My new OLED TV

[Uni]

I got a new 77" LG C1 OLED TV last month, and this thing is absolutely bonkers amazing. The color reproduction is fantastic, but what really sets OLED apart from LCD/LED TVs are the black levels. Having true black gives the picture more contrast and makes it look like it's almost 3D. No blooming and halos around white elements against a dark background also makes the picture cleaner and gives it more pop. Starry skies are rendered as white dots on a pure black background instead of a grayish background. I know the tendency is to shop for high peak brightness, but picture quality is affected most by how well the TV reproduces true black, and no LCD/LED set is able to manage that.

If you are in the market for a new TV, I highly recommend getting an OLED, although they are pricey in comparison. The price break for getting last year's model still put it $1000 over my typical TV budget, so the sticker shock is real. But it was totally worth it for me. I rationalized it as $200 as year for a giant leap in picture quality.

BTW, the terminology is a bit confusing due to marketing. All non-OLED TVs today are LCD panels. The "LED" is a reference to the backlight, not the display tech. So an "LED" TV is really an LCD TV with LED lighting. Some TVs are branded "QLED", where a quantum dot layer helps with color and light. But the panel itself is LCD.

The newest tech is QD-OLED, which is an actual OLED panel with a quantum dot layer to increase brightness. There are only two sets in the market using QD-OLED, a Samsung and a Sony. The Sony model bested all 4K TVs for picture quality, but both max out at 65", which is a deal breaker for me.

[Bob In PA]

Uni: It's clear to me you know your stuff. I wouldn't mind having a 65" version of what you got.

My room is narrow and I think 77" is overkill. The smaller one seems to rate out pretty high. 

But of all the 65" choices, I think I'd rather have the Sony A8H Bravia. Any comments about that one?

Bob

[Uni]

The general consensus is the Sony OLED are better at movies (due to better picture processing algorithms) while the LG are better at sports and gaming (because of the lower latency and multiple 2.1 HDMI ports). However, the Sony sets are priced at a premium, so for many people the difference in movie PQ isn't worth the extra 30%-40% price difference over the LG. Alternately, if you do like the look of the Sony sets, there isn't a world of difference between the two for sports and gaming, so go for it.

As far as optimal screen size, what really matters is how far away you sit from the TV. 65" at 8 feet is optimal while 10 feet moves up to 75". These measurements are based on the largest size that can still be seen without having to scan with your eyes or turn your head, which is another way to say it is immersive. Also, the higher size to distance ratio allows you to see 4K resolution. If you go under, you can't distinguish 1080p from 4K unless you have fighter pilot eyes.

Also note that the closer you are to your set the larger it looks, which is why I never wall mount my TVs. Pushing the set back another 2 feet effectively takes 10" off the perceived screen size.

[LennG]

Gosh, I think it's time I traded in my 'old' TV for something a bit more modern.