The LG 86-inch QNED90T QNED TV stands out as a compelling option for those seeking a large, vibrant, and feature-rich display, especially for mixed usage in brighter rooms.

It masterfully blends LG’s Mini LED backlight technology with Quantum Dot NanoCell Color, delivering impressive brightness, excellent contrast for an LCD panel, and a wide color gamut that truly makes visuals pop.

While it might not achieve the perfect black levels of an OLED, its performance in well-lit environments, coupled with its advanced gaming features and intuitive webOS smart platform, makes it a strong contender for home theater enthusiasts and gamers alike who prioritize a big-screen experience without the premium price tag of top-tier OLEDs in this size.

This TV is particularly well-suited for sports, gaming, and general TV viewing, where its high peak brightness can overcome glare and its wide viewing angles ensure a consistent picture across a larger room. Tcl Qm7 Class 98 Inch Tv 98Qm751G Review

It delivers a sharp 4K picture, and its upscaling capabilities are solid, making lower-resolution content look surprisingly good on its expansive screen.

For those moving from older LED TVs, the QNED90T represents a significant leap forward in picture quality, offering a more dynamic and immersive viewing experience.

If you’re looking to fill a large wall with a brilliant image without breaking the bank on an OLED, the LG 86-inch QNED90T is definitely worth a closer look.

Product Name	Key Feature 1 Relevance	Key Feature 2 Benefit	Price Range Approximate
LG 86-inch QNED90T QNED TV	Mini LED Backlight with Quantum Dot NanoCell	Exceptional brightness and vibrant colors for diverse content	$2,500 – $3,500
Sony BRAVIA XR A95L OLED TV	QD-OLED Panel Technology	Unrivaled contrast and perfect blacks, ideal for cinematic experiences	$3,000 – $5,000
Samsung QN90C Neo QLED TV	Neo QLED Mini LED with Quantum Dot	Industry-leading peak brightness and excellent anti-glare capabilities	$2,000 – $3,000
TCL QM8 Mini LED QLED TV	Mini LED Backlight with QLED Pro	Impressive brightness-to-cost ratio and good gaming features	$1,500 – $2,500
Hisense U8 Series Mini-LED ULED TV	Mini-LED with ULED Enhancements	Strong contrast and vibrant colors at an aggressive price point	$1,000 – $2,000
Bose Soundbar 900	Dolby Atmos with upfiring speakers	Immersive spatial audio experience, complements large screen TVs	$700 – $900
Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip	Dynamic ambient lighting that syncs with screen content	Enhances immersion and reduces eye strain during long viewing sessions	$200 – $300

Table of Contents

Dissecting LG’s QNED Technology: Mini LED and Quantum Dot NanoCell

When LG talks about QNED, they’re essentially referring to a powerful combination of display technologies that work in tandem to deliver a vibrant and dynamic picture. It’s not just one thing.

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It’s a synergistic approach designed to bridge the gap between traditional LED LCDs and the self-emissive brilliance of OLED.

Think of it like a carefully crafted recipe where each ingredient plays a crucial role in the final flavor.

The Power of Mini LED Backlighting

At the core of the QNED90T’s performance is its Mini LED backlighting.

Unlike conventional LED TVs that use larger, fewer backlights, Mini LED shrinks those individual LEDs down significantly and packs thousands of them into the display. This isn’t just about packing more light. it’s about precision.

More Dimming Zones: With thousands of tiny LEDs, the QNED90T can create a much higher number of local dimming zones. Imagine a grid across your screen where each small section can be individually brightened or dimmed. More zones mean more precise control over contrast. If a scene has a bright object against a dark background, the TV can dim the LEDs behind the dark areas while keeping the bright areas brilliantly lit. This significantly improves contrast ratios compared to standard LED TVs, reducing that “halo” or “blooming” effect around bright objects.
Enhanced Brightness: Mini LEDs inherently allow for higher peak brightness. Because they’re smaller and more numerous, the TV can drive more light output across the screen without excessive heat, leading to dazzling highlights in HDR content. This is a crucial factor for viewing in brighter rooms or for enjoying content with stunning dynamic range.
Improved Uniformity: While still not perfect like OLED, the increased density of Mini LEDs contributes to better screen uniformity. This means less noticeable clouding or inconsistent lighting across the panel, providing a more consistent viewing experience.

Quantum Dot NanoCell Color: A Symphony of Hues

Paired with Mini LED is LG’s Quantum Dot NanoCell technology, which is all about color reproduction. Lian Li Lancool 207 Review

This is where the “Q” and “N” in QNED really come into play.

Quantum Dots: These are microscopic semiconductor nanocrystals that emit specific colors when light hits them. When the Mini LED backlight shines through a layer of quantum dots, they convert the light into incredibly pure and precise red, green, and blue light. This allows for a much wider color gamut more colors and greater color volume vibrant colors at all brightness levels than traditional LCDs.
NanoCell Layer: LG’s NanoCell filters out dull colors, further refining the purity of the RGB spectrum. It’s like a highly effective sieve, ensuring that only the most accurate and vibrant colors pass through to your eyes. This combination results in colors that are not only rich and saturated but also incredibly accurate to the source material.
Benefits for Viewers: For you, this means a more lifelike and immersive picture. Think of a sunset with subtle gradients of orange, pink, and purple, or a lush forest with countless shades of green. The QNED90T can render these scenes with remarkable fidelity, making the content feel more alive and engaging. It’s especially noticeable in HDR content, where the expanded color palette truly shines.

In essence, the QNED90T leverages Mini LED for superior contrast and brightness, while Quantum Dot NanoCell ensures a breathtakingly wide and accurate color spectrum.

This powerful duo forms the backbone of its impressive visual performance.

Picture Quality: Brightness, Contrast, and Color Accuracy

The LG 86-inch QNED90T is designed to deliver a captivating visual experience, especially for an LCD-based television. It’s not just about pushing out more light.

It’s about how that light is managed and how colors are rendered to create a dynamic and engaging picture. Nikon Nikkor Z 600Mm F63 Vr S Review

Peak Brightness and HDR Performance

One of the standout features of the QNED90T, largely thanks to its Mini LED backlighting, is its impressive peak brightness.

This TV can get exceptionally bright, which is a significant advantage in several scenarios:

Bright Room Viewing: If your living room gets a lot of natural light, many TVs can look washed out. The QNED90T’s high brightness output helps it cut through glare and ambient light, ensuring that the picture remains vibrant and clear even in well-lit environments. You won’t be constantly closing curtains to enjoy your shows.
HDR Content: High Dynamic Range HDR content, whether it’s movies, TV shows, or games, relies heavily on a TV’s ability to produce dazzling highlights and deep shadows. The QNED90T’s peak brightness allows it to render these HDR highlights with significant impact, making explosions brighter, reflections more dazzling, and overall scenes more lifelike. It supports major HDR formats like HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of content. While specific nits measurements can vary by testing, you can expect it to deliver numbers that significantly enhance the HDR experience.

Contrast and Local Dimming

While not reaching the infinite contrast of OLED, the QNED90T makes a strong case for LCD technology with its contrast performance, primarily due to its advanced local dimming system:

Full Array Local Dimming FALD: The Mini LED backlight enables a high number of dimming zones. This means the TV can independently control the brightness of many small areas of the screen. When a dark scene is displayed, the TV can dim the backlight in those specific areas, leading to deeper blacks. Conversely, adjacent bright areas can remain fully lit.
Managing Blooming: “Blooming” or “halo” effect is a common challenge for FALD TVs, where light from a bright object spills into surrounding dark areas. The QNED90T’s numerous Mini LED zones significantly reduce this effect compared to older FALD TVs, offering a much more refined control over light. While some minor blooming may still be present in extremely challenging scenes e.g., bright subtitles on a black screen, it’s generally well-managed and not a significant distraction during typical viewing.
Dynamic Contrast: The TV dynamically adjusts the backlight in real-time based on the content, further enhancing the perceived contrast. This adaptive system ensures that dark scenes are deeper and bright scenes are more vivid, providing a more dynamic range to the overall picture.

Color Accuracy and Wide Color Gamut

LG’s combination of Quantum Dot and NanoCell technologies truly shines in the color department:

Vibrant and Accurate Colors: The QNED90T can reproduce a vast spectrum of colors, making images incredibly rich and lifelike. From the subtle greens of a forest to the intense reds of a sunset, colors are rendered with impressive saturation and accuracy.
DCI-P3 Coverage: For HDR content, the ability to cover the DCI-P3 color space is crucial. The QNED90T achieves excellent DCI-P3 coverage, meaning it can display the wide range of colors specified for HDR content, delivering a more immersive and true-to-life viewing experience.
Color Volume: It’s not just about how many colors a TV can display, but how vibrantly it can display them at different brightness levels. The QNED90T maintains strong color saturation even at high brightness, ensuring that vibrant colors don’t wash out when the scene gets very bright.
Factory Calibration: Like many premium LG TVs, the QNED90T often comes with a good factory calibration, meaning colors are accurate out of the box. For enthusiasts, further calibration can refine this even more, but for most users, the default settings will provide a very pleasing and accurate color presentation.

Overall, the QNED90T delivers a picture that is bright, contrasty, and bursting with accurate colors, making it an excellent choice for a wide variety of content and viewing environments. Mcafee Plus Review

Gaming Features and Performance

For gamers, the LG 86-inch QNED90T packs a serious punch, offering a suite of features designed to provide a smooth, responsive, and immersive gaming experience.

LG has consistently been a leader in gaming TV technology, and the QNED90T continues this tradition, making it an excellent big-screen choice for both casual players and competitive enthusiasts.

HDMI 2.1 Support

This is arguably the most critical feature for modern gaming.

The QNED90T is equipped with multiple HDMI 2.1 ports, which are essential for taking full advantage of the latest gaming consoles and high-end PCs.

Variable Refresh Rate VRR: The QNED90T supports VRR technologies, including AMD FreeSync Premium and LG’s own VRR implementation. VRR dynamically matches the TV’s refresh rate to the game’s frame rate. This eliminates screen tearing and minimizes stuttering, especially when frame rates fluctuate. It’s a must for maintaining visual fluidity.
Auto Low Latency Mode ALLM: When the TV detects a gaming console like a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or PC connected to an HDMI 2.1 port, it automatically switches to a low-latency game mode. This bypasses many of the TV’s internal processing steps, significantly reducing input lag.

Low Input Lag

Input lag refers to the delay between when you press a button on your controller and when that action appears on screen. Cloaked Review

For competitive gaming, lower input lag is paramount.

Impact on Gameplay: Low input lag means you’ll feel more connected to the game, leading to better responsiveness and a more enjoyable experience overall. It’s especially critical for genres like fighting games, FPS, and rhythm games where split-second timing is key.

Game Optimizer and Additional Features

LG’s “Game Optimizer” menu is a dedicated hub for all things gaming, providing quick access to various settings and information.

Unified Gaming Dashboard: From this menu, you can see your current frame rate, VRR status, input lag settings, and easily toggle different game modes. It’s designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, allowing you to fine-tune your experience without deep into the main settings menu.
Picture Presets for Gaming: Game Optimizer offers specific picture modes optimized for different game genres e.g., FPS, RPG, RTS. These modes adjust settings like brightness, contrast, and color temperature to best suit the visual style and demands of the game.
Dark Room Mode / Black Stabilizer: This feature allows you to adjust the black levels in game mode, which can be useful for spotting enemies hidden in dark corners in competitive shooters.
HGiG HDR Gaming Interest Group Support: The QNED90T supports HGiG, which ensures that the TV accurately displays HDR content as intended by game developers. Instead of the TV applying its own tone mapping, HGiG allows the game console to perform the mapping, leading to a more consistent and accurate HDR gaming experience.

Cloud Gaming Integration

Beyond local console and PC gaming, LG’s webOS smart platform often integrates cloud gaming services like NVIDIA GeForce NOW check specific model year and region for availability. This allows you to stream high-fidelity games directly to your TV without needing a powerful local console or PC, requiring only a compatible controller and a strong internet connection.

In summary, the LG 86-inch QNED90T is a powerhouse for gamers.

Its combination of HDMI 2.1 capabilities, low input lag, and a comprehensive Game Optimizer suite makes it an exceptional large-screen gaming display that can keep up with the demands of the most discerning players. Turtle Beach Kone Ii Air Review

Smart TV Features: webOS and Connectivity

The LG 86-inch QNED90T runs on LG’s intuitive and feature-rich webOS smart TV platform.

If you’ve ever used an LG smart TV before, you’ll feel right at home.

For newcomers, webOS is celebrated for its ease of use, speed, and comprehensive set of features, making it one of the best smart TV experiences on the market.

webOS Smart Platform

Magic Remote: At the heart of the webOS experience is the LG Magic Remote. This unique remote functions like a mouse, allowing you to point, click, and scroll your way through menus. It also includes a scroll wheel, voice control, and dedicated shortcut buttons for popular streaming services. The motion control is incredibly intuitive for navigating the interface, especially on an 86-inch screen.
User Interface UI: The webOS UI is clean, colorful, and highly customizable. The main home screen displays a horizontal ribbon of apps and content tiles, making it easy to quickly access your favorite streaming services, connected devices, and live TV. You can rearrange apps, create custom profiles, and even get personalized content recommendations.
Speed and Responsiveness: Thanks to a powerful processor, webOS on the QNED90T is generally very snappy and responsive. Apps launch quickly, and navigating between menus feels fluid, minimizing frustrating delays.
LG Channels: This is LG’s free streaming service, offering a wide array of live channels and on-demand content, all accessible directly from the TV’s interface without needing an antenna or separate app. It’s a great bonus for casual viewing.

Streaming Service Support

The QNED90T provides access to virtually every major streaming service you could want.

Pre-installed Apps: Out of the box, you’ll find popular services like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu, Max, Apple TV+, and many more.
App Store: If a service isn’t pre-installed, you can easily download it from the LG Content Store, which offers a vast library of additional apps for entertainment, news, fitness, and more.
4K HDR Support: Most major streaming apps on webOS support 4K resolution and HDR formats HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision, where applicable, ensuring you get the best possible picture quality from your streamed content.

Voice Assistants and Smart Home Integration

The QNED90T is designed to be a central hub for your smart home. Switchbot Mini Robot Vacuum K10 Plus Review

Built-in Voice Assistants: It comes with both LG ThinQ AI and Amazon Alexa built-in, with Google Assistant support also available. You can use the Magic Remote’s microphone to issue voice commands for controlling the TV e.g., “Open Netflix,” “Switch to HDMI 1”, searching for content, getting weather updates, and even controlling compatible smart home devices e.g., “Turn off the living room lights”.
Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit: For Apple users, the QNED90T supports AirPlay 2, allowing you to wirelessly stream content videos, photos, podcast from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac directly to the TV. HomeKit integration means you can control the TV using the Apple Home app or Siri, and even include it in smart home automations.

Connectivity Options

Beyond smart features, the QNED90T offers robust physical connectivity.

HDMI Ports: As discussed in the gaming section, it typically includes four HDMI ports, with at least two and often all four supporting HDMI 2.1 features for 4K@120Hz, VRR, and ALLM.
USB Ports: Multiple USB ports allow you to connect external storage for media playback or to power accessories.
Ethernet LAN Port: For a stable internet connection, especially important for 4K streaming and cloud gaming, a wired Ethernet port is available.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Built-in Wi-Fi usually Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6, depending on the model year provides wireless internet connectivity, and Bluetooth allows you to connect wireless headphones, keyboards, or game controllers directly to the TV.
Optical Digital Audio Output: For connecting to older soundbars or AV receivers that don’t support eARC.
eARC Enhanced Audio Return Channel: One of the HDMI 2.1 ports will typically be designated as eARC. This allows the TV to send high-quality, uncompressed audio formats like Dolby Atmos from internal apps or connected devices to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver via a single HDMI cable. This simplifies your audio setup and ensures you’re getting the best possible sound from your content.

The combination of webOS’s intuitive interface, extensive app support, integrated voice assistants, and comprehensive connectivity options makes the LG QNED90T a highly versatile and user-friendly smart TV that integrates seamlessly into any modern home entertainment setup.

Audio Quality and Sound Enhancements

While a large, immersive picture is crucial, good audio is equally important for a complete home theater experience.

The LG 86-inch QNED90T, like most flat-panel TVs, comes with built-in speakers.

While these can certainly get the job done for casual viewing, LG also includes several features and technologies designed to enhance the sound and make it more enjoyable. Msi Pro Dp21 14M Review

Built-in Speaker Performance

Standard TV Audio: The QNED90T typically features a 2.2-channel speaker system, meaning two main speakers and two subwoofers for a bit of extra bass. The total audio output power is usually in the range of 40W. For daily TV watching, news, or general talk shows, these speakers are perfectly adequate. Dialogue is generally clear and understandable.
Limitations: However, like almost all built-in TV speakers, they have inherent limitations. They struggle to produce truly deep bass, which is essential for impactful movie soundtracks or powerful gaming effects. The soundstage the perceived width and depth of the sound is also limited, as the speakers are positioned directly on the TV panel. This means you won’t get the immersive, room-filling audio that a dedicated sound system can provide. High volumes can sometimes lead to slight distortion, and dynamic range can feel compressed in action-packed scenes.

AI Sound Pro and AI Acoustic Tuning

LG leverages its AI capabilities to improve the audio output from the built-in speakers.

AI Sound Pro: This feature analyzes the audio content in real-time and optimizes the sound settings accordingly. For example, it might emphasize dialogue for news programs, boost bass for action movies, or create a more spacious soundstage for podcast. It aims to provide a more dynamic and engaging listening experience without manual adjustments.
AI Acoustic Tuning: This is a neat trick. Using the microphone built into the Magic Remote, the TV can perform an acoustic calibration of your room. It sends out test tones and analyzes how the sound reflects off your walls, furniture, and other objects. Based on this analysis, it adjusts the TV’s audio settings to optimize the sound for your specific viewing environment. This can help mitigate issues like muffled audio due to reflections or overly boomy bass, leading to a clearer and more balanced sound.

Dolby Atmos and DTS:X Passthrough

While the TV’s built-in speakers can’t reproduce true spatial audio, the QNED90T supports passthrough of advanced audio formats, which is critical if you plan to connect external audio equipment.

Dolby Atmos: This object-based audio format creates a three-dimensional soundscape, allowing sounds to appear to come from specific points around and above you. The QNED90T can process Dolby Atmos audio from internal apps or connected devices and pass it through to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver via its HDMI eARC port. This means you can experience the full immersive effect of Atmos with a proper external setup.
DTS:X: Similar to Dolby Atmos, DTS:X is another object-based audio format that offers immersive, multi-dimensional sound. The QNED90T also supports passthrough for DTS:X, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of content and audio systems.

HDMI eARC Enhanced Audio Return Channel

As mentioned earlier, the inclusion of eARC on one of the HDMI 2.1 ports is a significant advantage for audio enthusiasts.

Simplified Connectivity: With eARC, you can connect your soundbar or AV receiver to the TV using a single HDMI cable, and it can transmit high-bandwidth, uncompressed audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X from the TV’s internal apps e.g., Netflix with Atmos or from devices connected to other HDMI ports on the TV.
Future-Proofing: This ensures that your audio setup can handle the best possible audio quality without requiring separate optical cables or older, less capable HDMI ARC connections.

Bluetooth Surround Ready

LG also offers a feature called “Bluetooth Surround Ready.” This allows you to connect two compatible LG Bluetooth speakers wirelessly to the TV to act as rear surround channels.

While not a true discrete surround sound system, it can provide a more enveloping audio experience than just the built-in TV speakers, enhancing immersion, especially for movies and games. Roku Ultra 2024 Review

Recommendation: For the best possible audio experience to match the immense 86-inch picture, investing in a dedicated sound system – whether it’s a quality soundbar with a subwoofer, a soundbar with up-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos, or a full AV receiver and speaker setup – is highly recommended. The QNED90T provides all the necessary passthrough and connectivity features to integrate seamlessly with such systems.

Design and Build Quality

The LG 86-inch QNED90T makes a striking impression even before you turn it on, thanks to its substantial size and thoughtful design.

Given its colossal footprint, the build quality and aesthetic considerations are particularly important for how it integrates into your living space.

Aesthetic Appeal

Minimalist Bezel Design: The QNED90T boasts incredibly thin bezels the frame around the screen on three sides, with a slightly thicker bottom bezel. This “bezel-less” design philosophy allows the screen to dominate your field of view, creating a truly immersive experience. When the TV is on, the picture extends virtually edge-to-edge, minimizing distractions.
Slim Profile for a Mini LED TV: While not as wafer-thin as an OLED, the QNED90T maintains a relatively sleek profile for a Mini LED TV. The Mini LED backlighting technology, though thicker than OLED, is significantly more compact than traditional full-array LED backlights, allowing for a slimmer chassis than older LCD models of this size. This makes it look less bulky when mounted on a wall.
Modern Finish: The TV typically features a clean, modern finish, often in dark metallic tones, that blends well with contemporary decor. The overall aesthetic is understated and premium, allowing the impressive display to be the focal point.

Stand Design and Stability

Given the 86-inch size, the stand’s design and stability are critical.

Central Pedestal Stand Typical: Many large LG TVs, including models like the QNED90T, utilize a central pedestal stand. This design offers several advantages:
- Space-Saving: It requires less surface area than widely spaced feet, making it easier to place on narrower TV stands.
- Stability: A well-engineered central stand provides robust support for the massive panel, minimizing wobble.
Material Quality: The stand is usually constructed from sturdy materials like metal or high-quality plastic, providing confidence in its ability to support such a large and valuable display.
Cable Management: LG often incorporates basic cable management solutions into the stand or the TV’s rear panel, with clips or channels to route cables discreetly, helping to maintain a clean look.

Port Placement and Accessibility

Side-Facing Ports: For easy access when the TV is wall-mounted, many of the commonly used ports like a couple of HDMI and USB ports are typically located on the side of the TV. This means you don’t have to reach awkwardly behind the TV to plug in devices.
Rear-Facing Ports: The remaining ports e.g., additional HDMI, Ethernet, optical audio, power input are usually located on the rear panel, often recessed to allow for flush wall mounting.
Thoughtful Layout: The ports are generally spaced well, preventing overcrowding when connecting multiple cables.

VESA Mounting Compatibility

For those who prefer to wall-mount their TV, the LG 86-inch QNED90T will be VESA compliant. Oura Ring 4 Review

Standard VESA Patterns: It will support a standard VESA mounting pattern e.g., 600x400mm or similar for this size, making it compatible with a wide range of universal wall mounts.
Weight Considerations: It’s crucial to select a wall mount that is rated for the substantial weight of an 86-inch TV and to ensure that your wall studs can adequately support it. Professional installation is often recommended for TVs of this size.

Durability and Build Quality

Solid Construction: LG TVs are generally known for their solid build quality, and the QNED90T is no exception. The chassis feels robust, and the components are well-integrated.
Premium Feel: While not in the ultra-luxury tier, the materials used give the TV a premium feel, reflecting its position in LG’s lineup.
Weight: Be prepared for the sheer weight of an 86-inch television. Moving and setting up such a large display typically requires at least two, and ideally three, people to handle it safely and correctly.

In summary, the LG 86-inch QNED90T combines a sleek, minimalist aesthetic with practical design elements and robust build quality.

It’s designed to be an impressive centerpiece in your home entertainment setup, whether placed on a stand or mounted on the wall.

Practical Considerations: Room Size, Viewing Angles, and Price

Before pulling the trigger on an 86-inch TV like the LG QNED90T, there are several practical factors that you absolutely need to consider. This isn’t just about the tech specs.

It’s about how this colossal display will actually fit into and function within your home.

Ideal Room Size and Viewing Distance

An 86-inch TV is an enormous screen, and it demands a proportionally large room to be truly appreciated without overwhelming the space or causing discomfort. Ring Battery Doorbell Review

Minimum Viewing Distance: While personal preference varies, industry recommendations for a 4K TV suggest a viewing distance of roughly 1 to 1.5 times the screen size. For an 86-inch TV, that means you should ideally be sitting between 7 to 11 feet 2.1 to 3.3 meters away.
- Closer 7-9 feet: You’ll get a more immersive, cinema-like experience, and you’ll be able to discern individual pixels less, maximizing the 4K resolution.
- Further 9-11 feet: Still a great experience, but the immersive “wow” factor might diminish slightly. Going much further than 11-12 feet might make the benefit of 4K resolution on such a large screen less apparent to the average eye.
Maximum Viewing Distance: Pushing beyond 12-15 feet, the 4K resolution benefits start to diminish significantly, and you might as well have a smaller, more affordable TV.
Room Aesthetics: An 86-inch screen will dominate most average-sized living rooms. Consider the wall space it will occupy, how it will look proportioned with your furniture, and whether it creates a balanced aesthetic or simply swallows the room. Measure your wall, TV stand, and doorways meticulously before purchasing. You don’t want to get it home only to find it doesn’t fit!

Viewing Angles

This is where the QNED90T, as an LCD panel, shines compared to many other LCDs, but still has certain characteristics to be aware of.

IPS-like Panel Typically: LG often uses IPS-like In-Plane Switching panels in its larger TVs, including the QNED90T. IPS panels are known for their wide viewing angles, which is a significant advantage for a large TV often viewed by multiple people in a wide seating arrangement.
Performance at Angles: With an IPS-like panel, you can expect colors to remain relatively consistent, and brightness to hold up well, even if you’re sitting significantly off-center. This means that viewers on the ends of a large couch, or those in adjacent seating areas, will still get a good picture without severe color shifts or noticeable dimming.
Contrast at Angles The Trade-off: While colors hold up, contrast can sometimes diminish slightly at extreme off-angles on IPS-type panels. The deep blacks might appear a bit grayer. This is a common characteristic of IPS technology compared to VA Vertical Alignment panels, which have superior native contrast but narrower viewing angles. For most mixed viewing scenarios in a large room, the wide color and brightness retention of the QNED90T’s panel type will be more beneficial than the slight contrast reduction at extreme angles.

Price Point and Value Proposition

The LG 86-inch QNED90T occupies a compelling spot in the TV market.

Premium LCD, Below Flagship OLED: It sits above entry-level and mid-range LCD TVs due to its Mini LED backlighting and advanced color technologies, but it’s significantly more affordable than a comparable 83-inch or 88-inch OLED TV. OLEDs of this size category command a substantial premium due to manufacturing complexities.
Value for Size and Features: For its immense size and the array of features it offers – excellent brightness, vibrant colors, comprehensive gaming capabilities HDMI 2.1, VRR, 120Hz, and a robust smart TV platform – the QNED90T represents strong value. You’re getting a true big-screen, high-performance experience without the absolute top-tier price tag of the very best OLEDs.
Consider Your Priorities: If perfect black levels and infinite contrast in a dark room are your absolute top priorities, and budget is no object, an OLED might still be the ultimate choice. However, if you prioritize screen size, excellent brightness for brighter rooms, robust gaming features, and a highly immersive experience at a more attainable price point, the QNED90T becomes a very attractive option. It’s a high-performance TV that balances advanced technology with practical affordability for its size.

Comparison with OLED and Other LED Technologies

LG QNED Mini LED + Quantum Dot NanoCell vs. OLED Organic Light Emitting Diode

This is the most common comparison, as QNED aims to be LG’s premium LCD alternative to its own flagship OLEDs.

OLED Strengths:
- Perfect Blacks and Infinite Contrast: This is OLED’s undisputed champion feature. Each pixel is self-emissive, meaning it can turn completely off. This results in truly inky blacks and infinite contrast, leading to incredibly deep, rich, and detailed images, especially in dark scenes. This is the main reason why OLEDs are often considered superior for cinematic viewing in a dark room.
- Pixel-Level Control: The ability to control light at the individual pixel level means no blooming or halo effect around bright objects on a dark background.
- Wider Viewing Angles: OLEDs maintain perfect color and contrast uniformity even at extreme off-angles.
QNED Strengths Mini LED LCD:
- Superior Peak Brightness: QNED TVs with Mini LED backlighting can get significantly brighter than most OLEDs especially older generations. This is a massive advantage for viewing in bright rooms where ambient light can wash out OLEDs. It also makes HDR highlights punchier and more dazzling.
- No Risk of Burn-in/Image Retention: As an LCD technology, QNED is not susceptible to permanent image retention or burn-in, which can be a minor concern for OLEDs with static elements like news tickers or game HUDs displayed for very long periods. For typical mixed usage, this is less of an issue for modern OLEDs, but it’s a non-factor for QNED.
- Price Per Inch: Especially at larger sizes like 86 inches, QNED TVs are considerably more affordable than similarly sized OLEDs, offering a large-screen premium experience at a more accessible price point.
QNED Limitations vs. OLED:
- Contrast and Black Levels: While QNED’s Mini LED FALD greatly improves contrast over standard LCDs, it cannot achieve the perfect, inky blacks of OLED. There will always be some level of “gray” in the black areas, and minor blooming around bright objects is still possible, though greatly reduced.
- Response Time: While very good for an LCD, it’s not quite instantaneous like OLED, meaning minor motion blur can still occur in some very fast-moving content.

LG QNED Mini LED + Quantum Dot NanoCell vs. Standard LED Direct-Lit / Edge-Lit

This is where the QNED90T truly shines and demonstrates its superiority.

Standard LED Strengths:
- Affordability: This is their main advantage.
- Vastly Improved Contrast: Standard LED TVs especially edge-lit or those with few dimming zones suffer from poor black levels and significant clouding/uneven backlight. QNED’s thousands of Mini LEDs and numerous dimming zones provide dramatically better contrast and black uniformity.
- Higher Peak Brightness: QNED TVs generally get much brighter, making them better for HDR content and bright rooms.
- Superior Color Volume and Accuracy: The Quantum Dot NanoCell layer in QNED TVs allows for a much wider and more accurate color gamut and better color volume compared to most standard LED TVs.
- Better Motion Handling: Higher refresh rates and faster panel response times on QNED TVs lead to smoother motion.

LG QNED vs. Samsung Neo QLED

These two technologies are very similar, both leveraging Mini LED and Quantum Dot technology. Espn Plus Review

Similarities: Both aim for high brightness, excellent contrast for an LCD, and wide color gamuts. Both are strong performers for bright rooms and HDR.
Differences: Subtle differences exist in processing, local dimming algorithms, and native panel types LG often uses IPS-like for wider angles, Samsung often uses VA for higher native contrast. Performance can vary slightly model-to-model. Samsung’s Neo QLEDs are also top-tier in the Mini LED space.

In essence, the LG QNED90T with its Mini LED and Quantum Dot NanoCell technology sits squarely in the premium LCD category.

It offers a significant upgrade over standard LED TVs in almost every aspect, and while it doesn’t quite match OLED’s perfect black levels and pixel-level control, it often surpasses OLED in raw brightness and offers a compelling large-screen experience at a more accessible price point, particularly for those with brighter viewing environments.

Setting Up and Calibrating Your 86-inch QNED90T

Getting the most out of your LG 86-inch QNED90T involves more than just plugging it in.

Due to its sheer size and advanced features, a little attention to setup and basic calibration can significantly enhance your viewing and gaming experience.

Think of it as tuning a high-performance engine for optimal output. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Snapdragon Review

Unboxing and Physical Setup

Two-Person Job Minimum: This is non-negotiable. An 86-inch TV is large and heavy. Do not attempt to unbox or lift it by yourself. You risk damaging the TV and injuring yourself. Have at least two, preferably three, people carefully remove it from the box and place it on its stand or mount.
Stand Assembly: If using the stand, follow the instructions precisely. Ensure all screws are tightened securely. Given the size, wobbling is a concern if not assembled correctly.
Wall Mounting Considerations: If wall-mounting, ensure you have a robust VESA-compatible mount rated for the TV’s weight. Identify wall studs accurately and use appropriate hardware. Professional installation is highly recommended for such a large and valuable display to ensure safety and proper leveling.
Cable Management: Before you push the TV into its final position, take a moment to neatly route your cables HDMI, power, optical, etc.. LG often provides clips or channels for this. A clean setup not only looks better but also helps with ventilation.

Initial Power-On and webOS Setup

First-Time Setup Wizard: Upon first power-on, the TV will guide you through an intuitive setup wizard. This includes:
- Language and Region Selection: Standard stuff.
- Network Connection: Connect to your Wi-Fi network or plug in an Ethernet cable for the most stable connection for 4K streaming and gaming.
- LG Account Optional but Recommended: Creating an LG account allows for personalized recommendations, access to all smart features, and cloud saving of settings.
- App Installation: The TV will usually prompt you to install popular streaming apps.
- Voice Assistant Setup: Integrate with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa if you plan to use voice commands.
- AI Acoustic Tuning: As discussed, use the Magic Remote to perform the room calibration for optimized audio.

Picture Settings: The Sweet Spot

This is where you can make the biggest difference in picture quality.

While individual preferences vary, a good starting point ensures accuracy and dynamic range.

Picture Modes: LG TVs come with various picture modes. Avoid “Vivid” or “Dynamic” as they often oversaturate colors and boost brightness excessively.
- “Filmmaker Mode”: This is often the most accurate mode, designed to display content as the creators intended, disabling most post-processing.
- “Cinema” / “ISF Expert Bright Room / Dark Room”: These are also excellent choices for accuracy.
- “Game Optimizer”: Crucial for gaming. As mentioned, it minimizes input lag and often offers specific gaming picture presets.
Basic Adjustments Start with the basics first:
- Brightness: This controls the black level. Adjust until blacks are deep without crushing shadow detail. Use a test pattern if available.
- Contrast: Controls the white level. Adjust until whites are bright and detailed without blowing out highlights.
- Color / Tint: Usually accurate out of the box in accurate modes, but can be fine-tuned if needed.
- Sharpness: Generally, turn this down to 0 or very low. Over-sharpening can introduce artificial halos and artifacts.
- Color Temperature: Often set to “Warm2” or “Warm” for the most accurate, film-like white balance. Cooler temperatures can look blue.
Advanced Settings Proceed with caution:
- Local Dimming: Set to “High” or “Medium” to maximize contrast. Experiment to see what level minimizes blooming while retaining deep blacks for your content.
- Dynamic Tone Mapping HDR: LG’s “Dynamic Tone Mapping” is often excellent for HDR content as it analyzes each scene and optimizes tone mapping, enhancing detail in both bright and dark areas. Keep it on for most HDR viewing.
- Noise Reduction / Digital Clean View: Turn these off for 4K content to avoid softening the image. They can be useful for low-resolution, heavily compressed older content, but generally, less processing is better.
- TruMotion Motion Interpolation / “Soap Opera Effect”: This smooths motion but can create an artificial look the “soap opera effect”. Turn it off for movies and cinematic TV shows. For sports, some people prefer it on a low setting for smoother action.
HDR/Dolby Vision Calibration: When HDR or Dolby Vision content is detected, the TV will automatically switch to an appropriate HDR/Dolby Vision picture mode. These modes often have their own unique settings, so check them too. For Dolby Vision, “Cinema” or “Cinema Home” are usually the best starting points.

Firmware Updates

Always Update: Ensure your TV’s firmware is up to date. Manufacturers frequently release updates that improve performance, fix bugs, add new features, and enhance compatibility. You can usually check for updates in the TV’s settings menu e.g., General > Support > Software Update.

By taking a little time to properly set up and calibrate your LG 86-inch QNED90T, you’ll unlock its full potential and enjoy a truly spectacular viewing and gaming experience on its expansive screen.

Longevity and Future-Proofing

Investing in an 86-inch TV like the LG QNED90T is a significant decision, and naturally, you want to ensure it remains a relevant and high-performing display for many years to come.

Display Technology Longevity

Mini LED Backlighting: This technology is quite mature and represents a significant advancement for LCDs. It delivers brightness and contrast levels that are likely to remain competitive for the foreseeable future for non-OLED displays. As LCDs, QNED TVs are not susceptible to permanent image retention or burn-in, which provides peace of mind for long-term ownership, especially if you watch content with static logos or play games with persistent HUDs for extended periods.
Quantum Dot NanoCell Color: This color filtration system is also well-established and delivers a wide color gamut that fully supports current and likely future HDR standards. Color accuracy and vibrancy should hold up extremely well over time.

Connectivity for Future Content

HDMI 2.1 Ports: The inclusion of multiple full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports is perhaps the single most important “future-proofing” feature for the QNED90T.
- 4K @ 120Hz: This capability is already being utilized by the latest game consoles PS5, Xbox Series X and high-end PCs. It ensures the TV can handle the highest refresh rate content at 4K resolution, making it ready for next-generation gaming.
- VRR Variable Refresh Rate: Support for AMD FreeSync Premium and LG’s own VRR ensures smooth, tear-free gaming experiences as more games and platforms adopt dynamic frame rates.
- ALLM Auto Low Latency Mode: Automatically optimizes the TV for gaming, ensuring minimal input lag.
- eARC Enhanced Audio Return Channel: This ensures that the TV can pass through high-quality, uncompressed audio formats like Dolby Atmos to compatible sound systems, simplifying your audio setup and readying it for future immersive audio content.
- These features mean the QNED90T is fully equipped to handle the demands of content and gaming hardware for at least the next 5-7 years, if not longer.

Smart TV Platform Updates

webOS Evolution: LG consistently updates its webOS smart TV platform. Over the years, webOS has received UI refinements, performance improvements, and support for new apps and features. While older models eventually stop receiving major feature updates, LG typically provides security and bug fix updates for a good period. This ensures that your streaming experience remains current and secure.
Voice Assistant Integration: Built-in support for multiple voice assistants LG ThinQ AI, Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple AirPlay 2/HomeKit ensures compatibility with popular smart home ecosystems as they evolve.

Picture Processing and Upscaling

Advanced AI Processor: The QNED90T is equipped with a powerful AI-driven processor e.g., LG’s α7 or α5 AI Processor Gen6, depending on the model year. This processor is responsible for crucial tasks like upscaling lower-resolution content to 4K, noise reduction, and dynamic tone mapping for HDR. As broadcasting and streaming technologies evolve, a strong processor can adapt to new codecs and content formats more effectively.
AI Picture Pro/AI Brightness Control: These features intelligently optimize picture quality based on content type and ambient light, contributing to a consistently excellent viewing experience without requiring constant manual adjustments.

Potential Areas for Future Obsolescence General TV Tech

8K Resolution: While 8K TVs exist, 8K content is still extremely scarce, and the benefits on screens under 100 inches are debatable for most viewing distances. The QNED90T is a 4K TV, which is the dominant resolution for the foreseeable future.
Next-Gen HDR Formats: The QNED90T supports the major HDR formats HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision. While theoretical new formats might emerge, existing ones are well-established.
MicroLED: MicroLED is an emerging self-emissive technology with incredible potential, but it is currently prohibitively expensive and only available in extremely large, modular configurations. It’s unlikely to become a mainstream consumer TV technology at these sizes for many years.

In conclusion, the LG 86-inch QNED90T is built with modern components and crucial future-facing connectivity. Adobe Photoshop Elements Review

Its robust display technology, comprehensive HDMI 2.1 feature set, and adaptable smart platform position it as a TV that will deliver a premium and relevant viewing experience for many years to come, providing excellent return on your investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is QNED technology in LG TVs?

QNED Quantum Dot NanoCell LED is LG’s premium LCD TV technology that combines Mini LED backlighting with Quantum Dot and NanoCell layers.

Mini LED dramatically increases the number of local dimming zones for improved contrast and brightness, while Quantum Dot and NanoCell enhance color accuracy and vibrancy, resulting in a superior picture compared to standard LED TVs.

Is the LG 86-inch QNED90T good for bright rooms?

Yes, absolutely.

The LG QNED90T, thanks to its Mini LED backlight, offers exceptional peak brightness, making it very well-suited for viewing in bright rooms with a lot of ambient light.

It can effectively combat glare and maintain picture vibrancy.

Does the LG 86-inch QNED90T support 4K 120Hz for gaming?

Yes, the LG 86-inch QNED90T typically features multiple HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K resolution at a 120Hz refresh rate, making it an excellent choice for the latest gaming consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, as well as high-end gaming PCs.

What is the difference between QNED and OLED?

OLED TVs use self-emissive pixels that can turn completely off, resulting in perfect blacks, infinite contrast, and wider viewing angles.

QNED TVs are LCD-based, using Mini LED backlights for improved contrast and brightness compared to standard LCDs, but they cannot achieve the perfect blacks of OLED.

QNEDs generally get much brighter than OLEDs and are not susceptible to burn-in.

Does the LG 86-inch QNED90T have local dimming?

Yes, the LG QNED90T utilizes a Full Array Local Dimming FALD system powered by thousands of Mini LEDs, allowing for precise control over backlight zones to improve contrast and reduce blooming.

Is the LG 86-inch QNED90T susceptible to burn-in?

No, as an LCD-based television, the LG QNED90T is not susceptible to permanent image retention or burn-in, which is a potential concern for OLED panels under specific, prolonged static content conditions.

What smart TV platform does the LG QNED90T use?

The LG QNED90T runs on LG’s intuitive and feature-rich webOS smart TV platform, known for its user-friendly interface, Magic Remote, and extensive app support.

Does the LG QNED90T support Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos?

Yes, the LG QNED90T supports Dolby Vision for enhanced HDR content and can pass through Dolby Atmos audio via its HDMI eARC port to compatible sound systems.

What are the best picture settings for the LG QNED90T?

For accurate picture quality, start with “Filmmaker Mode,” “Cinema,” or “ISF Expert Bright/Dark Room” picture modes.

Adjust sharpness to 0, use a “Warm” color temperature, and set local dimming to “Medium” or “High.”

How many HDMI ports does the LG 86-inch QNED90T have?

The LG 86-inch QNED90T typically comes with four HDMI ports, with at least two and often all four supporting HDMI 2.1 features.

Does the LG QNED90T have VRR Variable Refresh Rate?

Yes, the LG QNED90T supports Variable Refresh Rate VRR, including AMD FreeSync Premium, to provide tear-free and stutter-free gaming experiences.

What is the ideal viewing distance for an 86-inch TV?

For an 86-inch 4K TV, the ideal viewing distance is generally between 7 to 11 feet 2.1 to 3.3 meters to fully appreciate the 4K resolution and immerse yourself in the picture.

Can I wall-mount the LG 86-inch QNED90T?

Yes, the LG 86-inch QNED90T is VESA compliant and can be wall-mounted.

Due to its size and weight, it is highly recommended to use a robust wall mount rated for its specific weight and to consider professional installation.

Does the LG QNED90T have good viewing angles?

Yes, LG’s QNED TVs often use IPS-like panels for their larger sizes, which provide excellent wide viewing angles, ensuring consistent color and brightness even when sitting off-center.

Contrast might slightly diminish at very extreme angles compared to VA panels.

What is the input lag like on the LG QNED90T for gaming?

The LG QNED90T offers impressively low input lag when in its dedicated “Game Optimizer” mode, often in the single-digit milliseconds for 4K@120Hz, making it highly responsive for competitive gaming.

Does the LG QNED90T come with the Magic Remote?

Yes, the LG QNED90T comes with the LG Magic Remote, which features point-and-click navigation, voice control, and a scroll wheel for intuitive smart TV operation.

Can I connect Bluetooth headphones to the LG QNED90T?

Yes, the LG QNED90T has built-in Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to easily connect wireless headphones, soundbars, or other compatible Bluetooth devices.

What kind of processor does the LG QNED90T use?

The LG QNED90T is typically powered by one of LG’s advanced AI-driven processors e.g., α7 or α5 AI Processor Gen6, which handles upscaling, picture optimization, and overall smart TV performance.

Is the sound quality of the built-in speakers good on the LG QNED90T?

The built-in speakers are generally adequate for casual viewing with clear dialogue.

However, for a truly immersive audio experience that matches the large screen, a dedicated soundbar or home theater system is highly recommended.

Does the LG QNED90T support Apple AirPlay 2?

Yes, the LG QNED90T supports Apple AirPlay 2, allowing you to wirelessly stream content from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to the TV.

What is AI Sound Pro on LG TVs?

AI Sound Pro is an LG feature that analyzes the audio content and optimizes the sound settings automatically, aiming to provide a more dynamic and engaging listening experience from the built-in speakers.

Does the LG QNED90T have an Ethernet port?

Yes, the LG QNED90T includes an Ethernet LAN port for a stable wired internet connection, which is ideal for high-bandwidth 4K streaming and cloud gaming.

Can I control the LG QNED90T with voice commands?

Yes, the LG QNED90T has built-in voice assistants, including LG ThinQ AI and Amazon Alexa, with Google Assistant support, allowing for voice control via the Magic Remote.

How heavy is the LG 86-inch QNED90T?

An 86-inch TV is very heavy.

The exact weight varies by model year, but it typically weighs well over 100 pounds 45 kg without the stand, requiring multiple people for safe handling and installation.

Is the LG QNED90T good for watching sports?

Yes, the LG QNED90T is excellent for watching sports due to its high brightness, vibrant colors, good motion handling especially with its 120Hz panel, and wide viewing angles that accommodate multiple viewers.

Does the LG QNED90T have a dedicated Game Optimizer menu?

Yes, LG QNED TVs feature a “Game Optimizer” menu, which is a dedicated dashboard for quick access to various gaming-related settings, including VRR status, input lag settings, and genre-specific picture modes.

What is HGiG support in the LG QNED90T?

HGiG HDR Gaming Interest Group support ensures that the TV accurately displays HDR content as intended by game developers, allowing the game console to perform tone mapping for a more consistent HDR gaming experience.

Can I connect a soundbar using HDMI eARC on the LG QNED90T?

Yes, one of the HDMI 2.1 ports on the LG QNED90T will support eARC Enhanced Audio Return Channel, allowing for high-quality, uncompressed audio passthrough to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver.

How does the LG QNED90T handle reflections in a bright room?

While the QNED90T has excellent brightness to combat glare, its screen typically has a semi-glossy finish that can show some reflections in extremely bright environments.

However, the high brightness helps to overcome these in most scenarios.

Is the LG 86-inch QNED90T a good long-term investment?

Yes, with its advanced Mini LED and Quantum Dot NanoCell display technology, comprehensive HDMI 2.1 features for gaming, and a robust smart TV platform with consistent updates, the LG 86-inch QNED90T is well-equipped for long-term relevance and provides excellent value for a premium large-screen TV.

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