TECHWEEK
The LG B3 OLED TVs are the perfect alternative to the LG C3 OLED for those who want a taste of OLED without being overpriced. The weakness of the B3 OLED is that its maximum brightness is around 600 nits. That’s not bad for an OLED TV, but not great compared to high-end OLED TVs or more expensive QD-OLED models that combine two technologies at once.
LG OLED B3 combines rich, rich colors and perfect contrast. The B3 is equipped with a 120Hz screen, HDMI 2.1 ports and an excellent Smart TV platform. However, performance compromises keep it from receiving the same praise as the LG C3 and G3 OLED.
However, this is one of the best OLED TVs for the money and also one of the best gaming TVs out there. In our review of the LG OLED65B36LA 4K OLED HDR using a 65-inch TV as an example, we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of these TVs, and also conclude whether the LG B3 OLED is worth buying.
LG B3
LG B3 Review
Design
The LG OLED65B36LA TV has a great design. There are almost no frames. This helps make it look perfect, whether you decide to mount it on the wall or use the included stand. However, OLED TVs are usually fragile. You feel it when you take them out of the box.
B3 in this regard is no different from its brothers. The edges of the screen are only a few millimeters thick. Therefore, you should try not to press them too hard when unpacking the TV. A 65-inch model will be inconvenient to lift on your own. Therefore, it is best to resort to the help of at least one partner.
The thickness of most of the TV is much thinner than the bottom third of the screen, which houses the ports and other connections. Thickness at its widest point is 47mm. If you want to mount the TV on the wall, then you should use a standard VESA 300 x 200 wall mount.
Remote control
Like most other LG smart TVs, the B3 OLED comes with the LG Magic Remote. This board has been around for many years. During this time, he has not undergone much change. How good is this remote? It is enough to “wave” the remote control, and a cursor will appear on the screen.
When you press any direction button on the remote control, the cursor will disappear. This feature can be called handy when working with a dense user interface. The remote also has buttons for quick access to popular streaming services: Prime Video, Disney Plus and Netflix.
webOS 23
The LG OLED65B3 TV uses the updated webOS 23 operating system as a Smart TV , the interface of which has become much more convenient compared to webOS 22. After reducing the number of popular services to two lines, the system began to work faster. As always, webOS remains one of the best platforms for smart TVs.
This system is easy to use. Management is carried out at an intellectual level. The only downside to webOS is the need for frequent updates. However, these updates do not take long (approximately 30 seconds or less).
Sound quality
The LG 65B3 OLED TV uses a 20W dual-channel speaker system that performs quite well. In small rooms, dialogue is fairly easy to recognize. It is possible to use the AI Sound function built into the TV to increase the detail. But the user will not hear deep basses.
The TV supports Dolby Atmos . This is a great feature for this price range. However, the user will not hear true overhead effects with the speaker system pointing down. In addition, the TV itself does not have multi-channel sound .
For this technology to work correctly, it is recommended to purchase a soundbar with Dolby Atmos function. The only downside is that you’ll have to sacrifice one of the two HDMI 2.1 ports, which is equipped with eARC support, to connect the soundbar .
LG B3
Image quality
When it comes to picture quality, the LG B3’s color saturation is excellent and the contrast is second to none. Although the B3 uses a cheaper α7 Gen6 AI-Processor 4K processor, the zoom and movement look fantastic on this TV. But here you can meet some problems.
This is a lower peak brightness than the LG C3 OLED, a slightly reddish tint, and a glare issue. In terms of brightness, the B3 hits almost 600 nits in a white 10% window. This is a huge jump from previous years, but much less than LG’s C3 TVs with the Evo panel.
Limited brightness is not such a big disadvantage, especially when viewing in the dark. But this means that some details may be hard to see. Another bad news is that this TV will most likely need to be professionally calibrated, as its default setting leaves a lot of room for improvement.
But not everything is as bad as it seems. The OLED65B36LA not only impresses with color saturation, but also with more sophisticated features such as motion processing and scaling, which are really very good. The TV makes the picture smooth, thanks in large part to the TV’s native 120Hz refresh rate.
In terms of upscaling, every foreground subject looks crisp and clean when upscaling from HD. Now about the reflectivity of the screen. How much this will affect viewing will depend on where the light sources are in the room.
If light sources such as windows and overhead lights are not directly in front of the screen and you plan to sit facing the TV, then there is no problem. If you sit at such an angle that you can see these light sources, then you will see glare. To avoid screen reflectivity issues, minimize the number of bright objects or place the TV above eye level.
Game Mode
Gaming on the OLED65B3 TV is always a great experience, whether you’re playing on PS5 , Xbox Series S or Xbox Series X. A 120Hz refresh rate keeps action fluid, while rich colors bring games to life with dynamic color palettes.
In game mode, the input lag is 12ms. That’s not bad for a TV that’s not meant to be used as a gaming monitor. However, the B3 is a little behind some of the market leaders. So, for example, the input lag in the Samsung QN90B can reach 9.8 ms.
But the thing is that the gamer will not be able to tell the difference between these few extra milliseconds. So don’t worry too much about it. The 65B3 low latency auto mode also gives you access to a variety of game and picture settings.
They allow you to fine-tune the picture in certain game genres, reduce blue light, automatically adjust the screen brightness in a dark room, enable Multi View and much more. This robust feature set helps make gaming on the LG B3 OLED fantastic, making it one of the best gaming TVs on the market.
Connections
Connections on the 65-inch model include four HDMI ports, two of which are HDMI 2.1 and the other two are HDMI 2.0. One of the ports has an eARC channel. Having only two HDMI 2.1 ports for those who are going to use the 4K/120Hz signal for Xbox Series X and PS5 at the same time is a drawback, since one of them is occupied by an eARC port.
There are also two USB ports, one optical digital audio output, antenna inputs, an RJ45 Ethernet port for connecting to the Internet, and a CI + 2.0 slot for connecting pay channels. Wireless connections include technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0.
Conclusion
The LG B3 OLED offers almost 90% of what the LG C3 OLED does but at a lower price point. The TV makes some compromises in terms of overall brightness and color accuracy, and also suffers from the same reflectivity issues as the LG C3 OLED.
Otherwise, this is a solid mid-range 4K OLED TV that balances price and performance nicely. Who can evaluate the purchase of this TV? Gamers, for example, should definitely pay attention to the LG B3. Its native 120Hz refresh rate, combined with two HDMI 2.1 ports and low latency, makes the B3 a great monitor for consoles and home PCs.
Sports fans will enjoy a lot too, as its motion handling and zooming are exceptional. If reflectivity could be an issue, the Sony X90K might be a better option , which boasts higher brightness for about the same amount of money.
Pros
- Incredible contrast.
- Excellent upscaling.
- webOS works great.
- HDMI 2.1 ports.
- Stable gaming performance.
Cons
- Brightness could be better.
