LG’s OLED TVs have long been hailed as some of the best money can buy, known for their exceptional gaming capabilities and home cinema performance. However, there’s no denying that they come with a price tag that’s not within everyone’s reach. Enter the new LG QNED81 4K Smart TV Quantum Dot NanoCell series, designed to bridge the affordability gap.
With a starting price of $1,800 for the 55-inch model, the QNED81 is roughly half the cost of a similarly sized OLED Evo G3, which commands a hefty $4,200 price tag. While opting for the QNED81 brings significant savings, it does mean sacrificing some of the features that have made LG TVs renowned, such as OLED panels, the Alpha Gen 9 processor, and a premium, wall-mountable build.
Despite these trade-offs and a few minor issues, the QNED81 still boasts LG’s excellent 4K 120Hz gaming capabilities, AI-enhanced picture and sound features, and a visually appealing design that can easily fool your guests into thinking you’ve invested in a more expensive model.
Design and Build
The QNED81 arrives with a sleek, all-black finish, primarily constructed of plastic, reminding us that this isn’t a premium TV. However, the stand is a different story. It’s entirely metal, offering stability for the 65-inch model I reviewed. What’s particularly impressive is the stand’s height adjustment feature, allowing you to raise the TV to accommodate a soundbar or lower it for a more discreet profile.
One peculiar issue I encountered was when the TV was at its highest setting; it was partially obstructed by LG’s SH7Q soundbar. This not only covered a portion of the screen but also concealed the Infrared receiver, making it a bit cumbersome to use the Magic Remote.
Fortunately, for those who prefer wall-mounting, the QNED81 is VESA 300×300 compatible and, given its slim profile, sits nicely on your wall.
Connectivity Galore
LG has a tradition of offering abundant connectivity options, and the QNED81 is no exception. It comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports for 4K 120Hz gaming, two regular HDMI 2.0 ports, two USB ports, Optical Audio, and an RF input for traditional broadcast TV. However, if you happen to own a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S along with a soundbar, you might need to juggle ports, as the only eARC port is also one of the two HDMI 2.1 ports.
For wireless connections, the TV supports Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0. While not cutting-edge, these options are perfectly serviceable. In my experience, streaming 4K content from Disney+ presented no issues.
Display Performance
The QNED81 features a 4K Quantum Dot NanoCell panel, promising enhanced brightness, color vibrancy, and accuracy. However, the panel employs backlighting with a limited number of zones, which becomes quite noticeable when displaying dark screens with titles or logos. I counted six vertical zones, and the effect can be distracting.
The lack of contrast and washed-out blacks are particularly evident compared to OLED displays. Nevertheless, the panel supports HDR10 and HLG with Dynamic Tone Mapping, helping maintain good image quality despite the backlighting limitations.
Under the hood, you’ll find LG’s α7 AI Processor 4K Gen6, responsible for AI-driven picture and sound processing. To my eyes, there was no significant difference compared to the more powerful α9 processor found in the C3 and G3 models, ensuring you don’t compromise on picture processing with this more affordable TV.
As is customary with LG TVs, the QNED81 offers a range of picture profiles, from standard to Filmmaker mode. What’s particularly appealing is the Personalized picture wizard, allowing you to create a custom picture profile by making a series of A/B choices based on certain images. The TV uses this data to generate personalized picture settings.
This feature is reminiscent of Corsair’s SoundID, which does a similar thing for headphones. It’s a valuable tool for the average user who may not have the time or expertise to delve into the complex color and picture menus, although you have the flexibility to do so if you wish.
Gaming Performance
When it comes to gaming, the QNED81 doesn’t disappoint. With its 4K Quantum Dot NanoCell panel and a 120Hz refresh rate, it offers a great gaming experience. Like its premium counterparts, it supports VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and features the excellent Game Optimizer dashboard for monitoring and fine-tuning your games.
Gaming on this TV is a delight, with vibrant colors, fluid motion, and responsive performance. While I can’t speak for the fast-paced action of Call of Duty, playing games like Spider-Man Miles Morales in performance mode felt exceptionally fast and smooth.
Audio and User Experience
The audio quality of the QNED81 is pretty good, offering rich tonality and ample loudness. While it may not reach the heights of the G3, it’s perfectly serviceable on its own, especially if you don’t have a soundbar. The TV also comes with LG’s AI Sound Pro feature, which adapts the sound to match the on-screen content.
Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that TV speakers can’t compete with a dedicated soundbar, and LG suggests pairing the QNED81 with the SH7Q, which we recently reviewed, for the ultimate cinematic experience.
Navigating the TV’s features is made easy with the familiar Magic Remote. This remote has seen little change over the years, offering comfort and a cursor on the screen that responds to your motion. The TV runs on LG’s WebOS operating system, which can feel a bit sluggish on the QNED81, though this is a known characteristic.
The TV’s interface is user-friendly, allowing you to install all major streaming apps. LG has implemented some Hubs on the WebOS homepage, including an Office hub, Gaming hub, and more, to cluster apps based on their general functions. It’s worth noting that the Xbox Cloud app is notably absent from WebOS.
Final Thoughts
Let’s be realistic; everyone desires an OLED TV, but the price can be a significant barrier. TVs like the QNED81 fill this gap for the rest of us. At its price point, it offers many of the features that make LG TVs appealing, especially for gamers. You get solid build quality, vibrant colors, 4K 120Hz gaming with an excellent Gaming Optimizer.
However, from a purist’s perspective, the issues with backlighting and light spill can be
distracting during viewing. Of course, I’m speaking as someone who has experienced OLED and Mini LED TVs, so most people may not notice these nuances. Additionally, for those with a plethora of next-gen gaming hardware, the limitation of only two HDMI 2.1 ports could be problematic.
That said, the new QNED81 is an excellent TV for its price and easy to recommend. It offers an appealing compromise between quality and affordability, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a premium TV experience without breaking the bank.
LG Australia kindly loaned the QNED81 to PowerUp! for the purpose of this review
