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To try to better understand how long a TV should last, we're running 100 TVs through an accelerated longevity test for the next two years. We've just posted our 1-year video update with our latest findings on temporary image retention, burn-in, and more!

LG UN8500 TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.6
Review updated Nov 09, 2020 at 08:31 am
Latest change: Retest Jul 26, 2021 at 11:36 am
LG UN8500 Picture
6.6
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
5.9
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.3
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.1
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.8
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
5.6
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.9
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.7
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the LG UP8000

The LG UN8500 is an okay mid-range TV. It's sold in large sizes, from 65 to 86 inches, and the larger sizes are sold as the LG UN8570. It's mainly designed for wide seating arrangements where you sit far from the TV, and most of the variants, including the 65 inch model we tested, have IPS panels that provide fairly wide viewing angles. It also has a low contrast ratio, so blacks appear closer to gray when viewed in the dark. It has a 120Hz panel, quick response time, and low input lag for gaming, but it doesn't support any variable refresh rate (VRR) technologies. Sadly, it doesn't display native 4k content perfectly, as you may notice the pixels even when sitting at a distance. Even though it has decent reflection handling, it performs best in dim or moderately-lit rooms because it doesn't get bright enough to combat glare.

Our Verdict

6.6 Mixed Usage

The LG UN8500 is an okay overall TV. Its IPS panel provides fairly wide viewing angles, which is great for watching TV shows or sports with a large group of friends and family. It's decent for gaming due to its 120Hz refresh rate, low input lag, and quick response time. Unfortunately, it's not good for watching movies as it has a low contrast ratio, and it doesn't display a wide color gamut for HDR content. Lastly, it's good for use as a PC monitor because it displays proper chroma 4:4:4.

Pros
  • Fairly wide viewing angles.
  • Decent reflection handling.
  • Low input lag.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio.
  • Doesn't get very bright.
  • Image duplication due to backlight's flicker.
5.9 Movies

The LG UN8500 is inadequate for watching movies. Most of the models, including the 65 inch we tested, have IPS panels that don't perform well in dark rooms because it has a low contrast ratio and poor black uniformity. It also lacks a local dimming feature. On the upside, it removes judder from any source and doesn't have any issues upscaling 1080p content, such as from Blu-ray players.

Pros
  • Removes 24p judder from any source.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio.
  • No local dimming.
  • Poor black uniformity.
7.3 TV Shows

The LG UN8500 is decent for TV shows. It has an IPS panel that provides fairly wide viewing angles if you want to watch your favorite show with the entire family. It also upscales lower-resolution content without any issues. However, it's best to avoid well-lit rooms because even though it has decent reflection handling, it doesn't get bright enough to combat glare.

Pros
  • Fairly wide viewing angles.
  • Decent reflection handling.
Cons
  • Doesn't get very bright.
  • Uniformity issues.
7.1 Sports

The LG UN8500 is decent for watching sports. Its fairly wide viewing angles mean it's a good choice if you want to watch the game with a large group of friends. It also has a great response time that results in minimal motion blur, but you may notice image duplication due to the backlight's flicker. It's a decent choice for a room with a bit of lighting as it has decent reflection handling, but it doesn't get bright enough to combat a ton of glare.

Pros
  • Fairly wide viewing angles.
  • Decent reflection handling.
  • Quick response time.
Cons
  • Doesn't get very bright.
  • Uniformity issues.
  • Image duplication due to backlight's flicker.
6.8 Video Games

The LG UN8500 is decent for video games. It has a quick response time and low input lag, both of which are great for gaming. It has a 120Hz panel, but it doesn't support any VRR technology to reduce screen tearing. It's also not the best choice for dark-room gaming as it has low contrast and poor black uniformity.

Pros
  • Low input lag.
  • Quick response time.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio.
  • Image duplication due to backlight's flicker.
5.6 HDR Movies

The LG UN8500 is disappointing for HDR movies. It doesn't deliver a true HDR experience because it fails to display a wide color gamut and doesn't get bright enough in HDR to make highlights pop. It also has an IPS panel with a low contrast ratio, poor black uniformity, and no local dimming. Fortunately, it removes 24p judder from any source.

Pros
  • Removes 24p judder from any source.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio.
  • No local dimming.
  • Poor black uniformity.
  • Doesn't get very bright.
  • Doesn't display wide color gamut.
6.9 HDR Gaming

The LG UN8500 is okay for HDR gaming, mainly due to its decent gaming performance. It has low input lag and a fast response time, but there's some image duplication due to the backlight's flicker. Sadly, it doesn't deliver a true HDR experience because it doesn't display a wide color gamut, doesn't get bright, and has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks appear gray.

Pros
  • Low input lag.
  • Quick response time.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio.
  • No local dimming.
  • Doesn't display wide color gamut.
7.7 PC Monitor

The LG UN8500 is a good choice to use as a PC monitor. It displays chroma 4:4:4 at 4k, and even though the input lag increases at that resolution, it shouldn't be an issue for most people. It has wide viewing angles, so the image remains accurate even if you sit too close. It also has decent reflection handling, but it doesn't get bright enough to combat glare in a bright room.

Pros
  • Fairly wide viewing angles.
  • Decent reflection handling.
  • Displays chroma 4:4:4 with a 4k resolution.
Cons
  • Uniformity issues.
  • Input lag increases when displaying chroma 4:4:4.
  • 6.6 Mixed Usage
  • 5.9 Movies
  • 7.3 TV Shows
  • 7.1 Sports
  • 6.8 Video Games
  • 5.6 HDR Movies
  • 6.9 HDR Gaming
  • 7.7 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Jul 26, 2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.
  2. Updated Mar 01, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.6.
  3. Updated Feb 05, 2021: We've retested the TV for VRR support with the latest firmware (version 03.21.36). It doesn't support VRR.
  4. Updated Nov 27, 2020: We've retested the input lag and supported resolutions with an HDMI 2.1 source and the latest firmware version 03.21.05.
  5. Updated Nov 09, 2020: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
  6. Updated Oct 02, 2020: Review published.
  7. Updated Sep 28, 2020: Early access published.
  8. Updated Sep 17, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
  9. Updated Sep 17, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  10. Updated Jun 15, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 65 inch LG UN8500 (65UN8500PUI) and we expect the results to be valid for the 75 inch (75UN8570) and 86 inch (86UN8570) models too. The 82 inch model (82UN8570) has a VA panel, which we expect to have a better contrast ratio and narrower viewing angles. You can see the differences below.

Size Panel US Canada Europe

65"

IPS 65UN8500PUI 65UN8500AUJ 65UN85006LA
75" IPS 75UN8570PUC 75UN8570AUD 75UN85006LA
82" VA 82UN8570PUC 82UN8570AUD 82UN85006LA
86" IPS  86UN8570PUC 86UN8570AUD 86UN85006LA

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their LG UN8500 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, such as gray uniformity and contrast, may vary between individual units.

The unit we reviewed was manufactured in August 2020 and you can see the label here.

Compared To Other TVs

The LG UN8500 is an okay overall TV that performs best in big rooms with wide seating arrangements because it has fairly wide viewing angles. However, unless you need an 86 inch TV, there are better options available. The LG UN7300 is cheaper, performs better overall, and you can get it in a wide range of sizes. Also, see our recommendations for the best 80-82-85 inch TVs, the best budget TVs, and the best LED TVs.

Samsung RU8000
49" 55" 65" 75" 82"

The Samsung RU8000 is much better than the LG UN8500, but they have different panel types. The Samsung has a VA panel, resulting in deeper blacks. It also gets brighter, displays a wide color gamut for HDR content, has a quicker response time, and VRR support. However, the LG has an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, and it supports 4k @ 120Hz.

Samsung TU8000
43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85"

The Samsung TU8000 is better than the LG UN8500, but their panels are different. The Samsung has a VA panel, which results in a much better contrast ratio and black uniformity. It also has slightly better reflection handling, better color accuracy, and lower input lag. However, the LG has an IPS panel with much wider viewing angles, supports a 4k @ 120Hz signal, and has a quicker response time.

LG UN7300
43" 49" 50" 55" 65" 70" 75"

The LG UN7300 is slightly better than the LG UN8500, but some differences between the two could be from panel variance. The UN7300 we tested is a bit brighter, has much better reflection handling, lower input lag, and displays native 4k content properly. However, the UN8500 has a 120Hz panel, supports HDMI 2.1, and has a quicker response time.

LG CX OLED
48" 55" 65" 77"

The LG CX OLED is significantly better than the LG UN8500. The CX can individually turn off pixels, resulting in an infinite contrast ratio and perfect black uniformity. It also has much wider viewing angles, FreeSync support, a near-instantaneous response time, and much better reflection handling. However, the UN8500 doesn't have the risk of permanent burn-in.

LG UM8070
75" 82" 86"

The LG UM8070 is a bit better than the LG UN8500, but the units we tested have different panels. The 82 inch UM8070 we tested has a VA panel, so the contrast is much better. It also has better color accuracy, gradient handling, and much quicker response time. However, the 65 inch UN8500 we tested has an IPS panel with fairly wide viewing angles. It also supports 4k @ 120Hz and gets only slightly brighter.

Samsung TU6980
70" 82"

The Samsung TU6980 is better than the LG UN8500, but they have different panel types. The Samsung has a VA panel with a better contrast ratio. It also gets brighter, displays native 4k content better, and it has a Black Frame Insertion feature and lower input lag. However, the LG has an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, and it also has a slightly quicker response time.

LG UP8000
43" 50" 55" 60" 65" 70" 75" 82" 86"

The LG UP8000 and the LG UN8500 are very much alike, except that the UN8500 has a 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 support. If you want a 120Hz refresh rate on the UP8000, you have to go with the 82 or 86 inch models; otherwise, it's limited to 60Hz. The UP8000 has wider viewing angles and better reflection handling; however, its color gamut and response times aren't as good as the UN8500.

+ Show more

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved No

The LG UN8500 has a decent design and looks a lot like the LG UN7300. It's a simple TV with thick bezels that aren't flush to the screen, so they stick out a bit. It's fairly well-built and made entirely out of plastic, but there's wobble and parts that flex easily.

Design
Stand

The stand is almost as wide as the TV itself, so you may need a large table to place it on. It supports the TV well but doesn't eliminate all wobble. The feet seem to bend when the TV wobbles, but we don't expect this to be too much of an issue for most people.

Footprint of the 65" inch TV: 52.4" x 10.6"

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 300x300

The back is simple with a textured finish on the plastic. Sadly, there's no cable management.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.63" (1.6 cm)

The borders are on the thick side, and they stick out from the screen a bit.

Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 3.53" (9.0 cm)

The LG UN8500 isn't very thick and shouldn't stick out much when wall-mounted.

7.0
Design
Build Quality

Decent build quality. The plastic doesn't feel very premium, and the center of the back panel flexes quite easily. The TV wobbles a bit, and the feet bend slightly when it wobbles, but we don't expect this to be an issue for most people.

Picture Quality
6.2
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
1,131 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
N/A

As expected from an IPS panel, the LG UN8500 has a low contrast ratio. Blacks appear closer to gray when viewed in the dark. Contrast may vary between units.

Note: The 82 inch model has a VA panel, so we expect it to have a much better contrast.

5.8
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene Peak Brightness
232 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
260 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
261 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
261 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
261 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
262 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
260 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
261 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
261 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
261 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
261 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.000

The LG UN8570 has disappointing peak brightness in SDR, similar to the LG UM8070. It doesn't get bright enough to combat glare in well-lit environments, so it's best to place it in a dim room. It keeps its brightness very consistent across our different test patterns, which is great, but it gets less bright in real scenes.

We tested the SDR peak brightness after calibration in the 'Expert (Dark Room)' Picture Mode with Backlight at its max. If you want the brightest image possible, we were able to get 359 cd/m² in the 10% window with the Picture Mode set to 'Vivid.'

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Direct

Update 07/26/2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.

This TV doesn't have a local dimming feature. The videos are for reference only, so you can see how backlight on this display performs and compare it to a similar product with local dimming.

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming In Game Mode
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Direct

Update 07/26/2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.

Once again, there's no local dimming feature. The videos are for reference only, so you can see how backlight on this display performs and compare it to a similar product with local dimming.

5.3
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
Real Scene Highlight
273 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
320 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
321 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
322 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
322 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
322 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
320 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
321 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
322 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
322 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
322 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.000

The HDR peak brightness is poor. It doesn't get bright enough to make highlights pop in HDR, and even though its brightness is consistent across our test patterns, it's not as bright in real scenes.

We measured the HDR brightness in the 'HDR Cinema' Picture Mode with Dynamic Tone Mapping off. If you want the brightest image possible, use the 'HDR Vivid' Picture Mode. We were able to get 361 cd/m² in the 10% window.

5.2
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness In Game Mode
Real Scene Highlight
280 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
230 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
320 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
319 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
319 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
319 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
228 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
319 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
319 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
319 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
319 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.023
6.8
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
5.536%
50% DSE
0.203%
5% Std. Dev.
0.771%
5% DSE
0.104%

The LG UN8570 has okay gray uniformity. There's some dirty screen effect in the center and significant vignetting in the corners, but these problems may vary between units. The uniformity is much better in near-dark scenes.

5.1
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
2.621%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
N/A

The LG UN8500 has poor black uniformity. There's clouding throughout and some backlight bleed along the bottom edge, but this may vary between units.

7.0
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
27°
Color Shift
57°
Brightness Loss
28°
Black Level Raise
70°
Gamma Shift
33°

The viewing angles are decent. It uses an ADS panel that performs similarly to an IPS panel, but the viewing angles aren't as wide as most IPS panel TVs, such as the Sony X800H. The image remains fairly accurate when viewing from the side, and it's suitable for wide seating arrangements.

Note: The 82 inch model has a VA panel, so we don't expect it to have wide viewing angles.

7.0
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Semi-gloss
Total Reflections
5.9%
Indirect Reflections
0.2%
Calculated Direct Reflections
5.7%

The LG UN8570 has decent reflection handling. It handles a moderate amount of light well but it struggles in well-lit environments. Its reflection handling is a lot worse than the lower-end LG UN7300.

6.1
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
5.40
Color dE
3.54
Gamma
1.90
Color Temperature
6,398 K
Picture Mode
Expert (Dark Room)
Color Temp Setting
Warm 2
Gamma Setting
2.2

The out-of-the-box accuracy is mediocre, but this may vary between units. Most colors are only a bit inaccurate, and the color temperature is close to the 6500K target. However, white balance is off, and gamma follows a 1.9 target instead of the 2.2 target, even though the 'Gamma 2.2' setting was selected. This means most scenes are brighter than they should be.

9.3
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.31
Color dE
0.97
Gamma
2.20
Color Temperature
6,962 K
White Balance Calibration
22 point
Color Calibration
Yes

After calibration, the accuracy is remarkable. There aren't any noticeable inaccuracies with colors, and the white balance and gamma follow the target almost perfectly. However, the color temperature is colder than before calibration, resulting in a blue-ish tint.

You can see our recommended settings here. However, we don't suggest copying these settings because we had to make aggressive changes to calibrate it properly. We don't know if we simply got a bad panel, and copying our settings may make your picture quality worse.

8.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

480p content such as DVDs is upscaled without any issues.

8.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

The LG UN8570 upscales 720p content, like from cable boxes, without any artifacts.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

1080p content, like from Blu-ray players, is upscaled well, and there aren't any artifacts.

9.5
Picture Quality
4k Input

The LG 65UN8500 displays native 4k content almost perfectly, but there are some upscaling issues. You can see the pixels from a distance that you normally don't see pixels on other 4k TVs. There's also a strange sub-pixel dithering/dimming effect when displaying solid colors. It dims every second row of green pixels, and in rows where the green pixels are dimmed, the blue pixels are brighter. Rows with brighter green pixels have dim blue pixels. You can see the pixel photo here. If you want a large TV that displays native 4k content perfectly, then look into the Samsung TU6980.

0
Picture Quality
8k Input

This is a 4k TV that can't display an 8k input.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Type LED
Sub-Type
IPS (except 82")

It uses an ADS (Advanced Dimension Switching) panel like most other entry-level LG TVs, which is technically different from an IPS panel, but the two perform very similarly. On this panel, the green pixels have a different shape than the blue and red pixels, and they look different than the green pixels on the LG NANO81.

The green and blue pixels also have a strange dimming effect where every second row has bright green and dim blue pixels, and the other rows have dim green and bright blue pixels. You can see the pixel photo here.

7.1
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
No
DCI P3 xy
77.90%
DCI P3 uv
85.59%
Rec 2020 xy
56.07%
Rec 2020 uv
62.88%

The LG UN8570 has a decent color gamut for HDR content, but it fails to display a wide color gamut. The EOTF follows the PQ curve well, but most scenes are brighter than they should be. The EOTF in 'Game' mode is similar, but the image is slightly brighter.

If you find HDR content too dim, set Dynamic Contrast to 'High', which results in a brighter image, as you can see in this EOTF.

5.8
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage ITP
65.8%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
26.9%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
49.8%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
20.3%

Disappointing color volume. Due to the lack of a wide color gamut and low contrast ratio, it doesn't display colors at a wide range of luminance levels.

Note: The 82 inch model has a VA panel, so we expect it to have a much better contrast, which may lead to a better color volume.

7.0
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit
Red (Std. Dev.)
0.128
Green (Std. Dev.)
0.129
Blue (Std. Dev.)
0.114
Gray (Std. Dev.)
0.214

The gradient handling is decent and similar to the LG UN7300. There's visible banding in the darker shades, especially with darker gray, green, and red. The Smooth Gradiation feature doesn't affect the test pattern; however, it smooths out gradients in real content if you set it to 'High' or 'Medium', but you may lose some fine details. It smooths out some gradients, but not all, even when set on 'Low'.

10
Picture Quality
Temporary Image Retention
IR after 0 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 2 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 4 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 6 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 8 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 10 min recovery
0.00%

There are no signs of temporary image retention, but this may vary between units.

10
Picture Quality
Permanent Burn-In Risk
Permanent Burn-In Risk
No

Although some IPS panels can suffer from temporary image retention, this doesn't appear to be permanent as the IPS panel in our long-term test appear immune.

Motion
8.0
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
4.2 ms
100% Response Time
13.4 ms

The LG UN8500 has a great response time. For the most part, motion looks smooth, but there's some overshoot in most transitions. There's also image duplication because of the backlight's 120Hz flicker.

4.0
Motion
Flicker-Free
Flicker-Free
No
PWM Dimming Frequency
120 Hz

The LG UN8570 uses Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to dim its backlight. It flickers at 120Hz at all backlight settings.

6.0
Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Optional BFI
No
Min Flicker For 60 fps
120 Hz
60Hz For 60 fps
No
120Hz For 120 fps
Yes
Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
120 Hz

There's no Black Frame Insertion feature. The backlight flickers at 120Hz at all backlight settings.

Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
Yes
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
Yes

The LG UN8570 can interpolate lower-frame-rate content up to 120fps, known as the 'Soap Opera Effect'. The motion interpolation feature is okay, but it doesn't stop interpolating even in busy scenes, which results in motion artifacts with fast-moving content. There's image duplication due to the backlight's 120Hz flicker.

To find out more about motion interpolation, and how to enable it, see here.

7.4
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
28.3 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
3.3 ms

Due to the LG 65UN8500's quick response time, you may notice some image stutter with lower-frame rate content because each frame is held on longer.

10
Motion
24p Judder
Judder-Free 24p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60i
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via Native Apps
Yes

The LG UN8570 can remove 24p judder from any source, such as native apps or Blu-ray players, which helps with the appearance of motion. For it to work, simply enable Real Cinema.

0
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No
HDMI Forum VRR
No
FreeSync
No
G-SYNC Compatible
No
4k VRR Maximum
N/A
4k VRR Minimum
No VRR support
1080p VRR Maximum
N/A
1080p VRR Minimum
No VRR support
1440p VRR Maximum
N/A
1440p VRR Minimum
No VRR support
VRR Supported Connectors
No VRR support

Update 02/05/2021: We've retested the TV for VRR support with the latest firmware (version 03.21.36). We tested with a PC and an Xbox Series X; there's still no VRR support.

The LG UN8570 doesn't support any variable refresh rate technologies.

Inputs
9.4
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
15.1 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
99.0 ms
1440p @ 60Hz
14.8 ms
4k @ 60Hz
14.2 ms
4k @ 60Hz + 10-Bit HDR
14.3 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
30.9 ms
4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
85.5 ms
4k @ 60Hz With Interpolation
77.6 ms
8k @ 60Hz
N/A
1080p @ 120Hz
5.2 ms
1440p @ 120Hz
5.0 ms
4k @ 120Hz
5.2 ms
1080p with Variable Refresh Rate
N/A
1440p with VRR
N/A
4k with VRR
N/A
8k with VRR
N/A

Update 11/27/2020: We've retested the input lag with an HDMI 2.1 source and the latest firmware version 03.21.05. We've updated the input lag measurement for 4k @ 120Hz, which dropped from 22.8 ms to 5.2 ms.

The LG UN8570 has excellent low input lag, as long as you're in 'Game' mode. There's an 'Auto Low Latency Mode' that automatically switches the TV into 'Game' mode when a game is launched from a compatible device. However, the input lag is higher if the motion interpolation feature is enabled.

If you want to use it as a PC monitor, you have to change the input icon to 'PC' in the Home Dashboard. However, the input lag is higher when displaying chroma 4:4:4 with a 4k resolution at 60Hz. You won't notice much of a difference when scrolling through documents, but you may notice a bit of lag if you type fast or if you're gaming.

7.9
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
No
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes (native support)
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes (forced resolution required)
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes (native support)
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
Yes (native support)
8k @ 30Hz or 24Hz
No
8k @ 60Hz
No

Update 11/27/2020: We've retested the TV with an HDMI 2.1 source and the latest firmware version 03.21.05. It can display a 4k @ 120Hz signal, but it's a little finicky when doing it through an NVIDIA RTX 3080, as we had to disconnect and reconnect it to our PC and play with the resolution settings for a while before it works. However, it works perfectly with an Xbox Series X.

The LG UN8500 displays most common resolutions at 60Hz or 120Hz, including 4k @ 120Hz, which is an upgrade over the LG UM8070. However, it has trouble displaying chroma 4:4:4 at different resolutions. It displays it at 4k @ 60Hz and 1080p @ 120Hz, but it can't with 1080p @ 60Hz or any 1440p resolution. It displays chroma 4:2:0 with 4k @ 120Hz, but we can't test for chroma 4:4:4 at this resolution because it requires an HDMI 2.1 source, which we only recently acquired. We'll retest it once we're able to. For it to display 4:4:4 set the input label to 'PC'.

To achieve full bandwidth, enable HDMI Ultra HD Deep Color.

Inputs
Advanced Console Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
PS5, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
Yes
PS5, 4k @ 120Hz
Yes
PS5, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
Yes
PS5, 1440p @ 120Hz
PS5 can't do 1440p
PS5, 1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
PS5, Variable Refresh Rate
No
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
Yes
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz
Yes
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
Yes
Xbox Series X, 1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
Xbox Series X, 1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
Xbox Series X, Variable Refresh Rate
No
Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
HDR10+
No
Dolby Vision
Yes
HLG
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 3,4)
CEC Yes
HDCP 2.2 Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
USB 3.0
No
Variable Analog Audio Out No
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)

Update 11/27/2020: We've retested the inputs with an HDMI 2.1 source and the latest firmware version 03.21.05. HDMI 2.1 is supported on port 3 and 4, but as explained in the supported resolutions section, it's a little finicky when trying to display a 4k @ 120Hz signal using a PC equipped with an NVIDIA RTX 3080. However, it works perfectly with the Xbox Series X.

Inputs
Input Photos
Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 4
USB 3
Digital Optical Audio Out 1
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 0
Analog Audio Out RCA 0
Component In 0
Composite In 1 (incl. adapter)
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 0
SD/SDHC 0
Inputs
Audio Passthrough
ARC
Yes (HDMI 3)
eARC support
Yes
Dolby Atmos via TrueHD via eARC
Yes
DTS:X via DTS-HD MA via eARC
No
5.1 Dolby Digital via ARC
Yes
5.1 DTS via ARC
No
5.1 Dolby Digital via Optical
Yes
5.1 DTS via Optical
No

The LG UN8570 has eARC support, allowing you to send high-quality audio to a compatible receiver through an HDMI connection. For it to work, enable eARC in the 'Arc - Additional Settings' page in the Sound Output settings menu.

Sound Quality
6.3
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
113.14 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
2.82 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
3.23 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
6.49 dB
Max
88.9 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
5.84 dB

The frequency response isn't bad. There isn't much bass, but the sound profile is well-balanced overall, resulting in clear dialogue. It gets loud, but it may not be loud enough for a really noisy environment, and you may notice some compression artifacts at max volume.

6.7
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.058
Weighted THD @ Max
0.635
IMD @ 80
3.62%
IMD @ Max
23.11%

The distortion performance is okay. There's minimal distortion at moderate listening levels, but it gets a lot more noticeable when playing at max volume. However, some people may not hear this and it depends on the content.

Smart Features
8.5
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS webOS
Version 5.0
Ease of Use
Easy
Smoothness
Average
Time Taken to Select YouTube
2 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
7 s
Advanced Options
Many

The LG UN8570 runs on LG's WebOS. It's easy-to-use, runs smoothly, and we didn't experience any bugs during testing.

0
Smart Features
Ad-Free
Ads
Yes
Opt-out
No
Suggested Content in Home
Yes
Opt-out of Suggested Content
No

There are ads and suggested content on the home screen and within the app store, but we couldn't get a picture of them. Unfortunately, there's no way to opt-out of them.

8.0
Smart Features
Apps and Features
App Selection
Great
App Smoothness
Average
Cast Capable
Yes
USB Drive Playback
Yes
USB Drive HDR Playback
Yes
HDR in Netflix
Yes
HDR in YouTube
Yes

LG's app store has tons of apps available for download and they run smoothly for the most part.

9.0
Smart Features
Remote
Size
Large
Voice Control
Many Features
CEC Menu Control
Yes
Other Smart Features
Yes
Remote App LG TV Plus

The LG UN8500 comes with the same Magic Remote as most other LG TVs. You can use it like a traditional remote with the navigation buttons, or use it as a point-and-press remote like a computer mouse. The built-in mic for voice control allows you to ask for most common demands, such as switching inputs or searching for content, but you can't ask it to change the brightness.

Smart Features
TV Controls

There's a single button located underneath the logo at the center. It allows you to turn the TV On/Off, and change inputs, channels, and volume.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Remote (with 2x AA batteries)
  • Composite adapter
  • Strap for cable management
  • Manual

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 73 W
Power Consumption (Max) 150 W
Firmware 03.01.15