- VERDICT
The LG Mini LED QNED91 4K smart TV has moved out of the shadow of the LG OLED models and can hold their own in the market and compete against like-for-like competitors on the market. The QNED91 provides admirable picture quality and the speed and smarts to keep customers well and truly informed and entertained.
LG is already well known for its OLED TVs – a technology it has mastered ahead of other brands – but the company also competes with its range of QNED Mini LED TVs.
Tech Guide took a look at the LG 65-inch Mini LED QNED91 4K Smart TV – available now for $2,999.
It is also available in 75-inch ($3,999) and 86-inch ($5,499).
The two big advancements LG has made include the speed and intelligence of the TV and the stunning picture quality.
Under the hood is the A8 (alpha 8) AI Processor 4K which does all the heavy lifting when it comes optimising image quality and audio as well as navigating the webOS interface.
Customers buying the new LG QNED TV will be suitably impressed by the speed of the LG TV – it will be a lot faster than their previous TV.
The LG QNED TV uses both Quantum Dot and NanoCell technology which combine delightfully to provide stunning, vibrant and natural colour.
And that’s also backed by precision backlighting using mini LED which creates thousands of zones on the screen which can be dimmed and brightened to create a truly impressive image.
We all know LG OLED TVs are famous for producing the deepest and purest black levels, but the LG QNED TV more than holds its own to provide nice inky blacks as well.
The result is impeccable 4K picture quality which makes your content come alive.
This is where the AI picture pro comes into play.
It can use AI processing to adjust skin tones and the colours of other objects in real time, so you see even sharper definition as well as add a depth to the image.
And the beauty of this system is that it does it so naturally without making it look animated or cartoonish.
The LG QNED91 has Dolby Vision and HDR10 on board which makes 4K really pop with not only vivid and stunning colour but remarkable contrast and detail in even the darker areas of the screen.
The quality is evident when watching 4K of a physical disc or through streaming services.
We are well known for our love of physical media and that will be always our preference to extract even more quality from the movie.
And the LG QNED TV showcased it brilliantly. We were able to enjoy that higher colour bit rate that discs provide and that the TV absolutely lapped up and presented it to us in sumptuous quality.
But that’s not to say 4K streaming doesn’t offer a great experience.
The LG TV stepped in at that time and pumped up the quality with its AI Super Upscaling to make it almost look as good as if it was coming off a disc.
We realise more people don’t go to the trouble of having an external 4K player and purchasing discs.
The good thing for customers who are leaning into the streaming services is that LG doesn’t discriminate on where your content comes from.
Its main focus is to deliver the best possible picture, and it succeeds admirably.
Naturally, the LG TV is great for watching sport and playing your favourite games.
The LG TV has a 120Hz native refresh rate and it looked great when we were watching sport and high-paced action movies.
Gamers will really make the most of the LG QNED TV thanks to built-in features like FreeSync and VRR (variable refresh rate).
It even has a Game Dashboard which allows you to adjust the settings during gameplay quickly and easily.
Our one and only issue with the TV was the reflections which occasionally marred our viewing.
Not a deal breaker but if it’s in a bright room you will notice subtle reflections
Sound is another important factor in the enjoyment of your home entertainment and LG has not cut any corners to deliver sound that is optimised to the room where you’re watching.
The TV uses AI to tune the TV to your space whether it’s a large open plan area or a small living space.
With Adaptive Sound Mode the TV can also adapt to the content on the screen so you’re hearing clear voices, music and other effects as they are meant to sound.
We were impressed with the clarity of the dialogue which will appeal to many customers who have complained about not being able to hear the actors speak over the other sounds.
The LG QNED TV has 9.1.2 virtual surround sound mix by AI Sound Pro along with Dolby Atmos on board which offers 3D like sound in the room.
Dolby Atmos sounds works best in a larger room and you can hear sound coming from several directions at the same time when watching compatible content on 4K discs and via streaming services.
This was respectable but it’s not going to beat having a multi-speaker home theatre setup or a soundbar.
Another star feature of the TV is LG’s webOS interface rich brings all your streaming services to your fingertips.
It can recommend content based on what you’ve watched and show you the hottest new programmes and suggestions.
It’s also pretty zippy and, with the Magic Remote and its cursor, you can find your way around in seconds.
LG has introduced the webOS Re:New Program which means customers will receive four system upgrades over a five year.
So in total you’ll see five versions of webOS including the version which was installed on the TV when you bought it.
This is a great move because one of the frustrations of buying a TV is that you’re stuck with the version you got with the TV and there was no scope to run upgrades as you would on a smartphone. Not anymore.
The LG Mini LED QNED91 4K Smart TV is available now.
VERDICT
The LG Mini LED QNED91 4K smart TV has moved out of the shadow of the LG OLED models and can hold their own in the market and compete against like-for-like competitors on the market. The QNED91 provides admirable picture quality and the speed and smarts to keep customers well and truly informed and entertained.
