Differences in the 2019 LG TV lineup: 8K, OLED, NanoCell, UHD TV and more

In 2019, the South Korean manufacturer launched some impressive TV on the market. With a powerful operating system, advanced screen technology and very good smart features, they are facing up to the competition – with success? Here you can find out everything about the LG Lineup 2019.

LG OLED TVs

OLED TVs from LG are among the company’s most important products. The model designation consists of a letter and a number. The number 9 indicates that the TV is from 2019.

The range includes the LG B9, LG C9, LG E9, LG W9 as well as the previously unreleased R9 and Z9, the latter even being an 8K OLED TV with an 88 inch screen diagonal. More details follow later.

Advantages of LG OLED TVs

Not everyone is completely convinced by OLED technology. We have explained the screen technology in more detail in our article on VA, IPS and OLED screens. Basically, it can be said that OLED TV perform at their best in dark rooms with little surrounding light.

They offer almost perfect black because OLED panels (unlike LCD TVs) do not use backlighting. The organic light emitting diodes (OLED) emit the light itself, so this is not necessary. If they are to “display” black, the diodes are simply off.

The viewing angle is also extremely wide, so that colors and brightness do not diminish even when viewed at an angle. The contrast range is theoretically infinite, since individual pixels can be illuminated with 100% luminosity, while the adjacent pixel is off. This contrast range makes it easy to display the most demanding HDR content. OLED panels also handle reflections extremely well, so that opposing light sources have little effect on the image.

In addition, all LG OLEDs this year feature HDMI 2.1. This transmission standard will only become important in the future and will enable some features that have not yet reached market maturity level. These include 4K @ 120 HzHertz is the derived SI-unit of frequency with 1Hz=1/s - When talking about TVs this means how many different pictures a TV can display in one second., from which Playstation 5, Xbox Project Scarlett and Google Stadia in particular will benefit. Sound fans will also get their money’s worth as HDMI 2.1 allows uncompressed Dolby AtmosObject-based surround sound format with 3D-Sound from any direction via Dolby True HD through HDMI eARC. VRRVariable Refresh Rate - synchronizes the display's refresh rate with the output refresh rate of the graphics card and Auto Low Latency Mode are also available. The HDMI Forum defines these features and only distinguishes a TV as HDMI 2.1 capable when all of this is fulfilled.

Disadvantages of LG OLED TVs

But OLED TVs are not perfect. They are more suitable for dark rooms because their peak brightness is surpassed by QLED TVs many times over. While the best Samsung QLEDs achieve a peak brightness of 4000 Nits, the peak brightness of OLEDs is about 1000 Nits. This is still very bright, but in rooms with many windows and lamps this will lead to problems.

Another disadvantage is the issue of burn-in, which causes many people to doubt. But these are unjustified! On the one hand one cannot speak of “burning in”, but the pixels can burn out at most. This manifests itself in the form of black shadows on the screen, since the pixels are no longer able to reproduce 100% luminosity. But in order to achieve this, a lot of work is necessary.

Several test portals have gone burn-in to the body and have found that OLED TVs only show first signs of burn-in after a service life of about 10,000 hours. This requires the display of very bright, static content. This applies, for example, to white message bars or computer screens. There are also innovative technologies such as Pixel Shift or Automatic Brightness Limiter (ABL) that continue to avoid burn-in. This virtually eliminates the risk completely.

All LG OLED TVs at a glance

In the following we show you all LG OLED TV that were released in 2019. Basically you can say that LG OLED TVs are the most affordable on the market. This is because the subsidiary LG Display is responsible for the production of all OLED panels available on the market. The competition from Panasonic, Philips or Sony also buys and installs panels from LG. For this reason, there are currently only 55, 65 or 77 inch OLED TVs.

LG OLED B9

The LG B9 is the affordable OLED TV of the year. It is the successor of the LG B8 from last year. The B9 is the only LG OLED with the Alpha 7 Gen 2 processor, which some NanoCell TVs also use. Therefore it is a bit worse in terms of image processing and interpolation than its bigger brothers – which only enthusiasts will notice. Furthermore it has HDMI 2.1, Dolby Vision and Atmos are of course supported.

As the first OLED TV it is an extremely potent device and should satisfy every beginner. Both picture and sound, however, can be a little better with the following devices. It is available in 55 and 65 inch.

LG OLED C9

The next level is the LG C9 – probably the most popular OLED TV of its time. It’s considered a true gaming monster that can handle even the most demanding HDRHigh Dynamic Range - image/video with more dynamic range (contrast range). These accusations are also true.

In it beats the more powerful Alpha 9 Gen 2 processor, which makes image processing and interpolationArtificial calculation of more frames than the source material has to offer look better than with the B9. It differs optically only in the stand and is technically equipped the same, which also applies to HDMI 2.1. For these reasons, the B9 and C9 are relatively similar and differ only slightly in price. It is available in 55, 65 and 77 inch.

If you care to see a comparison between LG B9 vs LG C9 find out more on our versus pages!

LG OLED E9

The E9 takes a first step in another direction. It uses the same processor and the same panel as the C9, so it has the same picture quality and HDMI 2.1. What distinguishes it from the C9 is its glass design, which makes a very stylish impression, as well as the sound.

Since the sound of flat screen TVs always leaves little to be desired, LG tries to catch up here and has therefore provided the E9 with a sound bar. The picture-on-glass design is completed at the lower end with a 4.2 soundbar that delivers a total of 60 watts. However, this is reflected in the price. The E9 is available in 55 and 65 inches.

Find another practical comparison between LG E9 vs LG C9 here.

LG SIGNATURE series W9

The LG W9 is the entry model into the so-called SIGNATURE series from LG. If you can’t find what you’re looking for with B9, C9 and E9, you’ll get even more here. The concept of the W9 is completely different: It consists of two parts, the panel and a soundbar, which also houses the technology. The millimeter-thin panel is attached to the wall, while the sound bar is placed underneath. A single flat cable then leads to the panel, which transmits power, video and audio signals. In particular, the sound of this “TV” is significantly improved and therefore has a corresponding effect. The W9 is available in 65 and 77 inches.

LG SIGNATURE series R9

This TV is not yet available. The LG R9 is a rollable OLED TV that was shown for the first time at CES and later at IFA 2019. The trick is that the TV dynamically adapts to any content, which looked pretty good. Neither a price nor a release date are known at this time, but we think a release in the first half of 2020 is realistic.

LG SIGNATURE series Z9

LG Z9 was also presented for the first time at IFA 2019. Here we are dealing with an 88 inch 8K OLED TV. This makes it the first in its class. But in terms of price it has it all: About $30.000 will have to be paid for the Z9. Pre-orders are already possible, so let’s go!

LG NanoCell TVs

Next up are NanoCell TVs that use a completely different technology. NanoCell TVs are LCD TVs that use an IPS panel. The current NanoCell lineup consists of the following models: The affordable LG SM8600 form the beginning. Then follows the LG SM9000, while the LG SM9500 brings slight improvements.

Advantages of IPS panels

It is a fact that IPS panels are built into rather affordable TVs. However, this does not mean that they only have disadvantages. As explained in our VA, IPS, OLED & Co. article, IPS panels have an extremely wide viewing angle. This is not self-evident for LCD TVs, as the viewing angle is extremely limited on Samsung TVs with VA panels. So IPS panels are better if you’re not looking at the TV or several people are looking at it at the same time. This is recommended for large living rooms with huge living landscapes.

In addition, IPS panels are generally more suitable for bright rooms. Their brightness can withstand a lot of surrounding light and reflections can do little harm to the panel. Nevertheless, you have to be realistic and name the disadvantages.

Disadvantages of IPS panels

IPS panels are dependent on backlighting. Unfortunately, these TVs have a problem with uniformity in black content because the backlight cannot be dimmed sufficiently. Therefore, content that should be deep black is always a little greyish on IPS panels. This also results in limited contrast at 1000:1, making HDR content rather difficult to display. For continuously dark rooms, IPS TVs are therefore less recommendable.

All LG NanoCell TVs at a glance

LG SM8600

The most affordable TV in the NanoCell range is the LG SM8600. It uses the LG Alpha 7 Gen 2 processor, as does the LG B9. The black level is also slightly improved by local dimming. The 120 Hz panel makes fast content look very good for movies and gaming in bright living rooms. However, it doesn’t have HDMI 2.1 and the advantages that that brings. No HDMI eARC for uncompressed Dolby Atmos, no 4K@120Hz, no Auto Low Latency Mode. This is all reserved for the higher quality models, so the LG SM8500 is more suitable for occasional users. Film fans will be delighted with Dolby Vision support.

LG SM9000

Compared to the SM8600, the SM9000 makes a decisive step up: From here on HDMI 2.1 is fully supported. The picture characteristics are the same as before, but from now on VRR, 4K @ 120Hz and uncompressed Dolby Atmos are available. Dolby Vision is also supported here. Starting with the SM9000, the IPS panel features Full Array Local Dimming, which improves contrast and black levels. This makes HDR content look better.

LG SM9500

The LG SM9500 is the last in the NanoCell series when it comes to 4K. Everything the SM9000 can do, the SM9500 can do better. The Full Array Local Dimming improves the black level and contrast again. Otherwise there are of course HDMI 2.1, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and great Smart Features. If you don’t want to buy an LG OLED, have a bright living room and want to buy the best 4K LCD TV from LG, you should go for it.

All LG Ultra HD TVs at a glance

The UHD TV lineup, which is always equipped with the prefix “UM”, is unfortunately very difficult to see through. Therefore we have created this overview for you, which explains the technical specification in more detail.

LG UM6900

In the UHD TV series, the LG UM6900 is the most affordable model. But that’s also right, because it doesn’t deliver a “real” 4K resolution. Due to its RGBW pixel structure, it has fewer pixels available, which reduces its resulting resolution. However, for those who don’t consider image quality the most important thing, the LG UM6900 is an affordable entry-level device.

It is also interesting to note that the 60 and 70 inch models have a VA panel. This increases the contrast and black level, but reduces the brightness and the viewing angle. It has few extras, but forms a good basis for movies, series and gaming. There is neither Dolby Vision nor Dolby Atmos.

LG UM7300

The LG UM7300 is a great TV for all those who look for their very first 4K device. It is especially suitable for bright rooms. Even with a very wide seating area, colors are bright and clear when viewed at an angle. It is also an interesting choice for gamers, as the input lag is very low. What is special is that the 70 inch model has a VA panel, which makes this TV suitable for poorly lit rooms.

LG UM7570 / UM8070

The LG UM7570 and UM8070 are the top of the line Ultra HD TVs of the lineup. The UM7570 is available in 75 inches while the UM8070 is only available in 82 in 86 inches. The UM7570 has the usual Quad Core processor, while the UM8070 has an improved Alpha 7 Gen 2 processor thats also inside the LG B9. Also, the 8070 has Dolby Vision, while the 7570 has not. Both have Dolby Atmos, though.

LG webOS – Smart TV

Last but not least we describe the Smart TV features of the LG TVs. The Smart OS is called LG webOS, which is available in either version 4.5 or 4.6. There are hardly any differences because LG webOS has hardly changed since its introduction. That’s not bad at all: It’s fast, responsive and easy to use. Unfortunately, the platform displays advertising content that cannot be switched off.

There are actually no other disadvantages. Voice control is possible via LG ThinQ, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. The LG Magic Remote, which comes with most TVs, is especially fun to use. All known apps like Netflix, YouTube or Amazon Prime Video are already installed after unpacking and just waiting to be used.