Among the first 2022 TVs that arrived to the Croatian market was LG LQ63, an entry level
series with HDR support and webOS platform.
For this test I’ve purchased the model with white bezel and Full HD screen, but you can
also find the black variant and a version with HD ready screen.
Let’s find out what one of the most affordable LG TVs in 2022 has to offer.
LG 2022 TV lineup consists of LED LCD and OLED TV models.
LED LCD TVs include basic HD ready and Full HD series, then Ultra HD, NanoCell, QNED and
QNED MiniLED.
OLED TV models are split in three sections - basic A2 and B2, then OLED evo C2 and G2
series and on the top is the OLED signature Z2 model with Ultra HD 8K screen.
LG’s HD ready and Full HD TVs are only available in 32-inches and feature a very basic design
with 2-pole stand.
Tested model has smooth white bezel and matte stand and rear cover.
You will need a screwdriver to assemble the feet or if you prefer you can mount the TV
on the wall.
The TV has two HDMIs in version 1.4 which accept 1080p60 HDR signal and one of them
supports eARC.
I’ve tested standard Audio Return Channel function and can confirm that TV was able
to send either PCM or bitstream Dolby Digital 5.1 to the external device.
In addition to those connectors, you will get 1 USB, 1 Toslink, 1 Ethernet, antenna
and satellite inputs and a common interface.
TV has wireless connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Miracast and Apple Airplay2,
so you can easily connect your devices.
TV supports Magic remote MR22 but comes only with standard infrared remote control.
I was expecting that LG would supply a matching white remote but that’s not the case.
Remote has quite small buttons and since they are close to each other, it is easy to accidentally
press the wrong one, especially in a darker environment.
LG decided to change the numbering of webOS version so instead of webOS 7 this year we
jumped to webOS 22.
The latest version looks the same as webOS 6 with the addition of new features - mainly
the introduction of user profiles which allow you to have different user accounts with their
own recommendations based on the content each user is watching.
Unfortunately, apart from rearranging the app list, the home menu layout cannot be changed.
Though I don’t like the new webOS full screen menu, I’m happy to see that LG didn’t
reduce its features on a basic model like this one.
All the apps are here, home dashboard to control your IoT devices, for gamers there is game
dashboard and so on.
The response is not instant, but it is fast enough.
Stability was great during my test and the TV boots from standby within a few seconds.
Coming to picture quality, this Full HD 60 Hz TV with VA panel delivers overall good
results without any special flaws.
As soon as you select picture mode such as Expert or Cinema, you will get white balance
and colors with decent accuracy, smooth gradations and good amount of details in shadows.
Just make sure to sit directly in front of the screen for the best result.
LG went with a VA panel instead of IPS on this model together with direct LED backlight
without local dimming.
HDR10 and HLG are supported, but don’t expect picture to be any better than standard dynamic
range.
After all, many more expensive mainstream TVs aren’t capable of displaying good HDR.
LG even implemented a Dynamic tone mapping option, but that can sometimes make the image
darker than it is so you might be better off with this option disabled.
LQ63 has all the controls necessary to tweak the picture, so using CalMAN calibration software
I was able to reduce errors in white balance and improve gamma tracking.
The TV doesn’t have TruMotion control which means no motion interpolation so you can only
see movies in a steady tempo which is anyway the only way I recommend to see them.
The performance was stable and there were no dropped frames on all the sources I’ve
tested.
LQ63 will turn off the entire screen when there is nothing to be displayed, but good
news is that it will not decrease intensity of backlight when the scene is dark, so there
is no loss of details.
The TV has an ambient light sensor that can automatically adjust screen luminance depending
on the amount of light in the room as well as AI brightness control that adjusts details
in shadows using the same sensor.
Motion resolution is typical for a 60 Hz screen, so many details are lost in movement.
Good news is that traces behind objects are not long.
Sharpness is good for a 32-inch screen with Full HD resolution and you can get full color
resolution if you select the PC icon for an HDMI input.
This TV can be used as a PC monitor for work or gaming since there is no risk of burn-in
and response to controls is good thanks to input lag as low as 12 milliseconds in PC
mode with Game Optimizer picture preset active.
Down firing speakers produce unattractive, dull sound which is good enough only for talk
shows and news.
For movies and gaming I highly recommend external audio system - from bluetooth speakers or
headphones to soundbars or AV receivers.
To conclude, even though it is positioned at the bottom of the 2022 TV lineup, LG’s
LQ63 has a long list of features that one would expect from a more expensive mainstream
4K model.
There are expert and cinema picture modes with very good accuracy by default, light
sensor and AI options to adjust image for your environment, then there is Miracast and
Airplay2 for wireless content sharing as well as the latest version of webOS platform with
all the popular apps and connectivity options.
In the end my main complaint goes towards the remote control which should be either
simpler or larger with bigger buttons.
Though there are cheaper 32-inch TVs on the market, by paying a bit more you end up with
a TV that offers consistent performance and therefore gets my recommendation.
Thanks for watching!
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