Expert review of the LG QNED866 (2023)

When I stand in front of the LG QNED866, I notice right away how colorful and bright the image is. It really makes the TV stand out among other televisions. I can also see that the design is different, compared to previous years. Rather than a wide stand shaped like a half moon, the screen strand on a sturdy metal base this year. This way, it takes up less space. For this review, I tested the 65-inch version. The QNED866 is also available in the sizes 55 inches, 75 inches, and 86 inches.

LG's QNED technology combines the advantages of quantum dots with the NanoCell technology. This means that it displays both cold and warmer colors vibrantly and brightly. I can see bright red rose pedals on the image with many shades of red, for example. And with landscapes with blue skies, I can see lots of color details and the blue really stands out on the screen. The high brightness makes these colors even more vibrant.

The QNED 866 has Mini-LED backlight. There are thousands of tiny LED lights behind the screen that light light up and dim individually. As a result, dark parts of the image look truly dark and bright parts look really bright. When I watch an image with stars on a black background, the sparks are displayed very rightly. And I can hardly see a gray glow around the sparks, while the black background is truly black. As a result, dark images look realistic.

When I stand in front of the TV at an angle, I notice that the contrast and color representation don't deteriorate easily. That's because the NQED866 has an IPS panel. This type of screen has a better viewing angle than most LED-LCD televisions. This way, you can easily watch a sports game with a group of friends or the whole family. And everyone will be able to enjoy the same image quality. Thanks to the brightness, I also see very few annoying reflections on the screen.

The QNED866 has 4 speakers. When I hear the sound of a train passing by, I can mostly hear the high tones of the train, for example. They sound much clearer and detailed. I do miss the bass of the wheels on the track, because the TV doesn't have a subwoofer. The sound is good enough if you mostly watch live TV. The voice of the news anchor sounds clear and pure, for example. If you like watching movies and series, you'll miss the bass. That's why I recommend an external soundbar for a more spatial and fuller sound.

Thanks to the more compact stand in the middle under the screen, the TV stands more firmly than the QNED televisions of previous years. When I lightly push against the screen, it hardly affects the screen. In addition, the TV looks good thanks to the sleek design of the stand. The design of the screen is simple, but stylish. The screen also has a thin plastic bezel. It's less than 5cm thick, so you can mount the TV very close to the wall

I can control the QNED866 with the familiar LG Magic Remote. This remote works with easy hand gestures. When I point the Magic Remote at the screen, a cursor appears. With this cursor, I can easily select options in the menu or navigate through Netflix. Prefer to use the buttons? The remote also has enough buttons, such as shortcuts to streaming services.

With the LG webOS smart menu, I have quick access to streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. When I open the menu, I can see the installed apps right away. I can also find menus for specific usage situations here. For example, there's a gaming many with all gaming settings in a clear overview. I notice that the menu moves smoothly and quickly, so I can put on a movie in no time.