LG OLED G4

G45 / G42

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

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Panel technology: WRGB OLED | Brand: LG | Resolution: 3840x2160 | Operating system: WebOS | Model year: 2024

Our verdict

8.6

Overall rating

LG G4 is a strong contender for being the best television of 2024. With the combination of OLED black and MLA technology, we obtain an incredibly dynamic and vivid image, which will certainly 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 a sunny room. The operating system, while not as open as the competition, offers many possibilities. Its greatest advantage is the well-known remote control with a pointer, which makes controlling the unit (in our opinion) one of the most convenient on the market. The factory colour reproduction, although not at a high level, after the calibration process, can be referred to as a reference screen, delivering a truly cinematic image. It is no coincidence that post-production studios choose televisions from this manufacturer. They alone offer such deep intervention possibilities in the image, thanks to 3D LUT calibration. It seems that the biggest (and perhaps only) disadvantage of this television is tonal transitions, which, although far from ideal, cannot be said to take away the pleasure of viewing. The remedy is provided by the manufacturer itself, and enabling the "Smooth Gradation" function will eliminate the vast majority of the stuttering. LG G4 also performs very well when watching various sports or other dynamic scenes. The motion smoother is extremely advanced and allows for tailoring the smoothing to one's needs. Thanks to HDMI 2.1 ports with their full functionality and the manufacturer's attention to detail, the tested television will find its place in the homes of many avid gamers. Every essential feature works flawlessly, and the low input lag in every mode is very pleasing. In summary, LG G4 is an extremely versatile television, allowing for entertainment in excellent quality both at night and during the day.

Advantages

Phenomenal alignment of the image with the director’s intent
Reference colour reproduction after calibration
Very high brightness in HDR materials
Outstanding cooperation with consoles and computers
The panel effectively suppresses light reflections
Perfect viewing angles

Disadvantages

Visible tonal transitions
The 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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Sony X90L 98”

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TCL C855 98”

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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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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, thanks to its OLED panels produced for over 10 years, delivers perfect results in contrast, black levels, and detail reproduction in the darkest scenes. It is worth noting that the panel itself is equipped with MLA (Micro Lens Array) technology, which LG showcased just a year ago during the launch of its predecessor. The use of organic matrix allows not only for achieving pitch-black levels but also for an extraordinary immersion and three-dimensional effect of the image, which is hard to find even in the best Mini LED televisions. Such image quality is closely correlated with OLED matrix technology, as each pixel is controlled by an electric impulse rather than by blocking filters on the panel. Therefore, if we want to achieve true black, the pixel is not turned on at all. This is clearly visible in test images, where the spotlight provides high brightness while being perfectly separated from each other. The situation does not change in the demanding scene from "Sicario 2," where no imperfections are visible in the form of dimming zone issues that we may encounter in LCD televisions.

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 vivid HDR effect, placing the television among the very best. The equipment of the highest model in the producer's 2024 portfolio with the second generation of micro-lens technology (MLA) has achieved a maximum brightness level of 1474 nits in real scenes. The only area where the product from the Korean manufacturer may lag behind LCD televisions with Mini LED backlighting is during the full-screen scenes featuring a lot of white. If we disregard the latter type of scene, the average result would be even higher. It is also worth mentioning scenes with very fine details, where each one shines at full intensity, which is not as evident in non-OLED televisions. The combination of such brightness and wide coverage of the DCI-P3 palette makes HDR materials 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 the film "Pan", mastered to a brightness of 2800 nits, poses no problem, and details such as the sun or clouds nearby have a wealth of detail and are neither excessively brightened nor, more importantly, darkened. Similarly, the scene from "Billy Lynn", rich in both light and dark details, is presented almost perfectly, and the balance between the explosion of fireworks and the deep black background appears extremely realistic. It is worth noting the colours themselves, as with a coverage of the DCI-P3 palette at 98%, they are incredibly vibrant and true to life. And although the coverage of the BT.2020 palette is not as high as that of the aforementioned DCI, it is a matter to be raised in the distant future, as currently the vast majority of films are not created in this colour space.

HDR luminance chart:

In difficult HDR scenes, the LG G4 television performs very well thanks to the high brightness of the panel and support for static metadata in the film. This means that the scene below is not overly darkened, yet it still retains good details in the highlights. The subtle loss of tonal transitions can only be observed in the background. With the LG G4 equipped with Dolby Vision, the television is able to playback material with dynamic metadata. This allows for slightly higher brightness and even more details in the whites. The difference is not large due to the extensive capabilities of the television panel, however, it is clearly noticeable in difficult scenes like the one below. It should also be noted that such demanding scenes do not often occur 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 best. Each scene played from a BluRay disc with 10-bit HDR exhibited clear inconsistencies in colour transitions. This is particularly noticeable in the case of the film "The Green Knight", where issues related to posterisation were especially evident. This effect could also be observed in films of moderate and high brightness, such as "The Martian" and "Kingsman", which is rarely seen in televisions (especially of this class), which surprised us. Such results suggest that in scenes of low luminance with a large amount of black, this issue will be bothersome, even for a layperson.

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 particularly well with materials rich in tonal transitions, as a result of which we could observe a strong posterisation effect. However, there is a partial remedy for this issue. 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 a high effectiveness of smoothing on light colours, although it is low on darker ones. We recommend primarily using the first one, as the other two interfere with the director's intentions by removing film grain.

When watching lower-quality materials, the efficiency of the television during upscaling is extremely important. The image from the tested television is sharp and clear. However, one should pay attention to the jagged edges of fine details and minor issues around characters, such as the creation of halo effects, which occurs due to the sharpening imposed by LG G4 even when the lowest value on the slider, that is 0, is set. It is worth noting that this represents a certain change compared 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 when the LG G4 is connected to a very powerful PC. Otherwise, we will operate 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 requiring high image fluidity, the manufacturer has implemented a multi-level motion smoother called "TrueMotion". This 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 level affecting the degree of smoothness, allowing everyone to find their golden mean.

The LG OLED G4 panel features an average response time of 0.78 ms (as directly derived from our measurements), enabling an incredibly clear image, unattainable by LCD televisions, which can have response times of several milliseconds. This is perfectly illustrated by the images from the "UFO Test", which show no trailing blur behind the object. Moreover, the LG OLED G4 test revealed that the television offers the ability to precisely adjust the motion smoothing function, allowing users to select the ideal level of image interpolation. We particularly appreciated this during fast-paced actions in video games, where the LG G4 performed exceptionally well, minimising any blurring. Thanks to OLED technology, this model eliminates so-called ghosting, ensuring that the image remains sharp even in the most dynamic sporting or cinematic 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 uses black frame insertion (BFI) between movie frames to 'reset' the retina of the eye, thereby enhancing image sharpness. Unfortunately, it is completely useless, as the image flickers intensely when activated. 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 the features that make up the HDMI 2.1 standard. During testing, each of them activated without the slightest problem, which allows us to consider the television as designed for gaming. Their functionality will surely be appreciated by both console users and those connecting the LG G4 to a computer. It is also worth mentioning the correct implementation of the HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) mode, which ensures that games mastered to brightness levels exceeding the maximum luminance of the LG G4 will correctly map tones, and the game's visuals will remain true to the original.

A nice touch is the existence of a special GameBar, which we can call up at any moment to check game parameters, but most importantly, to change them quickly. More importantly, enabling VRR technology does not degrade contrast, which is very common in televisions that feature local dimming or Mini LED backlighting. Of course, this is thanks to the OLED panel itself, characterised by pixel self-emission. As a matter of editorial obligation, we will only mention a slight grey flicker, which is somewhat normal after enabling VRR.

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

Input lag

10/10

The input lag of the LG G4 is at an incredibly low level in every scenario. Even the most passionate gamers will undoubtedly appreciate the very low input lag at demanding 4K 120 Hz settings with HDR, measuring just 5 ms. It is also worth noting that the lag at the same settings but with Dolby Vision HDR enabled remains unchanged, which is not as obvious in the competition. Therefore, it deserves the highest score 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 combined with a PC performs excellently, thanks to its very low latency of just 5 ms, which is practically an instantaneous response between the mouse, the eye, and the screen. A crucial aspect when working on a screen is the readability of text, which in the case of the tested television is very good.

The RWBG pixel layout does not significantly impact the display of fonts or letters, which is a significant advantage over Samsung's QD-OLED panels. Users of both Windows and macOS equipped computers will certainly be pleased with the performance on the tested television LG G4.

Viewing angles

9.7/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 9%

The undeniable advantage of OLED screens equipped with MLA technology is their efficiency when viewed from different angles. There are no noticeable changes to the eye, regardless of where we are viewing from. This type of screen maintains consistent brightness, saturation, and white tone, in contrast to LCD matrices or OLEDs without micro-lens array (MLA) technology. The only matrices that can rival them are those produced by Samsung Displays, using quantum dot technology, 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 panel in LG G4, although it sounds like a negative, is in fact 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 is also worth mentioning the quality of black during the day, which in the case of WRGB panels produced by LG Displays is outstanding. OLED MLA panels, despite a large number of advantages, are somewhat worse in this case, but still better in the context of competition from Samsung, whose QD-OLED panels grey out when triggered by light. The combination of brightness at around 500 nits and a glossy coating allows for daytime use 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 WebOS system, which has been around for many years. The system itself offers practically all the most important applications, and those that are missing can be counted on one hand, such as CDA and KODI.

WebOS also boasts a highly regarded feature that allows users to perform operations using a cursor that appears when the remote is moved. The convenience provided by this function is invaluable when typing 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 LG G4 television speaker simultaneously, which will certainly be a great convenience for those with hearing impairments. Among the more interesting features, particularly appreciated by sports fans, is the ability to set an alert for upcoming matches, ensuring that we never miss a broadcast. The home panel also deserves praise, allowing control of all smart devices connected to the home network. For example, the end of a washing cycle will be signalled by a notification in the top right corner.

In summary, the WebOS system, although less known and having certain limitations compared to Android TV, offers stable and fast performance and supports most functions that may be needed by users. It is a solid solution for those looking for a simple and effective operating system in their 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 media player on the LG G4 performs well with most image types, although the absence of a few equally popular ones is surprising. It successfully plays videos recorded in practically all the most popular formats, including Dolby Vision. The only codec that the G4 cannot play is H.266 VVC, although this is currently rather unused. However, attention should be paid to the supported image formats, of which there are only two: JPEG and PNG. Users of Apple devices may feel disappointed by the lack of support for the HEIC format, which is the default format for photos taken. A remedy for this is to use the built-in AirPlay feature. We will 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 remains always subjective. However, we must give LG G4 credit 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, this must be viewed from a different perspective — anyone choosing this television will likely have a home cinema system. In this case, broad support for audio codecs, including DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos, will prove crucial.

Manufacturer's marketing solutions:

α11 AI Processor 4K: Specially designed chipset for OLED technology, which aims to revolutionise visual experiences through advanced programming, graphics, and speed.
Brightness Booster Max: Technology that increases screen brightness by 150%, ensuring a more vivid and bright image.
Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos: Support for these standards delivers realistic images and immersive, spatial sound, creating cinematic experiences in the comfort of home.
Self-lighting Pixel: Technology of self-emitting OLED pixels, which offers deep blacks and infinite contrast.
Pixel Dimming: Functionality for individual control of each pixel's brightness.
AI Picture Pro: A feature that uses artificial intelligence to analyse and optimise images in real time.
AI Sound Pro: Sound processing technology that delivers realistic, spatial sound, adjusting it to content and environment.
webOS 24: The latest version of LG's Smart TV operating system, offering an intuitive interface and access to numerous applications 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 latency, ensuring smooth experiences while gaming.
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and High Frame Rate (HFR): Features that adjust the screen refresh rate to the displayed content.
One Wall Design: A design that allows for flat mounting of the television on the wall, ensuring an aesthetic and modern look for the interior.

Television tests have shown that the black level in LG OLED G4 is 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 splendidly even in sunny rooms. Thanks to the high contrast and jet-black levels, the LG OLED G4 test recorded an exceptionally high level of immersion, which particularly distinguishes this television among 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