You may be thinking it will be a little while before you can afford an upgrade to a stunning 4K UHD new technology TV. That time may be closer than you think with LG’s new 4K 55” 3D Smart TV (55UB8500). They have priced it very aggressively while keeping all the excellent features that you could want in such a TV. It is one of the lowest priced 4K TV’s on the market and comes as a WebOS powered Smart TV, an IPS panel, and passive 3D. This is probably the best value 4K TV on the market, which comes in two sizes: 49” and 55.”
Modern Design
I think this is a beautiful TV that will enhance any room that it is placed into. It has an extremely thin profile, with a very thin black bezel that is hardly visible. It comes with a very attractive and uniquely designed chrome stand, but can also be easily wall mounted. The design includes plenty of HDMI 2.0 ports (4), and USB ports (3) that are side mounted for very easy access even if you have it wall mounted. The 55” TV only weighs 45 lbs. so it is easy to maneuver.
Upscaling
Availability of 4K content is increasing but still somewhat limited so an important feature of any 4K UHD TV is the ability to upscale or upconvert 720p or 1080p content to appear more like 4K content. LG has included their Tru-Ultra HD Engine Pro, which will enhance poorer resolution images to near 4K quality so you can immediately enjoy the stunning clarity of 4K regardless of the content source.
WebOS Smart Interface
LG has really stepped up their Smart TV platform with the introduction of the WebOS operating system. It makes this Smart TV fast in selecting and loading content, with a simple design that allows you to change content sources easier and quicker than any other Smart platform. In addition, it comes with the LG Store that has a ton of content, apps, and games to download. For more details on why WebOS is such a fantastic Smart platform have a look at our recent post.
Another great feature of the LG 4K UHD 3D Smart TV is that it comes with a “magic remote” that makes navigating WebOS even easier. It works like the Wii controller that motion and pointing at the screen can be used to issue commands. The magic remote even has a microphone on it that can be used for ‘voice commands’ to control the TV.
IPS Panel
If having a 4K TV with 4 times the resolution isn’t already enough to get excited about, the LG 55UB8500 and its 49” counterpart both come as an IPS panel, which is the best panel for an LED TV. The IPS panel along with 4K resolution, LG’s Dynamic Color Enhancer technology, Triple XD Engine, and LG Motion Enhancement technology all combine to provide excellent colour reproduction and a brilliant image that is crystal clear. The IPS panel has the added benefit of being a much more stable screen that has an extremely wide viewing angle. For a more in-depth explanation of the benefits of IPS panels have a look at my recent post on it.
Passive 3D
Watching 3D can be a lot of fun, but 3D in a 4K IPS TV is a big step up as you won’t get some of the loss of clarity and colour that normally happens with 1080p 3D. Because it is the glasses are cheaper and more comfortable because they are lighter than active 3D glasses. The LG 55UB8500 also has the ‘Dual View’ 3D feature that allows to different images to appear in full screen depending on which pair of glasses you have. This is excellent for multi-player games that play in dual mode.
Value
The LG 55” 4K UHD 3D Smart TV has a number of other excellent features like multi-channel speakers combined with Ultra Surround technology providing a more immersive sound experience. It also has built-in WiFi, 9 different viewing modes, and is Energy Star Qualified for lower energy costs. BUT, the absolute best aspect of this TV is that it has the stunning picture quality of 4K technology and a ton of other features like 3D, Smart WebOS, IPS, etc. all at a very affordable price. This TV in my view is one of the absolute best values on the market today!
