- Matching (Score)
- Our verdict
- Competing TVs
- TV appearance
- Where to buy
- Contrast and black detail
- HDR effect quality
- Factory color reproduction
- Color reproduction after calibration
- Smoothness of tonal transitions
- Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
- Blur and motion smoothness
- Console compatibility and gaming features
- Input lag
- Compatibility with PC
- Viewing angles
- Daytime performance
- TV features
- Apps
- Playing files from USB
- Sound
- Panel details
LG QNED80A6A (VA) Review
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Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 60Hz Brand: LG Resolution: 3840x2160 System: WebOS Model year: 2025
Let's start with what we are dealing with. The LG QNED80A6A is a model that opens the portfolio of the QNED series for 2025. This is not equipment meant to compete with flagship OLEDs, but rather a proposal aimed at being sensible – it's a construction from the "affordable" segment that is meant to carve out its place in the dense thicket of inexpensive LCD TVs. In this segment, the competition is enormous, and customers are becoming more demanding. The key question is: have LG's engineers succeeded in creating a product that, while being relatively inexpensive, remains a recommended and pleasant device for everyday use? We decided to check this by taking a look at the LG QNED80A6A model equipped with a VA panel. Enjoy the reading.
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Our verdict
6.2
Overall rating
Looking at the QNED80A in its VA version as a whole, we are dealing with a television that has a very specific character. It's a device that movie lovers who enjoy evening screenings seeking savings will like, as long as... they accept certain shortcomings. We get truly solid blacks and contrast here, but we pay for it with narrow viewing angles. Let's not hide it: this television is for those who have their favorite spot in the middle of the couch. Of course, you can feel some budget cuts here – the 60Hz panel or edge dimming, which sometimes struggles in difficult scenes, are elements that remind us this is not the highest-end television. However, LG cleverly compensates for these hardware shortcomings with excellent software. It's almost surprising how well this television handles pulling details in HDR or upscaling lower quality cable materials – the processor does a great job making the picture look more expensive than it actually is. When we add to that the great WebOS system and gaming features that, despite the lack of 120Hz, still manage to impress, we end up with a very successful screen for home cinema. It requires some understanding, but in return, it rewards you with a truly vivid image at an affordable price.
Advantages
High native contrast (over 6000:1) providing deep blacks in movies
Excellent color saturation (DCI-P3 coverage above 90%) thanks to PFS technology (QNED).
Good detail reproduction in HDR
Outstanding WebOS 25 system – fast, intuitive, and guaranteed updates
Magic Remote included – cursor control
Effective upscaling and smooth tone transition function
Decent gaming features (VRR, ALLM, HGiG), despite the 60Hz panel
Low input lag
Smooth tone transitions – no visible "stepping" in color gradients
Good font readability when connected to a PC (sharp text).
Disadvantages
Narrow viewing angles – the image loses quality when viewed from the side
Aggressive local dimming – in difficult scenes, it causes visible blooming.
60Hz panel
No support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+
Average brightness
Flat sound lacking bass – a soundbar is recommended
Movies and series in UHD quality6.3
Classic TV, YouTube6.5
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)5.5
Gaming on console7.0
TV as a computer monitor5.8
Watching in bright light4.4
Utility functions6.8
Apps9.1
Sound quality6.0
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LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Competing TVs in this price range
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 3 x HDMI 2.0, 0 x HDMI 2.1 Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Good
Stand type: Legs
Bezel color: Graphite
Stand: Fixed
Flat design: Yes
Accessories: Stand
Although the QNED80A is positioned as an affordable piece of equipment, its appearance absolutely does not reveal that. The television is made quite carefully, and the slender frames around the screen in classic black add elegance to it. It must be said honestly – it is made of plastic, and if we approach very close, we can see the difference compared to the more expensive, more "premium" QNED series. However, let's agree: sitting on the couch, a few meters away from the receiver, this is completely unnoticeable and does not spoil the aesthetics of the living room at all. A big plus is the shape of the device itself. The design is flat enough that the television looks great mounted on the wall – it lies quite closely to it, not sticking out excessively from the mount. However, we have one user-related observation: the back of the casing lacks an advanced cable management system. If you plan to connect several devices, you must consider that taming the resulting tangle of cables will require some ingenuity, as the television itself does not make this task any easier.
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LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Contrast and black detail
6.3/10
Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 6 (1 x 6)
Result
24,550:1
Result
7,900:1
Result
22,150:1
Result
6,700:1
Result
5,550:1
Visibility of details in the lights:
The model we tested with a 55-inch diagonal is equipped with a VA panel. And here we have great news: this is a significant advantage over the IPS version, if you care about deep blacks and a rich image. Our measurements showed that in typical film scenes, the native contrast is really solid, exceeding values of 6000:1. In practice, this means that black is black, not gray, which works very well for occasional evening viewing and is not annoying. However, it’s interesting to note the moments when our measuring devices indicated contrast levels exceeding 20 000:1. What caused such a jump? The LG QNED80A is equipped with a Local Dimming system. However, this is an edge-lit configuration. This means that the TV can dim vertical strips of backlighting where the image is supposed to be dark. In theory, this sounds great and actually allows for better numbers in charts than in a classic LCD screen. Unfortunately, reality can be brutal. The use of edge dimming is a double-edged sword that can spoil the film experience in difficult scenes. An ideal example is the helicopter scene in the movie Sicario 2. When the screen has a lot of black and small, bright spots, the dimming system starts to work very aggressively and... not very precisely. You can clearly see how entire vertical strips of the screen brighten and dim, trying to keep up with the object. Instead of deep black, we see blooming, which simply looks bad and strongly distracts from the plot. Although the dimming system improves measurable contrast, in everyday use – especially with the lights off – its aggressive operation can be annoying. Often, a better solution may turn out to be... turning off this function or setting it to a minimum, to enjoy the stable, natural black of the VA panel itself.
Halo effect and black detail visibility:
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - HDR effect quality
4.6/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 93.4%, Bt.2020: 73.1%
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
354 nit
Result
335 nit
Result
354 nit
Result
301 nit
Result
271 nit
Let's talk now about how this TV shines. If you expect dazzling light effects, we need to cool your enthusiasm. The LG QNED80A is a moderately bright television. Our measurements in most movie scenes indicated values around 350-400 nits. That's not enough to speak of a full, cinematic HDR experience and the sense of that famous "high dynamic range" that flagship products offer. However, brightness is not everything. Although the QNED80A is not a "light monster," it makes up for it in another key category: colors. Here, the PFS technology comes into play, which LG marketers hide under the name QNED/NanoCell. Thanks to this process, the TV offers a significantly wider color palette than classic LCD designs. In our tests, the coverage of the cinematic DCI-P3 palette reached a solid 93-94%. What does this mean for you? That even at lower brightness, when watching movies in HDR, the colors will be vivid, deep, and properly saturated. The image is not washed out but lush, which is a significant advantage in this price range.
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
So how does one actually watch HDR movies on the QNED80A? Here we have to surprise you – it's surprisingly good. Although "on paper" the TV doesn't have the specifications that would make it a king of HDR, in reality, it performs exceedingly well. The key to its success turned out to be the excellently implemented dynamic tone mapping feature. It's these algorithms that ensure that even on such a moderately bright screen, the image does not lose details. Whether we are watching extremely demanding scenes from the movie "Pan" or the visually distinctive Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, the TV never once got "lost." Instead of white, burnt-out spots, we still saw textures and details in the brightest parts of the image. Of course, one must remember about physics – a viewing session on the QNED80A won't blind you with brightness. However, thanks to efficient electronics, the image is complete, detailed, and simply very attractive to perceive, which is by no means a given in this class of equipment.
HDR luminance chart:
HDR luminance
We also need to mention a certain deficiency in the supported formats. The LG QNED80A does not include support for dynamic metadata – it doesn't have either Dolby Vision or HDR10+. Theoretically, this is a significant loss. Why? Because TVs with moderate brightness (like this one) gain the most from these formats, which "instruct" the screen scene by scene on how to display the image to extract the maximum from it. Nevertheless, we wouldn't dismiss this model for that reason. As we mentioned in the paragraph above, the excellent electronics save the situation here. The dynamic tone mapping feature (activated in the menu) works efficiently enough that it takes a "standard" HDR10 signal and processes it on the fly, simulating the effect of dynamic metadata. The movies look attractive enough that the average viewer probably won't even notice the lack of the "Dolby Vision" logo in the corner of the screen.
Static HDR10
Factory color reproduction
4.4/10
It might seem that since the QNED80A is one model, it should offer the same picture regardless of the version. However, practice shows something completely different. Analyzing the variant with a VA panel in the best factory setting – that is, in Filmmaker Mode – we noticed a specific characteristic. This TV “out of the box” serves us a picture with a clear dominance of red and a deficiency of blue. The overall image is very warm, almost hot. Many users might describe this as a “too cinematic” image, approaching sepia. Additionally, there's the issue of the gamma curve – the TV tends to slightly, artificially brighten scenes (the gamma is too low), causing the picture to lose some of its plasticity. The good news is that these are not flaws of the panel, but merely of the software. As always in our tests, we carried out a professional calibration, which completely eliminated these shortcomings, restoring the natural white balance and correct saturation.
Color reproduction after calibration
7.5/10
Was it worth spending time on calibration? Definitely yes. We managed to tame the initially too warm white balance and, most importantly, correct the gamma curve. The TV stopped artificially brightening scenes, which added depth to the image. The biggest improvement is visible in SDR content, meaning when watching regular television, YouTube, or in games without HDR. Here, the QNED80A shows its class – color reproduction errors (DeltaE) dropped below a value of 2. In technical terms, this means that the errors are practically unnoticeable to the human eye. The image in everyday use has simply become very attractive, natural, and correct. The difficulties begin with HDR content. Even though we managed to improve the white balance, the EOTF curve graph (responsible for brightness at various levels) shows that the TV still "interprets" the image in its own way. This is due to the nature of the edge-lit local dimming used and the fact that LG gives the calibrator a very limited range of control over this parameter. In short: the TV struggles to hide its hardware shortcomings, sometimes ignoring our commands. Nevertheless, the final image is much more accurate and pleasant to the eye than in factory settings, even if it still falls short of studio ideal.
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Smoothness of tonal transitions
9.2/10
We also have excellent news for those sensitive to digital artifacts. Regardless of which version of the panel you encounter, the LG QNED80A handles gradation, or the smooth blending of colors, exceptionally well. In this price range, it is often the case that instead of a smooth transition (e.g., from light sky blue to navy), we see ugly, separate stripes. Here, this problem practically does not occur. In our tests, both in very bright parts of the image (like sunsets) and in difficult, dark shades of gray, the picture remained uniform and natural. We did not notice the annoying "banding" effect or distinct lines connecting colors.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
7/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
In this category, the QNED80A proves to be a real "dark horse." It's a fantastic, affordable television for those who often watch lower quality materials – for example, from traditional cable TV. The processor used here handles upscaling exceptionally well, meaning it enhances low resolution to native 4K. The image after processing is natural, smooth, and most importantly – not overly jagged or artificially sharpened. In the menu, we also find a dedicated option for smoothing tonal transitions in low-quality material. This feature works really effectively, eliminating the annoying "banding" of colors in heavily compressed video. However, we must remain vigilant. Remember that we are not dealing with a top-tier processor known from flagship OLED models. In more challenging scenes, the system may struggle and introduce minor artifacts or distortions. Nevertheless, it's definitely worth giving this feature a chance, as in most cases, the improvement in quality is noticeable to the naked eye.
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Blur and motion smoothness
4.8/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 60Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: No
BFI function 60Hz: No
BFI function 120Hz: No
We move on to a matter that may be decisive for many. Unfortunately, here we must point out the biggest "Achilles' heel" of the QNED80A model. This TV is equipped with a panel that has a native refresh rate of 60Hz. There's no point in hiding it – at this price, we expected more because we know that Chinese manufacturers can offer 120Hz screens for similar money. Due to this parameter, dynamic scenes in sports or fast-paced games are not the strong suit of this screen. Fortunately, LG has equipped the TV with a proven smoothing system called TruMotion. It works quite well with film material (24 frames). We suggest playing around with the De-Judder slider – from our experience, setting it in the range of 2-4 provides the best compromise: motion becomes smoother while still looking natural, without the artificial "TV theater" effect.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
However, the situation becomes very interesting when we look at ghosting. Theoretically, VA matrices are worse in this regard (slower). However, the QNED80A defies the laws of physics. Although none of the variants of this model has a speed demon under the hood, the VA version exhibits slightly less, less annoying ghosting than its IPS counterpart. Moving objects are clearer, which is a pleasant surprise.
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Console compatibility and gaming features
6/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 60Hz
Dolby Vision Game Mode:
No - Correct implementation of HGIG:
Yes
- 1080p@120Hz:
No
- 1440p@120Hz:
No
- 4K@120Hz:
No
- Game bar:
Yes
Since we have established that the QNED80A is a 60Hz panel television, we must say it directly: we will not be playing here at 120 frames per second in any resolution. Does this disqualify the device in the eyes of gamers? Not necessarily, especially for "casual" gamers. LG has decided to sweeten this technical limitation by packing in quite a few useful features. We have support for VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) ranging from 48-60Hz and an automatic game mode ALLM, which quickly reduces input lag upon detecting a console. We manage all of this through a very convenient, purple Game Optimizer menu (Player Panel), which has already become LG's trademark. The manufacturer deserves big credit for consistency regarding HDR. Although the television does not support Dolby Vision in games on Xbox consoles, LG adds a well-implemented HGiG standard. Thanks to this, even on a moderately bright screen, HDR gaming is clear, and details in shadows and highlights are accurately reproduced, rather than "cut off."
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Input lag
9.8/10
At the end of the gaming section, let's take a look at how quickly the television responds to our commands. The input lag we measured on the QNED80A model is about 15 ms (at 60Hz signal). These may not be values that will revolutionize the market or impress professional e-sports players competing for every millisecond. However, for the average console gamer, this result is more than sufficient. During our gaming tests, we did not experience any annoying "drifting" of the crosshair or delay between pressing a button on the controller and the reaction on the screen. The entertainment is smooth and comfortable, which is the most important thing in home gaming.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 15 ms | 2160p60: 14 ms | |
| 2160p60: 15 ms |
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Compatibility with PC
5.8/10
Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Very Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 15ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR
Max refresh rate: 60Hz
G-Sync: No
Is the QNED80A suitable for connecting a computer? For the version with a VA panel, the answer is: absolutely. If you plan to use this TV as a huge monitor for work, you will not be disappointed. The readability of the fonts is very high – the text is sharp, clear, and does not strain the eyes, which is not always a given with large screens. Additionally, there is the low input lag that we mentioned earlier. This makes mouse work precise, and you don't feel that characteristic "floating" of the cursor. Of course, due to the 60Hz refresh rate, this is not the dream equipment for e-sports players gaming on PC, but for text work, web browsing, or occasional strategy gaming, it performs excellently.
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Viewing angles
3.2/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 76%
When opting for the VA panel version, you must be aware of a certain compromise. You get great blacks and contrast, but you pay for it with narrow viewing angles. This is a typical feature of this technology, and the QNED80A is no exception. If you sit directly in front of the screen, the picture will be sharp. However, just moving to the side of the couch or stepping into the kitchen can result in a degradation of the image. Colors start to lose their saturation, becoming washed out, and the deep black that we praised begins to gray. Therefore, this version of the television is best suited for those who have their favorite spot in the middle of the couch and rarely watch TV with a large group spread out across the living room.
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Daytime performance
4.4/10
Panel finish: Satin
Reflection suppression: Decent
Black levels during daytime: Good
How does the QNED80A perform when we don't have the curtains drawn? Let's put it bluntly: it's not the brightest TV on the market, so if your living room resembles a glass greenhouse at noon, this screen may struggle to cut through the intense sun. For extremely challenging lighting conditions, we would suggest looking for something with higher brightness (e.g., Mini LED). However, the TV holds its own with something else – the type of coating used on the panel. The manufacturer opted for a satin finish (semi-matte) here. That's a great decision. Unlike glossy coatings that act like mirrors, this coating reasonably dampens and scatters light reflections. As a result, in typical, moderate lighting conditions, the floor lamp next to it or a window on the side won't be irritating, and the viewing experience will remain pleasant.
Panel brightness
Average luminance SDR
LG QNED80A6A (VA): 280 cd/m2
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - TV features
6.8/10
System: WebOS
System performance: Good
- HDMI inputs: 3 x HDMI 2.0, 0 x HDMI 2.1
- Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
- Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
- TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Classic features:
- Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
- Recording programming: No
- Picture in Picture (PiP): No
- RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): RF
- Backlit remote control: No
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Bluetooth headphones support: Yes
- Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Voice search: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Smart TV System and WebOS
A huge plus of LG TVs – even those in the lower or mid-price range – is that the manufacturer does not treat them "less favorably" in terms of software. The QNED80A runs on the latest version of the WebOS system, which performed excellently during our tests. The interface operated smoothly, responded quickly to commands, and most importantly – was very intuitive. Much of this is thanks to the famous Magic Remote, which works like a computer mouse – we control the cursor on the screen with wrist movements. However, there’s an unexpected surprise here. In the 2025 model year, the controller underwent quite a drastic transformation. It has been minimized and slimmed down. Modern users will probably appreciate this change because the remote fits nicely in the hand and looks more "premium." However, traditionalists may feel disappointed – the miniaturization has come at a cost, including the removal of the classic numeric keypad, which may complicate quick channel selection.
Classic Features and Multimedia
When it comes to so-called classic features, the QNED80A does not strive to be a revolutionary product. It is simply a solid piece of equipment that does what it was designed for. There are no hidden "gimmicks" here, but we also did not miss anything. The traditional Teletext works flawlessly, and the wireless connectivity modules (such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) are stable and quickly pair with external devices, e.g., headphones or a soundbar. In this regard, the TV simply does not throw obstacles in our way – it works as we expect, not standing out in any particular way from the competition, but also not giving any reasons to complain.
Sound connection options
HDMI audio:
Other audio outputs:
- Toslink: Yes
Wireless audio:
- Bluetooth: Yes
Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1: Yes
- Dolby True HD 7.1: No
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC): Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD: No
- DTS:X in DTS-HD MA: No
- DTS-HD Master Audio: No
Senior accessibility
- Numeric keyboard on TV: No
- Font size adjustment: No
- Audio description: Yes
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Apps
9.1/10
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Playing files from USB
8.2/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
| 4 Mpix | JPEG |
| 6 Mpix | HEIC |
| 8 Mpix | PNG |
| 10 Mpix | GIF |
| 12 Mpix | WebP |
| 16 Mpix | TIFF |
| 20 Mpix | BMP |
| 24 Mpix | SVG |
| 28 Mpix | |
| 32 Mpix |
How does the QNED80A perform as a home multimedia center? After connecting an external drive or USB stick, the television easily recognizes and plays the vast majority of popular video and audio formats. It can be confidently stated that in everyday use you will rarely encounter a file that refuses to cooperate. However, we must draw attention to a certain catch arising from the software architecture. WebOS is a closed system. What does this mean for you? It means that if the built-in player cannot handle an exotic format, we do not have a "lifeline." We cannot go to the store and download an external app like VLC, which "plays everything," as is the case with Android or Google TV. The specific deficiencies we managed to catch mainly concern graphic files. The television does not support the HEIC format, which is standard on Apple devices (iPhone/iPad). Photos with very high resolution (in the range of 20-28 Mpix) also turned out to be problematic – when attempting to open them, the system often gave up. It is worth keeping this in mind if you plan to view vacation photos directly from the drive.
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Sound
6/10
81dB
Maximum volume
Supported codecs
(TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
In terms of audio, the LG QNED80A does not try to enchant us. It simply plays like... a typical flat-screen TV. The installed speaker system with a total power of 20W may not be the strongest aspect of this unit. If you expect cinematic punch or depth known from more expensive models equipped with subwoofers, you'll feel a bit shortchanged. There is simply a lack of bass, and the sound is quite flat. However, we must give this model credit in one aspect: the clarity of the transmission. When scenes based on conversations appear on the screen, the QNED80A handles it quite well. The dialogues are clear, separated, and – importantly – undistorted. There is no crackling effect at higher volumes. It is sufficient for everyday television, but for movies, we definitely recommend purchasing even a simple soundbar.
Sound Quality Test:
Acoustic Measurements
81dBC (Max)
75dBC
LG QNED80A6A (VA) - Panel details
Software version during testing: 33.21.62
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: Mini-LED PFS LED
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