LG 43 UR781

Available screen sizes: 43”50”55”65”

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Panel technology: LCD VA Brand: LG Resolution: 3840x2160 Operating system: WebOS Model year: 2023

Our verdict

5.5

Overall rating

The LG UR781 is currently the most affordable model from the Korean manufacturer, offering excellent value for its price. Its standout feature is the WebOS system, which provides an intuitive interface and access to a wide range of streaming platforms, making it a significant advantage for everyday users. The TV delivers satisfactory picture quality for its price range, catering well to the needs of basic users.

While its HDR capabilities are somewhat restricted due to the absence of Dolby Vision and HDR10+, it does support fundamental formats like HDR10 and HLG. The TV performs admirably with low-quality materials, aided by its smooth tone transition feature that ensures clear and seamless transitions, particularly useful for viewing content from lower-quality sources such as terrestrial television.

For gaming enthusiasts, the LG UR781 offers very low input lag, an essential criterion for enjoyable gaming. Though it lacks a 120Hz panel, which is a compromise for its budget-friendly pricing, it remains an appealing choice for gamers seeking affordability. Its brightness is slightly lower than competing models, and the colour gamut coverage is limited. However, thanks to dynamic tone mapping, HDR content still appears impressive.

After proper calibration, the TV achieves improved colour accuracy and sharpness, significantly enhancing the viewing experience. For those seeking a budget-friendly option and willing to accept some trade-offs, the LG UR781 is a solid choice.

Advantages

  • WebOS with a large number of applications

  • Low input lag values

  • Works great with PC

  • High native contrast

  • Game Bar

Disadvantages

No like

  • Very low brightness

  • Poor viewing angles

  • The system can "lag"

  • Movies and series in UHD quality

    5.3

  • Classic TV, YouTube

    5.7

  • Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

    4.2

  • Gaming on console

    6.2

  • TV as a computer monitor

    6.0

  • Matrix brightness

    3.9

  • Utility functions

    6.8

  • Apps

    9.7

  • Sound quality

    5.2

TV appearance

HDMI inputs: 3 x HDMI 2.0, 0 x HDMI 2.1 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

5.5/10

Funkcja lokalnego wygaszania: No

Result

4,450:1

Result

4,550:1

Result

4,500:1

Result

4,750:1

Result

3,650:1

The LG UR781 benefits from a VA panel, which provides superior native contrast compared to screens using IPS/ADS technology. This panel excels in rendering bright objects against dark backgrounds without distortion. However, the absence of local dimming technology means that in darker conditions, blacks can appear with a slight navy blue tint. This characteristic is noticeable in dark scenes, where details closer to black may adopt a subtle blue hue.

Despite this limitation, the LG UR781 demonstrates commendable performance in reproducing deep blacks, which enhances the realism of movie viewing. Compared to IPS panels, it offers significantly better image quality in dark scenes, making it a strong contender for film enthusiasts. The VA panel's ability to produce more vivid contrasts further elevates the overall picture quality, allowing the television to capture and display intricate details in shadowy or dimly lit scenes effectively.

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

HDR effect quality

3/10

Supported formats: HDR10, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 83.0%, Bt.2020: 61.0%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Result

209 nit

Result

185 nit

Result

241 nit

Result

147 nit

Result

234 nit

In HDR mode, the LG UR781 falls short of the brightness expected for high-quality HDR experiences. Tests across multiple panels revealed a brightness of around 200 nits, which aligns more closely with SDR standards. As a result, HDR effects lack the desired impact, with bright and dynamic scenes appearing less striking than they should.

The television also exhibits limitations in colour reproduction under HDR settings. The colours may not appear as intense or rich as those on models that handle wide colour gamuts more effectively, leading to a less vibrant and dynamic image overall. Additionally, the LG UR781 struggles with accurate colour representation in HDR mode, which can result in muted content, particularly during daylight viewing when the image can lose its intensity.

Although the dynamic tone mapping feature helps optimise the image, it does not overcome these shortcomings. For users seeking a truly immersive HDR experience with vivid colours and bright highlights, the LG UR781 may not meet expectations.

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

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

After calibration, the LG UR781 demonstrates respectable performance in handling demanding film scenes. In high luminance tests, such as the scene from The Man, the television performed admirably. While the image appeared slightly dim and lacked robust contrast, the tonal integrity of the scene was well maintained. Similarly, the scene from Billy Lynn posed no challenges, displaying effectively on this model. Dynamic tone mapping enhances the TV's ability to replicate high-brightness effects in scenes that demand intricate HDR reproduction. Activating this feature is highly recommended to maximise image quality and achieve the best viewing experience.

HDR luminance chart:

The LG UR781 supports HDR10 and HLG formats but lacks advanced HDR standards like Dolby Vision or HDR10+, which offer enhanced image quality and precise brightness control. Despite this limitation, the television delivers impressive results in certain scenes, such as the one featuring horses. Dynamic tone mapping ensures a significant level of detail in the background, enhancing the overall viewing experience. As a result, HDR content with pronounced effects can still look remarkably good, even without dynamic metadata support.

Static HDR10

Factory color reproduction

3.9/10

In Filmmaker Mode, the LG UR781 demonstrates the best factory-calibrated performance but exhibits notable flaws. The primary issue lies in white balance, where the graph indicates a drop in blue levels, resulting in a warmer image with a shift towards yellow tones. This deviation impacts the naturalness of colour reproduction, particularly in scenes with white or neutral backgrounds. The Test Colour Checker confirms that some colours deviate into incorrect shades, leading to a lack of true-to-life representation. This can diminish the realism of film scenes, with certain details appearing in inaccurate colours.

In terms of contrast, the gamma graph reveals a drop to a level of 2.0, below the optimal value of 2.4. This results in darker parts of the image appearing brighter than they should, reducing depth and dynamic range. Additionally, the EOTF curve shows an unnatural spike at the beginning, leading to over-brightness in the brightest areas of the image. This can cause a loss of detail in high-luminance scenes, further impacting the overall image quality.

Factory Mode

After calibration

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Color reproduction after calibration

6/10

After calibration, the LG UR781 demonstrates commendable colour reproduction for SDR content. The calibration effectively improves white balance, yielding natural and balanced tones across various scenes. Gamma adjustments contribute to precise detail representation in shadows and highlights, enhancing overall image clarity. This results in a well-rounded performance for everyday use, with solid colour accuracy and well-balanced imagery in SDR mode.

HDR content, however, reveals the TV's limitations. The lack of support for a wide colour gamut restricts the depth and vibrancy that HDR is capable of. The EOTF curve deviates from the ideal, overemphasising details in bright areas, which introduces inaccuracies in colour representation. Tests using the Colour Checker confirm significant errors in colour reproduction. Additionally, the panel's relatively low brightness exacerbates these issues, diminishing the impact of dynamic range effects and causing colours to appear washed out.

While HDR mode highlights the TV's shortcomings, the improvements after calibration, particularly in SDR performance, are significant. Enhanced white balance and gamma adjustments greatly improve the viewing experience, providing more natural and consistent colour reproduction. Compared to its pre-calibration state, the LG UR781 now offers a much better performance for everyday use, especially in standard dynamic range scenarios.

Smoothness of tonal transitions

8.6/10

The LG UR781 performs impressively with tonal transitions, delivering high image quality across various scenes. The transitions are smooth and consistent, contributing to a pleasant viewing experience.

While the TV handles most tones exceptionally well, minor issues with gradation may appear in darker colours. These imperfections, however, are subtle and unlikely to be noticeable to the average viewer. Only those with particularly sensitive eyes may detect these flaws. Overall, the LG UR781 provides smooth tonal transitions, maintaining its appeal for casual and discerning viewers.

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

6.8/10

OK Smooth transition function

OK Image without overscan on the SD signal

The tonality smoothing function on the LG UR781 yields mixed results. At the "low" level, it neither enhances image quality nor effectively diminishes film grain, making its impact relatively negligible. Increasing the strength of this function can soften gradations and reduce visible banding, but it risks over-softening the image in certain scenes, which may compromise the overall sharpness and detail.

As for image scaling, the LG UR781 struggles to deliver exceptional performance, particularly with lower-resolution content. The TV employs an artificial sharpness enhancement technique that introduces defined contours to create the illusion of sharper images. While this may appeal to users who prefer pronounced, vivid details, others seeking a more natural and authentic look may find this effect distracting or unrealistic. Ultimately, the perception of these enhancements will depend on personal preferences, with some users valuing the added sharpness and others prioritising natural image quality.

Blur and motion smoothness

2.2/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 60Hz

Film motion smoothing option: Yes

Blur reduction option: No

BFI function 60Hz: No

BFI function 120Hz: No

Brightness drop with BFI: 0%

The LG UR781 television provides decent motion fluidity for movies, primarily due to its "True Motion" feature. This option lets users fine-tune motion smoothing on a scale from 0 to 10, catering to different viewing preferences. Lower settings preserve a traditional cinematic effect with some judder, while higher settings create a smoother, more theatrical image. Although the latter deviates from the cinematic standard, it may appeal to viewers who prioritise seamless visuals.

However, performance declines when handling dynamic sports content and fast-paced games. Its 60Hz panel limits interpolation capabilities, meaning motion smoothness in movies can be improved, but motion blur cannot be effectively reduced. The absence of support for 120Hz and BFI (Black Frame Insertion) technology exacerbates this, causing fast-moving objects to blur. Moreover, the panel's slower response time further reduces sharpness in rapid scenes, which can be a drawback for gamers and sports enthusiasts seeking clear, fluid visuals in high-speed scenarios.

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

Console compatibility and gaming features

4.7/10

  • Yes ALLM: Yes
  • No VRR: No
  • No VRR range: No
  • No Dolby Vision Game Mode: No
  • Yes Correct implementation of HGIG: Yes
  • No 1080p@120Hz: No
  • No 1440p@120Hz: No
  • No 4K@120Hz: No
  • Yes Game bar: Yes
  • No G-Sync: No

The LG UR781 provides several features designed to enhance console gaming experiences but comes with notable limitations. On the positive side, it includes the ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature, which automatically switches the TV to a low-latency mode, optimising response times for gaming and benefiting fast-paced titles. The television also supports HGiG, ensuring HDR games are displayed enhancing the overall gaming experience. Additionally, the Game Bar feature allows gamers to quickly access and adjust settings during gameplay, offering added convenience. However, there are significant drawbacks. The TV lacks VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), which may result in screen tearing or stuttering, particularly during dynamic scenes. It also does not support Dolby Vision for gaming, limiting HDR picture quality in titles that use this format. The 60Hz panel restricts gameplay to 60Hz, excluding smoother experiences available at higher refresh rates like 1080p@120Hz, 1440p@120Hz, or 4K@120Hz. The absence of G-Sync or FreeSync technology reduces compatibility with systems designed to synchronise the frame rate between the console and TV, potentially affecting gameplay fluidity. The LG UR781 is a functional choice for casual gamers who value affordability and features like ALLM and HGiG. However, it falls short for those seeking advanced gaming features such as high refresh rates, VRR, or Dolby Vision gaming.

Input lag

10/10

The measurement of input lag on the LG UR781 television is excellent across all signals and resolutions. This is a key advantage for gamers, ensuring a responsive and smooth gaming experience. In particular, the input lag for gameplay in 4K at 60 Hz with HDR enabled is only 13 ms. This exceptionally low latency is ideal for fast-paced online games where quick reactions and minimal delays are crucial. The manufacturer's optimisation efforts in this area are evident, making the LG UR781 a strong contender for gamers prioritising low input lag.

SDR HDR Dolby Vision
1080p60: 13 ms 2160p60: 13 ms
2160p60: 13 ms

Compatibility with PC

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): 13ms

Displaying text at 4K resolution at 60 Hz on the LG UR781 is exceptionally sharp, with excellent chroma reproduction, ensuring that even small details, like grey letters, are clear despite the BGR pixel layout. An input lag of 14 ms provides quick responses, making the TV ideal for both work and entertainment.

Viewing angles

3.5/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 70%

A key characteristic of VA panels is the noticeable decline in image quality when viewed from an angle. In the case of the LG UR781, viewing at a 45-degree angle causes a 70% reduction in brightness, resulting in a marked deterioration in black depth and overall picture quality. While VA panels offer superior contrast when viewed head-on, their viewing angles are more restricted compared to other technologies like IPS.

TV efficiency during daytime

3.9/10

Matrix coating: Satin

Reflection suppression: Good

Black levels during daytime: Good

Thanks to its satin coating, the LG UR781 performs well in reducing glare during daytime viewing, making light reflections less distracting. However, with a low brightness of only 231 nits in SDR mode, it may struggle to deliver clear images in brighter rooms, particularly on sunny days. In such conditions, the image may appear dimmer, resulting in reduced visibility and clarity.

Matrix brightness

Average luminance SDR

LG 43 UR781: 231 cd/m2

TV features

6.8/10

  • System operacyjny: WebOS

  • TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C

  • Yes Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): Yes
  • Yes Recording programming: Yes
  • No Picture in Picture (PiP): No
  • Yes Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
  • Yes AirPlay: Yes
  • No Voice search in native language: No
  • Yes Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
  • Yes Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
  • Yes Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: Yes
  • Yes Audio only mode: Yes
  • Yes RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): Infrared
  • No Backlit remote control: No
  • Yes Teletext: Yes

WebOS on the LG UR781 is a modern and intuitive system, offering easy access to popular streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube. Its interface is simple, supporting functions like Screen Mirroring, AirPlay, and Bluetooth, as well as external devices such as keyboards and headphones, enhancing its multimedia capabilities. Unfortunately, the basic model lacks the Magic remote, which would have allowed for on-screen cursor navigation. Additionally, WebOS can sometimes feel unresponsive, which can be a bit frustrating for users.

Playing files from USB

8.2/10

Maximum photo resolution:Supported photo formats:
Yes 4 Mpix
Yes JPEG
Yes 6 Mpix
No HEIC
Yes 8 Mpix
Yes PNG
Yes 10 Mpix
No GIF
Yes 12 Mpix
No WebP
Yes 16 Mpix
No TIFF
No 20 Mpix
No BMP
No 24 Mpix
No SVG
No 28 Mpix
Yes 32 Mpix

The LG UR781 television supports most video files and codecs and allows users to customise subtitles, including adjusting their colour and size. However, the biggest downside is the lack of support for less popular image formats, which can limit the versatility of the TV in certain use cases.

Apps

9.7/10

OK
Disney_Plus
OK
Amazon_Prime_Video
OK
Viaplay
OK
Player_TVN
OK
Polsat_Box_Go
OK
Canal_Plus_Online
OK
TVP_VOD
OK
Apple_TV_Plus
OK
SkyShowtime
OK
Rakuten
OK
CDA_Premium_Browser
OK
Spotify
OK
Tidal
OK
Netflix
OK
YouTube
OK
MAX
No
Kodi

Sound

5.2/10

5.2/10

Subjective sound quality

Yes Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

No Dolby True HD 7.1

Yes Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

No Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

No DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

No DTS-HD Master Audio

Although the TV provides a modest amount of bass, the overall sound quality remains average. It lacks support for many advanced surround sound codecs, limiting its ability to fully reproduce immersive audio effects. The only surround sound option available is the ability to stream audio to an external device, such as a soundbar, via Dolby Digital Plus functionality.