LG OLED evo G4 evaluation: A shocking leisure hub

To paraphrase a totally overused saying, with a lot energy comes quite a lot of accountability. That is a bit how I felt when testing out LG‘s finest and latest flagship TV, the 2024 OLED evo G4. It will probably achieve this a lot, with totally different settings primarily based on whether or not you are watching a cinematic film, taking part in a sport, or simply watching TV at evening. It boasts quite a lot of manmade intelligence assist, gives voice-control, and a plethora of settings that may be modified manually or set as much as routinely alter primarily based on not simply what’s on the TV, however the time of day and the fast atmosphere. You possibly can simply begin watching what you need, positive, however you’d be doing your self, and the TV, a disservice.

It is a tough proposition. With a lot to supply when it comes to visible high quality, I used to be at occasions overwhelmed, confused, and excited when watching content material. As the highest TV LG gives, I needed to ensure I made essentially the most of it. It will probably take a while, but it surely’s completely value it. This is what I came upon.

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LG G4 OLED evo

High-tier OLED TV boasts unbelievable brightness and contrasts, and consists of myriad settings to optimize movie, TV, and gaming, making it a great companion for all types of leisure.

Professionals

• Array of picture enhancements and presets
• Spectacular brightness and distinction
• Myriad gaming options
• A.I. suite assists viewing

Cons

• Choices require effort
• Some display screen glare
• Costly funding
• Distant is missing

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Worth, availability, and specs

The G4 retails for round $3,300 and is offered immediately from LG’s web site, in addition to from Amazon, Greatest Purchase, and Walmart. This 2024 mannequin supplants the G3 from final yr, making it the highest TV from LG’s premiere G sequence of fashions.

There are just a few specs of observe. Whereas the TV helps Filmmaker Mode, Dolby Vision, and HDR10, it doesn’t assist HDR10+. It boasts a local refresh price of 120Hz, and features a suite of AI enhancements and gaming assist.

Design

Slim and easy

The TV seems spectacular earlier than you even flip it on. It is slim and boasts very skinny bezels which might be exhausting to note from a distance. You might have a alternative of a pedestal stand, or you may decide to mount the TV on the wall. As I used to be solely briefly testing it out, I did not have the chance to mount it, however underneath regular circumstances I might achieve this and completely suggest it as properly; the slender design lends itself to sitting almost flush towards a wall. Nonetheless, the pedestal was straightforward to place collectively and supplied two peak choices, although the distinction was solely an inch or two.

There are many inputs, together with 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, and they’re simply accessible on the again left aspect of the unit. I’ve a setup wherein it is simple to dam out most exterior mild, which is a large profit for OLED TVs basically and the G4 specifically. Throughout the day when watching content material with darker scenes, I may see my close by window glare within the display screen at occasions, and there’s a particular reflective high quality that might hinder viewing content material with darkish scenes through the day. I did not discover that additional trace of sunshine notably problematic, but it surely was current whereas I used to be watching Jaws within the afternoon.

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Software program

WebOS is ok, if missing

WebOS, LG’s working system discovered solely on its good TVs, is appropriate and sensible, and many satisfactory for navigating content material. Nevertheless it may very well be higher. After toggling off the sponsored content material that occupies the highest of the house web page (and can annoyingly begin taking part in if it’s important to scroll over it), the highest portion of the house hub is left empty. The middle row of apps is well-placed, and the order could be organized, however most of what else occupies the house web page is pointless.

Scrolling down results in rows of recommended content material, both primarily based on a particular streaming service or reputation, however nothing is especially helpful or particular to me. For me, I do not care what’s on YouTube, and whereas some may, I would like the choice to do away with that. I might additionally like to have the ability to have a prolonged watch record accessible from the house web page — I downloaded the JustWatch App, but it surely does crash typically when used on the massive TV. WebOS works properly sufficient, however I am nonetheless left wanting for the customization and integration of Google TV.

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I do like that my current supply pops up on the house display screen, so I can rapidly return to my PS5 or Chromecast. I additionally get pleasure from how the settings menu comes up. You possibly can organize a form of fast menu of choices in order that if you press the settings button on the distant, you may rapidly toggle a brief record of frequently-used settings as an alternative of winding your approach via the menu.

Distant is sophisticated

I developed — and proceed — to have an advanced relationship with the distant. The power to create a cursor out of the distant, and transfer it across the TV like a Wii controller, is each a blessing and a curse. There’s a little bit of a studying curve, partially as a result of the cursor will sit on the TV for some time for those who do not manually flip it off. It is useful for some makes use of, equivalent to any time it is advisable to kind one thing in on display screen, but it surely may also be tedious settling in on a small icon.

I discovered the voice management on the distant way more helpful. Holding down the microphone button brings up the voice search, and you’ll request a title, ask about what you are watching, or usually inquire about leisure information. Typically the TV misheard me, or typically it heard me all too properly, responding with a little bit of sass telling me it feels like I am actually keen on Barbie, which is true, however actually I used to be simply looking for out which service it is on. There are additionally buttons to immediately entry Disney+, Prime Video, and Netflix, that are helpful, although the Sling TV and LG Channels fast entry buttons are much less necessary to me.

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Nonetheless, I discover the distant is just too cumbersome, noisy, and poorly laid out. I feel we are able to safely forgo having a complete keypad on the distant. Nevertheless, there are many methods round that, particularly having a button that brings up a keypad on the TV.

I additionally admit that the loud click on of the buttons additionally turns into annoying over time, particularly if I am scrolling via titles, listening to a noise every time I quickly click on. The house button is curiously positioned immediately beneath the amount button, and with an identical really feel, it is simple to go to the house web page if you’re merely attempting to make the TV quieter.

Efficiency

Supberb, wealthy, and vibrant brightness

To place it bluntly, this can be a shiny TV. I first turned it on late within the night, with the solar already down and lights within the room tender and dim. The display screen lit up the entire space. The OLED brightness setting was one I returned to incessantly to tinker with. I have a tendency to observe most films and status content material with blackout curtains drawn and a few faint strip lighting for steadiness and shade, so I do not want a ton of brightness. The overall knock towards OLED TVs is that they do not obtain the identical peak brightness as QLED TVs, however this TV was a reminder that there are quite a lot of components that play into that judgment, together with private sensitivities, how darkish the atmosphere is, and the way shut you might be to the TV. I used to be additionally reminded that a lot conjecture about brightness and distinction is extra about refined variations than sizable points.

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Granted, the G4 is the latest and high TV, and it brings with it a second-gen MLA show that purports 3000 nit peak brightness. When researching and studying about TVs, numbers could be opaque, which is why it helps to witness a TV in individual earlier than shopping for it. Nevertheless it was nonetheless staggering simply how shiny it was within the night. I incessantly turned down the OLED brightness beneath 50, and even beneath 20 at occasions when watching TV late at evening. Throughout the daytime with the solar shining, brightness wasn’t a problem with most content material.

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I loved that the TV knew when it was nighttime and the fast space was darkish; it adjusted the brightness routinely in order that my eyes weren’t overwhelmed. When casually watching TV at evening, I rapidly turned on the eye-care function to take away the surplus blue light. Small touches like which might be useful as a result of all content material consumption is not created equally, and typically I simply need content material taking part in within the background.

Cinematic content material impressed

I watched some main blockbusters and there have been particulars I really feel like I might by no means seen earlier than. I used to be reassured when, within the nook of the display screen as whichever title performed, the TV was optimized for HDR, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, or Filmmaker Mode. I watched choose scenes from Marvel films on Disney+, from current Mission: Not possible movies on Prime, and from Netflix unique motion movies. I attempted to stay with content material that was made with the latest know-how in thoughts finest suited to be watched on an equally formidable TV like this one. Throughout the board, what I noticed was gorgeous.

OLED TVs are championed for his or her distinction: with particular person pixels in a position to flip off, parts of the display screen can obtain true black. I re-watched The Lengthy Night time, the notorious darkish and exhausting to see Recreation of Thrones episode that includes the much-anticipated battle towards the White Walkers. Regardless of watching on Crave, one of many worst streaming companies in Canada, which sadly, has a monopoly on HBO content material and does not assist the very best video or audio high quality, the episode was detailed, seen, and compelling. I used to be notably impressed with the distinction, particularly as hearth or flames lit up parts of the display screen amid darkness.

I additionally watched Rogue One, and was taken by simply how black the display screen was when the well-known opening Star Wars line ran throughout the display screen. The background was so black and clear that it actually did look as if shiny yellow phrases had been simply floating down from a black-out galaxy far, distant. Moreover, the mission to Eadu was atmospheric and detailed amid the darkness, whereas the assault on the seashores of Scarif was mesmerizing. So for those who do purchase this TV, 10/10 suggest watching some Star Wars content material.

Gaming is immersive

1 / 4 of HDMI ports assist ALLM and VRR, and the G4 routinely adjusts its settings when it detects a console. You possibly can pull up a gaming hub everytime you’re utilizing your console to disclose yet one more suite of options to toggle and alter. The gaming dashboard is huge, although I discovered quite a lot of default settings had been appropriate for the PS5 video games I used to be taking part in, none of which had been related for on-line play. I performed round with brightness and body price, and notably loved the good function that allowed me to alter the colour of the gaming hub. The worlds in Spider-Man 2 and Remaining Fantasy VII Rebirth felt much more immersive and detailed on the G4, and made me wish to merely discover the surroundings and dangle round on this settings.

AI help abounds

If it wasn’t overwhelming already, it began to get that approach when going via the all the synthetic intelligence enhancements. The G4 comes with a collection of AI boosts and bonuses meant to cater to devoted movie buffs in an effort to fully immerse themselves in a trustworthy recreation of the cinematic intention. Normally, I made a decision to belief my future robotic overlords and activate all of the potential assist that was supplied, although I did tinker for some time.

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Notably, TruMotion, LG’s movement smoothing know-how, gives 4 totally different settings, and I noticed rapidly that the infamous and polarizing tech perhaps had some value when tweaked simply the correct quantity. As a substitute of all the time holding it off, I did play with the Cinematic Motion choice, which makes use of AI to help movies shot at 24fps in realism with none blur, shadowing, or cleaning soap opera seems. It’s also possible to manually alter the judder as you see match. It is simply one among many examples of the nice extent to which you’ll be able to alter settings to your fast atmosphere and private desire.

Verdict: Is the LG G4 value it?

The G4 is a powerful feat, a mix of highly effective brightness, near-perfect distinction, and immense energy. It isn’t for the informal content material shopper, although. It is for individuals who wish to get pleasure from quite a lot of totally different leisure, and who aren’t shy about organising the TV to optimize all the things on it. The G4 will do a good quantity in your behalf to make the content material look the very best it will possibly, and there are fairly just a few automated settings you may arrange, however there are nonetheless quite a lot of choices value exploring and tinkering with.

It is a notably worthy TV for these with a high-end gaming console and anybody who enjoys cinematic TV and the most recent movies. Take your time to take a look at all the things this complete TV has to supply and prepared your self to be immersed in all the things you devour.

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LG G4 OLED evo