The NanoCell series takes the position of the middle class 4K TVs in LG’s lineup and consists of three TVs, all equipped with an IPS LCD panel. With IPS panels the viewing angle is quite wide, but the performance in dark surroundings is not as convincing as for example devices with VA panels – for a comparison of the two panel types you can have a look at our comparison NanoCell vs QLED. In this article we will compare the two cheaper models of the NanoCell series and we will investigate whether it has to be the more expensive NANO85 or the cheaper NANO81 is completely sufficient.
LG NANO81 and NANO85 compared
Which TV is better?
- Low input lag
- Viewing angle
- Smart TV Features
- 60Hz panel
- Contrast ratio 1400:1
- Black levels
- No Dolby Vision & HDR10+
- No DTS & Dolby Atmos
- 120Hz IPS panel
- HDMI Forum VRR
- Input Lag
- Viewing angle
- Reflection behavior
- Dolby Vision & Atmos
- HDMI 2.1
- Black levels
- Contrast ratio 1700 : 1
- Peak brightness ~550 Nits
Detailed comparison: LG NANO81 or NANO85
| Comparison winner |
LG NANO81 Like all televisions with IPSIn-Plane Switching, type of LCD Panel panelThe panel is the actual screen of a television. There is different types of panels like OLED, LCD or Micro LED and different sub-types of LCD like VA or IPS., the NANO81 has a wide viewing angle with a quite respectable picture quality in bright surroundings. However, the picture quality gets worse the brighter the surroundings are, which is due to the low contrast ratio of 1400:1 and the shallow black. Its local dimming feature does not really enhance the performance as it is only Edge Lit local dimming, which causes problems like bloomingAdding a brighter area around bright objects on a dark background or noticeable dimming zones - that can be quite annoying in dark scenes. | LG NANO85 The NANO85 has a quite similar performance in bright and dark surroundings, but can clearly display HDRHigh Dynamic Range - image/video with more dynamic range (contrast range) content better due to the wider color gamutThe complete subset of colors which can be displayed by the screen and Dolby VisionDynamic HDR-format with a color depth of up to 12 Bits and Mastering of up to 10,000 Nits IQ, even if it cannot be displayed very impressively. Unfortunately, also the Nano86 does not get very bright, which is not really helpful for HDRHigh Dynamic Range - image/video with more dynamic range (contrast range) content, because bright highlights cannot stand out. |
| Panel type | IPS Panel | IPS Panel |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 pixels Ultra HD (UHD) / 4K / 2160p | 3840 x 2160 pixels Ultra HD (UHD) / 4K / 2160p |
| Contrast ratio | 1400 :1 | 1700 :1 |
| Local Dimming | Edge Lit Local Dimming | Edge Lit Local Dimming |
| Frequency | 60 Hz | 120 Hz |
| VRR | Nein | HDMI 2.1 |
| Input Lag | < 10 ms | < 17 ms |
| Motion Handling | ||
| Color space coverage | ||
| Ø brightness | ||
| Max brightness | ||
| Reflections | ||
| Operating system | webOS 5.0 | webOS 5.0 |
| HDR10+ | ||
| Dolby Vision | ||
| Dolby Atmos | ||
| DTS | ||
| HDMI 2.1 | ||
| Improved viewing angle |
| Comparison winner |
LG NANO81 | LG NANO85 |
Inch See price Amazon.com 55 Inch See price Amazon.com 65 Inch See price Amazon.com All prices | 49 Inch See price Amazon.com.co.uk.ca 55 Inch See price Amazon.com.co.uk.ca 65 Inch See price Amazon.com.co.uk.ca All prices |
Our conclusion: Same performance, but with more features
The picture characteristics of the two TVs are almost identical. So if you are looking for a Smart TV for SDRStandard Dynamic Range – image/video with a conventional gamma curve (opposite: HDR) – “normal” videos content in bright rooms, which has a wide viewing angle, you can certainly choose the NANO81. However, due to its reduced features it lacks some of the features that are essential for a more advanced TV experience. The NANO85 has Dolby VisionDynamic HDR-format with a color depth of up to 12 Bits and Mastering of up to 10,000 Nits IQ, which allows HDRHigh Dynamic Range – image/video with more dynamic range (contrast range) content to be displayed better.
For those who want to purchase the new Xbox Series X or Playstation 5 consoles, the NANO85 is clearly the better choice. With the 120Hz panelThe panel is the actual screen of a television. There is different types of panels like OLED, LCD or Micro LED and different sub-types of LCD like VA or IPS. and the HDMI 2.1 interface a 4K resolution with 120Hz refresh rateHertz 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. is supported, which will be possible with both consoles.
