LG OLED G4 vs Sony Bravia 9 (XR90)

LG G4 guarantees an incredibly vibrant HDR effect, placing the television firmly at the top of the rankings. The highest model in the manufacturer's 2024 portfolio, equipped with the second generation of microlens technology (MLA), has achieved a maximum brightness level of 1474 nits in real scenes. The only area where the product of the Korean manufacturer may fall short compared to LCD televisions with Mini LED backlighting is during a full-screen scene featuring a lot of white. If we were to disregard the latter scene, the average result would be even higher. It's also worth mentioning scenes with very fine details, where each one shone at full intensity, which is not as evident in non-OLED televisions. The combination of such brightness and wide coverage of the DCI-P3 color space ensures that HDR materials are more engaging than ever before.

The brightness measurement results on the Sony Bravia 9 are phenomenal. Each scene achieves well over 1500 nits, and while watching movies, the TV can sometimes shine even brighter. It goes without saying that such brightness allows for unprecedented experiences and engagement with video material at the highest possible quality. With a high coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, the image is full of colours and, combined with such high luminance, it practically breathes. Thanks to the high peak brightness, viewers can enjoy the full spectrum of colours even in the most difficult scenes, such as those based on dynamic lighting changes. The Bravia 9 supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats, which further enhances the viewing experience.

The best factory mode in terms of colour reproduction was "Filmmaker". This is the one we used during our tests. Let's check how its characteristics looked before the calibration process. Taking a closer look at the white balance first, we can notice a significant dominance of red and green colour. As a result, the image had a warm yellow tint. This is the kind of characteristic we usually observe in "Cinema", "Filmmaker", or similarly named modes. The effect of such a colour balance was clearly visible in both SDR and HDR content, which, after switching from "Standard" mode, was distinctly yellowed. Now let's move on to two graphs that are responsible for brightness characteristics, and consequently, image contrast. The first one (Gamma), representing materials with a standard colour palette, performed decently. For most of the time, the midtones and bright whites were represented very accurately, however, it noticeably lost the darkest details which blended into a black patch. On the other hand, HDR materials, represented by the EOTF curve graph, exhibited a significant drop in contrast due to a strong boost in brightness. There was also an issue with the colours themselves as seen on the "ColorChecker" graph since they were noticeably undersaturated.

The best factory mode on Sony televisions has remained "IMAX Enhanced" for years. This is what we used throughout the entire testing procedure. Despite being the closest to the reference compared to other predefined options, it has a number of aspects that can be improved to make viewing even more enjoyable. When we look at the gamma in SDR materials, we notice quite a significant boost that is related to over-contrasting the image. It is worth noting that the very beginning of the graph has an even greater spike compared to the reference, which leads to the merging of details in the blacks, creating a uniform blob. The EOTF curve in HDR content looked quite accurate and only showed slight deviations from the reference. However, a common characteristic for both was: a greenish tint in the white balance, issues with greys, and general colour misalignment. The most noticeable issue was related to the uneven distribution of colours in the white balance. Due to the excess of the aforementioned colour, the image was covered with an unpleasant greenish tint.

The manufacturer has been implementing extensive support for the calibration process in their LG televisions for many years. Therefore, we used 2- and 20-point grey scale adjustments along with an advanced CMS (Color Management System) and got to work. As you can see, thanks to the procedure carried out, each of the parameters has significantly improved. The use of tools has resulted in extremely beneficial effects, which include: studio colour reproduction, recovery of details in dark areas of the image, appropriate brightness characteristics, and proper colour saturation. Thus, we have maximised our approach to the reference image, or the one that the film director saw on the preview monitor. It is worth noting that the LG G4 televisions are the only ones that allow for even deeper intervention in image quality due to the capability to calibrate with 3D LUT matrices. However, this solution is recommended only for post-production or graphic studios.

The colour reproduction after the calibration process should be regarded as excellent. Regardless of the signal, whether it's SDR or HDR, we can expect an image incredibly close to what the film director saw. Practically every image flaw has been modelled and maximally improved. This was made possible by the advanced tools used for the calibration process, which Sony has provided in its televisions for years, including 2- and 20-point grey scale adjustment and a very elaborate CMS.

The tested television did not perform well with content rich in tonal transitions, resulting in a strong posterisation effect. However, there is a partial remedy for this ailment. The manufacturer has equipped the LG G4 with a smoothing system called "Gentle Gradation," which we can apply at three levels: Low, Medium, and High. Each of these options guarantees quite high smoothing effectiveness on bright colours, though low on darker ones. We recommend primarily using the first one due to the fact that the other two interfere with directorial intentions, removing film grain.

When watching lower-quality content, the efficiency of the television during upscaling is extremely important. The image from the tested television is sharp and clear. However, attention should be paid to the jagged edges of fine details and minor issues around characters, such as the creation of a halo effect, which occurs due to the sharpening imposed by the LG G4 even when the slider is set to the lowest value, which is 0. It is worth noting that this is a change in relation to the LG G3, which did not impose such strong image sharpening, even when the appropriate slider was set to position 0.

Let's take another look at the quality of tonal transitions, but this time we will analyse the quality of image scaling, which will be crucial when watching lower quality materials. We'll start with the function responsible for the quality of tonal transitions. While they are quite average by default, after activating the option, even at the smallest degree, we can confidently say that these are some of the better ones we've seen. You can confidently enable this function, as it does not cause any negative phenomena, such as grain blur.

Sony has been boasting for several years that its "XR" processor is unmatched when it comes to image scaling. And it's not hard for us to believe that, because the image is indeed incredibly sharp, yet very natural.

The maximum refresh rate that we can set on the LG G4 is 144 Hz. Naturally, this is only possible by connecting the LG G4 to a very powerful PC. Otherwise, we will be operating at a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, which is recommended if we primarily want to watch sports or content with high motion dynamics. For those who require high fluidity of image, the manufacturer has implemented a multi-level motion smoother called "TrueMotion". It has been divided into two separate sliders that adjust the sharpness of moving images (De-Blur) and judder (De-Judder). Both sliders can be set in the range from 0 to 10, with each increment affecting the degree of smoothing, so everyone can find their sweet spot.

The LG OLED G4 panel features an average response time of 0.78 ms (which directly results from our measurements), allowing for an incredibly clear image, unattainable by LCD televisions, which have response times of even several milliseconds. This is clearly visible in the "UFO Test" images, showing the absence of any trailing blur behind the object. Furthermore, the LG OLED G4 test showed that the television offers the ability to precisely adjust motion smoothing functionality, allowing users to choose the ideal level of image interpolation. We particularly appreciated this during fast-paced action in video games, where the LG G4 performed exceptionally well, minimising any blurriness. Thanks to OLED technology, this model eliminates so-called ghosting, ensuring that the image remains sharp even in the most dynamic sports or movie scenes.

The maximum refresh rate of the Sony Bravia 9 is 120 Hz. This is the essential minimum for watching primarily sports or content that has a lot of movement dynamics while maintaining a sharp and smooth image. For demanding users, the manufacturer has implemented a very advanced smoothing system, which is divided into three segments: Smoothness (Film), Smoothness (Camera), and Clarity. The first two correspond to: blur degree and smoothing degree, respectively. The third option will be described in more detail below. Additionally, we can adjust all settings to various levels, each of which will have an effect, ensuring that we can find our very own sweet spot. In the photo, we present a setting with slight smoothing, without the soap opera effect.

The LG G4 television supports all features that make up the HDMI 2.1 standard. During testing, each feature activated without any issues, which allows us to consider the television as designed for gaming. Its performance will certainly be appreciated by both console users and those connecting the LG G4 to a computer. It’s also worth mentioning the proper implementation of the HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) mode, which ensures that games mastered to brightness levels beyond the maximum luminance of the LG G4 will correctly map tones, keeping the game image true to the original.

A nice touch is the presence of a special GameBar that we can bring up at any moment to check game parameters, but most importantly, to change them quickly. More importantly, turning on VRR technology does not degrade contrast, which is often a problem in televisions with local dimming or Mini LED backlighting. Of course, this is thanks to the OLED panel itself, characterised by pixel self-emissiveness. As a journalistic note, we will only mention a slight grey flicker, which, however, is somewhat normal when VRR is enabled.

In summary, the LG G4, like practically all OLED televisions, is an ideal product for all kinds of gaming and online competitions. With full HDMI 2.1 ports with a complete bandwidth of 48 Gbit, features such as VRR, ALLM, G-Sync, FreeSync, or HDR Dolby Vision gameplay will bring a lot of joy.

The Sony Bravia 9 television is equipped with four HDMI ports. However, somewhat incomprehensibly for this class of device, only two of them operate in the 2.1 standard. Nevertheless, it shouldn't be taken away that almost all features work excellently and do not cause any negative feelings upon being activated. Games operating in either HDR10 or Dolby Vision have a very short input lag, allowing for a very comfortable session with the title. A consolation remains in the good implementation of the HGIG mode, which after proper tuning does not deviate significantly from Dolby Vision.

A year ago, Sony added to its televisions what has been standard for some manufacturers for years. This is, of course, the GameBar, allowing for quick adjustment of settings without the need to exit the game. The implementation of this feature was successful and works very smoothly. We have been provided with conveniences such as: crosshair grid, black level correction, and the ability to reduce the screen to the proportions of gaming monitors.

Sony Bravia 9 will certainly find its group of fans, most likely among PlayStation enthusiasts. Here, we must admit that this will be the most sensible choice, as in practice both the console and the television have exactly the same capabilities. However, looking more broadly, aside from issues with Dolby Vision in games, one cannot deny that the Bravia 9 is a very good television in the context of gaming.