The LG 55UN80006LA is the mid-range LG LCD TV of 2020. It features an ultra-high definition 4K display with 50Hz refresh rate, HDR10 Pro and HLG support, and numerous SmartTV features with streaming and voice control services. Moreover, the price of UN8000 can be called quite acceptable.
LG’s 4K UN8000 Series TVs are available in 55 and 65-inch sizes. In the proposed LG 55UN8000 4K HDR review using a 55-inch TV as an example, we will try to figure out how well the UN80 series models work and whether they are worth buying.
LG UN8000 review
Design
The LG 55UN8000 TV comes in sturdy packaging. When included with the stand, the 55-inch model has a net weight of just over 16 kg. Despite the fact that the case is completely made of plastic, the assembly is very high quality. The depth of the screen is 8.4 cm at its widest point. The slim bezel and Y-leg stand provide an elegant look.
The back of the LG TV has standard VESA 300 x 300 mounting holes for a wall bracket that is not included. The 55UN80006LA TV comes with a pair of metal feet, a Magic Remote with batteries, a power cord and an instruction manual.
Smart TV
Like all current LG 4K TVs, the UN80006 comes with the new webOS 5.0 operating system . In addition to multimedia libraries and numerous applications, the most important streaming services are also available, such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Disney +. It is possible to install other applications as well.
Streaming applications and media libraries run smoothly and can be intuitively controlled with the Magic Remote. Magic Remote is a combination of a conventional remote control, a mouse with an optical pointer and a built-in microphone for voice control.
Whether it’s Amazon Alexa or LG’s own voice assistant, both technologies work seamlessly. Using the LG Home control panel does not require any special skills. Here you can find your smart home appliances, such as a video intercom or home lighting, and control them via the TV.
A fast triple tuner is available for TV reception. The tuner is suitable for all types of reception (cable, satellite, antenna). It takes no more than 2 seconds to switch channels. With PayTV channels, the switching operation takes 3-4 seconds.
Recording broadcasts is also not a problem. We recommend recording to an external USB hard drive with a maximum capacity of 2 TB. A regular flash drive is not suitable for recording due to the large number of rewriting cycles.
Image quality
The 55UN8000 has a 4K Ultra HD display with a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. The panel has a 50Hz refresh rate and has Direct LED backlighting . Due to this type of illumination, the UN8000 series exhibits a very evenly illuminated image with minimal and barely visible spots (dirty screen effect).
Thanks to the IPS matrix , the viewing angles are excellent. In HDR Effect picture mode, peak brightness is 360 cd / m². At this brightness, there are improvements in HDR mode, but the HDR quality does not achieve the full effect. Ultra HD Blu-ray movies have excellent depth of field and true-to-life colors.
With black colors, things are a little more complicated. This is especially noticeable when viewing content in a dark room. In this case, the blacks become dark gray. A similar effect is observed in highly contrasting scenes. The reason for this is the IPS matrix, which has insufficient contrast.
Connoisseurs of perfect black will have to think about choosing a model with a VA matrix. For a truly cinematic experience, the UN8000 series is equipped with the new Filmmaker Mode picture option . Here, all image optimization systems such as contrast enhancers, noise reduction, color saturation are disabled.
Only the original color and contrast values are used. Since the brightness of the picture is also reduced, it is desirable to darken the room like in a movie theater. The current blockbusters can now be watched in the original quality as the director intended.
Ordinary television programs are also displayed very well. This quality is especially noticeable when watching HD channels. This speaks of a good scaling option. However, when viewing analog content, the image may appear pale and partially washed out.
Sound quality
The built-in loudspeakers with a total power of 20 W sound good. The acoustics are well coordinated and absolutely adequate for conventional television. The voices are crystal clear. The lack of a subwoofer affects sound in action movies and music videos. A way out of the situation can be an additionally purchased soundbar or home theater system.
In addition to Dolby Digital +, LG UN8000 TVs have several other audio processing modes. Unfortunately, the system lacks support for Dolby Atmos in the same way as DTS. As of today, the lack of Dolby Atmos support is not much of an oversight. However, it is worth noting that every year there is more and more network content in Atmos format.
Connections
The LG patch panel has almost a complete set of connections. The device is equipped with four HDMI 2.0 ports, one of which has an ARC
channel . Also available: connection to DVB-T2 / S2 / C tuners, three USB ports, TosLink optical output, analog audio-video input and line-in for connecting to the Internet.
As for wireless connections, there are Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi systems on board. However, you won’t find the usual line-in headphone jack. If there is a need to connect headphones to TV , you will have to purchase an additional headphone adapter and connect it via TosLink, or purchase headphones that support wireless connection.
Conclusion
Overall, the picture quality of the LG 55UN8000 looks convincing. The picture is clear, the colors are realistic. A weak point is the display of black, especially in high-contrast images.
When viewing HDR content, the image does not reach the desired quality. SmartTV, voice control, triple tuner with disc recording and extended viewing angles leave nothing to be desired. Recommended for purchase for collective viewing in well-lit rooms.