LG LED UR78: 86" 4K Smart TV LG - Review 🏆

The LG 86" UR78 4K Smart TV (2023 model) is one of LG's latest large-screen LED TV offerings. With its massive 86-inch screen size, this TV is ideal for creating an immersive home theater experience. The UR78 TV has a 4K Ultra HD resolution, providing over 8 million pixels for incredibly detailed and lifelike images.

Some key features and specs of this 2023 LG TV include:

• 86" screen size
• 4K Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 resolution
• 120Hz native refresh rate
• LG's a7 Gen5 AI Processor 4K
• webOS smart platform
• Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG high dynamic range support
• Built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity

The combination of the extra-large screen real estate, 4K UHD resolution, HDR support, and 120Hz refresh rate makes this LG TV well-suited for both movies and gaming. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the design, display quality, features, performance, audio, and overall value offered by the 2023 86" LG UR78 4K Smart TV.

Design

The LG 86" 4K Smart TV UR78 features an impressive minimalist design with incredibly thin bezels. The TV has a sleek metallic frame with a thin black border around the display. LG calls this their "Infinity Screen" design.

The stand has a unique elongated curved shape that provides sturdy support while complementing the thin bezels. It has a sleek brushed metal finish that matches the rest of the frame. The stand is centered and allows the TV to be placed on a media console or table.

The back of the TV also has a minimalist look with a smooth black finish. The inputs are neatly organized in recessed areas to maintain the clean aesthetic. There are no visible logos or branding on the front which further contributes to the sophisticated and refined design.

Overall, the physical design focuses on slimness and simplicity for a modern high-end look. The thin bezels, metallic accents, and unique stand allow this massive 86" TV to still have an elegant presence in any living room.

Display Quality

The LG 86" 4K Smart TV for 2023 features an impressive LED display that delivers an immersive viewing experience. It utilizes LG's NanoCell technology, which uses nanoparticles to absorb excess light wavelengths and enhance the purity of the primary RGB colors.

The panel is an LED-backlit LCD with direct LED backlighting, providing strong brightness across the entire 86" screen. LG rates the TV for 600 nits peak brightness, which is very good for well-lit rooms. It also boasts an excellent native contrast ratio of 5000:1 for deep blacks.

Viewing angles are solid thanks to LG's NanoCell IPS technology. Color and brightness remain consistent even when viewing from off-center seats. The panel covers 100% of the DCI-P3 wide color gamut for rich, accurate colors. It supports HDR content in HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision formats to make colors pop.

Overall, the display quality is superb with vibrant colors, inky blacks, high brightness, and wide viewing angles. The 4K resolution and massive 86" screen create an immersive viewing experience whether watching movies, sports, or playing games.

Smart TV Features

The LG 86" 4K Smart TV (2023) comes with LG's user-friendly webOS platform as its operating system. The intuitive interface provides easy access to popular streaming apps and services. You can quickly launch apps like Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, and more from the home screen.

One of the best aspects of webOS is its simplicity. The menus are clean and easy to navigate using the Magic Remote that comes included. You can point and click to access different apps and features. Voice controls are also available through LG's ThinQ AI technology, allowing you to change channels, search for content, and control other TV functions completely hands-free.

With built-in Wi-Fi and ethernet connectivity, you can take advantage of webOS' expansive app library. In addition to all the major streaming platforms, you'll also find specialty apps for sports, music, kids content, and more. WebOS receives frequent updates from LG, so new apps are continuously being added over time.

Overall, the webOS platform provides a smooth smart TV experience. The intuitive interface, voice controls, and wide app selection make it easy to find and enjoy all your favorite movies, shows, and other entertainment on the LG 86" 4K TV.

Gaming Performance

The LG 86" 4K Smart TV UR78 is an excellent choice for gaming. It has a low input lag of around 10ms, which is great for fast-paced action games where responsiveness matters. The high 120Hz native refresh rate results in smooth motion with minimal blurring during gameplay.

For connectivity, this TV has 4 HDMI ports, with HDMI 2.1 support. This allows gaming in 4K at 120fps with the latest consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Variable refresh rate is also supported to prevent screen tearing.

There are some nice gaming features too. The Game Optimizer menu provides quick access to settings for different genres like FPS, RTS, and RPGs. You can customize picture settings for each gaming input. AMD FreeSync Premium is also supported for an even smoother experience if you game on a compatible graphics card.

With its great response time, high refresh rate, HDMI 2.1 ports, and gaming enhancements, the LG 86" 4K TV is an excellent big screen option for serious gamers who want a responsive and immersive gaming experience.

Sound Quality

The LG 86" UR78 TV delivers an immersive audio experience thanks to its built-in 2.2 channel speakers with 40W output. The speakers provide clear and detailed sound, with decent bass for a TV speaker system.

The set supports Dolby Atmos, providing more realistic, spatial audio when watching Atmos-enabled content. This creates a surround sound effect, with audio coming at you from different directions. While the 2.2 speaker system can't fully replicate true surround sound, it does a good job at immersing you in the audio.

For further audio customization, LG includes AI Sound Pro. This feature analyzes the content and optimizes the audio output accordingly. There are also sound presets like Movie, Music, Clear Voice, and Sports to choose from. With the Music preset, vocals are clearer for listening to singers. Sports boosts crowd noise for a stadium-like effect. Overall, the UR78 provides an audio experience comparable to higher-end TVs thanks to the combination of Atmos support and audio tuning options.

Connectivity

The LG 86" 4K Smart TV (2023) offers ample connectivity options to hook up your various devices. It has:

• 4 HDMI ports - The 4 HDMI 2.1 ports allow you to connect 4K 120Hz sources like gaming consoles and Blu-ray players. They support advanced gaming features like Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC).

• 3 USB ports - The USB ports allow you to connect external storage drives to play media files, or plug in wireless peripherals like keyboards. There are 2 USB 2.0 and 1 USB 3.0 ports.

• Ethernet port - The RJ45 ethernet port provides wired connectivity to your home network for a stable and fast internet connection.

• Optical audio out - Optical audio out allows you to connect a sound system for higher quality audio.

• RF connection input - For connecting cable/antenna sources.

• CI slot - Allows you to add a Conditional Access Module for pay TV services.

With its generous selection of ports, the LG 4K TV can handle all of your media devices, gaming consoles, streaming sticks, and more. The HDMI 2.1 ports are especially great for high performance gaming and entertainment setups.

Pros

• Large 4K screen. The massive 86-inch screen with 4K Ultra HD resolution (3840 x 2160) delivers an immersive viewing experience with sharp, vivid images. Ideal for home cinema setups.

• Impressive contrast ratio. With LG's OLED technology, the TV achieves an infinite contrast ratio for deep blacks and brilliant whites. This creates a very high dynamic range with outstanding picture quality.

• Smooth motion handling. The TV has a 120Hz native refresh rate and support for variable refresh rates up to 120Hz, resulting in fluid motion with minimal blur for fast-moving scenes. Great for sports, action movies and gaming.

• Smart TV features. WebOS provides access to popular streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ etc. The Magic Remote makes navigating the TV interface very intuitive. Built-in Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support voice controls.

Cons

• The 86" screen size may be too large for some homes and viewing distances. At that size, you'll need to sit quite far back to get the full effect without eye strain.

• While the picture quality is excellent overall, dark scene details can get lost due to its VA panel technology. OLED TVs tend to handle shadows and dark scenes better.

• The built-in speakers lack power and bass. For a TV this size, an external soundbar or speaker system is highly recommended to get an immersive audio experience.

• It doesn't support some of the latest gaming features like 4K 120Hz or variable refresh rate. Gamers may want to look at other options for the best performance.

• The smart TV platform and menus feel a bit dated compared to some competitors. It lacks newer AI features and the app selection could be better.

Conclusion

Overall, the new LG 86" 4K Smart TV UR78 model for 2023 is an impressive large-screen LED TV that provides a premium viewing experience.

The main pros are its massive 86-inch screen size, sharp 4K resolution with HDR support, smooth 120Hz refresh rate, and LG's user-friendly webOS smart platform. Gaming performance is also solid due to low input lag and support for variable refresh rates.

On the downside, the audio quality is just average and could be improved with a soundbar. The TV lacks more advanced gaming features like HDMI 2.1 ports.

For most buyers looking for an extra-large screen 4K TV for movies, TV shows, and casual gaming, the LG 86" UR78 hits the sweet spot in terms of price, performance and features. While not perfect, it delivers great picture quality, smart capabilities, and immersive viewing on an giant display. Unless you need top-tier gaming features, this LG model is easy to recommend for the living room.