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LG revealed its new collection of 4K and 8K TVs at CES 2021, and we got a hands-on first look at two of the company's upcoming flagship models: the G1 4K OLED evo TV and the 99 Series 8K QNED TV.
The G1 is the successor to last year's GX 4K TV, and in addition to carrying over that display's gorgeous "Gallery" design with an ultra-thin screen, the new "OLED evo" model promises improved picture processing and brightness. That latter upgrade is especially noteworthy, since brightness is one of the few areas where OLED TVs typically struggle.
Meanwhile, the 99 Series 8K TV is one of LG's first "QNED" displays, which promises improvements over last year's NanoCell TVs, thanks to the addition of quantum dots and Mini LED. Though all those jargony terms might seem complicated, the take home message is that QNED is designed to provide better contrast, richer colors, and more precise HDR performance.
Though CES 2021 was primarily a virtual affair this year, Insider Reviews was invited to attend an in-person demonstration of the new TVs at LG's New Jersey headquarters. Though we'll need more in-depth time with each display to offer a full verdict, both TVs left a strong first impression, though the OLED has us the most excited.
LG's OLED TVs consistently rank among the best displays you can buy, and for 2021, the company's new G1 OLED evo 4K TV could be its best yet. The "evo" part of the name is meant to signify that the display presents an evolution in OLED performance, particularly when it comes to brightness.
Even the best OLED TVs currently on the market tend to max out at around 700 to 800 nits of brightness. And, while that's a very solid number, it pales in comparison to the 1,000+ nits that LCD-based TVs are capable of.
Higher brightness can lead to punchier highlights when watching HDR movies and shows on 4K Blu-ray or streaming services, like Disney Plus or Netflix. It also makes it easier to watch TV during the day in rooms with a lot of ambient light. With that in mind, LG has worked to address this issue for 2021 with its new OLED evo panel.
The company says that its G1 OLED evo TV uses "an extra layer and a stronger emissive material." In internal testing this process has resulted in brighter performance than previous OLED models, though LG has not specified exactly how much brighter.
LG had its new 65-inch G1 OLED evo 4K TV on hand at its CES 2021 demo. Two units were displayed: one wall-mounted and the other resting on the company's new Gallery Stand (sold separately).
The Gallery Stand is designed to look like an easel, which carries over the art theme that LG has been pushing for the G series. Like last year's GX model, the G1 features an incredibly thin design, with a profile that measures only 0.79 inches on the 65-inch model. This is especially impressive since LG has been able to keep all of the TV's components within the panel, rather than having to rely on a separate box for inputs.
The TV looks beautiful on the Gallery Stand, giving buyers who don't want to mount the display a simple and elegant alternative. It's important to note, however, that the Gallery Stand is meant to rest on the floor rather than an entertainment console and it doesn't offer an adjustable height.
Of course, most people who purchase an OLED like this will be looking to mount the display, and the G1 looks wonderful hanging on a wall thanks to its thin design. Though a slight gap might be visible in certain installations, the TV can hang nearly flush to the wall like a genuine piece of art.
However, physical design can only take a display so far. Picture quality is still the primary selling point for most buyers who want a high-end TV like this. Thankfully, the G1 doesn't disappoint. The 4K screen looks gorgeous in person, with sharp detail, rich colors, and exceptional contrast.
To show off the TV, LG played a reel of 4K HDR footage featuring two ballerinas dancing on a Christmas-themed set. The intricate lights behind the dancers offered a great showcase for the set's pixel-level contrast and improved brightness. Despite all the lights being on in the room, the TV's HDR highlights popped from the screen.
Another reel of colorful demo material was showcased on the wall-mounted set, this time featuring swirling paints. I was also able to switch between different picture modes to see how the G1's brightness changed across settings.
As expected, the Vivid mode appeared the brightest but the least accurate. Filmmaker Mode looked accurate but was too dim for the room. Cinema mode, however, appeared to offer the best balance, displaying ample brightness for the room with a gorgeous image.
That said, it's hard to say how much brighter this model is than last year's without taking exact measurements. I'll need to adjust all these settings during a full review to really see how the TV performs. But, based on what I've seen so far, I'd say the improvements that the G1 offers will be be relatively subtle yet still worthwhile for enthusiasts. Buyers shouldn't expect QLED-level brightness, but the G1 could be the OLED to beat in 2021 for overall picture quality. In other words, it's a top contender for the best TV of the year.
Sony's new A90J OLED TV also promises improved brightness, so we're excited to see how the two high-end OLEDs stack up when they're released in the spring. The G1 OLED evo 4K TV will be available in 55-, 65-, and 77-inch screen sizes. Pricing hasn't been revealed yet, but the 2020 GX 65-inch TV currently sells for $2,500 at Best Buy. That model offers similar performance, but lacks the G1's updated processing and improved brightness.
For 2021, LG is introducing its first line of "QNED" TVs. This new branding is used to signify the combination of a few different advanced display technologies, including NanoCell, quantum dots, and Mini LED.
Though the ins and outs behind each of those terms can get a bit complicated, the ends results are simple. A QNED TV's use of NanoCell and quantum dot technologies enables expanded colors, allowing you to see the full range of HDR colors that creators intend. Meanwhile, Mini LED refers to the type of backlight the TV uses. Smaller LEDs allow for more precise dimming. At the end of the day, this enables better contrast with deeper black levels and brighter highlights compared to a TV with bigger LEDs.
LG QNED TVs also use IPS panels. Most high-end TVs from Samsung, Sony, Vizio, TCL, and Hisense use VA panels. IPS screens are known for offering better viewing angles. This means that you can watch an IPS TV from off to the side without the colors dramatically distorting. On the downside, IPS displays aren't known for great contrast in dark rooms, but a QNED TV's Mini LED backlight should help compensate for that, offering the best of both worlds.
Though the technologies aren't identical, LG's QNED TVs are similar in design to Samsung's "Neo QLED" models and TCL's "Mini LED QLED" TV models. Unlike OLED, however, it's important to note that despite all these branding terms, all of these displays still use tried-and-true LCD panels at their core. They're really advanced LCD TVs, but still LCD TVs all the same.
To show off what QNED technology can do, LG had its new 86-inch 99 Series 8K TV on display. The massive screen was attached to its included left and right feet stands, though wall mounting is also an option.
Though not quite as striking in design as the Gallery Series OLED, the 8K QNED is also very thin and handsomely built. The version on display was not final, however, so some changes will be made to the panel border.
A reel of 8K HDR footage was shown on the display featuring a beautiful mix of streets and markets in Morocco. Though actual movies and shows are virtually nonexistent in 8K, brief demo clips like this show the potential for what native 8K content can provide. But, while it looked stunning, I've seen the same footage on several 4K TVs in the past, and I can't say that the jump to 8K offered a night and day difference.
What makes this QNED TV so special, however, isn't really its resolution. Instead, it's the TV's advanced color and backlight technology. With a combination of NanoCell, quantum dots, and Mini LED, the 99 Series could offer the best color and brightness performance of any TV LG has ever made. The company's OLED models will still have a clear edge when it comes to contrast, but the 99 Series should offer a punchier image, especially in bright rooms.
Again, I'll need to get more in-depth time with the TV and take actual measurements to truly rate its performance, but based on the demo, LG's QNED shows a lot of promise. Using the Vivid or Cinema modes resulted in impressive HDR pop. Filmmaker mode, which is the most accurate, presented a dimmer picture, but that mode is meant for playback in a dark room. Colors remained nicely saturated even when I moved to the side of the screen, which could make this an ideal high-end model for big living rooms.
In addition to the demo reel, LG also showed off a test clip of a bright fish swimming across a completely black screen. This clip was designed to highlight the TV's advanced local dimming thanks to its Mini LED backlight. Some of LG's previous NanoCell models have been prone to noticeable blooming around bright objects, creating a wide halo effect. Though a small, concentrated halo was visible around the fish, it was much smaller and less distracting than the type of blooming I've seen on older LG models.
On the downside, I did notice one image drawback that seems to be unique to Mini LED TVs like this. In certain instances, I could actually make out the grid of tiny LEDs that are layered in the panel, giving the screen a faint checkerboard effect. To be clear, the LEDs were only visible when standing close to the screen and they only showed up in the center of the panel when certain colors popped up. I've seen reports of similar artifacts on TCL's 8-Series Mini LED TVs. It remains to be seen whether this ends up being distracting during normal viewing, but I doubt it will be a big problem for most people who watch TV from a regular distance.
The 99 Series 8K QNED TV will be available in 86- and 75-inch screen sizes later this year. For those who don't want to pay extra for 8K, there will also be a 90 Series version with 4K resolution. Prices for the 99 and 90 Series have not been announced yet.
LG's new 2021 4K and 8K TV lineup looks very promising. The flagship G1 OLED evo 4K TV is particularly impressive, and we're excited to get a more in-depth look at the display later this year. That said, the improvements in brightness offered on this year's model will likely only appeal to enthusiasts. If the 2020 GX and CX continue to go down in price, they could offer a better value while they remain in stock.
Meanwhile, the 99 Series 8K QNED TV also shows a lot of potential, and its advanced Mini LED backlight could help LCD TVs remain competitive with OLED. The checkerboard effect I saw could be an issue, but I'll need more testing time to really judge how noticeable it is. Mini LED is seeing a big push from other companies this year, including Samsung and TCL, so we're curious to see how LG's model stacks up to the competition.
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The Link LonkJanuary 21, 2021 at 02:52AM
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LG CES 2021: 4K G1 OLED TV and 8K QNED TV first look - Business Insider - Business Insider
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