LG Electronics is reportedly going to be shaking up its popular QNED LCD TV range, with some of the models in this year’s lineup featuring a different VA LCD panel.
Traditionally, LG’s QNED LCD TVs have always been equipped with the Korean brand’s own low-contrast IPS LCD panels, which are known for their wider viewing angles.
However, FlatPanels HD said that will change in this year’s lineup. It’s expected that the massive, 98-inch LG QNED89T will feature the new VA LCD panel type exclusively, as will some sizes of the QNED90T / QNED91T TV models.
The revelation was made at an event in Frankfurt, Germany, where LG Electronics unveiled its full OLED and LCD TV range for this year.
The LG QNED89T is said to be using a VA LCD panel, likely supplied by TCL’s CSOT. It’s a big change, because VA panels have narrower viewing angles but can achieve higher contrast than IPS. The most popular LCD TVs made by other brands, such as Samsung Electronic’s Neo QLED TVs, as well Sony and TCL, are also equipped with VA LCD panels.
In addition, some sizes of the LG QNED90T/QNED91T, which is the company’s premium LCD TV with mini-LED dimming zones, will also feature a VA LCD panel.
The company confirmed that the 65-inch QNED90T/QNED91T will definitely be using VA LCD, which means that it should deliver improved contrast and picture performance in darker rooms, at the sacrifice of the excellent viewing angles LG’s QNED TVs have always been known for.
LG confirmed to Flatpanels HD that it will be using VA LCD in some sizes of the QNED90T/QNED91T, but not in all regions. It did not make any promises as to which specific sizes or regions will have which panel, except to confirm that the 86-inch QNED90T/QNED91T will exclusively use the older IPS LCD panel type.
In other words, anyone who buys an LG Nanocell QNED TV this year will face a panel lottery, similar to what buyers of Samsung’s 2024 S90D OLED TV will face. In Samsung’s case, consumers will get either a QD-OLED panel built by Samsung Display, or a WRGB OLED panel supplied by LG Display.
FlatPanels HD said the switch to VA LCD in some of LG’s QNED TVs should be viewed as a positive, as the technology is generally considered to be superior to IPS LCD. However, there is and always will be a significant section of buyers who would prefer greater clarity around exactly what they are getting for their money, and so they’ll need to pay very careful attention if they’re looking to buy any of the models mentioned above.
