The 86" model (86UM8070PUA) has an IPS panel, so we expect it to have wider viewing angles at the expense of a worse dark room performance.
Our Verdict
This is a good TV for mixed usage. It can handle reflections well, but it's more suitable for an average-lit room as it can't get very bright. It has an extremely fast response time that delivers crisp motion and a very low input lag that makes it very responsive. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a wide color gamut, so HDR isn't that great. Finally, it's only available in two variants. The 82" one has a VA panel and better dark room performance, and the 86" one has an IPS panel and we expect wider viewing angles at the expense of lower contrast ratio.
- Very low input lag.
- Extremely fast response time delivers crisp motion.
- HDR doesn't add much.
- No local dimming to improve dark room performance.
This is a decent TV for watching movies. The 82" model has a great contrast ratio and very good black uniformity and thus can deliver deep blacks which enhance picture quality. We expect the 86" model with the IPS panel to have worse dark room performance. and thus a lower score in the 'Movies' category. Neither model supports local dimming to improve blacks. This TV has decent gray uniformity, can interpolate motion up to 120 fps for the soap opera effect fans, and can remove 24p judder from any source.
This is a good TV for watching TV shows. It can handle reflections well and, although it can't get very bright, you should have no issues placing it in a room with a few light sources. It upscales content well from cable boxes or native apps, and has decent gray uniformity. Unfortunately, the 82" model with the VA panel has poor viewing angles and the image degrades when you watch from the side. If you enjoy watching TV shows while doing chores, then consider the 86" model since the IPS panel will allow you to experience better picture quality when you aren't sitting straight in front.
This is a decent TV for watching sports. It can handle reflections well, although it's more suitable for a not-too-bright room. It has an excellent response time so fast-moving content like sports looks crisp with minimal blur. Unfortunately, the decent gray uniformity might disappoint some hockey fans, as the rink might display with some darker spots. The 82" model isn't great if you plan to watch a game with friends as the viewing angles are poor. If this is something that concerns you, then the 86" model might be a better choice since it has an IPS panel with better viewing angles.
This is an excellent TV for playing video games. It has a very low input lag and the TV reacts immediately to your actions. Fast-moving video games look crisp thanks to the extremely fast response time, and upscaling from older consoles is good without any issues. Unfortunately, the TV doesn't support any of the advanced gaming features, but it does offer an auto low latency option.
This is a decent TV for watching HDR movies. It has a great contrast ratio and good black uniformity that improves blacks in a dark room where HDR is meant to be watched. Unfortunately, it can't get very bright in HDR and doesn't have a wide color gamut, so it can't deliver HDR content the way its creator intended. We expect that the 86" model will have an even worse contrast ratio and worse black uniformity, so 'HDR Movies' performance should be worse for this model.
Playing HDR games on this TV is great. This is due mainly to the very low input lag and the extremely fast response time. It doesn't have a wide color gamut, can't get very bright in HDR, and can't display HDR content as it should be. Furthermore, we expect the 86" model to have worse performance in HDR due to the IPS panel that can't deliver a high contrast ratio.
This is a very good TV for use as a PC monitor. It has a low input lag, is very responsive, and the image is crisp thanks to the fast response time. It can display proper chroma 4:4:4, so text looks clear, and it has no risk for permanent burn-in if you show static images like OS menus. If you are considering using it as a PC monitor for presentations, the 86" model might be a better choice since it has an IPS panel and offers wider viewing angles at the expense of a lower contrast ratio.
Changelog
- Updated May 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Aug 12, 2019: Review published.
- Updated Aug 10, 2019: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 82" LG UM8070 (82UM8070). For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 86" model (86UM8070PUA).
There is, however, a significant difference between these two models. The one we tested has a VA panel, whereas the 86" has an IPS panel. We expect that, just like most IPS panels, the 86" model will have wider viewing angles at the expense of a lower contrast ratio and consequently a worse dark room performance.
| Size | US | Canada | UK | Panel Type |
| 75" | 75UM8070PUA | 75UM8070PUA | N/A | IPS |
| 82" | 82UM8070PUA | 82UM8070PUA | N/A | VA |
| 86" | 86UM8070PUA | 86UM8070AUB | N/A | IPS |
Update 09/24/2019: LG has released a 75" version, which, like the 86" version, has an IPS panel.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their LG UM8070 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.
The 82UM8070 we reviewed was manufactured in June 2019.
Popular TV Comparisons
The LG UM8070 is a good TV for most uses. See our recommendations for the best TVs, the best smart TVs, and the best 4k TVs.
The Samsung Q60R is somewhat better than the LG UM8070. The Samsung can get much brighter, so it can fight the glare of a brighter room, but it can't handle reflections as well as the LG can. The Q60R has much deeper blacks thanks to the higher contrast ratio and supports BFI to make motion look crisper. The Q60R is loaded with gaming features like FreeSync support and low input lag with motion interpolation, sure to please gamers.
The Samsung RU8000 is a bit better than the LG UM8070. The Samsung can get brighter, so it's more suitable for a brighter room and has better gray uniformity, which should please sports fans. Also, the Samsung has an optional BFI feature that can make motion look crisper, and it supports FreeSync VRR for nearly tear-free gameplay.
The LG UM8070 and the Sony X850G have different panels, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The LG delivers deeper blacks in a dark room thanks to its higher contrast ratio and better black uniformity due to its VA panel. The Sony has an IPS panel and the image remains accurate for wider viewing angles. The Sony has better gray uniformity, which will please sports fans, and it's more suitable for a brighter room as it can get brighter and can handle reflections better. The UM8070, on the other hand, has a faster response time and delivers crisper motion in fast-moving content.
The LG UM8070 and the LG UK6570 have different panels, each with advantages and disadvantages. The UM8070 has a VA panel that delivers better dark room performance thanks to its higher contrast ratio and better black uniformity. The UK6570 has an IPS panel with wider viewing angles and favors watching TV from the side. The UK6570 can handle reflections better, but the response time on the UM8070 is faster and thus motion looks crisper on the UM8070. The LG UM8070 has an IPS panel and the differences with the UK6570 should be less apparent in that respect.
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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