LG 40UB800T 40-inch 4K TV review – ultra high definition for under $1000

Fancy a 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) for less than $1000? That’s exactly what you’ll get with LG’s 40-inch 40UB800T smart TV.

Priced at $949, the TV gives you plenty of bang for your buck. Yes it is only 40-inch but it is still a decent size to enjoy your content.

At this size the TV would be ideal for a small room, a bedroom or as a multimedia set-up for gaming and watching movies.

You can even connect it to your computer as a large monitor.

The LG 4K TV has a minimal design and two small stand legs. It also has a thin bezel so your attention is going to be well and truly on the screen.

The LED screen has a 4K Ultra High Definition resolution of 3840 x 2160 – four times the pixels on a full high definition TV – as well as a 100Hz screen refresh rate.

What’s working behind the panel is LG’s Triple XD Engine that provides a high level of image processing for improved colour and clarity.

There’s also TruMotion Technology that combines with the 100Hz screen refresh rate to reduce motion blur when watching sports, action movies and games.

Picture quality was superb with excellent colour and clarity – and that was just watching free-to-air TV which didn’t look too bad on the LG’s 40-inch screen.

On other big-screen 4K TVs free-to-air TV doesn’t exactly showcase these larger screens’ abilities because a standard definition picture was being stretched and pulled in every direction to fit that size.

The LG TV really comes into its own when you watch full high definition content like a Blu-ray Disc.

We watched Guardians of the Galaxy, among a few others, and were impressed by the colour reproduction and the black levels. Contrast was also excellent.

On the upscaling side we had our doubts about how well it would work on a 40-inch. With larger 4K TVs it’s easy to notice the upscaling of full HD content to near 4K quality.

But, to our surprise, the LG’s Ultra HD Upscaling Engine really did the trick. The picture had added clarity, sharper edges on objects and other added detail.

If you’re a gamer you’ll be pleased to know the Gaming Mode lives up to its name with solid graphics performance and hardly any lag.

Lag is a deal breaker for gamers with a split second the difference between a win or a loss but the good news is the LG 40UB800T holds its own in this department.

One disappointment was the absence of LG’s latest web OS software. This TV does have smart TV connectivity as well as wi-fi built in.

What we get with this TV is the older smart TV operating system which still works OK but certainly not as easy to navigate and set up than the more recent web OS.

What you also get with this 40-inch LG 4K TV is the Magic Remote that lets you navigate the screen like you’re holding a computer mouse.

Apart from being a pointer, the Magic Remote also gives you fast access to the menus and a scroll wheel to get to your favourite channel in a flash.

Another convenient feature is Time Machine which allows you to record to a USB drive. Users can even schedule recordings and play, pause and rewind live TV.

On the audio side the speakers aboard the LG TV are good not great which is OK for watching TV but to enhance the experience watching movies or playing games it might be an idea for invest in speakers or a soundbar.

VERDICT

The LG 40-inch 4K 40UB800T proves you don’t have to spend big to enjoy high quality.

It produces excellent picture quality and has the versatility to enjoy movies, games and online content.

And it’s offered at a price that will make this a popular TV choice.

LG 4K 40UB800T

Price: $949