LG TVs ^{2021 lineup compared}

The UN7300 is a great 4K Smart TV for beginners from LG’s 2020 lineup. The IPSIn-Plane Switching, type of LCD Panel panel brings a wide viewing angle and a quite nice picture in bright surroundings, which is probably due to the good reflection handling. In dark surroundings all IPS panels do not perform very well. Due to the low contrast ratio of 1050:1 and the only weak black, the picture quality is not quite as convincing. The peak brightness is not very high with about 350 Nits and the color gamut is not extended. Therefore, HDRHigh Dynamic Range – image/video with more dynamic range (contrast range) content does not look very different from usual SRD content. But its motion handling is quite reasonable despite the 60Hz panel. Because of the low response time of about 5ms only some motion blur can be seen in fast movements.

If you are looking for a gaming TV and do not have to push the upcoming Next Gen consoles to their limits, you will appreciate the UN7300. The low input lag of 10ms makes the TV very responsive and an Auto Low Latency Mode is also available.

In terms of smart features, the UN7100 is in an excellent position and is just as smart as LG’s much more expensive OLED series – but only if you additionally buy the Magic Remote.

Further features such as HDMI 2.1, a variable 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. or a twin tuner LG has saved for the more expensive models.

The NANO80 is the most affordable NanoCell TV and shows quite similar performance compared to the UN7100. Due to the Edge Lit Local Dimming feature, it has a higher contrast ratio; however, the Local Dimming feature is not really good, creating some negative effects like blooming or visible dimming zones. In dark rooms, the picture quality is not really good and black looks rather grayish here. The wide viewing angle and the better performance in bright surroundings are caused by the IPSIn-Plane Switching, type of LCD Panel panel.
The NanoCell technology in combination with an extended color gamut leads to purer and more vivid colors, which is especially beneficial for HDRHigh Dynamic Range – image/video with more dynamic range (contrast range) content. While it can display them better than the cheaper LG models, it does not get bright enough to really show HDR content in a great way.
In terms of gaming, the NANO81 is not an improvement on the UN7100. In this category, it performs very similar and has no additional features.

The Nano90 is the top of the NanoCell series. In terms of features, viewing angle and picture quality in bright surroundings, it does not have much more to offer than the NANO85. However, it has the Full Array Local Dimming feature, which makes its picture quality much better in dark surroundings. In addition to the FALD, it is a little bit brighter than the other NanoCell models with approx. 640 Nits, so that it can display HDRHigh Dynamic Range – image/video with more dynamic range (contrast range) contents better.

The input lag is very good with ~15ms – even if it seems to be higher than the NANO85 in the first moment. This is because the NANO85 does not really display HDR games differently than SDRStandard Dynamic Range – image/video with a conventional gamma curve (opposite: HDR) – “normal” videos content and therefore the input lag was chosen for SDR content. HDR content has to be processed in a more complex way, which of course increases the response time.

Unfortunately the dirty screen effect is quite obvious on its display. It is already present on the NANO85, but not as clear.

The BX OLED plays in a completely different league than the NANO90. Due to the OLED design, it has perfect blacks and a theoretically infinite contrast ratio, which makes its picture quality in dark environments truly breathtaking. The same applies to motion handling. Televisions with IPSIn-Plane Switching, type of LCD Panel panels simply cannot match the response time of an OLED, because a response time of 0.2ms means an almost instantaneous color change of the LEDs. In addition to HMDI Forum VRRVariable Refresh Rate – synchronizes the display’s refresh rate with the output refresh rate of the graphics card, the BX was also equipped with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync.

Unfortunately the BX does not become very bright. This is not only a negative factor for picture quality in bright rooms, but also for HDRHigh Dynamic Range – image/video with more dynamic range (contrast range) content. Because of the low peak brightness, HDR can not be displayed as well and bright highlights do not really stand out.

Unfortunately, the BX is not yet available in Europe, so we will have to be patient for a while (as of August 2020)

The LG model GX OLED has the same technical features as the CX, but brings an elegant look and the so-called “Gallery Design“. The TV should look like an object of art and thus fit seamlessly into the interior of the room. To achieve this, LG has opted for a seamless wall mount and a narrow, stylish frame, taking advantage of the panel’s wide viewing angle. If desired, the TV can also be set up, but the matching stand must be purchased separately.