In 2018, the South Korean company LG introduced the 49SK8000 TV model with 4K resolution, HDR 10 support and NanoCell technology. The average cost of this model is 39,000 rubles. I decided to figure out if it was possible to save money, and compared this TV with the cheaper TCL L50P6US (31 thousand rubles). In addition, I made a comparison with a top-end TV from another brand — Samsung UE49NU7100U (38 thousand rubles).

Screen

Diagonal — 48.5 «(123 cm), screen resolution — 3840 × 2160 (4K Ultra HD) at a refresh rate of 50 Hz. The standard aspect ratio is 16:9. Matrix type — TFT IPS, Edge LED backlight on the sides, provides excellent color perception. The matrix itself is bright — 320 cd / m², contrast ratio — 1400: 1, viewing angles — 178 °. With this brightness, HDR10 will work in all its glory, and you will be able to enjoy an excellent picture and color reproduction. HDR format support — Dolby Vision. In LG 49SK8000, the screen is made at a very decent level and is the strength of this TV. Their matrices are used by Xiaomi, for example, in their Xiaomi Mi TV 4S 50 TV. The picture is rich, the colors are very pleasant to view even in a lit room.

Appearance

The design does not shine with something unique. Outwardly, it is a rectangle with thin gray frames and a matte black screen. The TV can stand on two arc legs or be hung on the wall. Mounting standard VESA 200×200 mm. On the bottom frame is the inscription of the manufacturer — LG. The TV is thin in width, on the reverse side there are all the necessary connection connectors.

Connectors

The TV is equipped with all the necessary ports: AV, four HDMI, three USB, Ethernet (RJ-45), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Miracast. There is one slot for CI+ connection and an optical audio output. HDMI connector is set to version 2.0.

Sound

The audio system in the LG 49SK8000 is its forte. These are two stereo speakers with a power of 10 W each (20 W in total). There is also software processing to create the effect of surround sound, implemented using Dolby Atmos technology. Automatic volume equalization works. As for audio decoders, there are Dolby Digital and DTS, which, for example, does not support Samsung UE49NU7100U, which is noticeable when watching movies, the sound is not so voluminous.

Functions

The TV has a built-in Smart TV based on the web OS operating system. A large number of TVs run on this OS, so you should not have difficulty finding programs or applications. The TV itself has 4 GB of internal memory, which is not enough for modern realities, but should be enough for streaming services. The device supports DVB-S/T2 cards. 49SK8000 can work with DLNA. From a computer or phone, you can open media content directly on the TV. The kit comes with a universal remote, and the device itself can be controlled by voice commands. There is a TrueMotion 100 Hz function, when enabled, the refresh rate changes to 100 Hz, and the picture becomes smoother. 360°VR video viewing is supported.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• great picture;
• powerful sound;
• slim body, elegant design;
• remote control;
• convenient operating system;
• full 4K and HDR10.

Flaws:

• highlights on a dark background;
• instability on the legs;
• sometimes «blurs» the image in dynamic scenes.

Verdict

The screen of the LG 49SK8000 is its strong point: only 1,000 rubles more expensive than the Samsung UE49NU7100U, but head and shoulders above its competitor in terms of brightness, color reproduction and picture saturation. LG has slightly better sound. In this TV, HDR10 really works, because the brightness of the display itself is enough to implement the technology. For example, TCL L50P6US had a screen problem with insufficient brightness for full HDR performance. WebOS actually turns out to be a smart operating system, and the capacities themselves are more than enough for comfortable viewing of 4K content or for surfing the Internet. The Wi-Fi module of the 802.11ac standard operates at a frequency of 5 GHz, which allows you to watch 4K video via Wi-Fi with a high data transfer rate. For example, the Samsung UE49NU7100U had the Wi-Fi 802.11n 2.4 GHz standard: downloading a movie “over the air” through such a connection would be another test. The LG 49SK8000 at high refresh rates sometimes suffers from “blurring” of the picture during dynamic scenes, and there are highlights in some dark areas. But in general, the product turned out to be of high quality, with a good design, a great screen and a powerful, loud sound. Watching movies on this TV will be a pleasure.