Overview of the 2024 LG QED 85T Series
I’m going to be giving you a closer look at the 2024 LG QED 85T Series. This model replaces the QED 80 from last year and gets some updates that make it a model worth considering when it’s time to update your home theater. The one I have here for this video is the 55 in, but it also comes in 50, 65, 75, and 86 in options, so there’s something available for just about any room you’re planning on putting a TV in.
Design and Connectivity Features
The design isn’t anything out of the ordinary, but it does look nice. It’s got a slim bezel running around the screen, and you can see a small bump out at the bottom in the middle, which is where you’ll find the power button, kind of hidden underneath. Every size of this model is going to come with a two-footed pedestal design with a single height option. However, the 65 in and larger models have both a wide and narrow configuration for the width, which is going to allow you to put a larger TV on a smaller entertainment stand.
Around the back, you’re going to see all the connections, which are going to include four HDMIs, with number three having an enhanced audio return channel for connecting to a compatible soundbar or a receiver. There are two USB Type A connections, an Ethernet port for connecting directly to your network, RS232C, an antenna connection with an ATSC 1.0 tuner, and an optical audio output. Finally, for wireless connectivity, you get Bluetooth 5.1 and Wi-Fi 6.
Remote Control and Operating System
The QED 85T also comes with LG’s Magic Remote, which not only acts as a traditional remote control, but you can also use it as a pointer to help select items on the screen more quickly. Just give the remote a little shake, and you’ll see a cursor pop up to let you know where you’re pointing. Then just click the wheel in the center of the directional pad to select what you’re pointing at.
Then we’ve got the operating system, and this one gets LG’s webOS 24, which is both snappy and easy to use. You get up to 5 years of OS updates, which makes it a little more future-proof than some other TVs out there. On the home screen, you’ll notice these cards, and clicking them takes you to different collections of apps and content. Music, for example, will take you to a spot where you can search through different music streaming services. Games takes you to a collection of cloud-based gaming apps, and then there’s Sports. Within Sports, you can use one of my favorite features, which is Sports Alert, to give you real-time updates on your favorite teams while they’re playing, even when you’re not watching the games.
Home Screen and Content Access
The home screen also shows you lots of different curated content to explore. In addition to all that, it’s got Apple AirPlay 2, Amazon Alexa built-in, it supports Google Assistant, and new this year, it also supports Chromecast. Another great feature is LG Channels, which is a huge collection of streaming TV channels that you can watch for free. It’s great for cord cutters out there.
Finally, another feature to note is the addition of two-screen multi-view, which last year’s QED 80 didn’t have. So now you can have two sources playing on the TV at the same time. Audio on the QED 85T comes through a two-channel system, but it gets a boost using LG’s Alpha 8 AI Sound Pro to upscale to a virtual 9.1.2 channels for improved performance. Dialogue comes through well, and you can definitely enjoy a movie on this TV. But if you’re going with one of the larger screen sizes, you’ll probably want to consider adding a soundbar to make the home theater experience even more enjoyable. Plus, the TV has a feature called Wow Orchestra that, when you pair it up with a compatible LG soundbar, is going to use the TV speakers along with the soundbar speakers for even better audio performance.
Picture Quality and Processing
And now let’s take a look at the picture. The QED 85T does a really good job here. It gets an edge-lit 120 Hz panel with terrific color quality that you get with LG’s QED models, and it’s driven by their brand new Alpha 8 picture processor. With it being edge-lit, you’re not going to get any light bloom around bright objects in dark scenes, and an additional benefit is it allows the TV to have a really shallow profile in case you decide to mount it on the wall.
The black levels are going to be a little elevated because of this, but it still gets plenty dark enough to enjoy good details in the shadows, and the picture gets bright enough to compensate for some ambient light in the room too. For HDR, it supports HDR10 and HLG, but if you’re looking for Dolby Vision, you will need to move up to the 90T. This is, however, the first TV in LG’s lineup for 2024 that gets the AI Picture Wizard. It’s going to show you a series of pictures, you choose your favorites, and then the TV optimizes the image based on which pictures you liked. So it’s really catering the image directly to the individual viewer, or you could also choose from any of the picture presets found in the picture menu.
Gaming Performance and Features
Another thing this TV handles well is sports, as it does a great job making fast motion look natural. We found the image to be most enjoyable with any additional motion processing turned off, but test it out for yourself to see what you like the best. You also get really good viewing angles on this one, so it does make a great option for larger rooms where people may be more likely to be viewing the TV from off-center. It does a nice job handling reflections too. Here’s a shot of us holding one of our studio lights in front of it. You can see it does a good job diffusing the light.
Finally, let’s talk about gaming. This is a very good TV for gaming. All four of the HDMI inputs are 2.1, so they all support features like 4K at 120 Hz and variable refresh rates. You also get a game dashboard where you can customize the settings to the genre of the game you’re playing, adjust the picture based on the lighting in the room, set up multi-view, and more. So whether you have a PS5 or an Xbox Series X, you’ll be able to get some really great performance out of the 85T.
Conclusion: Is the LG QED 85T Right for You?
This TV gives you a really good picture at more of a mid-level price point. It’s great for gaming with those four HDMI 2.1 connections. Sports look fantastic with excellent motion handling and wide viewing angles for those times when you might have friends or family over to watch a big game. Although it doesn’t support Dolby Vision, movies still look really great. So if you’re a casual viewer who appreciates a more upscale picture without having that more upscale price tag, this is a model you’ll definitely want to consider.
For more information on the QED 85T, be sure to give our TV experts here at Apt a call.
