PICTURE QUALITY This model had very good 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. Black levels are good, delivering decent blacks due to LG's effective "LED Local Dimming" , a local diming feature designed to give greater depth and contrast to dark scenes. Any unwanted illumination side effects often introduced by such a feature were minimal so we left the feature on. With the feature off, black levels were quite hazy (see "viewing angle" comments for other limitations on black level quality.) Images had an excellent level of detail without added enhancement. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did a very good job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. There was a slight uneven brightness effect that created cloudy areas most noticeable on very dark scenes. We routinely see this type of issue with many brands of LCD TVs, regardless of the type of backlight used (CCFL or LED). Though it's generally not a significant problem, it can vary in degree from TV to TV. 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 delivers full, but slightly compromised 4K picture detail, along with very good HD-to-UHD upconversion. All native 4K content we played on this model, including movies and test videos from our Sony FMPX10 player (via HDMI connection), were presented with generally fine detail but images revealed that some oversharpening has been applied which added coarseness to the edges of very fine detail. This was due to the TV's "Super Resolution" image sharpening feature whose effect was evident even though it was turned off; a quirk. When we went into the menu and turned the feature "on", then "off" again, the effect was deactivated and image detail was excellent. But then turning the TV off and back on reactivated the feature by default so we left it as is. Hopefully a future software update will address this bug. This model also supports video streaming of 4K programs via both Netflix and YouTube (among other emerging sources), and again, images were clean and finely detailed with none of the noted over-sharpening. Using the TV's USB port, we were able to playback 4K videos stored on a flash drive which were encoded in both the HEVC and VP9 formats, as well as MP4. High resolution photos showed full 4K detail but again the same quirky oversharpening issue popped up. With regular HD content, the TV's HD-to-UHD up-conversion processing was generally excellent with the edges along diagonals of image content looking very smooth with minimal jaggies. All three of the TV's HDMI inputs comply with the latest HDCP 2.2 copy protection specification, but only two are HDMI 2.0 compatible and able to support play back of 4K video at 60Hz. These specifications are required for compatibility with emerging 4K movie play back devices such as a 4K Blu ray player.
MOTION BLUR This LG TV has good motion performance, with some blurring on our motion tests. Though this model includes TruMotion, a feature designed to reduce motion blur, we found it was only mildly effective.
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 only fair, below that of the better 3D sets. Minimally effective 3D due to noticeable amount 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 has good sound quality; about average among the TVs we've tested. When watching a movie blockbuster, a concert, or TV show, it delivers decent performance but falls short of the better performers. With movies, dialog was generally clear and natural sounding, though a bit muffled, and overall a bit recessed, but background soundtrack music and other sounds remained well balanced. Bass extension was decent which gave body to the sound, and treble was nicely detailed, but the overall sound was somewhat closed in. It has a good volume range so the TV should play sufficiently loud in typical room environments. Most will find this sound quality acceptable for typical listening.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was 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 excellent. Also, the remote is very good, and the on-screen menu is easy to navigate.
Remote has a dedicated button to access 3D. The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and navigate.
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 access to a library of applications via "LG Content Store and a full Web browser. It also supports an optional Web cam for access to video conferencing applications such as Skype.
CONNECTIONS This TV includes three 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. HDMI and analog cable connections made to the rear-facing panel will protrude beyond the panel's slim 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, and two pairs of 3D glasses. 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.
