The LG QNED80 2023 is the entry-level model in LG's QNED lineup, which combines quantum dot technology and LG's proprietary NanoCell technology to display a wider range of colors than most similarly-priced TVs. It replaces the LG QNED80 2022 and sits below the LG QNED85. Available in multiple sizes from 50 to 86 inches, there's something for everyone. It's a basic TV overall but offers many of the same gaming features as higher-end models, like a 120Hz panel, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and variable refresh rate (VRR) support.
Our Verdict
The LG QNED80 2023 is a decent TV for mixed usage, but it's best suited for a bright room, as it doesn't look good in a dark room. It's good for watching shows or sports during the day, as it can handle some glare in a moderately-lit room. Its wide viewing angle allows you to walk around the room and still enjoy a consistent image. It has a few nice gaming features, like VRR support and 4k @ 120Hz support on two of its HDMI ports. Sadly, it's not a good choice for watching movies or gaming in a dark room, as it has a very low contrast ratio, and the local dimming feature is terrible.
- Good peak brightness in SDR and decent reflection handling.
- Great gray uniformity.
- Wide viewing angle.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Terrible edge-lit local dimming feature.
- Mediocre sound quality.
The LG QNED80 2023 is good for watching shows during the day. The built-in webOS smart interface has a huge selection of streaming apps, so you can quickly find your favorite shows. It has a wide viewing angle, so you can walk around with the TV on and still enjoy a consistent image. It also has good peak brightness in SDR and decent reflection handling, so it can handle a bit of glare in a bright room. The processing features on this TV are just okay, though, so if you watch a lot of older shows on DVD, they aren't as sharp as they could be.
- Good peak brightness in SDR and decent reflection handling.
- Great gray uniformity.
- Wide viewing angle.
- Mediocre sound quality.
The LG QNED80 2023 is a good TV for watching sports during the day. It has a great response time, so fast motion is clear and easy to see, with minimal blur around the players. Visibility isn't an issue in moderately lit rooms, as it has good peak brightness in SDR and decent reflection handling. It's also great for game day parties, as its wide viewing angle means you won't have to fight over the best seat. The built-in speakers aren't very good, though, so you'll want to pair it with a good soundbar or home theater system.
- Good peak brightness in SDR and decent reflection handling.
- Great gray uniformity.
- Great response time with minimal motion blur.
- Wide viewing angle.
- Mediocre sound quality.
The LG QNED80 2023 is a decent TV for gaming. It has a great response time, so fast motion in games is clear, with minimal blur or ghosting behind fast-moving objects. It also has fantastic low input lag and supports advanced gaming features like VRR. It supports 4k @ 120Hz gaming, but only on its two HDMI 2.1 ports. Sadly, it's not good for gaming in the dark, as it has a low contrast ratio, and the local dimming feature is terrible. The backlight also flickers at a fixed 120Hz in the lowest latency 'Game Optimizer' Picture Mode, which is distracting and causes image duplication when gaming at 60Hz.
- Good peak brightness in SDR and decent reflection handling.
- Great response time with minimal motion blur.
- Low input lag.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Terrible edge-lit local dimming feature.
- Mediocre sound quality.
- Fixed 120Hz flicker (PWM) in the 'Game Optimizer' Picture Mode.
The LG QNED80 2023 is mediocre for watching movies in a dark room. It has a very low contrast ratio, so dark scenes look washed out, and although it has a local dimming feature, it's terrible. It's not very bright in HDR, so bright specular highlights don't stand out. On the other hand, it has a great color gamut, so colors in brighter scenes are vivid and life-like. Overall, HDR is dull and adds very little to this TV.
- Wide color gamut.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Terrible edge-lit local dimming feature.
- Specular highlights don't stand out at all.
- Mediocre sound quality.
The LG QNED80 2023 is decent for gaming in HDR, but almost entirely due to its decent gaming performance, as HDR adds very little. It has low input lag for a responsive gaming experience, a great response time, and it supports advanced gaming features like VRR and 4k @ 120Hz gaming from the latest consoles. It has a low contrast ratio, a terrible local dimming feature, and low peak brightness in HDR, so HDR has no pop, and bright highlights don't stand out. The backlight also flickers at a fixed 120Hz in the lowest latency 'Game Optimizer' Picture Mode, which is distracting and causes image duplication when gaming at 60Hz.
- Wide color gamut.
- Great response time with minimal motion blur.
- Low input lag.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Terrible edge-lit local dimming feature.
- Specular highlights don't stand out at all.
- Mediocre sound quality.
- Fixed 120Hz flicker (PWM) in the 'Game Optimizer' Picture Mode.
The LG QNED80 2023 is a great TV for use as a PC monitor. It has low input lag and a great response time, so cursor movement are smooth and responsive, with minimal motion blur. Chroma 4:4:4 signals are displayed properly, which is essential for clear text from a PC. It has great uniformity, and thanks to its wide viewing angle, the sides of the screen remain uniform even if you're sitting close to the TV. It also has decent reflection handling and good peak brightness, so glare isn't an issue in a moderately-lit room.
- Great gray uniformity.
- Chroma 4:4:4 is displayed properly for clear text.
- Great response time with minimal motion blur.
- Low input lag.
- Wide viewing angle.
- Mediocre sound quality.
Changelog
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Updated Nov 12, 2024:
Mentioned the newly-reviewed LG QNED85T in the SDR Brightness section.
- Updated Aug 21, 2024: Mentioned the newly-reviewed Hisense 75U8N in the HDR Brightness section of this review.
- Updated May 16, 2024: Mentioned the newly-reviewed Samsung Q60D QLED in the Contrast section of this review.Mentioned the newly-reviewed Samsung Q60D QLED in the Contrast section of this review.
- Updated Sep 21, 2023: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the 65-inch LG QNED80 2023, and the results are also valid for the 55 and 75-inch models. The 50-inch version uses a VA-type panel, which has much better contrast but a worse viewing angle, and the 86-inch model is direct-lit and has better speakers. The exact model code varies between regions and retailers, but unlike the LG QNED80 2022, Costco carries the same version as other retailers.
In Europe, it's known as the LG QNED81 2023, which offers the same performance overall but with a center-mounted stand.
| Size | Panel | Backlighting | North America | Europe |
| 50" | VA | Edge | 50QNED80URA | 50QNED816RA |
| 55" | IPS | Edge | 55QNED80URA | 55QNED816RA |
| 65" | IPS | Edge | 65QNED80URA | 65QNED816RA |
|
75" |
IPS | Edge | 75QNED80URA | 75QNED816RA |
| 86" | IPS | Direct | 86QNED80URA | 86QNED816RA |
Our unit was manufactured in July 2023; you can see the label here.
Popular TV Comparisons
The LG QNED80 2023 is a decent TV with a good selection of gaming features, but it's only suitable for moderately-lit or bright rooms. It doesn't look good in a dark room, so it's not as versatile as most other mid-range TVs like the Hisense U8/U8K or the TCL Q7/Q750G QLED. Overall, it doesn't perform well for the price and isn't worth buying.
See our recommendations for the best TVs for bright rooms, the best smart TVs, and the best 65-inch TVs.
The LG QNED85 is far better than the LG QNED80 2023. The QNED85 has a decent local dimming feature, while the QNED80 doesn't, giving the former substantially more impressive contrast; it's not even close. The QNED85 is also a bit brighter overall and is much more accurate in HDR. The QNED80 is close on other aspects of performance, but ultimately, it can't overcome that massive gap in contrast.
The LG QNED80 2023 is nearly identical to its predecessor, the LG QNED80 2022. The 2023 model is slightly brighter and supports DTS audio formats, so it's a better choice overall, but the differences are extremely minor.
The Hisense U7K is vastly superior to the LG QNED80 2023. The LG does have a much wider viewing angle than the Hisense, but otherwise, it's outperformed in every facet. In particular, the LG has a terrible contrast ratio with a truly poor local dimming solution, so it can't compete with the Hisense in a dark room. In bright rooms, the Hisense is brighter in HDR and SDR and has much better reflection handling. Finally, the Hisense is also better for gamers due to its slightly faster response time and two 4k @ 144Hz ports, while the LG is limited to 4k @ 120Hz on two of its ports.
The TCL Q750G is significantly better than the LG QNED80 2023. The TCL has a much higher native contrast ratio, and it looks much better in dark rooms, with deeper blacks and very little blooming around bright areas of the screen. The TCL is also a lot brighter, and HDR content looks better.
We buy and test dozens of TVs yearly, taking an objective, data-driven approach to deliver results you can trust. Our testing process is complex, with hundreds of individual tests that take over a week to complete. Most of our tests use specially designed test patterns that mimic real content, but we also use the same sources you have at home to ensure our results match the real-world experience. We use two main tools for our testing: a Colorimetry Research CR-100 colorimeter and a CR-250 spectroradiometer.
Test Results
Older Test Bench: This product has been tested using an older TV test methodology, before a major update. Some of the test results below aren't directly comparable with other TVs. Learn more
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