The lack of VRR support means that some people may find the new webOS TV too tempting to pass up, despite the advent of 8K TVs and the fact that 8K content is still essentially non-existent.
The LG QNED99 is the brand’s latest 8K model and comes with a variety of great hardware to support the rich pixel count. However, its price seems excessive given its 8K specs. In conclusion, this year’s TVs look better than the QNED99 and are less expensive, so buy only if you really need 8K. ..
Design
The 75QNED99 is a modern flagship TV that falls short in some ways, but it’s still an excellent option for those looking for a high-end TV. It has a minimalist aesthetic and a sophisticated crescent stand, but it doesn’t put on as much of a show as other models. However, many potential buyers will find this to be perfectly acceptable. Despite its direct lighting system, the set is also impressively trim around the back.
The 75QNED99 uses an IPS panel, which is better than the majority of LG LCD TVs because it has wider viewing angles. However, the IPS panel also typically means that it has trouble with dark scenes and contrast; however, perhaps the Mini LED technology will change this. ..
Ports
TV’s power connector is on the right side, and the remaining ports—all of which point downward—are on the left. These include two HDMI, two USB, RS-232C, coaxial wire, optical audio out, Ethernet, and IR Blaster (from left to right). It is much simpler to quickly connect or disconnect frequently moved devices thanks to the additional HDMI ports and additional USB ports that face out the left side of the device.
The HDMI 2.1 standard, which is supported by all four HDMI ports, enables cutting-edge features like 120 Hz refresh rates at 4K resolution and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which automatically switches to gaming settings when your console is turned on. Variable Refresh Rate is the lone advanced HDMI 2.1 feature that is absent (VRR). We are very grateful that LG is using HDMI 2.1 on all of its ports, and we hope that other TV manufacturers will soon do the same.
LG QNED MiniLED 99 Series review: Sound Quality
The LG 75QNED99 OLED TV offers an expansive sound stage that comfortably extends beyond the side and top edges of the screen when in Dolby Atmos mode. In fact, the LG 75QNED99’s Dolby Atmos modes are superior than those of any current LG OLED TVs. ..
The 75QNED99 has a more powerful and richer dialogue than LG’s current OLED TVs, and the sound stage avoids the common problem with TVs that use rear-mounted speakers, which is the impression that everything else only exists behind the screen. The projection seems more sideways than forward, but it still feels reasonably direct, and the dialogue seems to be emanating from the action on the screen. On the other end of the audio spectrum, the 75QNED99 can create astounding quantities of bass without the speakers buzzing or the drivers failing when the going gets very rough. ..
The speakers struggle with Dolby Atmos in one specific area: the rendering of extremely dense, climactic moments. The speakers seem to go into self-preservation mode just as you start to expect the sound to really let loose, withdrawing instead of opening up. Oddly, this does not occur when you play an action movie with a DTS soundtrack, indicating that the problem is more with Dolby Atmos’ implementation than with the TV’s speakers.
The AI Sound Pro mode on the 75QNED99 delivers a much louder, denser, more dynamic, and more satisfying soundstage when using the Dolby Atmos decoding. The soundstage also manages to expand with significant audio moments rather than contracting. Actually, the AI Sound Pro setting can occasionally be too aggressive, making the loudest noises sound a touch too dense and harsh. It’s crucial to stress that the 75QNED99 is still a pretty classy audio act by conventional TV standards despite its flaws.
Performance
A 65-inch screen is completely inadequate to convey the full capabilities of 8K due to the pixel density, which ends up not registering much more visibly sharp than 4K, especially if you’re not up close. We learned this from our previous mainstream 8K set, the TCL Roku TV 6-Series 8K. The LG OLED65G8P presents a far stronger argument for the new display resolution—provided you can see it from a sufficient distance, that is. ..
The 75QNED99UPA’s image was a revelation when viewed at a distance of about 12 feet because it was razor-edged crisp, right down to the individual hairs on animals’ faces or the lights in the New York City skyline. The end result was jaw-dropping and about as transformative as the first time we saw an HD or 4K TV in full-resolution action, regardless of what we watched (a topic we’ll return to in a moment). ..
There are two issues with the new TVs that consumers should be aware of. The first is that the image quality is significantly worse when you are close to the screen. This becomes very noticeable and distracting at around eight feet away from the screen, and can be even more noticeable at ten feet. Additionally, because you are more focused on individual visual pieces rather than the scene as a whole, it becomes clear how bad the image quality is when watching this type of TV from a distance. This is not due to any fault of the TV itself; rather, it is due to the science of optics which cannot easily be disproven. As a result, it is important for consumers to be aware of this issue before making a purchase. ..
The 8K sweet spot for average-sized living rooms seems to be 75 inches right now, although caution and attention are still needed. Native 8K content is the second issue because there isn’t much of it. We only used 8K YouTube videos for our evaluation, which are great for that but don’t exactly excite with regard to long-term viewing potential.
How does the QNED 99 upscales content to 8K?
Pretty much, again, assuming you don’t have your nose right up against the screen and carefully select your stuff. From that 12-foot vantage point, the 4K versions of Blade Runner 2049, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Disney-Pixar’s Luca, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League all delivered the goods, though they were noticeably less distinct closer to the screen. Additionally, you’ll learn our article on LG QNED MiniLED 99 Series review. ..
LG QNED MiniLED 99 Series review: Features
But if you’re looking for a TV that can upscale your existing 4K content to 8K, the 75QNED99 is the perfect choice. It has an impressive 7680 x 4320 resolution, which is more than enough to upscale any 4K content to 8K. Plus, it has a wide range of features that will make watching TV at 8K even more enjoyable.
There are reportedly a few more 8K sources on the way, but if an 8K TV’s image processing is up to par, it can boost the number of dots per inch with which 4K sources are displayed. This gives images a more three-dimensional and “real” appearance.
Despite the enormous amount of extra pixels the 75QNED99 has to “calculate,” the miserable upscaling that was frequently seen with early HD TVs has undoubtedly not carried over to the 8K world. Unless, of course, you’re trying to watch filthy, heavily compressed standard definition sources—which, if you’ve spent a lot on an 8K TV, you’ll undoubtedly be trying to do as little as possible. ..
The 75QNED99’s Mini LED illumination is significantly more important than the 8K pixel count. Especially given that it combines a sizable number of local dimming zones with its much smaller LEDs, it was difficult to determine how many there were. In fact, we lost count but if there aren’t comfortably more than a thousand, perhaps even close to two thousand, we’d be surprised. ..
Mini LED is a great addition to any home theater system because it allows you to control more small lights than ever before. By using Mini LED, you can get a better picture quality than ever before, and also have more control over the LEDs.
Price and availability
We evaluated the $3,499 75QNED99UPA, a 75-inch LG QNED 99, for our assessment. We anticipate that the performance of the other two models, the 65-inch 65QNED99UPA and the 86-inch 86QNED99UPA, will be comparable because they share the same fundamental features and underlying technologies. However, most buyers will likely prefer the 75-inch model for the reasons discussed in the Performance section.
LG QNED MiniLED 99 Series review: Conclusion
The LG QNED99 is a great TV for watching TV shows or sporting events in a bright environment. It has relatively wide viewing angles, high peak brightness, and excellent reflection control.
The local dimming feature is great for seeing in dark environments, but it can cause blooming around bright objects. Because of its quick response time and minimal input lag, it’s also excellent for gaming, however it doesn’t support FreeSync or G-SYNC. Additionally, banding issues with HDR content make it look less than ideal.
