Our Verdict
The LG SK8000 is a good TV for mixed usage. It is best suited to viewing in a room with a decent amount of ambient light. Dark room performance is poor and it doesn't get bright enough to overcome glare. HDR doesn't add much when watching movies or gaming. It has excellent input lag and a fast response time, so fast action looks great whether it be in a hockey game or the latest action movie.
- Excellent low input lag
- Very fast response time
- Great reflection handling
- Blacks appear gray and blotchy in a dark room
- Peak brightness is only decent
Decent performance for watching movies in a dark room, but the TV is limited by the poor native contrast ratio and weak local dimming. It is best suited for watching movies in a dimly lit room, as blacks will never appear truly black.
Good performance for watching TV Shows in a bright room. It has great reflection handling and a decent wide viewing angle, so it is best suited for a room with a medium amount of ambient light as it doesn't get bright enough to overcome glare.
Good TV for watching sports in a living room. It has great reflection handling and a decent wide viewing angle great for game day parties, but it doesn't get bright enough to overcome glare in a bright room. It has an excellent response time and fast moving motion doesn't have much motion trail.
Great video game performance. It has excellent low input lag even outside of game mode. The response time is excellent, and the screen reacts quickly to fast motion.
Decent TV for HDR Movies. The native contrast ratio is decent, but the local dimming feature is ineffective at improving dark room performance and the black uniformity is poor. HDR peak brightness is decent, but the SK8000 doesn't support a wide color gamut.
Good TV for HDR Gaming, although HDR doesn't add much. Like with SDR gaming, the input lag and response time is excellent. The contrast and black uniformity are poor, so late night gaming in a dark room isn't as enjoyable. It doesn't support a wide color gamut and the local dimming feature is ineffective.
This is a good TV for use as a PC monitor. Chroma 4:4:4 is properly supported so text looks clear and sharp. It has a very fast pixel response time and excellent low input lag, so it feels responsive. It has a decent viewing angle, so even if you are sitting close, the edges don't wash out.
Changelog
- Updated May 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Feb 28, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Jun 12, 2018: The 49" SK8000 has a 60Hz panel, and some results will be different
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 55" SK8000 (55SK8000PUA). For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 49" (49SK8000PUA), and 65" (65SK8000PUA) as well. The 49" model has a 60 Hz panel, so some tests won't perform as well but for the most part, we expect our review to be valid. The 75" model is listed under a separate model code in the U.S. It has a 20W subwoofer so the sound will not perform the same. We generally expect it to perform similar to the 55" we have tested, but larger TVs are more prone to uniformity issues so it might be different.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or their LG SK8000 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.
| Size | US Model | Warehouse Model | EU Model | Refresh Rate |
| 49" | 49SK8000PUA | 49SK8000AUB | 49SK8100PLA | 60 Hz |
| 55" | 55SK8000PUA | 55SK8000AUB | 55SK8100PLA | 120 Hz |
| 65" | 65SK8000PUA | 65SK8000AUB | 65SK8100PLA | 120 Hz |
| 75" | 75SK8070PUA | 75SK8070AUB | 75SK8100PLA | 120 Hz |
The warehouse model SK8000AUB is nearly identical to the one we reviewed but has a different stand and the frame and stand are dark gray.
Popular TV Comparisons
The LG SK8000 is a decent TV for mixed usage but it has some serious flaws. There are better TVs out there for most uses in the same price range. See our recommendations for the best smart TVs and the best TVs.
If you've got a room with wide seating and many lights, then the LG SK8000 is a better choice, but for a dark room with seating directly in front, then the Samsung NU8000 is better. The LG SK8000 has better viewing angles and reflection handling, whereas the Samsung NU8000 has better contrast, better black uniformity, and can get brighter. The Samsung NU8000 supports the FreeSync variable refresh rate to prevent tearing when playing video games and if you watch a lot of sports, you'll appreciate the Samsung's better gray uniformity.
The LG SK9000 is better than the LG SK8000. The LG SK9000 can get brighter, so it's more suitable if you have a bright room, but also has better local dimming and better black uniformity which make it a slightly better option for darker rooms too. The SK9000 has better performance when displaying HDR content. On the other hand, the LG SK8000 has a better response time and better gray uniformity which make it a slightly better choice if you're a sports fan.
The LG SK8000 is a bit better than the LG SJ8500. The LG SK8000 has a faster response time, so the image is crisper, and the fast-moving objects have less blur trail. It also has an optional black frame insertion feature that allows it to make the image even crisper.
The LG SK8000 has an IPS panel with better viewing angles and thus is more suitable for a large room. The Sony X900F is a better choice if you're sitting directly in front. The LG SK8000 has slightly better input lag and a better black frame insertion (BFI) feature to clear up blur that gamers will appreciate. On the other hand, the Sony X900F has better local dimming and better black uniformity and contrast that allow it to display deeper blacks, making it something you will appreciate in a dark room while watching movies. The Sony can also get brighter and has better HDR performance.
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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