Having tested and compared a huge number of TVs in different price segments, I want to bring to your attention a review of the LG 49SK8500. We will take a closer look at all aspects of the device, find out if this TV is better than its competitorsSamsung QE49Q6FNA and Sony KD-49XF9005 or not, is it worth spending your money on it at all.
This model participates in ranking of the best TVs, in rating of the best TVs 49 inches and in ranking of the best LG TVs.
Screen
The screen is developed by technology from LG - NanoCell. This is a continuation of the development of OLED and a direct competitor to QLED from Samsung. The technology provides an ideal balance of brightness and contrast of the image, the complete absence of image distortion when changing the viewing angle, which amounted to an honest 178 °. The diagonal is 48.5 ”(123 cm), the screen resolution is 3840 × 2160 pixels (4K UHD). The refresh rate is 100 Hz, which will create excellent smoothness of the picture. Screen matrix - TFT IPS, brightness - 400 cd / m22... LG used FALD backlight technology in this TV. It provides backlighting of the entire screen and the ability to turn it off in sections to get the most natural and deepest blacks. Direct competitor of this TV with its display - Samsung QE49Q6FNAas LG and Samsung use similar technologies, but each implements them differently.
Appearance
LG 49SK8500 design is austere and sophisticated. The TV will look harmonious in any room. The case is made of matte black plastic, and the screen itself practically does not reflect light. The TV can stand on one arched leg or can be hung on a wall: VESA mount 200 × 200 mm. The width of the TV is thicker than, for example, its direct competitor - Samsung QE49Q6FNA, but only a couple of centimeters. On the reverse side in two blocks are the ports of inputs and outputs.
Connectors
The device has all the necessary connection ports on board - AV, 4 HDMI, 3 USB, Ethernet (RJ-45), Bluetooth, built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi module operating at 5 GHz, WiDi and Miracast, optical audio output and one slot for connecting CI + modules. HDMI version 2.0 is used. USB version 2.0, which is a drawback, albeit small. The data transfer rate in version 3.0 is higher, and for 4K content the transfer rate is the first thing to think about.
Sound
Sound in the LG 49SK8500, like in a real home theater: bass, volume - at the highest level. Better than a direct competitor Samsung QE49Q6FNA, but many times better than a more expensive TV Sony KD-49XF9005... And all this is ensured by 4 speakers located on the sides of the TV, with a power of 10 watts each. Surround sound here is realized not due to software manipulations, but due to the physical presence of 4 speakers and Dolby Atmos. The TV can decode the popular formats Dolby Digital, DTS, automatically level the volume.
Functions
LG 49SK8500 runs on webOS version 4.0, developed by LG based on OS Linux. On its own operating system, TV works smartly, there are no problems finding programs and applications, but do not expect abundance, like on Android. Supports popular video formats, DVB-S / T2.There is a rarely seen multi-screen function with the ability to simultaneously watch two different TV channels on one screen. DLNA brings you the convenience of streaming content from your smartphone or PC to your TV screen. Control - a universal, classic remote control or voice commands.
Advantages and disadvantages
Benefits:
- fast operating system;
- HDR works great;
- surround sound without unnecessary purchases;
- beautiful design, small frames;
- Wi-Fi at 5 GHz;
- IPS matrix with high brightness.
Disadvantages:
- in dark scenes in films in the evening, there are still highlights;
- sometimes in dynamic scenes there is "blur" in the center of the screen.
Verdict
In my personal opinion, LG 49SK8500, firstly, overtook the “younger brother” in all respects - LG 49SK8000 NanoCell; secondly, it surpassed its direct competitor Samsung QE49Q6FNA by the quality of sound, images, by the speed of the system, by the ease of use. For the same parameters, LG bypassed the more expensive Sony KD-49XF9005... Yes, any product may not be perfect. At the subject of the review, the processor sometimes cannot cope with video processing in dynamic scenes at 4K, but such events rarely occur. Highlights can only be seen in total darkness, but almost all televisions suffer from this. It can be seen that the product was created with trepidation - the assembly is high-quality, the design is excellent, the TV is stable, the operating system just “flies”, and using this TV is very convenient. For this price, everyone should show a high level of quality. Like the Samsung QE49Q6FNA, LG shows a great product and leaves the competition behind.
