ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The LG G4 OLED was the corporate’s flagship TV final yr, and continues to see beneficiant reductions in 2025.
- LG has made nice strides with its OLED image high quality, and this mannequin is actually distinctive.
- With the G5 OLED hitting the market now, it is now not the ‘most suitable choice’ in the case of brightness and efficiency.
extra shopping for selections
Proper now at LG, you may you may save up to $5,000 on the LG G4 OLED TV relying on which dimension you purchase. You may discover one of the best low cost on the 55- and 65-inch variations at Amazon and Best Buy.
I am not often a fan of LG TVs, however since testing the LG G4 OLED TV final yr, I’ve to confess that it has essentially the most spectacular image high quality of any TV I’ve ever purchased, used, or examined. Our readers appeared to be satisfied: It was the most popular TV they purchased this yr up to now.
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I will not bury the lede; its present discounted worth for Black Friday does not essentially qualify it as a funds choice — you possibly can get two 65-inch Sony X90L TVs for that cash. But when image high quality is your high precedence and you’ve got the cash to spend, there’s nearly no larger TV worth on the planet with a greater image than the LG G4. (This yr’s LG G5 did just get a discount as well, and is near the identical worth because the G4.)
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What makes the LG G4 OLED image so good? A number of issues.
Initially, there are the issues that make all OLED screens nice, and that is very true for LG OLEDs as a result of they’re one of many main innovators within the know-how. We’re speaking about true blacks (versus washed-out darkish grays from LCD TVs), deep distinction, extra vibrant colours, and superb dynamic vary in pictures which have each darkish and lightweight components.
The LG G4 has all of these qualities — and on the highest ranges I’ve seen on any TV — as a result of it’s LG’s flagship OLED TV for 2024.
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So, what’s new in final yr’s LG G4? The most important leap ahead is in image processing, and that is made potential by the α11 AI Processor 4K. I’ve all the time thought-about Sony the king of image processing, and it was a great distance again to LG and Samsung, primarily tied for second place, with funds TV makers TCL and Hisense lagging the group.
Nevertheless, with the 2024 α11 AI Processor, LG is pushing Sony for the highest spot in image processing — and that is saying loads.
This actually issues in the case of out-of-the-box image settings, upscaling older and lower-quality 720p and 1080p content material, and the TV robotically adjusting the image to make right now’s HDR content material look superb. In all of these areas, the LG G4 now rivals Sony.
And since LG has all the time arguably made the highest-quality OLED TV panels, this improve in image processing lifts the LG G4 to the highest of the category in image high quality. For motion pictures, reveals, gaming, and nearly another content material, the LG G4 brings them to life in vibrant coloration, clean movement, and unbelievable distinction — greater than another TV you should purchase proper now.
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I attempted it with a few of my favourite content material with difficult visuals, together with Dune, Avengers: Finish Recreation, and a number of other different cutting-edge cinematic marvels. The entire content material regarded higher than I’ve ever seen on any TV I’ve used, purchased, or examined — and that features a number of the finest TVs from Sony, Samsung, LG, TCL, and Hisense over the previous few years.
What are the drawbacks?
There are a number of drawbacks to notice in regards to the LG G4. First, in fact, is the premium worth. As I’ve already talked about, you possibly can purchase two 65-inch Sony X90L TVs for the worth of 1 65-inch LG G4. And I feel most individuals could be extraordinarily proud of the midrange Sony X90L. However you are not most individuals for those who’re contemplating the LG G4.
The opposite drawbacks are the distant and LG’s built-in webOS software program. Each are mediocre at finest. I think about LG’s distant to be the worst of any of the large 5 TV makers. It is massive, chunky, and has a complicated variety of buttons. A TV that’s good and has such a premium design that’s svelte and delightful deserves a better-designed distant. (Fortuitously, LG has redesigned it for its 2025 collection of TVs, which is an indication of higher issues to come back.)
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LG’s built-in webOS software program is sort of as disappointing because the distant management, although that is certainly subjective. It really works nice, nevertheless it’s not very intuitive, and it’s nowhere near being as well-thought-out because the TV {hardware}. The icons for content material are small and generally exhausting to pick, the menu system is a bit convoluted, and there are built-in advertisements working within the software program, which makes it really feel pointless for a TV this costly.
That stated, in testing the 83-inch LG G4 in ZDNET’s TV lab, I found a little bit of a golden recipe after I hooked up an Apple TV 4K and used that distant and its interface to entry the entire streaming companies and content material that I needed. The mixture of the LG G4 and Apple TV was wonderful. So, for those who purchase an LG G4, I might advocate including a high-end streaming field just like the Apple TV 4K, Google TV Streamer (4K), Amazon Fire TV Cube, or Nvidia Shield.
The built-in sound within the LG G4 is ok however not nice — like nearly each different high-end or funds TV. So for those who’re shopping for a TV this costly, I’ll assume you are going to add a soundbar. On the very least, I might advocate getting the Hisense AX5125H 5.1.2-channel soundbar — my choose for finest funds soundbar. And for those who actually wish to kick into excessive gear, then I might advocate the Sony Bravia Theater Quad, which robotically calibrates itself to your room.
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Lastly, for those who’d want a high-quality OLED TV with an excellent distant and nice software program built-in in order that you do not have to run a separate streaming field, then I might advocate the Sony A95L OLED TV, which runs Google TV and has a really premium distant. And in case your TV goes to be in a really shiny room with plenty of home windows or lights, then I might advocate the Samsung S95D, which can also be a now-year-old mannequin however practically matches the LG G4 in image high quality however comes with an unbelievable glare-free display that appears superb in any room.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Whereas Sony and Samsung supply OLED TVs with related worth factors, the flagship LG G4 OLED is unmatched in image high quality, making it a strong suggestion. Its highly effective α11 AI Processor is on par with the colourful colours, true blacks, and dynamic vary displayed on its smooth panel. For a extra immersive, theatre-like sound expertise, think about including a soundbar, as I discussed above.
Whereas it is true that LG has launched the G5 as an replace to the flagship OLED TV lineup, the G4 continues to be the optimum alternative. ZDNET’s resident TV reviewer Taylor Clemons received to check out the LG G5 at our Louisville lab, and whereas the TV carried out decently when it comes to responsiveness and audio high quality, the image high quality left loads to be desired when in comparison with the older model. Nevertheless, with the present deal on the G5 at Amazon and Best Buy, it might be a worthwhile improve for LG loyalists.
How we take a look at TVs
Whereas testing and researching the TVs featured on this record, I and different ZDNET specialists stored these standards in thoughts:
- Value: Not all budgets are created equal. And for those who’re working with a restricted funds, that should not imply it’s a must to accept a sub-par TV. Every TV mannequin on this record has been chosen throughout a wide range of worth factors to assist accommodate completely different wants.
- Display dimension: An important issue to contemplate, after worth, when looking for a brand new TV is whether or not or not it can match into your house. Every finest TV on this record was chosen as a result of they’re obtainable in all kinds of sizes to swimsuit completely different rooms.
- Image and audio high quality: A brand new TV doesn’t suggest a lot, even when it prices an arm and a leg, if it does not present an excellent image and clear audio. Every TV on this record has been ensured to assist varied HDR codecs, together with HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient, in addition to enhanced audio software program like Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, and object-tracking sound.
For a extra detailed look, try our extensive TV testing methodology.
We awarded the LG G4 OLED TV an Editors’ Choice award for its vital developments in image high quality and total efficiency. Our testing confirmed its MLA-equipped panel achieves considerably greater brightness ranges in comparison with earlier LG OLEDs, delivering impactful HDR with out sacrificing the proper black ranges basic to OLED know-how.
Colour accuracy measured nicely out of the field, and the Alpha 11 AI processor demonstrated tangible enhancements in movement dealing with and upscaling throughout our evaluation. In side-by-side comparisons with key rivals just like the Samsung S95D, the G4 offered smoother movement and arguably extra nuanced coloration, plus Dolby Imaginative and prescient assist
