LG 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

LG UR781 is currently the cheapest model from the Korean manufacturer. It is equipped with an excellent WebOS system, which is the greatest advantage of this television. It will satisfy most users with its access to various streaming platforms and capabilities. The television offers adequate picture quality for its price, which will certainly meet the expectations of many basic users. Although its HDR capabilities are somewhat limited by the absence of Dolby Vision or HDR10+, it supports basic formats such as HDR10 and HLG. The television handles low-quality materials fairly well, thanks to the tone mapping smoothing feature that provides smooth and clear transitions, which is especially appreciated when watching films from low-quality sources (e.g., terrestrial television). When it comes to gaming, the television has very low input lag, which is a fundamental criterion. If we are looking for a budget solution, this is quite a nice choice for those who can sacrifice a 120Hz panel for the sake of price. Although the brightness of the television is lower than in competing models, and the colour gamut coverage is limited, the LG UR781 still offers impeccable HDR content appearance due to the presence of dynamic tone mapping. After proper calibration, the television can achieve better colour reproduction and optimal sharpness, significantly enhancing comfort and enjoyment while watching.

Advantages

  • WebOS with a large number of applications

  • Low input lag values

  • Works great in combination 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

  • Watching in bright light

    3.9

  • Utility functions

    6.8

  • Apps

    9.7

  • Sound quality

    5.2

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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

Review LG UR781 Appearance of the TV Review LG UR781 Appearance of the TV Review LG UR781 Appearance of the TV Review LG UR781 Appearance of the TV Review LG UR781 Appearance of the TV Review LG UR781 Appearance of the TV Review LG UR781 Appearance of the TV

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Contrast and black detail

5.5/10

Local dimming function: No

Review LG UR781 Contrast and black detail

Result

4,450:1

Review LG UR781 Contrast and black detail

Result

4,550:1

Review LG UR781 Contrast and black detail

Result

4,500:1

Review LG UR781 Contrast and black detail

Result

4,750:1

Review LG UR781 Contrast and black detail

Result

3,650:1

Visibility of details in the lights:

Review LG UR781 Visibility of details in the lights

LG UR781 is a television with a VA panel that stands out for its good native contrast, which is significantly better than that of IPS or ADS screens. Thanks to this technology, bright elements on a dark background look natural and there is no issue with distortion. Unfortunately, the lack of local dimming means that in darker rooms, the black is not perfect – it tends to take on a navy hue, which can be noticeable during night-time viewing.

Despite this, the LG UR781 offers sufficiently good quality in dark scenes, particularly for film enthusiasts. Blacks are deeper than those on IPS panels, allowing for a more cinematic experience. The VA panel also provides stronger contrast, making the image look clearer, and the details in darker shots become more visible. It is a solid choice for those who value better picture quality in evening conditions.

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:

Review LG UR781 Brightness measurement

Result

209 nit

Review LG UR781 Brightness measurement

Result

185 nit

Review LG UR781 Brightness measurement

Result

241 nit

Review LG UR781 Brightness measurement

Result

147 nit

Review LG UR781 Brightness measurement

Result

234 nit

In HDR mode, LG UR781 unfortunately does not impress with its brightness. In tests on five screens, the television achieved only around 200 nits, which is quite a low value for HDR standards. This brightness is similar to levels typical for SDR, causing HDR effects to be insufficiently pronounced, and the image may appear less impressive, especially in dynamic, bright scenes. In HDR mode, it has certain limitations in colour reproduction. This means that colours may not be as intense and rich as in televisions that manage better with a wide colour gamut. In practice, this can make the image less vibrant and dynamic, and HDR effects will not be as spectacular as one might expect. Additionally, UR781 LG has some issues with accurately reproducing colours in HDR mode, resulting in content that may look less vivid.

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

Review LG UR781 Scene from movie PAN

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

Review LG UR781 Scene from movie Billy Lynn

After calibration, the LG UR781 TV performs well in displaying demanding scenes in films. In the high luminance test, such as the scene from the film “Mr”, the TV coped quite well. Although the picture is a bit muted and lacking in contrast, the tonal quality of the scene has been preserved very well. The scene from “Billy Lynn” also posed no problems and was well displayed on this television. Dynamic mapping is present here, allowing the TV to reproduce high levels of brightness akin to the mastered scenes from the films we used in the test. For the best picture quality, it is highly recommended to enable this feature.

HDR luminance chart:

The LG UR781 TV supports HDR10 and HLG formats; however, it does not offer support for more advanced formats such as Dolby Vision or HDR10+, which could provide better image quality and more precise brightness management. Nevertheless, the scene with horses showcases a considerable amount of detail in the background, thanks to the use of dynamic tone mapping. Consequently, HDR content with high effects looks really good despite the lack of support for dynamic metadata.

Static HDR10

Review LG UR781 Static HDR 10

Factory color reproduction

3.9/10

The colour reproduction in LG UR781 in Filmmaker Mode, which although is the best mode available from the factory settings, is not without its flaws. Firstly, the issue is white balance, where the graph shows dips in blue colour levels. This phenomenon results in a shift of hues towards yellow tones, causing the image to appear warmer than it should. Such deviation means that the colours on the screen are not naturally reproduced, which can be particularly noticeable in scenes with a white or neutral background. This can be confirmed by the Test Color Checker, which showed that some colours "shift" into other shades, meaning that the LG UR781 television does not display colours in accordance with reality. This distortion can affect the visual experience, making movie scenes seem less realistic, and details might be displayed in inappropriate colours, negatively impacting the overall image quality.

In terms of contrast, the analysis of the gamma graph revealed drops to a level of 2.0, whereas the optimal value should be 2.4. This means that the television may display darker parts of the image brighter in certain scenes, which reduces their depth and dynamics. Additionally, on the EOTF curve, which is responsible for brightness reproduction, an unnatural spike was observed at the beginning. This phenomenon can result in excessive brightness boost in the brightest parts of the image, leading to loss of detail in very bright scenes.

Factory Mode

After calibration

Order professional TV calibration

Color reproduction after calibration

6/10

After calibration, the colour representation in SDR content is quite good. The white balance has been effectively improved, resulting in natural, balanced hues across various scenes. The gamma has also been adjusted, providing more precise detail in the shadows and highlights of the image. As a result, the LG UR781 television performs well in everyday use, offering solid colour quality and clear, well-balanced images in SDR mode.

However, the situation is worse for HDR content. The LG UR781 television does not support a wide colour gamut, which limits the depth and richness of colours that HDR can offer. The EOTF curve deviates from the ideal, resulting in excessive highlighting of details in the bright parts of the image. Unfortunately, this results in significant colour reproduction errors, as confirmed by tests on the Colour Checker. Additionally, the low brightness level of the panel further negatively impacts the quality of HDR images, causing dynamic range effects to be not fully realised, and colours to appear washed out.

Despite some shortcomings in HDR mode, the television has improved significantly after calibration, especially in SDR content. The improvement in white balance and gamma has greatly enhanced image quality, providing a more natural and cohesive colour representation. Compared to its state before calibration, the difference is clear, and the LG UR781 television now offers better performance in everyday use, particularly in the standard dynamic range.

Review LG UR781 Color reproduction before calibration
Review LG UR781 Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

8.6/10

TV LG UR781 handles tonal transitions excellently, presenting very high picture quality in all scenes. Issues with gradation only appear in darker colours, but they are subtle and not very noticeable. People with particularly sensitive eyesight may spot these imperfections, but overall the television provides very smooth tonal transitions.

Review LG UR781 Smoothness of tonal transitions Review LG UR781 Smoothness of tonal transitions Review LG UR781 Smoothness of tonal transitions Review LG UR781 Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review LG UR781 Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review LG UR781 Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review LG UR781 Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review LG UR781 Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

6.8/10

OK Smooth transition function

Review LG UR781 Smooth transition function

OK Image without overscan on the SD signal

Review LG UR781 Image without overscan on the SD signal

Now let’s address the function of smoothing tonal transitions and its impact on overall image quality. As illustrated in the photo on the left, this function performs exceptionally mediocrely; we selected the "low" level, which does not improve quality but also does not blur the film grain. There is the option to increase the power of this function, which would soften the gradation; however, one must reckon with the fact that the image will be too softened in some scenes.

On the other hand, regarding image scaling, the television does not perform exceptionally, which can be particularly noticeable with lower resolution content. The LG UR781 television applies a slight, artificial sharpness boost, which makes the image appear sharper, but this primarily results from the overlay of artificial contours. For some users, this can be an advantage, as they prefer more vivid, accentuated details. However, this is a subjective matter—such an effect may not appeal to everyone, especially if they desire a more natural look to the image.

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%

Review LG UR781 Blur and motion smoothness

The LG UR781 television offers quite decent smoothness for films, thanks to the "True Motion" option, which allows users to adjust the level of motion smoothing on a scale from 0 to 10. The user can choose whether they want to preserve a more traditional, cinematic effect with subtle judder (lower settings) or prefer a smoother, theatrical image that, although slightly deviating from the cinematic standard, may appeal to many.

In dynamic sports content and games, the LG UR781 television performs worse. The television has a 60Hz panel, which limits its interpolation capabilities to these values; therefore, it can improve fluidity in films but cannot reduce motion blur. Additionally, the lack of support for 120 Hz and BFI (Black Frame Insertion) technology means that quick movements of objects become blurred, and the response time of the panel is too long, negatively affecting clarity in fast scenes. As a result, the television may not meet the expectations of gamers and sports fans who are looking for a smooth, clear image without motion blur.

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

Review LG UR781 Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate)
Review LG UR781 Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate)
Review LG UR781 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
Review LG UR781 Console compatibility and gaming features
Review LG UR781 Console compatibility and gaming features

While gaming on the console, the television LG UR781 offers several important features that can affect the gaming experience, but it also has some limitations. A positive aspect is the presence of ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), which automatically optimises picture settings by switching the television LG UR781 into low latency mode, which is beneficial for gamers. The television also supports proper implementation of HGiG, meaning HDR games look as intended by the developers.

Unfortunately, it lacks support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), which may result in poorer fluidity of gameplay, particularly in more dynamic games. It also does not support Dolby Vision mode for games, which limits the HDR picture quality in games using this format. The television has a panel with a frequency of 60hz, which means it does not support higher frequencies at other resolutions, such as 1080p@120Hz, 1440p@120Hz, or 4K@120Hz, which is a significant drawback for gamers expecting smoother gameplay at higher resolutions. It also lacks support for G-Sync technology, which limits image synchronisation in games.

However, a positive aspect is the presence of the Game Bar feature, which allows quick access to settings for gamers and makes it easier to adjust picture parameters during gameplay.

Review LG UR781 Console compatibility and gaming features
Review LG UR781 Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

10/10

The measurement of input lag on the television LG UR781 performs very well, regardless of the signal or resolution. Gamers will certainly appreciate the manufacturer's efforts, as gameplay in 4K at 60 Hz with HDR enabled achieves only 13 ms of lag. This is an exceptionally low result that ensures smooth and responsive experiences, even in fast-paced online games where every millisecond counts.

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

Max refresh rate: 60Hz

G-Sync: No

Review LG UR781 Compatibility with PC

Displaying text in 4K resolution at 60 Hz is exceptionally sharp, with excellent colour reproduction, meaning that even fine details, such as grey letters, are well visible, despite the use of a BGR pixel layout. An input lag of 14 ms ensures quick reactions, making the television well-suited for work. Unfortunately, the 60 Hz panel and lack of G-Sync do not meet the requirements of gamers using a computer, resulting in a lower rating for gaming. Nonetheless, the television performs well in office tasks and media viewing, which compensates for its use in work.

Viewing angles

3.5/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 70%

A characteristic feature of VA matrices is the noticeable drop in image quality at an angle. In the case of this model, when viewed at a 45-degree angle, brightness drops by as much as 70%, which affects the clear deterioration of black depth and overall image quality. LG UR781 televisions with VA matrices do have better contrast when viewed straight on, but their viewing angles are limited compared to other technologies such as IPS.

TV efficiency during daytime

3.9/10

Review LG UR781 TV efficiency during daytime
Review LG UR781 TV efficiency during daytime

Matrix coating: Satin

Reflection suppression: Good

Black levels during daytime: Good

Thanks to its satin finish, it effectively reduces reflections while watching during the day, making light reflections less troublesome. However, due to its low brightness in SDR mode, which is only 231 nits, it may struggle to display clear images in brighter rooms, especially on sunny days. Watching in such conditions may result in poorer visibility and less clarity of the image.

Matrix brightness

Average luminance SDR

LG UR781: 231 cd/m2

Details about the matrix

Software version during testing: 03.31.60

Subpixel Structure:

Review LG UR781 TV details about the matrix

Panel uniformity:

Review LG UR781 TV details about the matrix

Backlight Type: White LED

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
Review LG UR781 TV features
Review LG UR781 TV features
Review LG UR781 TV features Review LG UR781 TV features

WebOS on LG UR781 televisions is a modern, intuitive system that provides easy access to popular streaming applications such as Netflix and YouTube, among others. It features a simple interface and supports functions such as Screen Mirroring, AirPlay, and Bluetooth. The system supports the connection of external devices, such as keyboards and headphones, offering extensive personalisation options and advanced multimedia features. Unfortunately, the basic model of the LG does not include the Magic remote (on-screen cursor), which is a shame! It is also worth noting that in the case of this model, WebOS was not particularly responsive and could be a bit frustrating.

Playing files from USB

8.2/10

Review LG UR781 Playing files from USB
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 will play most video files and codecs, and when subtitles are uploaded to a film, you can even change the colour or size of the font. The biggest drawback here is the lack of support for less popular photo formats.

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 offers a certain semblance of bass, the overall sound quality is average. The television does not support most advanced spatial sound codecs, which limits its capabilities in fully reproducing audio effects. The only support for spatial sound is the ability to stream audio to an external device, such as a soundbar, using the Dolby Digital Plus feature.

  • 4K UHD Resolution (3840 x 2160): Provides four times the resolution of Full HD, offering a sharp and clear image with a wealth of detail.

  • α5 AI 4K Gen6 Processor: An advanced processor using artificial intelligence to optimise the quality of image and sound, adjusting them to the content being displayed.

  • HDR10 Pro and HLG: Support for High Dynamic Range technologies such as HDR10 Pro and HLG provides better contrast and more accurate colour reproduction, resulting in a more realistic image.

  • FILMMAKER MODE™: Allows viewing films as intended by the creators, disabling additional image processing and preserving the original aspect ratio, colours, and frame rate.

  • Game Optimizer: Enables quick access to settings optimised for different game genres, ensuring a better gaming experience.

  • webOS 23 Operating System: An intuitive and fast Smart TV system allowing access to popular streaming apps and personalisation of the interface.

  • Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 Connectivity: Provides wireless internet connection and connection to other devices, increasing the functionality of the television.

  • HDMI 2.1 Ports: Three HDMI ports supporting eARC and ALLM, allowing connection of modern devices with fast data transfer and support for advanced features.

  • 20W Sound: 2.0 speaker system with AI Sound technology, offering clear and spatial sound tailored to the content being played.

This limitation is particularly noticeable during TV testing and while watching films in bright daylight, where colours lose their intensity. For users seeking more advanced HDR effects, LG UR781 may prove insufficient, despite the presence of dynamic tone mapping.