LG NU85 Nano 55NU850BPUA 55"

A top-tier smart TV platform saddled with a budget-tier picture. Do your eyeballs a favor and buy a TCL QM8K instead.

If you're shopping on a budget and just want a big screen with a slick smart interface, the LG NU85 Nano will catch your eye. It's got LG's fantastic webOS platform, solid gaming perks like VRR and ALLM, and a clean design. But the main event—picture quality—is where it stumbles hard. In our database, this set lands in the bottom third for picture, which means you're getting a pretty basic LED image with lackluster contrast and dim HDR. For the same money, you can get a TV that actually looks good.

Honestly, we expected a bit more from LG's Nano Detail Enhancer. Our benchmarks show it's merely average at upscaling and sharpening, and the lack of local dimming makes shadows look washed out. The good news? The alpha 7 processor keeps webOS snappy, and the HDMI 2.1 features (VRR, ALLM) worked without a hitch in our testing—though you're capped at a 60Hz refresh rate. So casual gamers on a PS5 or Xbox Series S will enjoy tear-free play, but don't expect smooth 120fps motion.

Prices range from $400 to $550, which puts it directly against some seriously impressive mini-LED competition. You can snag a TCL QM8K for around $500 that destroys this LG in brightness and contrast. Unless you catch the NU85 on sale for under $400, it's a hard sell. The only reason to pick it is if you absolutely love webOS and plan to use the TV mostly for casual streaming in a bright room where picture quality isn't critical.

The Hisense U7 Series is the most obvious rival. For about the same price, you get quantum dot color, a 120Hz panel, and proper local dimming that makes movies pop. The TCL QM8K offers even more peak brightness and better gaming performance. Compared to those, the LG feels like a smart platform strapped to a budget panel. Even the Sony BRAVIA 5, while pricier, outclasses it on picture processing and motion. The NU85's only real leg up is that webOS is smoother and less ad-cluttered than Google TV or TCL's interface.

If you want deep blacks or vibrant HDR for movie nights, this isn't it. The LG NU85 is a smart TV first and a picture TV second. Get a TCL QM8K or Hisense U7 for genuinely impressive visuals.

If you prize a polished smart TV experience above all else, the LG NU85 delivers that in spades. But for nearly everyone else, it's tough to recommend when better-looking TVs cost the same or less. Get the TCL QM8K or Hisense U7 and your eyes will thank you.