Summary
The LG Nano 81 is a step up from the company’s UHD TVs, but by far it is worst as it has an edge-lit panel and awful local dimming. It’s missing many next-gen features like HDMI 2.1 ports or Dolby Vision display which makes this TV one of those you want to stay away from in order not be disappointed with what you buying into! While there are some redeeming factors about this model such as having WebOS on board for all users who love tech reviewer style reviews (me)and since they come standard with just about every remote out nowadays – I feel kind of lucky sometimes when something works properly without much hassle…
Pros
- WebOS is still great
- Decent upscaling
- Eye-catching design
- Comes with Magic Remote
- Fine viewing angles
Cons
- Limited to 60Hz
- Edge-lit LED panel
- No Dolby Vision or Atmos
- Awful local dimming
- No HDMI 2.1
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
Table of Contents
LG Nanocell 81 Series Overview
The LG Nano 81 is one of those TVs that, if you don’t know what to look for in a TV but it has some really appealing features like HDR support and Dolby Vision compatibility. The problem? This particular set uses edge lighting with awful local dimming which leaves much to be desired–it doesn’t offer the full array panel or native 120Hz refresh rates found on other models within their “Nano Cell” lineup such as VRR functionality either!
The LG Nano 81 is not a complete waste of time and money, but it’s far from perfect. It does sport some advancements in upscaling algorithms that help make your favorite content look better than ever before – even though the Alpha 9 or A7 Gen 3 processor isn’t present inside this TV rendition. Plus there are improved viewing angles for an IPS panel display (which also happens to be eye-catching). So if you can get past these drawbacks then give them consideration!
Long story, short? This is the worst ‘premium’ TV in LG’s lineup. While it’s better than some of their regular 4K UHD TVs and can be a good option for people on a budget or not looking to spend too much money – but if you want high-quality picture performance then go with either an 85″ model like nano85 or 90″.
Price and release date
The 2020 LG TV range is full of new releases, with the Nano Series, in particular, making its debut this year. The three sizes offered are 55 inches ($649), 65″ (£699-around $900 Australian), and 75 inches ($1300). Prices vary according to screen size and country availability but they start at just under 1K USD for a basic model!
The best news here is that we’ve already seen some decent discounts on the LG Nano 81 – it’s down to just $499.99 before Black Friday at retailers like Amazon and will likely remain there, which means these TVs could fall even lower for this coming shopping season!
The LG Nano Series TVs are better than the cheapest models from other brands, but they still aren’t as good for gaming. The next up-in price range is where things start getting more appealing with 120Hz refresh rates and HDMI 2.1 support starting at $699 per TV – this includes 55 inches of screen size!
Design
For all its flaws, it does have a sleek and modern design. The minimalistic bezel on the front face of this TV makes for an aesthetically pleasing look in your lounge or living room while you enjoy streaming shows from Netflix onto one screen with friends rather than sharing across multiple TVs like before! You can even wall-mount them if that suits better as well- who doesn’t love saving space?! Plus these types of screens aren’t too heavy either (if only opting to buy the smaller 55″).
The back of this TV is very packed with ports. There’s four HDMI (version 2) and one USB slot, but what really stands out to me as the most interesting are all these component inputs for cable boxes or other devices not on WiFi!
A native refresh rate lower than 60Hz makes it impossible to take advantage of [email protected] though which leaves me feeling a bit disappointed — especially since they don’t come cheap either ($500).
The bright spot here, however, is that this TV does come with the LG Magic Remote. The remote feels wonderful in your hand and has dedicated buttons for Netflix or Amazon Prime Video but can also be programmed to work through Alexa by holding down on one of these keys – if you’d rather use Google Assistant instead though all we have to do as long as our microphone button which will let us call up anything at any time without having a search online first.
Smart TV
When it comes to the most popular and respected smart TV platforms, LG’s WebOS has easily claimed one of these spots. In terms of usability, responsiveness, and app support – this is a fantastic system!
The load time was nearly non-existent on an average wireless connection as we were able to zip between Netflix or Amazon Prime Video in seconds with both apps loading their respective content at near-instantaneous speeds for those who want instant gratification from streaming services like Netflix or YouTube without having wait through buffering periods; not bad considering how fast things actually load when connected over Wi-Fi instead (which can be quite slow).
The latest WebOS from LG is missing a few fringe services, but you’ll find nearly every major player here including Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. Recent additions include Disney Plus as well as Apple TV+. This means that for those who want access to The Mandalorian or Ted Lasso there’s no shortage of content on their TV!
WebOS has a number of features that make it easy and fun for tech lovers. One such feature is Web-to-TVMirroring, which allows you to cast content from your phone or tablet onto the TV without pairing over Bluetooth! If you have company over when they come into a visit – whether it’s during dinner time where everyone wants to see videos on YouTube at once; if someone drops by unexpectedly (I did this one day) who knows what he might want to download off my laptop…you get how handy this can be with little ones around too.
Picture performance
The LG Nano 81’s picture performance is a bit of an uneven mixture. Full-screen video games and cartoons look great with its wide color gamut, while cinematic films are only viewable due to the lackluster brightness levels as well as terrible local dimming features that cause awkward dark areas in scenes where there should be bright lights shining through buildings or on cars ahead instead.
The backlights on the top and bottom of your screen will be lit, making it hard to see in an all-dark setting. You can set these LEDs down with lower threshold settings but even then they are noticeable unless you turn off image processing entirely or change their color output respectively (though this does reduce contrast).
It’s easy to overlook the TV’s low peak brightness when watching 4K/HDR content like The Mandalorian or any of Netflix original films because they’re not as distracting. However, you may notice it more with your local news in HD where there really isn’t much contrast between lighter areas and darker ones which causes those stunning white backgrounds to stand out even more than normal!
The LG Nano 81 is the only TV in its lineup without support for Dolby Vision, which means you won’t be able to stream shows with more refined color grades or brighter peak brightness. But don’t worry; Netflix and Vudu still offer HDR10 playback no matter what!
The downside of the TV’s lower peak brightness is that SDR content looks great because LG has steadily improved its upscaling algorithm to work well with it. Though they don’t use a processor like Alpha 7 or 9 III, viewing angles are still decently wide and colors will stay saturated no matter where you sit on your couch for around 60 degrees off-axis – even if some screens would lose saturation at other angles due to poor light conditions being behind me (aside from reflections).
The LG Nano is an excellent console companion for gamers who play on PS4 or Xbox One X. With a low input lag of around 10 ms and quick response time, most games we played on the device felt super smooth at 60 frames per second. It’s not so good with next-generation consoles that can output 120 fps gameplay but if you’re playing the current crop of hardware like us then it will be just fine!
Audio performance
There’s nothing revolutionary about the LG Nano 81 when it comes to audio quality, but what you’ll find here is a TV with good sound that pushes dialogue forward and makes for some enjoyable viewing. There are no Dolby Atmos support options or other premium features on offer, which means your experience won’t match up against higher-end models in this department alone – unless of course, your preferred content doesn’t come through an HDMI connection (which many shows do).
I’d say my biggest disappointment was not being able to get spatialized channels from Netflix – something else I usually have access.
Related Articles:
Why should you buy LG Nano 81 4K HDR TV?
- If you want to watch high-quality content, the Sony XBR65X930D may not be your best bet. However, if it’s only HD and SD shows that are important then this TV will do just fine!
- So you’re still planning on sticking with your old consoles? If that’s the case, then I wouldn’t worry about upgrading for a while. The LG Nano 81 offers enough power and does not have any major drawbacks like some of its competitors do so it should be more than sufficient for your gaming needs!
What we don’t like about this product
- The Nano 81 doesn’t have the best light blooming and haloing, but if you notice any of it on your screen when it shouldn’t be there then this TV won’t satisfy your needs. Blame its edge-lit design with poor local dimming features that result in these issues!
- The limitations of this TV are that it can only display at 60Hz and not 120fps for next-gen gamers, or fluid motion handling when watching sports.
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
