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. Excellent contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--gave images great depth and dimension. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. Excellent deep black levels are among the best we've seen, and quality did not vary with viewing angle as it does on LCD (LED) TVs. We did occasionally see some darkening along the left and right edges of the image, somewhat like a vignette effect, and its visibility was scene dependent. The issue was not visible on typical brighter scene content, but was detected on certain darker scenes, and only drew our attention when the scene lasted for extended periods. We have seen some variation on the severity of this effect among LG's OLEDs so check your TV so see if it's an issue for you. There was visible banding (unnatural contours) on scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, rather than smooth transitions. 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 unlimited 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.
When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle was excellent. The picture showed no change in color, contrast, and black level.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE This LG UHD TV delivers full 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, was presented in full detail (though a touch of image oversharpening was noted) when played back via the TV's HDMI input. 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. Using the TV's USB port, we were able to play back 4K videos stored on a flash drive encoded in the HEVC, MP4, and VP9 formats. High resolution photos were displayed in full 4K detail, taking full advantage of UHD's extra resolution. With regular HD content, the TV's HD-to-UHD up-conversion processing was very good, with edges along diagonals of image content showing very slight jaggies, just short of the best we've seen. All three of the TV's HDMI inputs comply with the latest HDCP 2.2 and HDMI 2.0 specifications for both copy protection and 4K video play back at 60Hz, a requirement for compatibility with emerging 4K movie play back devices such as a 4K Blu-ray player.
MOTION BLUR This LG TV has excellent motion performance, with no visible blurring on our motion tests, thanks to LG's TruMotion. This feature is designed to reduce motion blur, a shortcoming of most LCD TVs. With the feature turned off, motion performance was only fair, with significant blurring on our motion tests.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY The screen surface on this LCD TV has one of the shinier mirror-like surfaces we've seen, which makes it very 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 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 sounding, though a bit muffled, while remaining well balanced with respect to background music and other sounds. Bass extension was decent, though a tad boomy, which added some fullness to the sound, and treble was nicely detailed, while 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.
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 support stand to the TV is straightforward.
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. Movie streaming services include: Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus, Vudu, YouTube, Pandora, Rhapsody, Spotify, iHeartRadio. 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. 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, breakout cables (One component, one composite with stereo audio ), 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.
