Super Bowl LXI Prep: The Best 65-inch 4K TVs
Super Bowl Sunday has a way of exposing weak links in your setup. You’ve got the snacks, the seats, and the guest list—then you realize your current screen turns fast motion into a blurry mess, or your living room glare wipes out the action. If you’re shopping for the best 65-inch 4K TV before Super Bowl LXI, you’re in the right place.
From the TrevMart perspective: Trevor and I were discussing what actually matters on game day—motion handling, brightness for afternoon kickoffs, and sound that doesn’t make the crowd noise feel flat. Here are our top picks and what to look for so your next TV feels like an upgrade, not just a new box on the wall.
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, TrevMart earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
What Makes a 65-inch TV “Super Bowl Ready”?
Most modern sets are 4K, so the real differences show up in motion, brightness, and how well the TV handles streaming compression. Football is a stress test: fast pans, tiny details, and bright uniforms against green turf.
Key things to prioritize
- Motion handling: Look for native 120Hz panels (or legitimate 120Hz processing) so the ball and sideline pans stay clean.
- Brightness and glare control: A brighter TV holds up in sunny rooms and keeps the picture punchy.
- Upscaling: Not every broadcast is pristine 4K. Good upscaling makes HD streams look sharper without harsh noise.
- HDR performance: Better HDR means more depth in highlights (stadium lights) and shadows (crowd sections).
- Gaming features (optional but nice): HDMI 2.1, VRR, and low input lag are huge if the TV doubles as a console screen.
The Best 65-inch 4K TVs for Super Bowl LXI
These picks cover different budgets and room types. We’re leaning hard into real-world benefits: brighter rooms, smoother motion, and fewer frustrating “why does this look weird?” moments.
Best Overall: LG C-Series OLED (65-inch)
If you want the most “wow” per dollar in a dark-to-moderately-lit room, LG’s C-series OLED is the safe bet. OLED’s pixel-level control makes the field lines crisp and the contrast ridiculous—especially when the broadcast cuts between bright shots and darker crowd scenes.
- Best for: Movie-quality contrast + top-tier gaming features
- Why it helps on game day: Clean motion and deep blacks make the picture look more dimensional
- Pros: Incredible contrast, excellent motion, HDMI 2.1 features for PS5/Xbox Series X
- Cons: Not as bright as the best mini-LEDs in sun-lit rooms, OLED care is still a thing (though modern sets are much better)
Best for Bright Rooms: Samsung Neo QLED (65-inch mini-LED, QN90/QN95 class)
If your Super Bowl party happens in a bright living room with windows everywhere, mini-LED is your friend. Samsung’s Neo QLED line gets very bright and holds contrast well, so midday glare won’t wash out the action.
- Best for: Bright rooms, sports viewing, punchy HDR
- Why it helps on game day: High brightness keeps the turf and uniforms vivid even with lights on
- Pros: Very bright, strong anti-reflection, great for sports and HDR pop
- Cons: Blacks aren’t OLED-black in a dark room, picture settings may need a quick tune-up out of the box
Best Premium Pick: Sony Bravia OLED (65-inch A80/A95 class)
Sony tends to win on processing. That matters when the stream quality dips or when camera movement gets chaotic. If you want the most “natural” look with excellent upscaling and smooth motion, Sony is tough to beat.
- Best for: Broadcast sports, streaming, accurate color
- Why it helps on game day: Processing cleans up noisy feeds and keeps motion stable
- Pros: Best-in-class processing, strong motion handling, great out-of-box accuracy
- Cons: Usually pricier than similar-size competitors, peak brightness depends on model
Best Value for Most People: TCL QM8 (65-inch mini-LED)
TCL has gotten aggressive with mini-LED performance for the price. The QM8 class delivers big brightness, strong HDR impact, and solid gaming support—without requiring a flagship budget.
- Best for: Value seekers who still want “bright and bold” sports viewing
- Why it helps on game day: Brightness and contrast make the broadcast look lively, not flat
- Pros: Strong brightness, good feature set for the money, great for mixed viewing
- Cons: Upscaling is good, not elite; some settings tweaking recommended
Best Budget-Friendly: Hisense U-Series (65-inch U7/U8 class)
If you want a lot of TV for the money, Hisense is often the “how is this so affordable?” pick. You can get high brightness and modern gaming features, making it a solid Super Bowl TV that also handles weeknight streaming.
- Best for: Big performance on a tighter budget
- Why it helps on game day: Plenty of brightness and contrast for sports, plus features for gaming
- Pros: Bright picture, strong value, HDMI 2.1 features on many models
- Cons: Quality control varies more than premium brands; motion/processing may not match Sony/LG
Quick Buying Guide: Comparing the Top Picks
Here’s the simplest way to decide without overthinking it.
If your room is bright
- Choose mini-LED (Samsung Neo QLED, TCL QM8, Hisense U8-class).
- You’ll get higher peak brightness and better glare resistance.
If you watch at night or in a dim room
- Choose OLED (LG C-series, Sony OLED).
- You’ll get better contrast and cleaner shadow detail.
If you care about “set it and forget it” picture quality
- Sony’s processing and motion often look right with minimal tweaking.
If you also game a lot
- LG OLEDs are hard to beat for HDMI 2.1 support and low input lag.
- Many mini-LEDs also support VRR/ALLM—just verify the exact model year.
Martin’s Take: Fix Motion Without Making It Look Weird
For football, start by turning on your TV’s motion setting at a low level—don’t max it out. High “smooth” settings can create the soap-opera effect and make the broadcast look fake.
If your TV has separate controls (like blur reduction vs. judder reduction), bump blur reduction slightly and keep judder reduction near zero. You’ll get clearer action without the weird video sheen.
Don’t Forget These Super Bowl Setup Upgrades
A new TV helps, but a few quick tweaks can make a bigger difference than most people expect.
Use the right picture mode
- Try Sports mode if it’s not overly bright or blue.
- Otherwise use Movie/Cinema and increase brightness a notch for daytime viewing.
Stream smarter
- If your TV’s app feels sluggish, a dedicated streamer can stabilize playback.
- Hardwire Ethernet if possible—Wi-Fi congestion is real during a party.
Audio matters more than you think
- A soundbar with a dedicated center channel makes commentators clearer.
- If you hear muffled dialogue, reduce “bass boost” and raise center/dialogue enhancement.
Final Verdict: Which 65-inch 4K TV Should You Buy for Super Bowl LXI?
For most people, the safest pick is an LG C-series OLED if your room lighting is controllable. It’s the best mix of contrast, motion, and overall polish.
If your room is bright or you keep lights on during the game, go mini-LED—especially Samsung Neo QLED for premium brightness and glare control, or TCL QM8 for a strong value.
What’s your viewing setup for Super Bowl LXI—bright living room, basement cave, or something in between? Drop your room details and budget in the comments and we’ll point you to the best-fit 65-inch option.
