LG 55EC9300 Review

55 inch Passive 3D Smart OLED TV

by , Reviewer

LG 55EC9300 OLED TV

We've been following OLED (organic light emitting diode) technology since the very beginning when Sony showed the first models. We also reviewed the first OLED to hit the market in the US which was also a Sony (24'). We feel that OLED is truly the next direction in technology for TVs due to its outstanding display attributes and will actually stick around for a while.

The LG 55EC9300 curved OLED TV is only a slight step down from the 4K OLEDs above it. This one lacks the 4K resolution, but we don't really see that as a fault. A 55-inch 1080p OLED screen is capable of producing beautiful images, especially with the right source material. In fact, the lack of 4K is bound to bring the price down a lot faster on this model, making it possible to have it in more living rooms. The curve of the screen is supposed to make for a more immersive experience and widen the field of good viewing angles. This may not really be necessary for an OLED screen and those who want something else should look to LG's flat Gallery OLED TV.

LG believes this new addition to their high end lineup will be a game changer for the company. It's the lowest priced OLED TV out yet at $3499 for the 55" diagonal set. That compares with an MSRP price of $14999 for their introduction 55" OLED TV last year. We'll be updating this page as we receive more information and are able to review the model in person.

Picture Quality

Generally, we have stated that we prefer OLED TVs picture quality over a 4K LED TV anyday due to the much more saturated black levels and extremely beautiful color renditions that they produce. The Sony XBR-65X950B changed our minds somewhat about what can be produced with 4K LED. It has an amazing picture, black levels, and light flow through from the full array LED backlighting and colors are also rich and amazing. We'll be interested to review the two together even though the XBR-65X950B is not produced currently in 55".

Resolution - 1080p

The 55EC9300 is not UHD (ultra-high-def) 4K so will compete head to head with that higher resolution technology. The 55EC9300 has better black levels and briliant color and should win out over lower end 4K TVs for that reason.

LG 55EC9300 OLED TV
Super high contrast and deep black levels immediately apparent from this image. Excellent detail and color reproduction are seen as well

Smart TV Features - Powered by WebOS

LG has really switched things up this year when it comes to their Smart TV platform. Needed improvement in Smart TV functionality has arrived with the new 2014 LG TVs. The new WebOS operating system for Smart TV function is very fast in load time and selection. The design and layout is simple and much more straight forward than in the past.

LG 55EC9300 OLED TV
The Smart TV menu is clearly organized this year and easy to navigate, especially with the Magic Remote

Finger Gesture is a new feature using the built-in TV camera. It is limited in use and operation to just a few functions. A small arched menu appears on the screen when you access it with your finger. You can control volume,On/Off function, or input selection but that's it. It just really allows volume adjustment without the remote for all practical purposes. LG hopes to add more functionality to it later. It works reasonably well, but again, you probably wont use it much.

Magic Remote


LG 55EC9300 Magic Remote
This is the updated look for the Magic Remote accessory. It's got all of the necessary buttons (even an Input button) and a mic button for engaging the voice controls

Magic Remote Control Initial Set up very easy. Shake the remote to get the cursor working, the arrow pops up immediately if you have a hot signal going into the TV. We have always liked the point and click operation of the Magic remote and still do. It speeds section and browsing. This year the new magic remote control has even better voice recognition technology. It works very well to find the programming you are looking for by speaking into the mic on the remote control. A list of potential fits and the various channels appear down the right hand side on-screen. And it finally has an input selection button. This has been a fault that we have noted for the past few years.

Design and Appearance

LG 55EC9300 Design
The design of the EC9300 OLED is similar to the standard LG design, ecxept the stand has some added chrome

The 55EC9300 has a cinema screen style almost frame-less design. It's very thin with a slight curve to the screen. We're not partial to curved screens as we do not feel they really help viewing quality and may even hurt viewing from extreme side angles. The "curved" screen appeal is more toward something different like the slightly tilted monolithic table top stand from Sony in recent years. It's a bit of a gimmick in our opinion. This newer model OLED from LG may also be wall mounted.

Price

At $3499 LG is outlaying this OLED TV at 1080p as a great alternative to mid-range 4K LED TVs (including their own).



Jack Burden Jack Burden has been reviewing and writing reviews in the consumer electronics category for 7 years with CEAG. He considers grayscale gradation, film patterned retarders, and focus field drives to be fun topics. Read more about Jack

 



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