LG OLED G4

G45 / G42

Available screen sizes: 55”65”77”83”97”

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Panel type: WRGB OLED | Brand: LG | Resolution: 3840x2160 | System: WebOS | Model year: 2024

Our verdict

8.6

Overall rating

LG G4 is a strong contender for being the best television of 2024. Thanks to the combination of OLED black and MLA technology, we will get an incredibly dynamic and vibrant image that will surely captivate us completely. LG G4 is also proof that televisions equipped with an OLED panel supported by MLA technology are indeed suitable for viewing in bright rooms. The operating system, while not as open as the competition, allows for many possibilities. Its greatest advantage is the well-known remote with a cursor, which makes controlling the unit (in our opinion) one of the most convenient on the market. Factory colour reproduction, although not at a high level, after undergoing calibration, can be considered almost reference-quality, providing a truly cinematic image. No wonder post-production studios choose televisions from this manufacturer. They uniquely offer such a deep capability to adjust the image, thanks to 3D LUT calibration. It seems that the biggest (and perhaps only) drawback of this television is the tonal transitions, which, while far from perfect, cannot be said to detract from the viewing experience. The remedy is provided by the manufacturer themselves, and enabling the "Smooth Gradation" function will remove the vast majority of any choppiness. LG G4 also performs exceptionally well when watching all kinds of sports or other dynamic scenes. The motion smoother is incredibly advanced and allows for adjustment of smoothness to suit individual needs. Thanks to HDMI 2.1 ports with full functionality and the manufacturer's attention, the tested television will find its place in the homes of many passionate gamers. Each of the essential features works flawlessly, and the low input lag in every mode is very pleasing. In summary, LG G4 is an incredibly versatile television, allowing for entertainment in excellent quality both at night and during the day.

Advantages

Phenomenal image fidelity to the director's intent
Reference colour reproduction post-calibration
Very high brightness in HDR content
Outstanding compatibility with consoles and computers
The panel effectively suppresses light reflections
Perfect viewing angles

Disadvantages

Visible tonal transitions
Sound of the built-in audio system - it could be better in this class of television

Movies and series in UHD quality

8.5
Classic TV, YouTube

9.1
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

9.0
Gaming on console

9.5
TV as a computer monitor

8.6
Watching in bright light

6.0
Utility functions

9.5
Apps

9.7
Sound quality

8.6

Competing TVs in this price range

7.8

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Samsung Neo QLED QN90D / QN92D 98”

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7.8

Sony X90L 98”

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7.6

TCL C855 98”

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7.6

Hisense U7KQ 100”

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7.2

TCL MQLED85 / C765 98”

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7.0

Hisense E7NQ PRO 100”

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6.7

TCL C655 / C69B 98' 98”

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TV appearance

HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps

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Contrast and black detail

Viewing mode Game mode

10/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Review LG OLED G4 Contrast and black detail

Contrast between the black background and the bright spotlight illuminating Jack. Scene from the movie Oblivion (Universal Pictures).

Result

∞:1

Contrast between the glare on the chameleon's skin and the black near the edge of the screen below. Scene from the Spears&Munsil test disc.

Result

∞:1

Contrast between the reflection on the helmet and the black on the black film strip. Scene from the movie Arrival (Paramount Pictures).

Result

∞:1

Contrast between the actress's face and the black film strip at the top edge of the TV. Scene from the movie Gravity (Warner Bros. Pictures).

Result

∞:1

Contrast between the colorful balloon and the black slice between the falling objects. Scene from the Pioneer Kuro test disc (2008).

Result

∞:1

Visibility of details in the lights:

LG G4, with its OLED panels produced for over 10 years, delivers perfect contrast, black levels, and detail reproduction in the darkest scenes. It's worth noting that the panel itself is equipped with MLA (Micro Lens Array) technology, which LG showcased just a year ago with the launch of its predecessor. The use of an organic panel not only allows for achieving pitch-black blacks but also provides extraordinary immersion and a three-dimensional effect in the image, which is hard to find even in the best Mini LED TVs. Such image quality is closely linked to OLED panel technology, as each pixel is controlled by an electrical impulse rather than shading filters on the panel. Therefore, if we want to achieve black, the pixel is simply turned off. This is very evident in test images, where the spotlight provides high brightness while being perfectly separated from each other. The situation remains unchanged in the challenging scene from "Sicario 2," where no imperfections from zone dimming can be seen, which we might encounter in LCD TVs.

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

HDR effect quality

Viewing mode Game mode

7.8/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Supported formats: HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 98.3%, Bt.2020: 74.7%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Review LG OLED G4 Brightness measurement

The measured point is the setting sun against a bright sky. Scene from the movie Life of Pi (20th Century Fox).

Result

1474 nit

The measured point is the moon against a dark, starry sky. Scene from the movie Life of Pi (20th Century Fox).

Result

1467 nit

The measured point is the flashlight on the rifle, which shines directly at the camera. Scene from the movie Gemini Man (Paramount Pictures).

Result

1403 nit

The measured point is the tail light of a helicopter flying at night. This is a very small light point, the essence of the HDR effect. Scene from the movie Sicario 2: Soldado (Lionsgate).

Result

1441 nit

The measured point is the sun visible directly between the clouds. The scene is very bright and should blind the viewer as in nature. Scene from the movie The Meg (Warner Bros. Pictures).

Result

850 nit

LG G4 guarantees an incredibly vibrant HDR effect, placing the television firmly at the top of the rankings. The highest model in the manufacturer's 2024 portfolio, equipped with the second generation of microlens technology (MLA), has achieved a maximum brightness level of 1474 nits in real scenes. The only area where the product of the Korean manufacturer may fall short compared to LCD televisions with Mini LED backlighting is during a full-screen scene featuring a lot of white. If we were to disregard the latter scene, the average result would be even higher. It's also worth mentioning scenes with very fine details, where each one shone at full intensity, which is not as evident in non-OLED televisions. The combination of such brightness and wide coverage of the DCI-P3 color space ensures that HDR materials are more engaging than ever before.

Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)

Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)

As we can observe, LG G4 after calibration brilliantly conveys the director's intentions in each of the films. The very challenging scene from "Pan," mastered to a brightness of 2800 nits, poses no problem, and details such as the sun or nearby clouds are filled with plenty of detail and are not overly brightened or (more importantly) darkened. The scene from "Billy Lynn," rich in both bright and dark details, was presented almost perfectly, and the balance between the explosion of fireworks and the deep black background came off incredibly realistically. It's worth noting the colours themselves, as with a DCI-P3 coverage of 98%, they are exceptionally vibrant and lifelike. And although the BT.2020 coverage is not as high as with the aforementioned DCI, it is a matter to be addressed in the distant future, as the vast majority of films are currently not produced in this colour space.

HDR luminance chart:

In difficult HDR scenes, the television LG G4 performs very well due to its high panel brightness and support for static metadata in films. As a result, the scene below is not overly darkened, yet it retains good detail in the highlights. The subtle loss of tonal transitions can only be observed in the background. With LG G4 equipped with Dolby Vision, the television is able to play material with dynamic metadata. This allows for a slightly higher brightness and even more detail in the whites. The difference is not significant due to the strong capabilities of the television panel, but it is clearly noticeable in challenging scenes like the one below. It should also be mentioned that such demanding scenes are not often found in films.

Static HDR10

Dynamic: Dolby Vision

Smoothness of tonal transitions

6.2/10

The tonal transitions presented on LG G4 are not among the top performers. Each scene played from a BluRay disc with 10-bit HDR exhibited noticeable choppiness in the colour transitions. This was particularly evident in the case of the film "The Green Knight," where issues related to posterisation were especially pronounced. This effect could also be observed in films with moderate to high brightness, such as "The Martian" or "Kingsman," which is rarely seen in televisions (especially of this class), which took us by surprise. Such results suggest that in scenes with low luminance and a lot of black, this issue will be troublesome, even for a layman.

Review LG OLED G4 Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

8.2/10

Smooth transition function

Image without overscan on the SD signal

The tested television did not perform well with content rich in tonal transitions, resulting in a strong posterisation effect. However, there is a partial remedy for this ailment. The manufacturer has equipped the LG G4 with a smoothing system called "Gentle Gradation," which we can apply at three levels: Low, Medium, and High. Each of these options guarantees quite high smoothing effectiveness on bright colours, though low on darker ones. We recommend primarily using the first one due to the fact that the other two interfere with directorial intentions, removing film grain.

When watching lower-quality content, the efficiency of the television during upscaling is extremely important. The image from the tested television is sharp and clear. However, attention should be paid to the jagged edges of fine details and minor issues around characters, such as the creation of a halo effect, which occurs due to the sharpening imposed by the LG G4 even when the slider is set to the lowest value, which is 0. It is worth noting that this is a change in relation to the LG G3, which did not impose such strong image sharpening, even when the appropriate slider was set to position 0.

Blur and motion smoothness

8.5/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 144Hz

Film motion smoothing option: Yes

Blur reduction option: Yes

BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 60Hz (image flickers)

BFI function 120Hz: No

Brightness drop with BFI: 50%

The maximum refresh rate that we can set on the LG G4 is 144 Hz. Naturally, this is only possible by connecting the LG G4 to a very powerful PC. Otherwise, we will be operating at a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, which is recommended if we primarily want to watch sports or content with high motion dynamics. For those who require high fluidity of image, the manufacturer has implemented a multi-level motion smoother called "TrueMotion". It has been divided into two separate sliders that adjust the sharpness of moving images (De-Blur) and judder (De-Judder). Both sliders can be set in the range from 0 to 10, with each increment affecting the degree of smoothing, so everyone can find their sweet spot.

The LG OLED G4 panel features an average response time of 0.78 ms (which directly results from our measurements), allowing for an incredibly clear image, unattainable by LCD televisions, which have response times of even several milliseconds. This is clearly visible in the "UFO Test" images, showing the absence of any trailing blur behind the object. Furthermore, the LG OLED G4 test showed that the television offers the ability to precisely adjust motion smoothing functionality, allowing users to choose the ideal level of image interpolation. We particularly appreciated this during fast-paced action in video games, where the LG G4 performed exceptionally well, minimising any blurriness. Thanks to OLED technology, this model eliminates so-called ghosting, ensuring that the image remains sharp even in the most dynamic sports or movie scenes.

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

Blur (BFI function enabled):

Image flickers in this mode

An additional feature that maximises image fluidity is "OLED Motion", which utilises black frame insertion (BFI) between film frames, aiming to "reset" the retina of the eye, thereby enhancing image sharpness. Unfortunately, it is completely useless, as enabling it causes the image to flicker strongly. Furthermore, even if we decide to use this feature, the brightness of the LG G4 television drops by half, and adjusting the De-Blur and De-Judder sliders becomes impossible.

Console compatibility and gaming features

10/10

ALLM: Yes
VRR: Yes
VRR range: 40 - 144Hz
Dolby Vision Game Mode: Yes
Correct implementation of HGIG: Yes
1080p@120Hz: Yes
1440p@120Hz: Yes
4K@120Hz: Yes
Game bar: Yes

The LG G4 television supports all features that make up the HDMI 2.1 standard. During testing, each feature activated without any issues, which allows us to consider the television as designed for gaming. Its performance will certainly be appreciated by both console users and those connecting the LG G4 to a computer. It’s also worth mentioning the proper implementation of the HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) mode, which ensures that games mastered to brightness levels beyond the maximum luminance of the LG G4 will correctly map tones, keeping the game image true to the original.

A nice touch is the presence of a special GameBar that we can bring up at any moment to check game parameters, but most importantly, to change them quickly. More importantly, turning on VRR technology does not degrade contrast, which is often a problem in televisions with local dimming or Mini LED backlighting. Of course, this is thanks to the OLED panel itself, characterised by pixel self-emissiveness. As a journalistic note, we will only mention a slight grey flicker, which, however, is somewhat normal when VRR is enabled.

In summary, the LG G4, like practically all OLED televisions, is an ideal product for all kinds of gaming and online competitions. With full HDMI 2.1 ports with a complete bandwidth of 48 Gbit, features such as VRR, ALLM, G-Sync, FreeSync, or HDR Dolby Vision gameplay will bring a lot of joy.

Input lag

10/10

The input lag of the LG G4 is impressively low in every scenario. Even the most dedicated gamers will surely appreciate the very low input lag at demanding 4K 120 Hz settings with HDR, which is just 5 ms. It's also worth noting that the lag at the same settings, but with Dolby Vision HDR enabled, remains unchanged, which is not as obvious with the competition. Therefore, it deserves the highest rating and recommendation.

SDR	HDR	Dolby Vision
1080p60: 14 ms	2160p60: 13 ms	2160p60 DV: 13 ms
1080p120: 5 ms	2160p120: 5 ms	2160p120 DV: 5 ms
2160p60: 14 ms
2160p120: 5 ms

Compatibility with PC

8.6/10

Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes

Font clarity: Very Good

Readability of dark text and shapes: Very Good

Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 5ms

Matrix subpixel arrangement: RWBG

Max refresh rate: 144Hz

G-Sync: Yes

LG G4 paired with a PC performs excellently, thanks to an incredibly low latency of just 5 ms, which is practically instantaneous response between the mouse, eye, and screen. A crucial aspect while working on the screen is the readability of text, which is very good in the case of the tested television.

The RWBG pixel arrangement has no significant impact on the display of fonts or letters, which is a considerable advantage over Samsung's QD-OLED matrices. Users of both Windows-based PCs and macOS will surely be pleased with the performance on the tested LG G4 television.

Viewing angles

9.7/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 9%

The undisputed advantage of OLED screens equipped with MLA technology is their performance when viewing from various angles. To the naked eye, there are no noticeable changes, regardless of where we are watching from. This type of screen maintains consistent brightness, saturation, and white hue, unlike LCD matrices or OLEDs without micro-lens technology (MLA). The only matrices that can match them are those produced by Samsung Displays, using quantum dots, namely QD-OLED.

TV efficiency during daytime

6/10

Matrix coating: Glare

Reflection suppression: Good

Black levels during daytime: Average

The glossy coating of the display in LG G4, although it may sound like a downside, is actually quite the opposite. Thanks to it, the LG G4 television maintains very high efficiency and effectively suppresses all reflections, "holding" them only at their source. It's also worth mentioning the quality of black during the day, which in the case of WRGB displays produced by LG Displays is outstanding. OLED MLA displays, despite their many advantages, are somewhat inferior in this case, but still better in the context of competition from Samsung, whose QD-OLED displays fade under light. The combination of brightness at around 500 nits and the glossy coating allows for daytime viewing of the television, unless the user has a living room with large glazing.

Matrix brightness

Average luminance SDR

LG OLED G4: 482 cd/m2

Details about the matrix

Software version during testing: 03.10.85

Subpixel Structure:

Panel uniformity:

TV features

9.5/10

System operacyjny: WebOS
TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): Yes
Recording programming: Yes
Picture in Picture (PiP): Yes
Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
AirPlay: Yes
Voice search in native language: Yes
Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: Yes
Audio only mode: Yes
RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): RF
Backlit remote control: No
Teletext: Yes

LG uses the well-known proprietary system WebOS, which has been around for many years. The system offers virtually all the essential applications, and those that are missing can be counted on one hand, such as CDA or KODI.

WebOS also provides the highly valued ability to perform operations using a cursor that appears when the remote control is moved. The convenience of such a feature is invaluable when entering queries or passwords for portals. WebOS, like most systems, also supports functions such as screen mirroring, AirPlay, voice search in Polish, and the ability to connect headphones via Bluetooth. On a more practical note, WebOS allows us to use both headphones and the TV speaker LG G4 simultaneously, which will certainly be a significant advantage for those with hearing disabilities. Among the more interesting features, particularly appreciated by sports fans, is the option to enable an alert for upcoming matches, ensuring that we never miss a broadcast. The home panel also deserves praise, allowing for control of all smart devices connected to the home network. For example, the end of a laundry cycle will be signalled by a notification in the top right corner.

In summary, the WebOS system, although less known and with some limitations compared to Android TV, offers stable and fast operation and supports most features that users might need. It is a solid solution for those looking for a simple and effective operating system in a television.

Playing files from USB

Video Photos Audio

8.5/10

Video Photos Audio

Maximum photo resolution:	Supported photo formats:
4 Mpix	JPEG
6 Mpix	HEIC
8 Mpix	PNG
10 Mpix	GIF
12 Mpix	WebP
16 Mpix	TIFF
20 Mpix	BMP
24 Mpix	SVG
28 Mpix
32 Mpix

The default file player on the LG G4 performs quite well with most photos, although it's surprising to find a lack of several equally popular ones. It can successfully play videos recorded in virtually all the most popular formats, including Dolby Vision. The only codec that the G4 cannot play is H.266 VVC, although this is currently quite rarely used. However, it's important to note the supported photo formats, of which there are only two: JPEG and PNG. Users of Apple phones may feel disappointed by the lack of support for the HEIC format, which is the default format when taking photos. The remedy for this is to use the built-in AirPlay feature. Lastly, we should also mention the lack of support for TXT subtitles.

Apps

9.7/10

Sound

8.6/10

Subjective sound quality

Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

Dolby True HD 7.1

Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

DTS-HD Master Audio

The assessment of sound quality is always subjective. However, we must give credit to LG G4 for maintaining a fairly good level of sound clarity. The biggest drawback of the built-in audio system in the television is the low bass range. However, it’s important to look at this from a different perspective — anyone opting for this television will likely have a home theatre system. The key in this case will be broad support for audio codecs, including DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos.

Marketing solutions from the manufacturer:

α11 AI Processor 4K: A specially designed chipset for OLED technology, which, thanks to advanced programming, graphics, and speed, aims to revolutionise visual experiences.
Brightness Booster Max: A technology that increases screen brightness by 150%, providing a more vivid and bright image.
Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos: Support for these standards aims to deliver realistic images and immersive, spatial sound, creating cinematic experiences in the comfort of home.
Self-lighting Pixel: A technology of self-emitting OLED pixels, which offers deep blacks and infinite contrast.
Pixel Dimming: A feature allowing individual control of the brightness of each pixel.
AI Picture Pro: A feature that uses artificial intelligence to analyse and optimise the image in real-time.
AI Sound Pro: A sound processing technology that provides realistic, spatial sound, adapting it to the content and environment.
webOS 24: The latest version of LG's Smart TV operating system, offering an intuitive interface and access to numerous apps and streaming services.
ThinQ AI: An artificial intelligence platform enabling voice control and integration with other smart devices in the home.
AMD FreeSync Premium and NVIDIA G-Sync: Image synchronisation technologies that eliminate tearing and delays, providing smooth experiences while gaming.
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and High Frame Rate (HFR): Features that adjust the screen refresh rate to match the displayed content.
One Wall Design: A design that allows the television to be mounted flat against the wall, providing an aesthetic and modern look to the interior.

TV Tests have shown that the blacks in LG OLED G4 are nearly perfect, further enhancing the sense of depth in high-contrast films. The MLA technology in LG G4 not only improves brightness but also handles light reflections exceptionally well, making the television perform excellently even in sunlit rooms. Thanks to high contrast and pitch-black blacks, the LG OLED G4 test recorded an exceptionally high level of immersion, particularly distinguishing this television from competing models.

LG OLED G4

Our verdict

Advantages

Disadvantages

Competing TVs in this price range

TV appearance

Buy in the best price

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound