV an excellent choice for competitive multiplayer games.
Things I Like
2. Sony KD43X85J
| Display Type | LCD (VA panel) |
| Size | 43 inches |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 (4K) |
| Pixel Response Time | 4ms |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
| Inputs | HDMI, USB, Composite (RCA), Ethernet |
Overview
It’s not an OLED, so the viewing angles and contrast aren’t as high as that of the LG C1. But the Sony X85J is a lot cheaper than the LG C1, and still delivers excellent color accuracy out of the box. Gamma and black levels are pretty good but with some manual tuning, they can be perfect.
The X85J family of televisions has no issue with upscaling 480p and 720p content- be it games or movies. This TV also has one of the fastest pixel response times I’ve seen on an LCD panel and supports 120Hz with a variable refresh rate.
Things I Like
3. Amazon Fire TV 4-Series
| Display Type | LCD (VA panel) |
| Size | 43 inches |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 (4K) |
| Pixel Response Time | >7ms |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Inputs | HDMI, USB, Ethernet |
Overview
So, Amazon has apparently got a 4K smart TV with HDR 10 and an Alexa voice-control remote. Is it any good? For the price, absolutely- the Fire TV is one of the best value for money gaming TVs you can purchase right now.
It is built with thin plastic, and the panels creak when you press on them. But as long as this TV is mounted onto your wall, these build quality issues shouldn’t be anything more than minor inconveniences. The contrast ratio is excellent, but peak HDR brightness isn’t all that amazing compared to more expensive TVs.
Things I Like
4. LG A1 Series OLED48A1PUA
| Display Type | OLED |
| Size | 48 inches |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 (4K) |
| Pixel Response Time | <1ms |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Inputs | HDMI, USB, Ethernet |
Overview
If you want a somewhat moderately priced OLED TV that does everything pretty well, get yourself one of these LG A1s. The model I’m reviewing today is a 48 incher, and this family of TVs goes all the way up to 77 inches. If you want the color accuracy, contrast, brightness, and build quality of the C1 but don’t care for a 120Hz refresh rate, the A1 is ideal for you.
Another gaming-oriented feature that’s missing from this OLED is VRR (variable refresh rate). An issue for people with modern NVIDIA and AMD GPUs, who’re looking to use FreeSync or G-SYNC on the latest AAA games. But not relevant for a retro gamer who plans to use this TV set with a console from the 2000s.
Things I Like
5. TCL 32S327
| Display Type | LCD (VA panel) |
| Size | 32 inches |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Pixel Response Time | >5ms |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Inputs | HDMI, USB, Composite (RCA) |
Overview
Do you want the absolute cheapest 1080p TV for your dusty old PS2 console? After all, the PS2 can’t even hit 720p- let alone 4K. So all you need is a good 60Hz 1080p TV that can upscale 480p images without too much blurring or artifacts.
And that’s exactly what the TCL S327 does- provide a decent enough image for retro gaming, at really cheap prices. It falls way behind premium OLED TVs in terms of color accuracy, viewing angles, contrast ratio, brightness, etc. But then again, you could probably buy 5 of these for the price of a single LG A1 OLED.
Things I Like
6. Hisense 50U6G
| Display Type | Quantum Dot LCD (VA panel) |
| Size | 50 inches |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 |
| Pixel Response Time | 4ms |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Inputs | HDMI, USB, Composite (RCA) |
Overview
The TCL is cheap, and it performs exactly as you’d expect. Blacks are pretty poor, so they almost look grey in a dark room. And the TV has a resolution of 1920 x 1080, which is pretty outdated by today’s standards.
What if you could spend 3 times as much, and get 5 or 6 times the performance? Value isn’t always won in the lower price brackets, although being cheap certainly enhances it. True value is determined by the ratio of performance to price.
And that’s where the Hisense U6G delivers. It’s a 4K QLED TV, which means the contrast and black levels are far better than a regular LCD. QLED also produces richer, more vibrant colors along with higher brightness.
Things I Like
7. Vizio M55Q7-J01
| Display Type | Quantum Dot LCD (VA Panel) |
| Size | 55 inches |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 |
| Pixel Response Time | >6ms |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Inputs | HDMI, USB, Ethernet |
Overview
Both the Vizio M7 and Hisense U6G are competing for the same market segment. Both are QLED TVs with similar price tags. However, the Vizio struggles with upscaling legacy 480p and 720p content when compared to the Hisense.
It makes up for this deficit by covering a wider gamut than the U6G, both in the DCI-P3 and Rec. 2020 color space. The Vizio M7 also supports a variable refresh rate, while the Hisense U6G does not.
Things I Like
Gaming On A PS2 In the Modern Era
Explaining The Popularity Of The PS2
Even today, as I write this article, the PS2 is the best-selling console of all time. That’s right- no other video game console in history has sold as many units. Sony’s own PS4 came close, but still can’t beat the 155 million figure established by a console that was released over 2 decades ago.
And there’s a very good reason why the PlayStation 2 was so popular back in the early to mid-2000s. Firstly, it had an excellent selection of games. All those classic games that 90s and 2000s kids remember so fondly from their childhood were released on the PS2.
That list includes games such as GTA San Andreas, DMC 3, Silent Hill 2, Yakuza, God of War, Resident Evil 4, etc. These days, all that the AAA game industry has to offer are sequels, prequels, and microtransaction-riddled F2P cash grabs. In fact, if you want innovation in storytelling or game design, you’re better off looking into indie and mid-market game studios.
Why Are So Many People Playing Old Games?
There’s a massive chunk of disillusioned gamers who yearn for the good old days. When you just bought a game, and it worked. No need for a few dozen patches, no paid DLC, and no always-online nonsense.
This is also one of the reasons retro gaming has picked up in the past decade. You can either play the games on their native hardware (which is becoming progressively difficult to acquire) or use emulators. Today, I’m talking about playing games on an actual PS2.
CRT vs LCD- Does The Older Tech Have Any Merits?
So many dedicated retro gaming enthusiasts own their very own man cave, complete with arcade cabinets and CRT televisions. But why do they spend so much time and money sourcing what is now considered by most to be obsolete technology? After all, a CRT is big and heavy compared to modern LCD displays and also consumes more power while displaying a lower resolution image.
You see, there are things a CRT does that LCD panels simply aren’t physically capable of. For example- displaying images lower than their native resolution without any excessive blurring. A modern display is limited to a set number of pixels.
For example, a 1920 x 1080 LCD panel will perfectly display a 1920 x 1080 image. But when you throw a 1280 x 720 image on this screen, it has to rescale everything to fill the screen. This process creates blur effects and artifacts around the edges.
A cathode-ray tube doesn’t work with a finite set of pixels. It uses an electron gun to fire electrons through a mesh and onto a screen of phosphate that contains red, green, and blue elements. Because of how this process works, there are no “pixels” and the CRT can display images of any resolution without introducing a blur effect on the edges.
Thus a CRT is an excellent choice for old consoles that have output resolutions of 240p, 480p, etc. CRT displays also have lower input lag compared to LCD displays. Even modern gaming LCD panels can’t keep up with the response time of a good CRT monitor.
CRTs are also better at LCDs when it comes to displaying blacks. Only OLEDs have deeper blacks than CRTs. And CRTs also generate way better contrast compared to your run-of-the-mill LCD panel.
Clearly, CRTs do have their advantages over modern display technologies. Particularly for retro gaming enthusiasts who own consoles such as the SNES, PS2, Xbox 360, etc. Don’t worry though- you don’t have to run out and buy a CRT right now unless you really know what you’re looking for.
Original Hardware vs Emulation
This is a topic brought up often, and there are good arguments on both sides. Emulation negates several issues caused by playing retro consoles on new TVs/ monitors. For starters, you don’t have to worry about expensive adapters or image scaling issues since the emulation software outputs at a native resolution for your display.
On top of that, you can achieve higher framerates for a smoother gaming experience on most of these old games. Especially games from the PS2 and original Xbox era. Then you have modern features like variable framerate, anti-aliasing, etc.
You can even play with a keyboard and mouse by remapping controls. Or connect any 3rd party controller.
Want to play PS2 games with an Xbox controller? That’s possible too.
Of course, there’s always the matter of legality associated with downloading ROMs. I’m not endorsing the use of downloaded ROMs, nor have I got links for any download sites. I am assuming that you are using emulators to play backup copies of your original game disks.
As for native hardware, nothing beats the feeling of simply popping in a game disk and sitting back on your couch with a controller. It’s nostalgic, and it’s how the game was originally meant to be played. Plus, you have that feeling of satisfaction that can only be obtained through using an actual physical copy of the game instead of a file on your computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the benefit of using a dedicated upscaling device for my PS2?
A: Your TV’s default upscaling technique is designed for all-purpose usage- movies, photos, games, etc. It’s not particularly good for old consoles and games. A dedicated upscaler like the OSSC from Kaico has its own dedicated processor for upscaling old games to a modern 4K TV.
The result is superior image quality and less input lag. You can also use a simple HDMI adapter for your PS2, but it won’t generate the same image quality as a dedicated upscaling device. A dedicated upscaler also contains adapters for various input formats- VGA, SCART, component video, etc.
Q: Do I need to turn on game mode while playing on a PS2?
A: If your TV has such an option, you should definitely use it. Game mode reduces input lag and provides a smoother experience. Modern 4K TVs will automatically switch into game mode if you connect a console.
Q: Can newer PlayStations play PS2 games?
A: Not natively, no. You have to use the PlayStation Now service which is basically a game streaming system. It uses emulation to run PS1, PS2, and PS3 games which are then streamed into your PS4/ PS5 through an internet connection.
Q: What if my TV doesn’t have composite ports (for the yellow, white, and red connectors)?
A: You can purchase a PS2 HDMI adapter, like this one. It will convert the analog RGB signal into a digital HDMI output.
Q: Can I use wireless controllers with my PS2?
A: I have a separate article, just for PS2 controllers. But the short answer is- yes, you can.
Conclusion
I hope this article provided you with useful information on how to select the best TV for your PlayStation 2 console. Many of us didn’t have the opportunity to experience this console back in our childhood. So we look for ways to experience that golden era of gaming by buying the hardware once we’re older.
And finding a PS2 in decent condition is actually easier than getting your hands on a good CRT monitor/ TV. Besides, you don’t need a CRT monitor for PS2 gaming since there are so many HDMI adapters/ upscalers readily available on the market.