LG NANO 80 LCD TV is one of the 2020 NanoCell brand releases. Like all LCD TVs of this type (unlike their best-selling and highly acclaimed OLED 4K HDR TVs), it is equipped with an IPS technology. This implies wide viewing angles, but leads to a negative trade-off in terms of weak black levels and contrast.
However, the LG NANO 80 is a decent 4K HDR TV by IPS panel standards. Although entry-level, it offers a good combination of price and visuals. In the proposed LG 55NANO806NA 4K HDR NanoCell review, we will take a closer look at the functionality of the NANO806 series and its characteristics.
LG NANO 80 review
Design
LG 55NANO806 TV has a stylish design. The stand consists of two widely spaced legs that hold the TV well. Vibrations, if you touch the TV, are very moderate. The back of the TV is made of plastic and has a soft matte texture. There are no grooves for guiding the cables.
The TV is thin (about 6 cm) and does not protrude much when attached to a wall. The build quality is decent. Thin bezels (about 1 cm) give the TV an elegant look. However, almost all connectors “look” back. This can make it difficult, firstly, to install close to the wall, and secondly, to connect devices. If there is no suitable wide cabinet and you want a TV on one leg, pay attention to the similar series LG NANO 81.
Contrast and brightness
The 55NANO806 NanoCell TV has medium contrast, as expected for an IPS panel TV. For them, the usual contrast ratio is 1000: 1, in contrast to VA panels, where this figure is several times higher. Contrast ratio does not improve if local dimming is enabled . This is due to the fact that the TV side lighting and local dimming cannot be divided into zones with a “checkered” pattern.
In other words, local dimming does not help. There is always a backlight leak or halo around a bright object on the screen. If you want to at least slightly correct the situation, then it is better to select the “Medium” local dimming parameter.
Peak brightness, as in almost all budget models, leaves a lot to be desired. Of course, for SDR content with standard dynamic range, the actual peak brightness of 250 nits is sufficient. But in HDR (high dynamic range) mode, 300 nits is not enough to adequately display the brightest parts of the scene.
Image quality
The LG NANO806 TV has decent gray uniformity. But the edges of the screen are slightly darker than the center. The dirty (spotty) screen effect is almost invisible and is unlikely to bother sports fans. In terms of black uniformity, the situation is not as rosy as with all IPS panels. The viewing angles, on the other hand, are very good and the TV will be a good choice if you need to look at the screen, including from the side.
Reflection handling is excellent. It is almost identical to last year’s LG SM8000 series . The semi-gloss filter diffuses reflections, reducing their overall intensity, so you won’t be distracted by multiple additional lights in your room.
NANO806 TV has a wide color gamut. EOTF (gamma correction) brightens some very dark scenes slightly. But in general, the graph of converting the input video signal to brightness is fairly flat, until a sharp decline begins in the region of the peak brightness of the TV. If you find that the HDR mode is dull, then set the value of the parameter “Dynamic Contrast” high, and bring the brightness and contrast to maximum.
What else is worth noting? In the TV LG NANO80 NanoCell implemented “directorial” mode Filmmaker . In this case, the picture is processed in such a way as to exclude all kinds of “enhancers” that smooth out the movements of objects. Thus, there is an effect of realism of the image – we see it as the creators intended. It remains only to imagine that you are in the cinema.
Motion processing
LG NANO 80 has excellent response times, which can make the TV a good gaming monitor. Its value is within 15 ms. There are few emissions that lead to reverse halos. But it can still be distracting for some sensitive users.
The quad-core 4K processor supports the option to improve the clarity of a moving object – TM100 at a refresh rate of 50 Hz. In addition, there is an option ALLM – automatic activation of the low latency mode. LG is also part of the HDR Gamers’ Advocacy Group (HGiG). Hopefully, the TV is the best way to incorporate HDR support into games.
Smart TV
The LG Smart TV webOS 5.0 operating system is tied to the new ThinQ AI 2020 platform, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Of course, AirPlay 2 and HomeKit are also on the menu. The possibilities of voice communication with the TV are extensive. This includes searching for content, and controlling the parameters of the NANO80 NanoCell TV series, and controlling other devices included in the smart home system. Voice functions are provided with the Magic Remote.
The OS start page has been simplified since webOS 4.5. Nothing has changed in the new version. The ribbon at the bottom of the home screen is where you can find all of your content. A second contextual ribbon (LG calls it AI Preview) appears as soon as you select certain tiles. This is a very convenient way to quickly browse different things, select the latest apps, or select connected devices.
Sound
The frequency response of the audio section of the NANO806 is a bit disappointing. The low-frequency cut goes at 150 Hz, which is an unsatisfactory figure. That is, the bass of this TV is not enough to reproduce the rumble or explosions. And in music, the sound turns out to be flat and emasculated. But above the cutoff point, the frequency response is decent and relatively well balanced.
Therefore, she gives a clear dialogue, but she may not have enough airiness. This TV has a total audio system power of 20 watts. The configuration is the most common 2.0 . It has no room correction system, no Dolby Atmos support. Distortion increases noticeably at high volume levels. Hence, you can try the experience of using a soundbar (external soundbar). For example, LG SN8Y .
Connections
On board the NANO80 model there are 4 HDMI 2.0 connectors. ARC Audio Reverse Channel is supported. One USB connector at the back and one side. There is a LAN port for connecting to the Internet. Composite and component inputs are required for analog video viewing. The CI + slot is on the side.
At the back are an optical audio output and two antenna jacks for receiving terrestrial and satellite programs. Wireless communication is via a Wi-Fi adapter, which is single-band in this budget option. There is also a Bluetooth connection version 5.0.
Conclusion
LG NANO 80 is a good choice for a 4K UHD TVs. Especially if you’re specifically looking for an HDR TV that offers wide viewing angles but isn’t as expensive as an OLED TV (which also offers wide viewing angles).
This is not a bad option by IPS 4K TV standards, but these are its two main advantages as well. The rest is not implemented in the best possible way. Low contrast ratios do not produce good black levels. Weak bass support makes it impossible to fully immerse yourself in what is happening on the screen when watching movies. The margin of brightness is not enough for the full implementation of HDR. But in any case, the choice is yours.