LG 65EG9600 4K OLED HDTV Review

EG9600  Ultra HD 3D Curved Smart OLED TV

Want the best TV technology available? And you want it now? – packaged in a large 65″ screen. Then you owe it to yourself to check out LG’s EG9600.

As I’ve stated elsewhere many times within the pages of HDTVs and More, OLED-based TVs are simply the best HDTV technology, delivering the best picture quality ever.

Unfortunately, LG Electronics is the only major manufacturer currently producing these displays, which limits the available model choices.

LG has five OLED 4K TVs in its current model lineup (three of which are available for pre-order). The 65EG9600 is available now and is the focus of this product review.

OLED is an acronym that stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode – an organic substance that glows when it’s activated by an electric current. The screen’s pixel layer is made of this self-illuminating carbon-based material – each pixel is its own light source which can be independently switched on and off, so there’s no need for a backlight.

This technology design allows for the best, in contrast, black levels and color reproduction.

Design and Features

The EG9600 is a beautifully designed TV showcasing an amazingly thin bezel and a curved panel that is only 0.25 inches deep at its thickest point, which is as thin as most smartphones. LG’s soon-to-be-released 55EF9500 and 65EF9500 will have flat panel screens (non-curved).

The TV is fashioned with an attractive curved silver metal pedestal stand that mimics the curve of the display panel.

Connectivity ports include: 3 HDMI 2.0 inputs – HDCP 2.2 compatible, 1 component/composite input -shared, 3 USB ports, 1 digital optical audio output, 1 Ethernet input, 1 RF input.

Feature Highlights:

• LG’s Tru-4K Engine Pro for video processing and Tru-4K Upscaler for 4K video upconversion
• 10-bit display panel for better color reproduction
• webOS 2.0 smart TV platform with built-in web browser
• Built-in Wi-Fi 802.11n – no ac
• Magic Remote with voice recognition and point-and-click capability
• Down-firing 2-channel audio system designed by harmon/kardon
• Supports HEVC/H.265 and VP9 decoding for streaming 4K video from services such as Netflix and Amazon Instant
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) support via future firmware update – for streaming network HDR sources – Note: Because the TV’s HDMI inputs cannot be upgraded to 2.0a, it won’t support HDR via HDMI for Ultra HD Blu-ray discs
• Netflix Recommended TV – this certification allows consumers to identify which manufacturer’s TVs work best with Netflix service
• 3D capable – includes two pairs of passive 3D glasses

Performance Highlights

I recently had the opportunity to evaluate the 65EG9600, and what I experienced with its overall performance was very impressive.

Contrast and black levels like no other…

Black levels on the EG9600 were absolutely black, and I mean the deepest, darkest most inky blacks I have ever seen with the exception of other OLED TVs I’ve encountered.

The bezel on this display is a deep jet black, and what I immediately noticed was how the black bars on any given picture image I viewed, perfectly blended with the black bezel on this TV. Now that’s what I call true black levels.

In addition, when viewing dark scenes on this TV, the black levels it produced were simply jaw-dropping! And experiencing black levels of this caliber made viewing this type of content much more enjoyable to watch.

Black levels this deep also provided an infinite level of contrast which gave images a greater sense of realism and depth. The end result: a contrast range with perfect blacks and excellent peak bright whites.

Incredible color…

LG’s OLED self-lighting four-color pixel structure renders a wide range of very accurate colors.

One particular attribute I enjoyed with the EG9600 and OLED TVs in general, is how natural and smooth the images look. This really helps to reveal a more natural and realistic color palette which seemed to draw me more into the images I was viewing, compared to when viewing the same content on an LED display.

With that said, the EG9600’s color rendering was very good, delivering a dynamic, rich, vibrant and life-like color presentation without looking artificial or over-processed.

I would also like to note that this TV’s infinite contrast capability enhances its color rendering properties for better overall performance.

Wide viewing angle…

Since OLED pixels are self-illuminating, there is no backlighting required to light up the picture screen as with LED TVs. This means there is no picture dimming, contrast, or color saturation loss when viewing OLED TVs at wide angles.

So as expected, I had no issues with side angle viewing on the EG9600. This is the type of performance we’re used to seeing on plasma TVs.

Motion blur…

I didn’t experience any motion blur with the content I viewed on this set. But as a side note, OLED’s motion blur control is said to be on par and similar to LED TVs. Theoretically, this means motion artifacts shouldn’t be a problematic issue on this display.

What’s not to like…

Its price tag will be a big deterrent for many consumers. And with a current retail price of $6,999.99, this reason is very obvious.

Some potential buyers may not like the curved screen. But don’t fret, LG will soon release two flat-screen models as mentioned above.

This TV has no support for HDR content via HDMI inputs for 4K Blu-ray discs with HDR content, which is due to this TV not being HDMI 2.0a compliant. However, you will still be able to play 4K Blu-ray discs, it just won’t pass HDR content to the TV.

Only 3 HDMI inputs, which may be an issue for some individuals.

No Wi-Fi 802.11ac support for higher speeds.

Some screen uniformity issues have been reported by some individuals pertaining to image flicker or judder and screen brightness consistency.

Conclusion

LG’s 65EG9600 4K OLED picture quality, (in addition to their other 4K OLED models) is the best you can get. Sure, the image may not be perfect, but that’s to be expected with the birth of any given new technology, and OLED TVs aren’t exempt from this scenario. However, as this technology continues to be refined and pushed to its limits, I believe we may just see for the first time ever, the perfect television in regards to picture quality.

HDTVs and More recommended.

For more info on OLED TVs, see the article: OLED 4K TV is Here…