LG OLED65G16LA G1 65 inch 4K Smart OLED TV (2021)

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But what is the Evo panel bringing to the table? By changing the OLED panel construction and adding a new luminous element – and combining it with the new Gen4 processor – LG says it has managed to create a ‘brighter, sharper, punchier image’. A record number of people watched England battle valiantly against Italy in the Euro 2020 final and now the Olympics means that many of us are gathering round our telly to see team GB win medal after medal (hopefully). As usual with a premium LG TV, the OLED G1 supports the Dolby Vision and HLG formats of high dynamic range (HDR) technology, alongside the industry standard HDR10 format. There is no support for the rarer (in source terms) HDR10+ format.

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You can argue that the AI Picture Pro mode is more concerned with optimising sources to the screen’s capabilities than marshalling the TV’s settings to a source’s native qualities. The Cinema and Filmmaker Modes are on hand, though, to provide accuracy if that’s what you want, so the improvements to the AI Picture Pro mode are certainly not a sign of LG abandoning the sort of AV enthusiasts that have been a core part of its OLED audience for so long. For most people, though, little tweaking will be necessary. Dolby Vision content will by default activate the Dolby Vision Cinema Home preset and AI Brightness Setting, and that equates to a Dolby Vision IQ performance. It’s well worth leaving these settings as they are, as the performance is in line with our expectations of Dolby Vision, and the IQ element improves dark detail when viewing in a well-lit room without tampering with the performance under ideal conditions. As we’ve come to learn over the years, a TV’s panel technology is only one part of its wider picture quality story. So it’s no surprise to find LG partnering the G1 with a new processing system designed to get the most out of the new panel technology. Not that this Alpha 9 Generation 4 processor stops at optimising pictures to the capabilities of the evo panel, though. The OLED G1 undoubtedly delivers overall better picture quality than any of LG's 2020 OLED TVs. Whether it delivers as much of an improvement as some quarters might have been hoping for, though, is another question.

The AI Sound Pro mode follows the lead of the AI Picture Pro mode by seeking to optimise incoming audio of all types to the capabilities of the TV’s speaker system – and it mostly works very well. It instantly increases the sound’s dynamic range; makes the sound project further away from the TV’s bodywork; gives the sound a stronger ‘forward’ presence rather than it appearing to only exist behind the screen; and takes on those big movie moments with plenty of guts and enthusiasm. The third aspect of the UI redesign concerns the Menu system. It’s much simpler than before, divided into Picture, Sound, General (Settings) and Support. Helpful explanations are included for what each setting does, and it looks cleaner too. Features What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

LG OLED65G1 Evo OLED TV review | What Hi-Fi?

Cinematic Movement seems best suited for films, Natural for broadcast TV, and Smooth Movement for sports. There’s no one-size fits all, so the G1’s motion processing is solid rather than impressive, and for my two cents, still behind the likes of Panasonic and Sony (although I’ve not seen their latest TVs, yet).There’s Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) for automatically putting the TV into its Game mode when it detects a gaming signal, while the HGiG standard improves HDRtone-mapping for a more consistent performance. I did notice more detail in the darker parts of an image than I remember seeing before. On the AI Picture Pro front, the latest processor can now use AI learning to identify when an image may be showing a city scene, a landscape or a night shot, and apply specific rules to the image accordingly. It can even apply 'rules' to specific objects or areas of specific content within any overall image, creating a more three-dimensional and natural effect than would be possible by just applying the processing rules equally across the whole image. So, while sound modes other than AI Sound Pro prove to be just acceptable, there are a few methods of improving the LG G1’s sound. There’s the G1 Soundbar due in July, which is a match for the OLED55G1 model but expressly designed to be wall-mounted.

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With broadcasts, AI Sound Pro can grate on the ears, and I’d absolutely recommend going through the acoustic tuning process to optimise this mode. Without it, watching Best Home Cook on BBC 2 delivered dialogue that was frequently sibilant and harsh, as if someone were whistling every few words. Somewhat disappointingly, that’s not the case this year. For 2021, LG has introduced a new ‘OLED Evo’ panel that promises increased brightness and sharpness, and to get the Evo panel you have to step up to the G1. That’s slightly disappointing because you also end up paying extra for a rather niche design that you may not want. The advances of the OLED G1's new Evo panel (which is exclusive to the G1 series) come in two main areas. Whether the G1’s somewhat unexciting audio performance is a deal-breaker will depend on your expectations. We were always likely to have recommended that it be partnered with a separate sound system, so won’t mark it down for its sound, particularly as the speakers are clear and direct, despite being almost completely hidden in the chassis. We’ve had our G1 for about 3 months now. We’re still amazed by the quality of the picture. We have a really bright room (huge windows, wall of glass doors) and the tv is bright enough all the time, even when the sun is streaming in. No regrets. Also have a PS5 and play is great.If there’s one aspect where the G1 OLED gives something away, is that sense of punchiness QLEDs can deliver. sees Freeview Play return after a year’s absence, with the UK catch-up TV apps and EPG present and correct in their little silo. The convenience Freeview Play offers is something potential TV buyers do look for.

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After all, the OLED G1 is providing a 10-20 per cent HDR performance boost to 2020 LG OLED TVs - which were themselves sensational performers. And that's actually a pretty remarkable achievement in a premium TV world now so good that even the tiniest improvements should be embraced like long lost relatives. Colours in SDR content take a well-balanced and natural approach, with skin tones varied and tonally well done. Colours are deftly portrayed – there was barely an image that didn’t look effortlessly refined in its colour depth, hue and definition. It’s a lovely looking image. Contrast is impressively wide-ranging, and colours are dramatically conveyed, especially in Dolby Vision, the presence of which adds a lush, rich tone. It’s a close tussle between this and the Philips OLED+935 when it comes to their respective Dolby Vision performances, but I’d say the LG just edges it with its more natural look.

We've had to split the award for this one - while the Sony OLED maintains its luminance as you sit at more severe angles, the Philips OLED is better at maintaining colour accuracy. Cinematic Movement offers a semblance of processing but keeps a relatively ‘cinematic’ look. Natural applies more processing, and Smooth Movement is the strongest option. It’s worth adding on this point that the OLED65G1’s accurate Cinema and Filmmaker Mode picture presets are the single greatest beneficiaries of the new evo panel, looking much brighter and richer than they’ve ever looked before on an LG OLED TV. This instantly makes them actually feel more rather than less accurate, especially when it comes to HDR sources.