LG Mini LED TVs are rolling out – but can they take on OLED?
LG’s QNED range is starting to rollout worldwide
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LG’sMini LEDTV range of ‘QNED’ screens is starting to roll out worldwide, bringing the company’s exciting new combination ofNanoCellLCD and Mini LED backlighting to the world for the first time.
The rollout is taking place throughout July, coming first to the US, and then to the UK, Europe, and Australia in the successive weeks. The smallest QNED screens will come in 65-inch sizes, with step-up 75-inch and 86-inch versions for select models (the QNED998KTV and QNED904KTV).
These sets won’t come cheap, being billed as premium LCD models that sit above LG’s NanoCell screens, though they should cost less than mostOLED TVsat the same size. We do expect to see some overlap in pricing, though, between large or high-end QNED models and comparatively small or entry-levelOLEDsets.
Mini LED could be the standout TV technology for 2021, if the new ranges being released by Philips,Samsung and LGare anything to go by. Plenty of newSamsungTVs make use of the backlighting tech, which packs in thousands of compact LEDs for precise brightness control and improved contrast, while both LG and Philips have taken to releasing dedicated Mini LED ranges that complement theirOLEDofferings.
A press release states that, “thanks to LG’s state-of-the-art Quantum Dot NanoCell colour and Mini LED backlight technologies, the 2021 TVs deliver a stunning viewing experience with deeper blacks, more accurate colour reproduction with greater contrast and brightness.”
What QNED TVs are there?
LG has unveiled four QNED TVs so far in itsLG TV 2021range, under its NanoCell branding: the QNED99, QNED95, QNED90, and QNED85. The first two are8K TVs, and the latter two are4K TVs– but all are available in 65-inch and 75-inch sizes, with an additional 86-inch size for the QNED99 and QNED90.
They vary slightly in the motion rate of its panel (60-120Hz), while the 4K models make do with a mid-spec a7 Gen 4 AI processor rather than the premium a9 Gen 4 AI chip used in the8Kmodels and most of LG’s new OLED sets for this year.
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Exact pricing is TBA in most regions, but we’ve heard somereportsregarding the cost of the 4K QNED90 and 8K QNED99 TVs. The former will start at $1,999 in the US, rising to $3,999 for the largest, 86-inch model. The latter will start at $3,499 for the 65-inch display, rising to a hefty $6,599 for the largest.
In Australia, we know, more generally, that the screens will start at AU$4,799 (likely around £2,400), and go up to AU$10,799 (likely around £5,000) for the largest, most premium 8K model.
Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.
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