PICTURE QUALITY This model had excellent high-definition picture quality. It did an excellent job displaying the finest detail. Color accuracy was excellent, so colors looked very natural and lifelike. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images had depth and dimension, typical of most models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. Depth of black level was very good, helped significantly by LG's "LED Local Dimming" feature which improved contrast on dark scenes. With the feature turned off, dark scenes looked hazy and overly bright. Dark scenes, in particular, were visibly lacking in contrast, giving images a flatter, less dynamic appearance. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did an excellent job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. The deinterlacing and film mode operations were excellent on HD content; there was little or no trace of jaggies on the edges of objects for video and film-based 1080i video content, such as from cable.
VIEWING ANGLE This LG has a wide viewing angle overall, better than that of most LCDs. It will provide the same picture quality, with fewer problems than most LCD sets, for typical viewing conditions--say, if your family is seated across a long sectional or in chairs off to the sides of the TV.
With brighter scenes, like sporting events, the display did a fine job maintaining accurate colors and decent contrast whether we moved off to the sides or were viewing from above or from below screen. The picture did show some dimming from the sides but not to any point we found distracting. With dark scenes the display didn't fare quite as well. When viewed from the sides, the depth of black levels varied depending on the vertical position of the viewer's head. As we moved closer to the screen this limitation became even more apparent, especially if seated on the floor looking upward where black levels brightened significantly. This display's wide viewing angle is best appreciated when viewed at eye level to the screen.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE This LG UHD TV offers superior picture detail with very good HD-to-UHD upconversion. Its Ultra HD picture quality is consistent with its described HD performance but enhanced by the additional fine detail of its UHD screen. As we do with all UHD TVs, we evaluated LG's UHD performance with a number of higher-resolution sources, including 4K videos shot with Sony's FDR-AX100 4K camcorder, 4K resolution test patterns, and photos via USB. We also played 4K streaming movie content from Netflix. When playing 4K movies, we did notice finer detail and texture than we saw with regular high-definition movies, but those differences were best appreciated when the viewing distance was closer to the screen. This UHD TV was able to stream the 4K version of the series "House of Cards" from Netflix, confirming the set does include an HEVC decoder. The 4K images had an overall smoother picture, with better rendering of very fine texture, compared to the regular HD stream. When playing 1080p movie content from a Blu-ray disc, we found the TV's HD-to-UHD upconversion processing was very good among the better performers we've seen. Though edges of fine detail showed some jaggies, they were never distracting. UHD test patterns and photos played via the TV's USB port confirmed the display takes full advantage of its roughly 8 megapixel UHD resolution, and is not marred by unnecessary image processing. We played 4K videos from Sony's camcorder via the TV's HDMI input and images were clean and finely detailed. Unfortunately these same videos were not recognized by the LG when attempting playback via a USB drive, something most other UHDs can do. This LG does offer a full complement of picture settings that are accessible in photo playback mode, so picture quality can be tweaked for best fidelity.
MOTION BLUR This LG TV has only fair motion performance, with significant blurring on our motion tests. Though this model includes TruMotion, a feature designed to reduce motion blur, we found it was ineffective. On typical program content, the blurring effect is often fleeting and may not bother most people. However, keen-eyed viewers may detect the loss of texture and detail on scenes with movement, especially in high-quality video such as a Blu-ray movie.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY Though not as mirror-like as on some LCDs, this screen surface is glossy and therefore susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
3D PERFORMANCE The overall 3D effect was very good, on par with the better 3D displays. 3D images showed effective depth, with minimal levels of ghosting (left eye/right eye crosstalk) on our 3D test patterns and on a wide variety of 3D program content. There was an increase in ghosting when we viewed 3D images from above or below eye level, which got worse as you move closer to the TV. In 3D mode, the display presented full 1080p resolution to each eye, showing all the detail from the best 3D content from Blu-ray disc.
SOUND QUALITY This TV's sound is good, fine for typical TV programming, but won't reproduce the full range of movie soundtracks and music. It has a good volume range, but at higher settings audible dynamic compression keeps the sound from distorting but also limits clarity when there are peaks in loudness. . At more typical listening levels the TV's sound has only decent bass and impact, and is on the bright side. All told, none of these issues were overly distracting and most will find this sound quality acceptable.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was fairly straightforward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was very good. Also, the remote is very good, and the on-screen menu is easy to navigate.
It lacks a dedicated menu button on the television display, so you can't access the menu if you lose the remote. Remote has a dedicated button to access Internet features, and to access 3D. The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and navigate. Labeling uses non standard icons making button selection less intuitive to use.
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the TV to the included support stand is fairly straightforward. The stand requires the assembly of a few parts before mounting.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides advanced Internet capability. Features include a full Web browser and access to a library of applications via "LG STORE." Movie streaming services include: Amazon Instant Video, CinemaNow, Hulu Plus, M-GO, Netflix, Red Box Instant, Vudu. It also supports an optional Web cam for access to video conferencing applications such as Skype.
CONNECTIONS This TV includes four HDMI inputs, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time), optical digital audio out, three USB ports, an Ethernet port, and Wi-Fi. Wireless connectivity includes: DLNA network file sharing, and near field communication (NFC) file sharing. Analog connections are made via special breakout cable adapters (included) that attach to the TV as single plugs. That means you plug your component, composite, or stereo cables into a dangling "pigtail" rather than the back of the TV itself. This is actually a more convenient way to make the connections on slim-profile models, but if you lose that adapter you'll have no way to connect your cables directly to the TV. The cable connections on the rear panel are recessed with side or bottom-facing ports, so wires don't protrude beyond the display's depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX The TV comes with: a printed user manual, an electronic manual in the TV's menu, a quick start guide, a remote with batteries, provided cables (1 HDMI), breakout cables (One component, one composite with stereo audio ), two pairs of 3D glasses, and NFC Tag On Sticker. ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION: Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable), USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed.
