LG made Amazon Prime Day history this year with a limited-time deal on its 1-inch A48 OLED, a 2021 model.
The ditched €676 LG TV (opens in a new tab) marked a new low price for an OLED TV, a type that typically sells for prices well above entry-level QLED models with the same screen size.
Although this particular offering has since disappeared from Amazon, other retailers, including Best Buy, have stepped up their business with similar retailers (opens in a new tab), so you can still get an LG A1 OLED for the same ultra-low price, or just a little more. The question is, should you even bother?
Are all OLEDs the same?
OLED picture quality is undeniably fantastic: with deep blacks and rich colours, you get a wide viewing angle and a uniquely subtle presentation that avoids some of the harsher qualities of LED-lit TVs (especially those whose picture isn't right). adjusted). ).
All of these benefits should also be apparent in this entry-level OLED model.
But the image quality is not the real issue here, it's the image size. Ultra HDTV images at 4K resolution are crying out to be displayed on a screen larger than 48 inches. This is because most people sit an average of 8 feet from their TV, and at that distance, the visual benefits of 4K cannot be enjoyed on a 48-inch screen.
A regular old HDTV would be much better, and would certainly cost a lot less than a 4K one.
A 48" OLED TV would make sense when used as a gaming monitor. That's the use of LG's first 48" OLED model when I found one at CES, and it was an incredible sight to behold.
To that end, the A1-series has solid gaming features, including a Game Optimizer mode, 1ms input lag, and an Auto Low Latency (ALLM) mode.
But the A1 isn't a 120Hz capable display - a feature would allow you to take advantage of 4K/120Hz video output on PS5 and Xbox Series X gaming consoles - nor does it support some of the more gamer-focused features on HDMI 2.1 specification as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).
The glitter theme
OLEDs are also generally dimmer than QLED TVs. This issue has been resolved to some extent on some of LG's latest high-end models, such as the G2 and C2 series, but not on this older model.
Any 48-inch TV, OLED or not, is likely designed for a more typical viewing environment with average ambient lighting. In this situation, a QLED TV will be better, providing brighter pictures, and you'll likely find one even cheaper than LG's 1-inch A48.
QLED TVs under €700
size factor
Of course, nothing would stop you from placing an A1 OLED in a light-optimized home theater-like environment. But, as mentioned above, a 48-inch screen in this situation would still be too small.
At that same 8-foot average viewing distance, you'll need at least a 65-inch screen.
It's not just that you'll really enjoy the incredible level of detail in 4K images with a screen of this size at this distance, but that there will be a much stronger sense of visual immersion - the main reason we're all going to see the film. the cinemas with their huge surround screens, especially the IMAX ones. To be honest, you could get away with using a screen even larger than a 65-inch screen at a viewing distance of 8 feet.
I'll cut to the chase here: Don't buy this LG A1 48-inch OLED TV. If you really want an OLED, save your money and use it to buy a bigger model instead. black Fridaycan be.