Best LG TV 2021
May 1st, 2021
Best LG TV: which model is worth buying in 2021
What is the best LG TV in 2021? Over the years, LG Electronics has released the best OLED TVs on the market , and the company has been a pioneer in 8K technology. So there are many reasons to buy LG TVs, which is why we have put together this article.
If you don’t know which LG model would be best for you, we’re here for you. We have tested all the best LG TVs from last year and over the years, in addition to which we have already got to know some of the models that will be released this year. We are able to compare these with each other and say which of these is the best option for each use.
However, this list doesn’t show some of the news high-end LG TVs, such as the roll-out LG Signature Series R , the release of which has been delayed from the original 2019 release window. Although the 2021 models have basically already been released , we have not yet tested the LG C1 OLED , LG G1 OLED and LG A1 OLED , so they will hit the list later this year.
However, if you are buying a TV right now, these are the best LG models right now. We also put together LG models coming this year , so you know what to expect for the rest of the year.
Why buy an LG TV?
Excellent question! There are a lot of great TV brands in the world , so why choose LG instead?
LG Display, a manufacturer of TV panels that is part of LG Electronics, is the loudest advocate for OLED TVs and produces panels for Panasonic , Sony and Hisense , among others . While third-party OLED models may have something more pleasing to you, such as Panasonic’s often more down-to-earth color tones or Acoustic Surface Audio + technology from Sony’s panel , there are many things to speak for LG. LG’s OLED TV often has a warmer color palette compared to its competitors, but the differences are really only noticeable when compared more closely. Instead, the bigger advantage over the others is that the company actually offers the cheapest OLED TV on the market with its LG BX series. Vizio's OLED models are sometimes cheaper, but these are not sold in Finland. OLED is also capable of reproducing deeper black and providing a more accurate light balance than even the best LCD or QLED TVs. This is due to the panel’s self-emitting light and individual pixels that can be turned off completely when needed. However, OLED panels degrade faster than LCDs and do not maintain the same brightness as new Samsung TVs . The differences can be compared in more detail from the OLED vs QLED comparison article we compiled . In addition, the webOS operating system on LG TVs is an excellent, sleek and polished interface that extensively supports other applications. Magic Remote also has support for voice commands. It is worth remembering, however, that LG does not support HDR10 + , although otherwise it will widely support HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG .
The best LG TV in a nutshell:
1. Best LG TV: LG CX OLED
2. Best value for money: LG BX OLED
3. The most stylish: LG GX Gallery Series OLED
4. Best LCD: LG Nano90
1. Best LG TV: LG CX OLED
The LG CX OLED is at the top of many of our buying guides, which is also a good reason. The successor to last year’s excellent LG C9 has world-class image quality, thanks to the a9 Gen 3 processor and endless contrast in the OLED panel. The TV also has a 2.2 speaker system, so in addition to a great picture, you also get high-quality sound. Admittedly, the sound is a little too weighty at the bottom, but thankfully it doesn’t detract from the whole thing too much. The new model is cheaper than its predecessor, thanks to the completely new 48-inch size, which has dropped the price to around 1,200 euros. With more and more image sizes, it is better suited to more and more needs and homes. The other models on this list also offer great reasons to choose them and emphasize different things in terms of price, design or panel. Still, they lag behind in throwing second compared to the LG CX.
2. Best value for money: LG BX OLED
If the price of the CX remains too expensive, but you want the same performance, then the LG BX OLED is your choice. The BX was only released in late 2020, but it quickly became a popular model for those looking for an affordable OLED model. Its cheaper and weaker a7 Gen 3 processor is reflected in the price of the model, but the image quality and performance are still excellent despite the older processor. This model offers virtually all the same features as more expensive LG TVs, such as a convenient webOD operating system, single pixel control, deep black levels, and more. The only weak side is just the performance. In dim scenes, small noise is noticeable, and sometimes there is also motion blur in the image. These don’t necessarily become a problem for many, but if you watch a lot of movies or series set in atmospheric and dark scenes, you can’t help but miss them. Fortunately, the situation would seem to change in 2021, as the new A1 OLED would appear to be coming at a cheaper price than the B-Series. Admittedly, this is reflected in the loss of the HDMI 2.1 connection as well as the weaker audio output, which is 20 W instead of 40 W. So far, however, the BX series is the most affordable OLED TV from LG.
3. The most stylish: LG GX Gallery Series OLED
Looking for something more stylish? The LG Gallery Series OLED resembles the company’s WX OLED series, but invests in design in addition to interior design and offers built-in Dolby Atmos speakers . While the design is a technical masterpiece, the all-new LG Alpha a9 Gen 3 processor also boasts inside, which adds better face detection and multi-stage noise reduction to LG’s already brilliant upscaling. Motion detection has also been further improved. However, this is not a completely flawless creation, as it does not maintain the same brightness as LED LCD TVs and has some sound balance problems. Otherwise, it’s a really stylish TV for users who are willing to pay for a new living room stumbler. However, it is worth noting that this model does not have a TV stand at all , so it requires a professional installer to mount the TV on the wall so that the cables are not visible. In 2021, we will see a new LG G1 OLED model that would seem to improve the Gallery Series in terms of brightness, among other things, as well as adding a tripod level to the sales package .
4. Best LCD: LG Nano90
LG's LCD TVs may have a difficult position in the future , given that LG is fully investing in OLED technology. But if you’re specifically looking for an LCD TV, then the Nano90 is a capable option that doesn’t cost nearly as much as the flagship series CX OLED. In fact, the 65-inch Nano90 is cheaper than the 48-inch CX, so the LCD has its downsides. Admittedly, HDR on TVs has been problematic for IPS monitors, whose internal contrast levels are more heavily stressed on HDR. Admittedly, the Nano90's new backlit system works wonders and also shines in HDR mode, although there are unfortunate problems with flicker in the backlight. Advertisement The contrast has also improved significantly from older LCD models and the black level is good, although not at the OLED level.
5. Samsung Q70T QLED TV
The Samsung Q70T QLED isn’t as high quality as the top-ranked Q95T, but it’s also a much cheaper option. Samsung has reorganized the names of its TVs, so the Q70T is actually the successor to the Q60R released last year. Its backlight is also handled through the pages, so it does not maintain the brightness of other QLED models. Fortunately, it has the extremely sharp image and excellent upscaling that the company is known for. There are also no noticeable tails or blur in the moving image. Unfortunately, HDR performance is degraded due to the backlight coming from the side and only 600 stays left. Black levels are also lower than expected. For its price, the level is still good, and especially for gaming use, the low 9.1 ms game mode is a great achievement. It is worth noting that Samsung TVs support HDR10 +, while Dolby Vision used on Netflix, among others, is not supported. But if you’re looking for an affordable TV that is capable of better than the price suggests, the Q70T is a great option for 2020.
Why buy an LG TV?
LG Display, a manufacturer of TV panels that is part of LG Electronics, is the loudest advocate for OLED TVs and produces panels for Panasonic , Sony and Hisense , among others . While third-party OLED models may have something more pleasing to you, such as Panasonic’s often more down-to-earth color tones or Acoustic Surface Audio + technology from Sony’s panel , there are many things to speak for LG.
LG’s OLED TV often has a warmer color palette compared to its competitors, but the differences are really only noticeable when compared more closely. Instead, the bigger advantage over the others is that the company actually offers the cheapest OLED TV on the market with its LG BX series. Vizio's OLED models are sometimes cheaper, but these are not sold in Finland.
OLED is also capable of reproducing deeper black and providing a more accurate light balance than even the best LCD or QLED TVs. This is due to the panel’s self-emitting light and individual pixels that can be turned off completely when needed. However, OLED panels degrade faster than LCDs and do not maintain the same brightness as new Samsung TVs . The differences can be compared in more detail from the OLED vs QLED comparison article we compiled .
In addition, the webOS operating system on LG TVs is an excellent, sleek and polished interface that extensively supports other applications. Magic Remote also has support for voice commands. It is worth remembering, however, that LG does not support HDR10 + , although otherwise it will widely support HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG .
Do the letters and numbers behind the LG TV get confused? We are not surprised, as television naming practices can be confusing. However, they are necessary because they distinguish old models from new ones and cheap ones from better ones. However, the situation is not alleviated by the fact that each television producer uses its own naming convention.
Fortunately, the naming convention on LG’s OLED TVs is pretty easy. The full name of the LG C9 OLED is "LG OLED55C09PLAAEU", where LG naturally means manufacturer, OLED panel technology and 55 sizes. Several TVs arrive on the market in several different size categories, but 55 inches is the most popular option for flagship models.
C, on the other hand, means the company’s middle-class C Series models, which are updated every year. Others include the Budget Series B, the sleek E-Series, the W-Series with a paper-thin panel, and the more powerful Z-Series.
9 refers to the year of manufacture of the television, i.e. 2019. Therefore, LG's previous televisions have been C8, E8, and so on. The last letters, in turn, reveal the area in which the television is sold: PUA means the United States, PLA means the United Kingdom, and PLAAEU means Europe.
In LED models, the naming convention is slightly different. LG’s LED TVs are named after the NanoCell Super UHD, even though they are the same LED panels the company has been making for years.
In the LG Nanocell 9 series, the full name of the model is LG 65SM9500PUA, where 65 stands for TV size. S, in turn, refers to Super UHD / NanoCell technology, while U refers to UHD TVs and L LED models. LG also uses the letter E on OLED panels and P on plasma models that have since been discontinued.
Rimpsu’s second letter, in turn, reveals the model’s release year. So the 4K LED TV released in 2019 is SM, while the model released in 2018 was SK.
The rest of the numbers and letters are identical on OLED TVs.
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