The LG UR8000 series is part of LG’s 2023 conventional 4K TV lineup. LG UR8000 is fully committed to the 2022 series successor LG UQ8000. Being in the lower price segment, the UR8000 nevertheless does not disappoint with its image quality. Of course, the limitations of the characteristics of the panel affect.
First, it is relatively low brightness, not exceeding 300 nits in peaks, and a refresh rate of 50 Hz. In principle, this is enough to understand that we are dealing with an entry-level TV. But like its more upscale brethren, it uses the webOS 23 operating system with a full suite of smart features. In the LG 55UR8000 4K HDR review, we will describe the main functionality of the novelty.
LG UR8000 review
Design
It is unlikely that it will be possible to distinguish the LG 55UR8000LB 4K TV from the previous LG UQ8000 and LG UP8000 models . The case has the same thickness as when using the direct illumination unit. The frames are still thin, and the only limitation is the small technological frames on the panel itself. We usually see this kind of design in at least some mid-range models, so it’s nice to see a low-cost device with such a nice appearance.
Expanding the LG 55UR8000 TV, we find a rather featureless rear panel. All connectors are divided into two groups and located on the right side, and the power connector is the only one that is located separately on the left. Their layout is almost the same as last year’s counterparts, and allows you to easily wall-mount the TV.
Plastic V-shaped legs are spaced almost the entire width of the case. Hold stable, but need wide furniture for desktop installation. There is no cable management system in the lower level model. The Magic Remote has not changed, its black back panel is still the same glossy and easily soiled. The remote control supports both voice control and a screen cursor.
Image quality
All basic LG UHD TVs are equipped with a quad-core processor with limited functionality. As always, details about them are scarce, and the LG UR80’s α5 AI Gen6 processor doesn’t give us any indication of its specs beyond some general marketing material from LG.
Obviously, first of all, it is limited in the artificial intelligence capabilities that we see in the a7 and a9 processors. That is, its AI scaling capabilities are relatively small. But although it depends heavily on the quality of the original content, image scaling does not reveal any noticeable artifacts, and is generally quite satisfactory.
As we noted above, the LG UR8000 TV works with direct LED backlighting placed behind the ADS matrix . The backlight is much less capable than a mini LED or FALD system, which means much lower output brightness, less precise backlight control, and lower contrast.
This causes black to appear more gray than true black. And in a dark room it will be very noticeable. Therefore, as the basis of a home theater, the UR8000 is far from ideal. Models of this series with diagonals of 70 inches and less than 55 inches have VA matrices with much higher contrast (but with worse viewing angles). Another important aspect of an HDR TV is output brightness.
It usually scores less than stellar in the lower budget categories, and in most cases the brightness capabilities of these devices are not enough to make HDR attractive. As for the LG UR80 TV, it seems that the most accurate without any calibration is the “Expert” (darkroom) mode. In it, the SDR brightness in the 10% window gives a value of 280 nits. HDR brightness in the same window increases to 320 nits when using Cinema mode.
The UR8000 TV uses an ADS panel, and in addition to good color accuracy, this also means wide viewing angles. Yes, these are not extreme OLED angles, but horizontal alignment panels (IPS) display the picture at an angle much better than any VA panels. All in all, if you’re considering the UR8000 for family use, or if you plan on looking at it from different angles, then this is a good option.
In terms of HDR support, the LG UR 8000 TV only works with HDR10 (media playback) and HLG (terrestrial TV). Dolby Vision and HDR10+ dynamic metadata formats are not compatible with this series.
Motion and Game Processing
The LG UR8000 series uses a matrix with a screen refresh rate of 50Hz (or 60Hz depending on localization) along with a 100Hz backlight strobe rate. Motion smoothing based on interpolation does not work very well with a rapidly moving camera. Artifacts accompanying moving objects become noticeable.
The UR8000 does not support any modern gaming technology, which is to be expected. Well, except that the ALLM mode, which automatically switches the TV to game mode when the appropriate game console is connected, is included in the list of gaming features. But the low output latency of the 55UR8000 TV (input lag), as has been customary lately, is no longer a problem. Its value is kept at the level of 10 ms at any screen resolution.
Smart TV
The UR8000 TV is equipped with the same intelligent platform as the flagship LG G3. This is webOS 23 , which has undergone a small but important change in relation to webOS 22. Users received an optimized home screen in 2023, divided into only two main pages. With a simplified layout, the processor provides smoother and faster navigation.
Along with sponsored content, there are a number of Quick Cards that provide easy access to frequently used content and services. The new intelligent AI Concierge monitors your browsing and searches and tries to direct them in a direction of its own creation.
One thing that hasn’t changed in the new version of webOS is app support. Therefore, you will find all the applications you may need, as well as others available for download, in the online store. Almost all major streaming services are present. Apps available include Apple Airplay 2 and Apple Homekit.
One interesting feature that helps you keep track of sports events is Sports Alert. You can select your favorite team on the TV and it will tell you when the match will be shown and on which channel, it can also provide results updates and the like. There are many options to choose from from the available list.
Voice control is implemented through the built-in Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant assistants and the remote microphone. The Home Dashboard is a nice little feature that lets you get an overview of all your TV connections. Little has changed here. The Game Optimizer panel allows you to check game settings in progress, including frame rate, picture settings, colors, sound, and more.
Sound
The UR80000 is equipped with a standard 2.0-channel audio system with a total output of 20W. It’s for general viewing, but generally can’t offer anything close to the immersive effect provided by a surround sound system. Given the paucity of the low-frequency audio component, then apparently the best solution would be to purchase a soundbar.
AI Sound Pro intelligent function is responsible for converting conventional stereo sound into virtual 5.1.2 surround sound. There is an AI Acoustic Tuning system that the TV uses in conjunction with the Magic Remote microphone to adjust the sound settings to match the room and provide the best experience.
Connections
The LG UR8000 model has the same connector layout as before. It has two groups of ports on the right side of the rear panel, one of which looks sideways and the other down. The list of ports includes 3 HDMI 2.1 connectors with 4K@120 (one of them with eARC ), 2 USB 2.0 ports, a LAN port and an optical digital audio output. They are complemented by antenna sockets and a CI slot. Wireless – WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0.
Conclusion
The LG UR80 could be a worthwhile purchase if you’re looking for an affordable TV that’s meant for everyday use or gaming. Its capabilities in terms of image quality are limited. But if you don’t have high expectations, and you really shouldn’t have them in this price range, then a TV can give you a lot of good time.