LG LED UR78: 43" 4K Smart TV LG - Review 🏆

LG has been a leader in TV technology for years, known for its innovative designs and premium display quality. The LG UR78 is one of the company's newest 4K LED TVs for 2023, sitting in the mid-range of LG's lineup. This 43-inch model offers a great blend of features and performance at an affordable price point.

The UR78 has a sleek, minimalist design with slim bezels and a smart silver finish. It supports 4K Ultra HD resolution and HDR content for incredible clarity and vivid colors. Key features include LG's webOS smart platform, built-in Google Assistant and Alexa, and gaming optimizations like Auto Low Latency Mode. This TV also utilizes LG's Quad Core Processor 4K to enhance picture quality and upscale lower resolution content.

With its solid mix of display performance, smart connectivity, and intuitive controls, the LG UR78 is an excellent option for buyers looking for a future-proof 4K TV that won't break the bank. This review will take a deeper look at its full specs and capabilities.

Design

The LG 43" UR78 4K Smart TV has a simple yet elegant design with minimal bezels and a sturdy stand. The TV measures 37.1 x 21.8 x 4.8 inches with the stand and weighs 15.4 pounds, making it a good fit for most media cabinets and tables.

The stand has a curved X-shape with a brushed metal finish that provides stability while taking up a small footprint. The stand can also be removed for wall mounting, with standard VESA brackets.

The bezels surrounding the display are impressively thin, measuring just 0.39 inches on the sides and 0.43 inches on the top and bottom. This creates a nearly borderless look when viewing content and allows the 43-inch screen to really shine.

Overall, the LG UR78 has an understated and sophisticated aesthetic that will blend seamlessly into any living room or home theater setup. The slim bezels and sleek stand design highlight the large, vibrant 4K display rather than drawing attention away from it. It's a TV that emphasizes simplicity and lets the picture quality take center stage.

Another impressive model from LG is the LG LED UR73: 43 4K Smart TV. This TV offers similar sleek designs with advanced technological features. With a resolution of 4K, the LG LED UR73 ensures crystal clear visuals. It also boasts smart functionalities that allow seamless streaming and connectivity options. This model continues LG’s tradition of blending form and function to deliver unmatched value in the smart TV market.

Display Quality

The LG 43-inch UR78 4K Smart TV delivers an impressive display with its large 43-inch screen size and 4K Ultra HD resolution. The 4K resolution provides a crisp, detailed picture with over 8 million pixels, 4 times the resolution of Full HD. Even on a larger screen size, images look sharp and text appears clear.

This LG TV supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) including HDR10 and HLG formats. HDR expands the color range and contrast ratio, allowing for brighter, more vibrant colors that seem to pop off the screen. It renders a wider spectrum of shades from bright whites to deep blacks. The TV can reach a high peak brightness level of around 600 nits for HDR content.

The IPS display panel ensures wide viewing angles so the picture retains its quality when viewed from the side. The TV also has effective local dimming to deepen black levels. Overall, the LG 43UR78 produces a bright, colorful 4K HDR viewing experience ideal for both high-quality movies and TV shows.

Another excellent model to consider is the LG LED LQ63: 32 HD 720p Smart TV. This compact 32-inch TV offers HD resolution that delivers clear and detailed images with sharp text. It also comes with smart capabilities, allowing easy access to streaming services and applications. Despite its modest resolution and size, the LG LED LQ63 is a versatile and cost-effective option for smaller spaces. Check it out here: LG LED LQ63: 32 HD 720p Smart TV.

Smart TV Features

The LG UR78 43" 4K Smart TV comes with LG's intuitive WebOS platform that provides quick access to popular streaming apps and easy navigation. WebOS has a simple strip bar interface at the bottom to switch between apps and inputs.

The app selection on WebOS is quite good, with support for major streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV and more. WebOS makes it easy to search for content across different services.

For voice controls, the TV has built-in support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. You can use voice commands to launch apps, search for content, control TV settings and more. The far-field mics do a good job of picking up voice commands from across the room. This allows for a hands-free way of controlling the TV.

Overall, the WebOS platform, extensive app support and voice control features make this a very capable smart TV. Navigating through menus, switching apps and searching for content is quick and responsive.

Audio Quality

The LG UR78 43" 4K TV comes with 2 channel speakers and 20W audio output. While the speakers are decent for regular TV viewing, don't expect room-filling or cinematic sound. The sound is clear for dialog and adequate at normal volumes, but can start sounding strained and tinny at higher volumes.

The lack of a dedicated subwoofer means you don't get much bass response. Explosions and action sequences lack impact. The audio leans bright, with emphasis on treble over the mids and lows. This gives speech a sharp presence but music lacks warmth.

Overall, the audio quality is passable for everyday TV usage but leaves a lot to be desired. For a more impactful audio experience with the UR78, you'll want to pair it with a soundbar or speaker system. The TV does have an optical audio out and Bluetooth connectivity to make hooking up external audio straightforward.

Connectivity

The LG 43" 4K Smart TV (2023) comes with a decent selection of connectivity options.

It has 3 HDMI ports, allowing you to connect multiple devices like a Blu-ray player, gaming console, or cable box. The HDMI ports support the latest specs like HDMI 2.1, 4K at 120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate, and Auto Low Latency Mode for smooth gaming performance.

For USB connectivity, it has 2 USB ports. You can use these to play media files off a USB drive or hard drive.

For wireless connectivity, it has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth support. The WiFi is dual band and supports the latest 802.11ac standard for fast internet speeds. Bluetooth allows you to pair wireless headphones, speakers or other accessories with the TV.

Overall, the connectivity options cover everything most users would need from an LED TV. With HDMI 2.1 and multiple ports, it's great for gaming and home theater setups. The USB, WiFi and Bluetooth provide convenient ways to stream content or use wireless accessories.

Gaming Performance

The LG UR78 is a good option for gaming thanks to its low input lag and fast response time.

• Input Lag: The UR78 has an impressively low input lag of around 10ms when gaming in 4K at 60Hz. This means there's barely any delay between pressing a button on your controller and seeing the action happen on screen. Fast input lag is essential for responsive gameplay.

• Response Time: The UR78 has a fast response time of 5ms thanks to LG's Quad Step Noise Reduction feature. This results in less motion blur and crisp, fluid visuals when gaming or watching fast action content. The 5ms response time keeps up well even with fast-paced games.

• Console Compatibility: The UR78 works great with both the PS5 and Xbox Series X. It supports 4K gaming at 60Hz, Variable Refresh Rate, and Auto Low Latency Mode. The TV automatically switches to low latency game mode when detecting a console. With HDMI 2.1 ports, you can enjoy 4K gaming with smooth frame rates.

Overall, the fast response time, low input lag, and next-gen console support make the LG UR78 a solid choice for gaming. Responsive gameplay and minimal motion blur allow you to fully immerse yourself in the action.

Remote Control

The LG UR78 comes with LG's Magic Remote, which provides an intuitive way to control the TV. The remote has very few buttons, with most navigation done through motion gestures. There's a clickable scroll wheel at the top along with buttons for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Rakuten TV, and the LG webOS smart platform.

The minimalist design makes the remote easy to use. You can simply point and click to navigate menus. There's also voice control built-in, so you can speak commands to the TV. Unique gestures like flicking up/down or left/right allow you to quickly scroll through content. There's even a gesture that lets you zoom in on the screen.

Pairing the remote is effortless using Bluetooth connectivity. It feels comfortable in the hand and is lightweight despite containing batteries. The remote can also control other devices like soundbars via HDMI-CEC. Overall, LG's Magic Remote paired with the UR78 provides a futuristic control experience.

Pros

• Attractive and slim design to fit most TV stands and wall mounts. The minimal bezels allow the 43-inch screen to take up most of the front surface.

• Excellent 4K UHD resolution with HDR10 and HLG support for vivid colors and sharp detail. The IPS panel provides wide viewing angles.

• Runs on LG's user-friendly webOS platform. Gives access to many popular streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, etc. Works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

• Low input lag and auto low latency mode make this a great gaming TV. Supports HDMI 2.1 features like 4K 120Hz, VRR, and ALLM.

• Comes with 2-year warranty in case of defects.

Cons

• The 43" screen size may be too small for some buyers looking for a main TV in their living room. While good for smaller spaces, those with larger rooms may want to opt for a 50" or 55" model.

• The HDR performance is limited compared to higher-end LG OLED TVs. It can't get as bright as more expensive models, so the HDR pop isn't as impressive.

• The smart TV platform is LG's older WebOS version rather than the updated WebOS 22. It's still very good, but missing some of the latest features.

• Only 2 HDMI ports. This may require an HDMI switch for those connecting multiple devices. Most competitors offer at least 3 HDMI ports.