LG Electronics seems intent on claiming the reputation as the premiere display technology innovator. With industry-leading OLED televisions on one front and rapid advancement of its Quantum Dot NanoCell (QNED) LCD lineup on the other, consumers have an exciting yet potentially confusing array of options when shopping LG‘s premium TVs.
This guide will decode the crucial differences between LG G3 self-emissive OLEDs unveiled at CES 2023 and the brand‘s latest rev of zone-controlled QNED mini LED LCDs. After exploring how these rival flagship technologies work behind-the-scenes, we will compare critical performance metrics like brightness, contrast, motion handling and gaming prowess. Arm yourself with facts so you can determine whether OLED or mini LED LCD represents the best TV path forward in LG’s formidable fleet.
Demystifying Self-Emissive OLED and NanoCell Mini LED TVs
Before evaluating LG’s top-shelf 2023 model lines, let’s demystify what makes OLED and QNED tick from display science perspective:
OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode. Unlike conventional LCD televisions that require an LED backlight and quantum dot filter, each OLED pixel contains red, green and blue emissive elements that light up independently without a backlight. By powering off individual OLED pixels, they achieve “infinite” contrast with utter black next to bright regions.
QNED represents LG’s proprietary meshing of quantum dots and NanoCell technology in their premium LCD LED backlit televisions. The “Q” quantum dots function as advanced color filters while integrated “Nano” particles enhance viewing angles and black levels. For backlighting, LG QNED sets utilize precision mini LED lighting zones capable of intensely bright yet locally dimmed imagery.
In a nutshell:
- OLED excels at per-pixel light precision resulting in stellar contrast/blacks
- QNED leverages locally dimmed mini LED backlights allowing ultra-vivid image highlights
Now equipped with more fundamental knowledge, let’s explore how LG’s best-in-class 2023 model lines compare…
Introducing the Gallery Design G3 OLED TV Series
LG G3 OLED TVs unveiled at this year‘s CES showcase the new “OLED evo” panel equipped with innovative Micro Lens Array technology promising up to 70% higher peak brightness compared to last year’s G2 series. Beauty and brawn combine in these svelte self-lit screens loaded with processing power.
Brighter OLED Evo Panel – Micro Lens Array optical film dramatically improves light throughput allowing over 1000 nits in High Dynamic Range content.
α9 Gen6 AI Processor – LG’s latest 6th generation chip leverages deep learning to optimize every scene.
Gaming – 4x HDMI 2.1 inputs enable 4K/120Hz gameplay with VRR and ALLM supported.
webOS 23 – Refined smart platform with personalization plus smarter voice control.
Available in 55 to enormous 97-inch class dimensions, this paramount line demands a premium which we’ll analyze later. Given the luminal output improvements, LG G3 establishes highly competitive brightness capabilities compared to rival self-emissive and LED-backlit displays.
Presenting the Pinnacle QNED Mini LED TV Series
While not garnering quite as much buzz as their glitzy OLED cousins, LG’s Noble Prize winning quantum dot NanoCell TV technology contained within the QNED family certainly deserves attention. These (mostly) 8K resolution LCD LED televisions blend advanced backlight systems with color-enhancing quantum filters across generously sized screens.
The QNED99 reigns supreme as LG’s most advanced 2023 LCD LED, while the QNED90 delivers similar performance levels in 4K resolution instead of 8K. Both leverage precisely dimmed mini LED backlights capable of intensely bright yet inky dark visuals. For shoppers sacrificing a slight degree of performance for greater affordability, the QNED85 and QNED80 series brings nearly the same viewing pleasures using less sophisticated full array LED backlight systems.
Quantum Dot NanoCell Panel – Over 1 billion rich colors served with expanded contrast and clarity.
Mini LED FALD Backlight – Thousands of tiny LEDs enable ultra-precise local backlight dimming across over 2500 zones.
AI Picture Pro 5.0 – Adaptive algorithms custom tailor color, contrast and clarity to content.
NextGen Gaming – 4K/120Hz inputs match Xbox Series X and PS5 alongside auto low latency modes.
Spanning up to cinema-sized 86-inch scale, LG QNEDs set a high bar for LED LCD imagery though at equally tremendous prices.
LG G3 vs QNED – Picture Quality Showdown
Given their roots stemming from vastly different television foundations centered around OLED and LCD LED display technology, just how do the video imaging capabilities of the LG G3 and QNED model lines measure up? Highly regarded television testing outlet Rtings.com helps provide context around the key performance differences based on lab measurements and hands-on evaluation.
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| Picture Quality Characteristics | LG G3 OLED | LG QNED Mini LED LCD |
|---|---|---|
| Black Uniformity | Excellent | Good |
| Contrast Ratio | Virtually Infinite | Very High |
| Peak Brightness (SDR) | 660 cd/m2 | 1,100+ cd/m2 |
| Peak Brightness (HDR) | Over 1000 cd/m2 | Near 2000 cd/m2 |
| Gray Uniformity | Excellent | Very Good |
| Color Gamut | Extremely Wide | Extremely Wide |
| Viewing Angle | Perfect | Very Good |
Summarizing the charter above:
☑️ OLED wins contrast – Perfect black levels result in virtually infinite contrast that no LED LCD can match. Inky dark shadow details stand out beautifully against vibrant colors and whites with no backlight bleed evident on OLED.
☑️ QNED wins peak brightness – Massively parallel mini LED backlights with over 2500 local dimming zones on the QNED 99 allow astonishing brightness up to 2000 nits in high dynamic range content. Some clipping in extremely bright regions can occasionally occur however.
☑️ OLED excels off-angle – While modern LCD TVs have greatly improved viewing angles with NanoCell filtering, OLED continues to provide a perfectly uniform picture regardless of seating position since each pixel emits its own light.
☑️ Colors and motion similar top-tier – The latest quantum dot and OLED panel technologies deliver exceptionally wide and accurate color. Refresh rates up to 4K/120Hz also ensure smooth clarity during fast action scenes.
In summary, while the LG’s QNED flagship theoretically can output 2-3x higher peak brightness compared to even the upgraded G3 OLED series, only the OLED can descendant to perfect 0 nit full black levels. Ultimately both represent gorgeous showpieces sure to stun and satisfy die-hard home theater enthusiasts.
Gaming Greatness: LG‘s Flagships Deliver
Given one connects a powerful next generation video game console from Xbox or Playstation, how well do these premium LG television shine when it comes to gaming? Quite brilliantly based on their cutting-edge specs and input performance.
Both the LG G3 OLED and range-topping LG QNED Mini LED models support the trifecta of key gaming features comprising:
✅ Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) – Enables dynamic sync between TV and console frame rates for tear-free imaging.
✅ Auto Low Latent Mode (ALLM) – Automatically switches to fast responding game mode.
✅ AMD FreeSync Premium – Adaptive refresh rate aligned with AMD graphics cards.
Input lag measured under 15ms for both flagship options also proves extremely responsive. While the QNED models rate a few milliseconds faster on paper, even picky gamers will agree both premium LG TV technologies offer exemplary and equal gaming prowess. Considering many 2023 model QNED and G3 choices exceed $3000, we recommend gamers craving next-gen performance on a budget check out LG’s excellent C3 OLED lineup.
LG webOS Smart Platform
While picture and sound qualify most important for premium shoppers, LG’s webOS smart platform common across these high-end lines merits mention. Both the G3 OLED and newest QNED TVs feature intuitive webOS software providing speedy access to popular streaming services and cable/satellite media.
LG‘s 2023 G3 series steps up to the refined webOS 23 release with a modern customizable interface and multi-user profile support. Sitting one generation behind for now, the QNED family utilizes webOS 22 which shares the same core functionality just without the expanded home screen personalization capabilities. Since LG tends to rapidly propagate webOS updates across new models regardless of display technology, expect the QNED series to inherit the webOS 23 personalized goodness soon.
Key shared webOS features helpful for cord-cutting streamers include:
🔹 Integrated voice assistants (Google, Alexa, LG ThinQ AI)
🔹 Universal search across apps
🔹 LG Channels streaming TV
🔹 Smart home device control
For the ultimate streaming experience, consumers may want to pair the TV with an external media device like the Nvidia Shield, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV. But LG‘s webOS smart platform stays highly competitive able to handle most typical over-the-top streaming needs.
Cost Considerations – Flagship Premium Pricing
Delivering world-class innovation centered around self-emitting OLED panels and quantum dot color-enhanced LCD displays with discrete LED backlighting zones does not come cheap. And LG passes these engineering investments along charging four-figure premiums for their best-in-class televisions. Costs only accelerate as screen sizes expand.
LG G3 OLED Pricing
| Size | MSRP |
|---|---|
| 55" | $1800 |
| 65" | $2500 |
| 77" | $4000 |
| 83" | $6000 |
LG QNED Mini LED Pricing
| Series | 65" | 75" | 86" |
|---|---|---|---|
| QNED99 | $3500 | $5000 | $8000 |
| QNED95 | $3000 | $4000 | $6000 |
| QNED90 | $2500 | $3500 | $5500 |
Reviewing the grids above, we see the 65-inch G3 OLED debuts at $2500 vs $3500 for the equal-sized QNED99 8K LCD – that‘s a $1000 difference. Yet as anticipated, costs scale higher the larger the television. Take the case of the range-topping 86-inch QNED Mini LED stickering more than double the price of a 77-inch G3 OLED.
Of course, savvy shoppers avoid MSRP allowing popular seasonal sales promotions to trim hundreds off. But even when factoring typical 15-25% discounts, buyers must prepare for sizeable outlays purchasing LG’s pinnacle models. Those with tighter budgets find refuge dropping down to LG‘s impressive A2 OLED series or lower-tier NanoCell LCD lineups.
Smarts Add OLED vs Mini LED To Your Shortlist
Given the cornucopia of confusing model numbers and display jargon, hopefully this guide provides clarity regarding how LG’s best OLED and leading-edge Mini LED QNED technologies compare. While both deliver superlative home theater viewing matching the finest televisions in the industry, each takes a different high-tech path towards display perfection.
OLED remains unmatched when it comes to infinite blacks and contrast. Yet the newest QNED lineup armed with quantum color and mini LED backlights unlock thermonuclear brightness peaks up to 2000 nits. Ultimately personal preferences around ideal picture vibrancy and realistic color/contrast reproduction dominate. Good news is that buyers seeking the pinnacle will thrill in the performance either way. Add LG’s gorgeous thin-bezel gallery styling into the decision matrix, and suddenly stringing both TV types on your shortlist seems the smart move.
For dedicated videophiles and gamers with cash to burn seeking future-proof screen technology, put these awesome LG flagship televisions atop shopping lists. Our advice comes down to this: desire the deepest darkest blacks? Choose OLED. Prefer sensational specular highlights? Pick QNED. Really want it all? Then buy one of each!
